Dr. Mario R. Garcia was kind enough to look over the Skiff prototype and send us his impression.
Dr. Garcia is the premiere authority on communication design and he and his company, Garcia Media, have redesigned hundreds of websites, newspapers and magazines.
As with other professionals who critiqued the new tabloid, he was not aware of time constraints, migration of existing styles, the the goal to create the prototype as a template for fall content or number of students working. His reaction to the prototype is straightforward as if he was seeing a complete product offered to the reader.
He was very pleased that students were given the opportunity to undertake an effort like this.
His comments:
"... On the positive side, the tabloid format will be more popular with students, for sure; it is more manageable and a favorite, especially with younger readers.
I have to say that the (a spring Skiff pdf was sent for comparison) broadsheet front page was a nicer looking product, in its classic style, than the tabloid version.
Don't take me wrong, the students have done a good job of organizing things in the tab, but I do feel that it lacks visual impact.
I would prefer flush left headlines, and not these escalated headlines that are neither centered nor flushed left; overall, the headers for Sports, etc. are plain, and more to be found on a broadsheet than a tabloid.
There is hardly any interesting use of color.
Inside pages are boring and represent a style of newspaper design that is circa 1990s. I would expect students to be more creative and innovative.
This, although well laid out, is NOT designed at all.
If I were in charge, I would send the students back to mobilize their creative instincts and to present something that is more 2015 and less 1992.
God, I hope I was not too harsh, but, to be honest, we need to see more adventure..."
A running criticism I hear and read from many professionals and academics is the conservative approach students take to problem-solving. There is safety in the familiar. And efficiency in repositioning existing resources.
Dr. Garcia's criticism falls directly into that line of thought.
Knowing the students involved, I believe that if they had the time to really dig into the assignment as a true redesign they might have generated something much more visually stunning. But pushing through a changeover like this in 6 weeks while students were taking summer courses allows only so many marathon sessions on the actual redesign.
The goals established for the students were met.
But the stage is set for the students to stretch beyond those goals.
Dr. Garcia has thrown a valid challenge down for the Skiff staff to take up.
They must push themselves to build an engaging, vigorous and creative product each day for their readers. Over a few weeks they will better understand the tools they need to use and the strategy to adopt in order to bring their tabloid to the level of success of their old broadsheet.
More time, more planning, more hands and heads involved in the process will be assets to be utilized aggressively.
Will they respond to the challenge?
I know they will.
Especially since I will send some of the fall issues out for the pros to critique once again.
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