G/O Media | Product Designer, 2020

Problem: G/O Media produces a large volume of content each day. I was asked to redesign the newsletters to provide users with tailored content directly to their inboxes.

Additionally, I was tasked with designing Alerts, a new product for the company that sends users an auto-generated email with content based on their preferred tags and keywords.

G/O Media sites affected: Gizmodo, The Onion, Deadspin, Jalopnik, A/V Club, Jezebel, Kotaku, The Root

 

Newsletter Redesign

The same newsletter template would be used across all G/O Media sites using the same backend to generate the emails. To illustrate this concept, and to prove effectiveness, multiple sites were used in the mockups.

Design iteration left to right:

  • Original newsletter design (The Root)
  • Redesigned version (The Onion)
  • Final revision after user testing (Gizmodo)

Newsletter Solutions:

  • Unified the template across all properties.
  • Created a responsive layout that suited both mobile and desktop views.
  • Incorporated a hierarchy of articles —making the content feel editor-controlled.
  • Livened up the page with more photos, Divided information into sections to break up the content.
  • Designated space for display ads in-between sections.
  • Created a highlights section that cross-promoted stories from other G/O websites.
  • Iterated on the design based on real-world feedback and data.

Alerts

The same newsletter template would be used across all G/O Media sites using the same backend to generate the emails. To illustrate this concept, and to prove effectiveness, multiple sites were used in the mockups.

Design examples left to right:

  • Entry points throughout templates
  • Subscription management user-flow
  • Email alerts for single term or multiple terms (pictured) 

Alerts Solutions:

  • Designed high-fidelity mockups for email alerts.
  • Created entry points across existing page templates.
  • Mapped user flows and designed pages for all sign-up forms and subscription management.
  • Worked with G/O Media’s large-scale design system to ensure consistency across all sites.

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Kacy Colson is a freelance designer and artist living in the Catskill Mountains.