Sweden-based Nordström & Frank has just launched its Editorial Toolbox 2009, a collection of mostly free templates that newspapers can use for graphics and alternative story forms. There’s basic information and a slideshow on the design firm’s homepage and the Get Started informational document can be found here.
The toolbox consists of three parts:
- Templates for graphics (available now)
- Agenda: A package with ready-to-use graphics for a number of events during 2009
- Templates for alternative story forms (coming in March)
Rickard Frank, who helped develop the project, says all the material in the basic toolbox is freeware. That means it’s free to use in any channel and on any number of occasions as long as it is used for editorial purposes.
Frank has newspaper experience at Svenska Dagbladet, where he was an artist in the graphics department and eventually the head of design before leaving. He saw the need for helping papers jump start their work. Now he and his business partner, Jacob Nordström, run the firm Nordström &Frank.
“Together with a team of experienced journalists, we have put together an agenda for the full news year of 2009,” Frank says. “The agenda contains tips for a number of news events during the year as well as useful links and a free graphic piece every month.”
A few questions for Rickard Frank
Can you talk a little about what led you to develop this project?
My opinion is that infographics as a presentation form are extremely underdeveloped in most media houses today. This conclusion comes from starting up several graphics functions in various newspapers, and also from personal experiences having been employed at several of the largest graphics departments in Sweden. Producing graphics directly in the editing software can be an opportunity for newspaper staff to get started.
The idea of handing out freeware templates was born in 2006 and the first version was distributed at the SND/S in Stockholm in 2007. It was downloaded by 70 newspapers in 10 markets. The new version is much more extensive and elaborate as it has grown and evolved along the way, with the help of input and requests from newspapers. The first two parts, Editorial Toolbox Templates and Agenda, were launched in February. The third part, Editorial Toolbox Alternative Story Forms, will be launched during spring 2009. Slideshows here.
The thought of having templates and helping streamline workflow is a good one: Have many news organizations downloaded yet?
The new version has only been out for a few weeks, which basically means that we are still launching it. So far, Editorial Toolbox has been downloaded in Bulgaria, Denmark, Dubai, Estonia, Finland, Canada, China, Korea, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States. The number of users and countries is growing daily.
The idea of freeware is wonderful, but how will you make money from this? What’s your business model?
Editorial Toolbox is 10 years of know-how contained in a small box and it has taken a terribly long time to complete. In the short term, it is most likely a bold business idea (that does not pay), but we believe this leads to many assignments in the long term, particularly in new markets. But clearly there are many newspapers that will use the material without having to purchase services from us. That’s just flattering. To see our charts and cricket cardigans spread to the wind is a wonderful feeling.
Throughout the year, we will produce a variety of focus pieces that we will be for sale. The first one is Editorial Toolbox Focus: World Conflicts. This compilation of all the ongoing conflicts of the world has been developed together with journalists and experts and includes flags, maps and detailed facts.
Our experience shows that not everything is in templates and fonts. The actual craftsmanship and how you organize the workflow and handle the implementation is key. We have extensive planning and structuring experience and are happy to be of service. Platforms and ways to work with graphics have been developed for several major Swedish newspapers such as Svenska Dagbladet, Sydsvenskan, Göteborgs-Posten, and Dagens Industri.
We can also assist in adjusting and translating Editorial Toolbox to suit various newspapers’ unique design, formats and structures. The papers can also add graphic training and workshops or commissioned graphics.
What was your favorite part of working on the project?
The best part is right now, when we distribute the material for all to use. It is incredibly inspiring to be in contact with people around the globe who are interested in info graphics. We are on Twitter and LinkedIn where we regularly discuss Editorial Toolbox issues and launches of new material with people in the business.
What are the biggest challenges?
To be patient. Newspapers are not the fastest to pick up on new ideas.
EXAMPLES OF NEWSPAPERS USING THE TOOLBOX
A few examples of how papers around the world use the tools.
RESOURCES
Editorial Toolbox 2009
Part 1. Templates: The purpose of the templates is to be efficient and easy to work with. The templates are divided into following chapters: Basic graphics and charts, Finance & Politics, Sports, Maps, Typography & Graphic Elements, Planning & Structure. There’s also a blog version of the graphics templates. This is what the team has in mind: extremely quick graphics that interact with the blog post. The graphics must be very quick and easy to produce: edit -> export -> publish on the Web.
Part 2. Agenda: Together with a team of experienced journalists, experts and news graphics, the team has put together an agenda for the full news year 2009. The agenda contains tips for a number of news events during the year as well as useful links and a free graphic piece every month.
Part 3. Alternative Story Forms: This part will consist of a multitude of examples of alternative story forms. The starting point is partly the Poynter Institute Eyetrack study from 2007, where it was noted that alternative story forms helps readers to comprehend and remember more of the content. Anders Enström, who the team collaborates with, has been digging deep into this area, and he has acquired a large amount of examples from newspapers and magazines around the world. The most useful forms will be presented in the Editorial Toolbox, as templates to download and start using.
DOWNLOAD INFO
The tech specs: The Editorial Toolbox contains original files and templates for use in InDesign. Want to try it? You’ll need to send an email to info@nordstromfrank.se for downloading info. My experience was that the team there sent a fast reply. Downloading was easy and the base templates are pretty solid starters.
Matt Mansfield is president of the Society and an associate professor for the Medill School of Journalism.
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