In part one of this series, we reviewed the internal process that a publication team goes through to decide if a redesign is necessary and the steps leading up to the redesign process itself: the timing, getting your team on board, defining your objectives, completing market research, preparing your Request for Proposal, and selecting a redesign firm. Once you have a design firm working with your team, the redesign can begin.
The Redesign
1. Planning and creative strategy. Kick the project off with an in-depth meeting to review mission, audience, advertisers, circulation, distribution, products, current design, goals of redesign. The design firm needs as much information as possible to create a successful design. Do not rush this meeting. Take time and make sure all of the key players are in attendance.
2. Redesign process. This is one of the hardest points of the process for the client and the most rewarding for the design firm. The publication team has done its work: researched and interviewed design firms; selected a firm; gathered and prepared materials noted above; and held an in-depth strategy meeting. Now it is time to let go and let the design firm do its job.
3. Presentation expectations. When it’s time to review designs, make sure the significant components of your publication (logotype, cover, table of contents, departments, columns, anything that is unique to your publication) are included in the initial presentation. This information should have been clarified in the Request for Proposal so there is no miscommunication.
4. Deliverables. After the design has been reviewed, revised, and finalized, the design firm will create templates with style and color palettes and an in-depth style guide—these are must-haves at the completion of a redesign. Do not cut corners and accept only designed pages that the in-house design team to decipher.
5. Launch issue. To ensure the most complete redesign, work with your redesign firm for at least the first issue of the redesign. If budget allows have them design the first issue as an off-site art department so they can work through any last-minute, unexpected details. At minimum, have the firm review PDFs during the design process to ensure that the templates and style guide are being followed appropriately.
