A Conversation with the Art Director for Chimps Should Be Chimps, Patrick Mouser

As the launch date for Chimps Should Be Chimps approaches, we’re taking a look back at our development process. In this interview, our art director explains how Manning’s company philosophy informed decisions behind the app’s design.

What made the iPad a good fit for Project ChimpCARE?

Patrick Mouser: The iPad and other emerging platforms are really changing the way in which companies, organizations, etc can reach their audience. Traditional media such as print, TV and even the (capital I) Internet can’t rival the level of engagement possible with the iPad. The device is highly mobile – people use it everywhere, it’s intuitive – used by toddlers and grandparents alike, it’s tactile – you literally hold and touch it to interact. Additionally, most users think of their iPad as technology that enriches their experience: they download apps to make things easier, do things faster, to entertain, to learn, to connect. They trust it and welcome it into their lives. And so the relationship they have with the device creates an environment that is fundamentally more conducive to engaging people than the bully pulpit provided by traditional media. And so it’s interesting to explore the idea of how to communicate with users within this entirely new dynamic.

Tell me about your initial approach to the project.

PM: Lincoln Park Zoo came to us with a few ideas – and the tendency for a lot of companies would be to answer the RFP with pricing. That’s fine, but we’ve developed a mindset here that the first solution isn’t always the answer to a client’s problems. We didn’t approach this project with a platform in mind. We worked with the zoo to understand their needs, and what they were trying to accomplish as an organization. Project ChimpCARE is focused on education. They want people to know enough to make informed decisions. So instead of trying to make a persuasive space, our charter was to make something that spread their message.

Did you always know you were making an iPad book?

PM: Our early process doesn’t limit itself to any set deliverables or technologies. It’s very focused on making sure the right ideas and concepts are taken into account at each stage. If you’re a chef, you don’t learn individually how to cook every dish that’s ever been made. You learn sauces, you learn knife skills, you learn techniques. Once you understand the process of how to cook, you’re free to take the ingredients at your disposal and cook the best dish you can.
We knew a project for children could have an intergenerational appeal. And the iPad is a great way to reach unexpected user bases – people who are less tech-savvy, people who are on the go, kids.

How did you keep the app fun without losing sight of the message?

PM: As we began to craft this story, we had to make something that was entertaining and creative for kids that also conveyed the goals of Project ChimpCARE. And so that certainly had to be a very strategic process, getting those message points incorporated into the story and have the app still be engaging and something that kids want to interact with. Since the story was interactive, we could build in things like supplemental pop-up features. For example, there are hidden spots in the story and if you tap them they launch what we call Chimp Facts – our zookeeper giving more information about what’s being portrayed in the illustrations. I think these Chimp Facts become more powerful, more impactful because they launched within the context of the story.

How did you tailor the experience to your young audience?

PM: Since our audience is a lot younger than our normal website viewers, we needed to communicate in a visual language that they’d understand. For example, the interface uses very little text. Natalie defined the visual language through the illustrations, so our interface had to support the artwork. If we’ve done a good job, the design will feel seamless from the characters to the buttons you push.