Print journalism may be in its death throes, but web designers are still in the thrall of paper newspaper design (as I’ve argued several times).

So it was very interesting to read iA’s post about their ultimately unsuccessful efforts to win the contract to redesign Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger. Oliver Reichenstein’s honesty is striking (how many design agencies would publish an appraisal of their failings?), but it’s the approach to the redesign that really stands out.

Online design influencing print

I can’t think of one example of web usability tenets informing the design of print materials. Sure, we may design monochrome, one column PDFs with a large point size and leading for easy screen reading, but that’s not the same. What iA have done is highly innovative and creative, demonstrating a real grasp of the importance of online media. Most people still respect the printed word more than its immature onscreen cousin; the design conversation is one way.

So the iA paper follows one of God’s commandments: highlight keywords for easy scanning. Graphics and images are prominent. Aside from the obvious benefits of using these techniques (and the originality), what I like is the implication that traditional ideas of how we read print and web (i.e. that broadsheet readers have the time/intellect to read and comprehend long swathes of text) are perhaps wrong. As Oliver states, the front page can be read in 20 seconds.Perfect for reading on a short train journey.

And content

Similarly, some online newspapers do refer to the online world (the Guardian’s sports section publishes a video round-up, for example), but this is often an afterthought, the content tucked away in a supplement, or down at the bottom of the page. Print and internet journalism have a famously prickly, mistrustful relationship; the iA design asserts the importance of online commentary by incorporating online comments within heart of the paper proper.

Why it could be important

While an awareness of print typography has undoubtedly benefited the readability of online texts, a slavish adherence to print rules results in inappropriate design decisions. iA have turned the relationship on its head, using some of the rules of online design to breathe life into an (apparently) moribund medium. Perhaps a reappraisal of how we design print newspapers will get people reading them again, while we finally come to respect online journalism and its possibilities.

(PS – read a more expert, print-perspective appraisal of iA’s efforts).

Further reading

• FT redesign: modern, readable and accessible
• Online newspaper layout: 10 years and 10 steps back
• 6 newspaper writing techniques for the web
• 5 web design sins from the experts
• Really simple web design: an example