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May. 29th Catalyst

In March 2004 Garcia Media completed its redesign of Catalyst magazine.

Catalyst magazine is an independent news magazine published monthly with separate editions in Chicago and Cleveland. Catalyst focuses on the analysis and support of school-improvement efforts in public schools.

Highlights of the redesign included a dramatically different logo and cover design, improved sectioning, a greater consistency and brand to the design (supported by a new stylebook), improved navigational devices and labeling throughout, and increased use of at-a-glance boxes and graphics to aid the scanning reader, as well as the in-depth reader. Garcia Media’s Ron Reason directed the redesign and conducted ongoing training for the organization’s Chicago and Cleveland offices, including efforts to streamline production and improve communication and planning among the staff.

“We are so excited about our new design. As one reader said, “It looks great AND it’s more filling.“ The process delivered much more than we expected—going beyond graphic design to embrace how we report and write. We are confident that the new design will increase our impact on school reform in Chicago, Cleveland and other large urban cities. It was money very well spent,” said Linda Lenz, publisher of Catalyst.

Catalyst-Chicago was founded in 1990 to document, analyze and support school-improvement efforts in the Chicago Public Schools. It is published by the Community Renewal Society, a faith-based organization founded in 1882 that works to create racially and economically just communities in metropolitan Chicago. The Society also publishes The Chicago Reporter, an award-winning newsletter created in 1972 to investigate issues of race and poverty.

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Posted by Ron Reason on May 29, 2007