We design scientific, technical and medical (STM) journals and can redesign your journal or design a completely new system, improving the branding and layout. A good grid is essential, along with a highly legible and rigorous typographic system, with clearly setup stylesheets. Typeface choices are important and they need to be able to handle the characters and symbols your most complex content requires, like math and Greek. We often setup a house style for graphs and diagrams, and can also transfer your journal to different formats like PDF, HTML or XML.
Help them know what they need to know
We do
- Journal branding (logo, colour system, typefaces, layout).
- Typeface selection advice (legibility, character and symbol range support, on-screen rendering).
- Grid setup.
- Well-built and clearly named stylesheets.
- Table design.
- Setup illustration style for figures and diagrams.
- Hyperlinks, navigation and interactive elements.
- Make the journal’s colours work in greyscale.
- Economy of design and layout issues.
- Decimal point alignment in tabular data.
- Typeset journals on a regular basis.
Below is a selection of projects to give you an idea of just some of the projects we have worked on.
Client
BioMed.
Project title
Medical imaging, 5.
Services
Journal cover designJournal designTypesettingTypographic designRedrawingPaper selection support.
About the client
Scientific open access publisher that has an evolving portfolio of some 300 peer-reviewed journals.
Client’s needs
Their original journal needed redesigning, the overall design looked dated, lacked a modern up-to-date feel, and they wanted to improve it and make it more usable, giving users a better experience.
Before our redesign.
After our redesign.
Outline of what we did
The original size of their main body typeface was on the small side (around typical 8pt in size), a single page was set up in 2 columns that was heavily packed and dense with information. Figures were also rarely on the same page as their 1st mention in the main body text.
In our new redesign, we improved typographic legibility, readability and page layout through a bolder and larger typeface size, and better use of white space, resulting in an improved reading experience. Figures and illustrations were always put as close to their main body text callout, usually on the same page, for much easier referring. We strengthened and applied the publisher’s corporate identity and branding in a more consistent and precise way, through main article titles, headings, figures, references and footers. This gave the journal a strong and visibly distinct branding.
Layout usability analysis
The 2 tables below, show scores of figures and tables being on the same single-page, or same double-page spread as their 1st body text callout in an article. If a figure or table is either on the same single-page, or on the same double-page spread, it would be considered more usable, as users do not have to refer to another page, either the previous page or the page in front, or have to turn the page to see the previous or next double-page spread. Subsequently there is a reduction in users losing their past reading position or relocating it, and less chance of forgetting what they were reading, thinking about or where they were.
| Article number | Client’s original design |
Our new redesign |
Our new redesign compared to client’s original design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 1 of 3 (33%) | 1 of 3 (33%) | 0% |
| 5.2 | 1 of 7 (14%) | 4 of 7 (57%) | 43% |
| 5.3 | 1 of 15 (7%) | 0 of 15 (0%) | -7% |
| 5.4 | 4 of 8 (50%) | 2 of 8 (25%) | -25% |
| 5.5 | 2 of 19 (11%) | 0 of 19 (0%) | -11% |
| 5.6 | 0 of 7 (0%) | 3 of 7 (43%) | 43% |
| 5.7 | 2 of 12 (17%) | 3 of 12 (25%) | 8% |
| Total: 11 out of 71 = 15% | Total: 13 out of 71 = 18% | Total: 51% of 700% = 7.29%. 7% increase |
| Article number | Client’s original design |
Our new redesign |
Our new redesign compared to client’s original design |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | 2 of 3 (67%) | 3 of 3 (100%) | 33% |
| 5.2 | 3 of 7 (43%) | 7 of 7 (100%) | 57% |
| 5.3 | 1 of 15 (7%) | 1 of 15 (7%) | 0% |
| 5.4 | 3 of 8 (38%) | 8 of 8 (100%) | 62% |
| 5.5 | 4 of 19 (21%) | 0 of 19 (0%) | -21% |
| 5.6 | 0 of 7 (0%) | 6 of 7 (86%) | 86% |
| 5.7 | 6 of 12 (50%) | 6 of 12 (50%) | 0% |
| Total: 19 out of 71 = 27% | Total: 31 out of 71 = 44% | Total: 217% of 700% = 31%. 31% increase |
Note: The 1st page of articles always started on a right-side
page (recto) for both tables.
3 main improvements for them
- 7% increase of figure and table 1st body text callout on the same page. 31% increase of figure and table 1st body text callout on the same double-page spread. Decreased confusion because users do not lose their position when they have to turn a page. This increased the journal’s layout readability and usability significantly.
- Well designed, setup, clearly named and easy-to-reuse Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator templates.
- Increased design input and attention on the journal’s typically dull and under-designed parts, like tables and list of references at the end.
Details
Pages: 184Page size: A4: width 210mm × height 297mmInside paper: Croxley Heritage Wove, ivory, 120g/m², 75% recycled. Cover paper: metallic (brand unknown).
Gave their journal’s users a less painful experience
Client
Informa.
Project title
Journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Services
Journal designTypesettingRedrawingTypographic design.
About the client
Publishes more than 2100 journals and over 4000 new books each year, with offices in 43 countries and around 11,000 employees globally.
Client’s needs
This major worldwide publisher required a journal redesign and refresh, used by 1000s of respiratory specialists. Their current design was optimised for greyscale printing, although the journal’s competitors increasingly use colour elements with obvious benefits. The design had to be optimised primarily for on‑screen reading and have better branding and colour.
Before our redesign.
After our redesign.
Outline of what we did
The client needed a strong branding for the whole journal that also had to work if printed in greyscale. We did research into the various issues, and also researched their competitors’ journal designs. We additionally setup a style for all diagrams and figures, that further reinforced the journal’s branding and saved lots of time in the typesetting and production stages. We used typefaces that support Unicode, that was an absolute must, because the journal is published in a variety of electronic formats. The overall typographic design is robust and legible, giving it every chance of success in diverse and variable electronic environments. Attention was given to important and required on‑page navigational elements, such as page numbers, author/s name, article title, as well as the journal name, volume issue and online hyperlink. These elements help people find and use information they will need, and makes interacting with the journal and page design easy.
3 main improvements for them
- Researched into their competitors’ journals, analysed and then redesigned the journal’s different sections and parts.
- A journal design that renders well on screens and is highly legible and robust across a range of electronic devices.
- Put in a list and explanation of the medical abbreviations at the start of articles, so users can quickly look‑up and find out what they mean. This increased the users’ chances of comprehending the content.
Details
Page size: A4: width 210mm × height 297mmPages: variableInside paper: unknown.
Reduced the difficulty of medical professionals’ day
3 results of an academic journal designed by us
1 A unique, professional and well-branded journal, that your subscribers value and enjoy using for years.
2 Less inconsistency and time lost in the production stage, due to well setup files.
3 Better layout of your original content, that serves your objectives and your users’ needs.
Loyal and valued long-term friends
We make more of a difference than you think! We would like to know more about your project
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