Jul 16, 2022

Journal Design

Design Problem

The design of the journal Swedish American Genealogist hadn't changed much since 2004. Journal subscriber growth was stagnant and the publisher hoped that a design overhaul could help attract new readers. However, the design will need to also not alienate current readers as the journal has a faithful following.

Also, many subscribers did not realize that the journal is a publication of the Swenson Center at Augustana College, even after the journal became a member benefit of the Swenson Center. We would need to find a way to make this connection clear.

Design Process

I took over as design editor in 2021. I decided to do the layout for 3 issues with only minimal design changes to establish a baseline before embarking on any major redesign changes.

In 2022, I interviewed the publisher and editor-in-chief to determine their goals for the journal and which goals might be achievable through design. I also reviewed the results of a reader survey completed in 2017 (the majority of those survey respondents are still readers!).

Then, I researched journal/magazine layout to determine how to create a more harmonious relationship between text, white space, and images. I knew I wanted to move the journal to full color so I priced out full color options with printers. I developed a style guide for creating a more visually-appealing journal while maintaining consistency between articles and issues. I also reviewed journals and magazines that I and my library subscribe to for inspiration.

I created mock-ups for cover and interior pages and reviewed them with the editor-in-chief and revised design decisions based on feedback.