Digital Publication Development, Publication Website, Accessibility, Brand Alignment, Forms & Analytics
Drexel University
Creating a Digital Experience for Drexel Magazine
Print & Digital Publications
Overview
Drexel University was ready to move its long-running alumni magazine into an online format. The shift created an opportunity to rethink more than just delivery.
The new digital magazine needed to preserve the quality, pacing, and visual impact of a print publication while making the content easier to read, share, measure, and act on online.
Iris helped Drexel develop a digital publication experience that supported editorial storytelling, university brand consistency, accessibility, and reader engagement.
Preserving the Magazine Experience
Moving a magazine online is not the same as posting articles to a website. Drexel Magazine needed to keep the rhythm and hierarchy that make a publication feel curated.
Iris designed the digital magazine to support feature moments, photography, video, story flow, and clear pathways through the issue. The result gave readers a more immersive experience than a PDF or page-flipper while keeping the editorial quality of the magazine intact.
Making the Publication Measurable
A digital publication gives teams insight that print cannot. Instead of only knowing that an issue was mailed, Drexel could begin learning how readers interact with the magazine online.
The new experience supported analytics, reader feedback, and submission opportunities, giving Drexel more ways to understand engagement and improve future issues.
Designing for Every Reader
The magazine also needed to work across devices and accessibility needs. A strong visual experience only succeeds if people can read, navigate, and use it.
Iris balanced magazine-like storytelling with practical digital requirements, including readability, responsive layouts, clear structure, and accessibility considerations. The publication could feel visually engaging without sacrificing usability.
Creating a Place for the Publication to Live
The project also included Drexel Magazine’s website, which needed to house the new digital publication and feel connected to the larger Drexel University digital ecosystem.
Iris restructured the site navigation and homepage to remove extraneous information and highlight the new magazine experience. The site was modernized using Drexel’s brand fonts, colors, button styles, UI components, and interaction patterns so the magazine could have its own presence without feeling disconnected from the university.
Turning Reader Interest into Action
The website became an important part of the engagement strategy. Submission forms were added to the homepage in prominent blocks, giving alumni a clearer path to share story ideas, class notes, and updates.
Pop-ups on publication pages also helped Drexel collect feedback about how readers were experiencing the magazine. Since moving into the new digital format, submissions have increased.
Data That Print Couldn‘t Provide
With the digital magazine and website working together, Drexel gained new ways to understand reader behavior, collect feedback, and invite participation — insight that was not available through the print publication alone.