American Journal of Public Health
The American Journal of Public Health is the foremost scientific journal in the U.S., catering to students, early-career, and seasoned public health professionals. Throughout its history, the journal has consistently aimed to engage and inform its readership.
Role
Lead Designer > UX/UI | Research | Design Strategy
Challenge
Addressing clutter and improving accessibility in the journal to resolve navigation issues. Enhancing scalability and readability, particularly for users with aging eyes, due to typography and layout issues. Additionally, adapting the journal to meet the preferences of a younger demographic, aiming for a digital-first approach to maintain relevance and attract traffic.
Outcome
Ranks #6 of 180 titles in the Public, Environmental and Occupational Health category in the Social Sciences Citation Index.
3 point increase in impact factor. A metric measures citation rate.
40,000+ citations from e-reader.
Discovery
As a first step, we gathered as much information about the readers as possible. This helped inform decisions in usability, readership, and focus areas for the project.
65% preferred a digital-first approach.
83% used the journal as a primary source of citation.
66% of readers over age 55 found the content visually difficult to read.
Current Layout
We then got our hands dirty the old school way. Taking a very close look at the journal layout showed us where the major readability issues were in typography. These were the choice of font, its anatomy (low x-height), and layout.
By pinpointing the current spacing issues in the columns, gutters, and leading (line height), we were able to better understand user frustrations in the print version and develop a plan to translate the journal to the digital platform.
Font Selection Impact
In this exciting phase, I tapped into my love for typography to guide our journey towards font selections that would make reading a breeze for everyone. Knowing that bigger x-height and roomy counters are like magic for readability, we decided to switch things up to sans serif fonts. Why? Because those tiny serifs can be a headache, especially for folks with not-so-perfect eyesight. We geeked out measuring the x-height and counters of our current font, Bembo Std, against popular sans serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, and Roboto, all at 12 pts. The results were eye-opening! The sans serifs had a noticeable 1.5px edge in x-height, making reading smoother than ever. This dive into typography wasn't just a walk down memory lane for me; it became a fun teaching moment for the whole team, boosting our font savvy and making our designs even friendlier for all eyes.
Iterative Approach
With the journal being very diverse in content, we needed to account for every aspect it. We went through 5 rounds of iterations to address changes to the table of contents, interior pages, data visualization, and adopting a navigation aspect in the e-reader.
Personified Readership
Using the data we collected gave us the ability to identify with our users. We had a clear direction in that the journal caters to young college students eager for a career in public health as well as seasoned vets with decades of experience.
“Digital access to the journal means easier research .”
“A more accessible publication would allow me to read more.”
Result
Our efforts have led to significant improvements in readability, navigation, and accessibility. By prioritizing ample white space, text feels less congested, promoting smoother reading experiences. Clickable icons now facilitate intuitive navigation, while high-contrast elements enhance accessibility across the interface. Thoughtfully curated iconography and a harmonious color palette further streamline information access. Through iterative refinements, we've ensured the e-reader is user-friendly and inclusive, delivering an enhanced reading experience tailored to diverse preferences.
Current issue of the journal can be viewed here.