Bonita Burton, AME of the Orlando Sentinel explains that this first draft of the Orlando Sentinel redesign style book was designed as a “quick-and-dirty guide to what’s new - just something to tide folks over while we update the full style book.”
Sentinel designers Nick Masuda and Wes Meltzer get credit for producing it.
I am a fan of brief visual stylebooks because experience shows that they get a chance of being used on a daily basis. Much of the coding goes into the templates and CCI, so this is nice as it provides a quick reference on the big picture with enough detail to make consistent decisions.
Looking forward to seeing more of the ongoing redesign efforts in Orlando and other Tribune papers.
Perhaps the rapid redesign and iterative thinking about being nimble to change are the most hopeful drivers of the project. I am waiting for the field test review from my parents who live in the heart of Sentinel’s circulation area. They are not journalists and may provide a fresh perspective on the impact of the changes made. Stay tuned . . .
