Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Federal Compliance Document

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The project's design represents the essence of the University of Illinois at Chicago's diversity by creating digital collages for illustration and data representation. Seemingly-unrelated elements in the collages represent the unique elements of the university (persons, backgrounds, and fields of study); but, when arranged on the same landscape, they harmoniously work in sync to materialize each section's purpose through fantastic, surreal worlds, just as the university fosters innovative ideas that transform the world.

Dimensions & Packaging

Letter size / 21.5 x 28 cms / 250 pages.
Document digitally distributed to up to 35k email addresses.
Document digitally available to the general public through official websites.

Tags

digital collage, annual report, university, compliance, editorial design, illustration, digital illustration, infographics, Clery act, safety, security

Production Technology

The unified visual style combines vectors, antique pen sketches, vintage illustrations, and contemporary photography throughout the report. The images and infographics were mainly created with Adobe Photoshop. Some elements designed on Adobe Illustrator were also included in the final digital collages. The full book was assembled with Adobe InDesign, and was digitally published as an interactive pdf document.

Design Challenge

The main challenge while creating the collages was to find a balanced and cohesive visual style that will grab attention from several audience groups and that could be perceived throughout the pages.
The designs changed substantially during the concept development process, resulting in up to 5 different drafts for some of the sections. The team overcame the challenges by continuously researching the audience preferences, the digital collage current tendencies, and finding a balance between the institution's personality and the diversity at the core of the institution.

Project Duration

The project started in May and finished in December 2020. It was published and made publicly available on December 22, 2020.

Operation Flow

The annual report separates from other documents in its kind by breaking-up and visually interpreting the abstract and complex policy and safety concepts required by law. Each section's illustration and data visualization elements provide the university community and the general public a comfortable approach to essential and relevant data that could influence their university or prospective college life experience.

Research

Universities that receive federal funding are required by law to share information about crime on campus and their efforts to improve campus safety. The content involves technical language to comply with the law and complex policies and procedures addressed to the stakeholders. The Action Research Design that led this project explored the deeper understanding of the content, conceptualization, and a simplified visual translation, so it also relates to the outsiders of this field.

Inspiration

Throughout the 2020 pandemic, we witnessed an explosion of ingenious ideas that often extrapolated elements from their familiar contexts and repurposed them as solutions for universal problems- the act of which was a real-life collage technique. The report was inspired by this metaphor. It met the need for simplifying complex and abstract policy concepts into relatable, digital collages while embodying the university's principles of diversity, innovation, and collaboration.

Colors of Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Federal Compliance Document