Redefining editorial experience: user experience & user interface design in digital publications

The publishing industry is facing a transition era, where the development of new digital technologies has led people to adopt new reading habits, where every day is less common to receive content in a piece of printed paper, and more and more common to do it through a screen. Digital publications have been present for a while, facing constant changes, so this theoretical-practical research aims to explore their transition, what they have done, and what are they doing to respond to their readers’ needs. Emphasized in digital magazines, the objective is to understand them from its roots, analyzing concepts related to editorial design and through theory and the work of designers who redefined the concept of publications on the screens. This theoretical part is complemented with the study of two areas of design that are related to the development of digital products: user experience and user interface. The two case studies presented, Wired and The New Yorker magazines explore what magazines that have lead the market in terms of innovation and design have done in recent years and how are they facing today’s challenges. In addition, in this critical analysis exploration, topics such as their online strategy, design of their apps, and their activity in social networks are explored. The practical project developed, seeks to apply the concepts explored in the theoretical part of the research, in order to respond to the needs of a cultural magazine of Mexico, La Tempestad. Through a survey, the reading habits of the target audience are analyzed to understand what readers are looking for and create a solution that is appropriate for them. A graphic proposal of a digital magazine in the form of an application is presented, with interactions, design, and navigational tools the app seeks to create a unique experience with their readers