More and more schools are contacting us about all types of magazine redesign projects. And while we can scale our magazine process to the needs and budgets of most schools, there’s a recurring question that needs to be answered: Does my school need a full prototype? The answer: It depends.
If you’re thinking about a redesign — regardless of whether you’re hiring an outside agency or handling it in-house — here are some options to consider.
Full prototype
This is your best option, if you’re serious about really overhauling your magazine.
Building a prototype, coupled with clear understanding about what you want readers to do, keeps the focus on the stories you should be telling (rather than the stories that are already in the queue). Building a full prototype means that you spend concentrated time planning out the most effective way to utilize every page. Once the mockup is finalized, you’re ready to populate the templates with real content for your launch issue.
Partial prototype
If you have a tighter timeframe and/or a smaller budget, think about a partial prototype. Choose five or six page types and create them as models, in the same way you’d develop a full prototype. Once the prototype pages are perfected, build out your first issue. Details on other pages can be worked out as they pop up. But don’t let your attention sway from your overall strategy.
Mood boards with workshop
Maybe you’ve got an experienced magazine staff that just needs some fresh thinking and outside expertise. A workshop that includes strategic assessment, goal setting, creative idea exchanges and mood boards might be a smart solution.