When UMN’s School of Public Health contacted us to refresh their alumni magazine, we recommended three essential changes: (1) develop a clear editorial hierarchy throughout the magazine, (2) divide the magazine into distinct sections that include recurring themes and departments, and (3) limit feature stories to two or three, opening each one with unique artwork and typography to distinguish these longer stories from other sections of the magazine.

Cover Design, New Nameplate
To immediately signal a change, we redesigned the nameplate, giving it a contemporary look and emphasizing the school name to define the magazine’s origin. We worked closely with photographer Cory Ryan to create a dramatic image that represents the burnout that healthcare professionals are coping with during the pandemic.

Updated Content Organization
The contents page breaks the magazine into sections that appear in each issue: Upstream, Findings, Features, and Connections. This structure helps readers navigate the various sections according to topic, and facilitates recognition of departments and areas of interest in future issues.

“The magazine looks absolutely wonderful. I actually enjoyed reading through it — for the fourth time — in its beautiful layout!”

Martha Coventry, Managing Editor

Improved Editorial Hierarchy
Feature stories have been designed to stand out. Large, dramatic imagery and expressive typography call attention to feature spreads, clearly setting them apart from the rest of the magazine.

Established Recurring Departments
Section titles throughout the magazine are designed to clearly stand out, echoing the style of the new nameplate and creating a navigation system for readers. UPSTREAM contains school news, updates, and student profiles; FINDINGS highlights research initiatives and expert insights; CONNECTIONS covers development and alumni news, and spotlights notable graduates.

Streamlined Workflow
Working with the editor to establish approximate word counts for each section, and adhering to a pre-established schedule has drastically improved workflow and timely publication of the magazine.