Nothing Flashy, Just Good, Solid Design
“Where Children Find Hope,” a multimedia package produced by the Detroit Free Press, was a finalist in POYI’s Documentary Project of the Year. It features the stellar photography of Kathleen Galligan, exquisite video by Brian Kaufman, and some of the most poignant faces and voices you’ll encounter on the Web. The subject is Christ Child House, a foster care center that is home at any given time to some 30-plus boys. The material comprising the package was gathered over a three-year period in which the Michigan Department of Human Services granted the Free Press extraordinary access to Christ Child House and its foster residents.
This package is a good example of design that has been shaped by the subjects and content. The package’s most powerful and moving components—the beautiful, warmly lit brown and black faces of the boys—are allowed to dominate the screen. The subdued, earth-tone color scheme complements the skin tones, and the clean, simple design avoids flourishes that would detract from the images and their subjects.
The contents are neatly organized by medium and are navigated by way of a simple navbar with text buttons. An inverted tab in the header of the opening screen is flipped and reproduced at the bottom of the interior index pages, softening the otherwise boxy package.
There’s a good deal to learn from this package. First, pay attention to your images. Let them take the lead in the design. Second, simplicity allows what’s really important—your content—to shine. And third, a simple band of color top and/or bottom, can anchor your package to the screen. A few other pleasant surprises crop up, but all of the hushed, muted variety. For example, in a design dominated by warm complements, a contrasting sky-blue background cools down a couple of interior screens.
“Where Children Find Hope” is good multimedia journalism enhanced by good design.
