PROJECT OVERVIEW
Client: Buffini & Company
Role: Lead Print Designer
Team: 2 designers, 1 editor,
1 copywriter, 1 print vendor
Tools: Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Pantone Color Manager, Adobe Acrobat Preflight, and Slack
Duration: 6 Weeks
Audience: Business Coaching Clients
Role: Lead Print Designer
Team: 2 designers, 1 editor,
1 copywriter, 1 print vendor
Tools: Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Pantone Color Manager, Adobe Acrobat Preflight, and Slack
Duration: 6 Weeks
Audience: Business Coaching Clients
The goal was to create visually compelling quarterly magazine layouts for Buffini & Company, a coaching and business development brand. The challenge was to organize high-volume, multi-author content including articles, infographics, and advertisements into a cohesive print publication that reflects the brand’s professional and approachable identity.
Objectives:
• Implement a modular layout system to accommodate diverse content
• Maintain strict print production standards while managing tight deadlines
• Provide a repeatable design framework for future magazine issues
Objectives:
• Implement a modular layout system to accommodate diverse content
• Maintain strict print production standards while managing tight deadlines
• Provide a repeatable design framework for future magazine issues
>> Scroll to the end to view the full case study.
CASE STUDY:
Strategy & Design Approach
1. Grid and Layout System
• Established a 12-column grid with defined margins, gutters, and baseline alignment to create flexibility across feature spreads, interviews, and data-heavy content
• Applied consistent typographic hierarchy across headlines, subheads, body text, and captions, ensuring readability and brand consistency
• Created master pages and reusable templates for recurring content sections, pull quotes, and advertisements
Strategy & Design Approach
1. Grid and Layout System
• Established a 12-column grid with defined margins, gutters, and baseline alignment to create flexibility across feature spreads, interviews, and data-heavy content
• Applied consistent typographic hierarchy across headlines, subheads, body text, and captions, ensuring readability and brand consistency
• Created master pages and reusable templates for recurring content sections, pull quotes, and advertisements
2. Content Complexity Management
• Collaborated with editors to structure dense, multi-author content for clarity and flow
• Used layered InDesign documents with color-coded layers to organize imagery, text, and graphics for easier review and prepress preparation
• Developed style sheets and paragraph rules to standardize formatting across all spreads
• Collaborated with editors to structure dense, multi-author content for clarity and flow
• Used layered InDesign documents with color-coded layers to organize imagery, text, and graphics for easier review and prepress preparation
• Developed style sheets and paragraph rules to standardize formatting across all spreads
3. Print Production & Technical Details
• Designed all layouts with 0.125” bleed, safe zones, and trim marks for offset printing
• Managed prepress workflows, including PDF proofing, image resolution verification, and color calibration with Pantone palettes
• Coordinated with the printer on paper stock, binding, and finishing options to ensure premium presentation
• Designed all layouts with 0.125” bleed, safe zones, and trim marks for offset printing
• Managed prepress workflows, including PDF proofing, image resolution verification, and color calibration with Pantone palettes
• Coordinated with the printer on paper stock, binding, and finishing options to ensure premium presentation
4. Systems Thinking & Repeatable Structures
• Built a library of master pages and typographic systems that reduced future layout production time by 25%
• Created modular design components for quick adaptation to different article lengths and feature formats
• Documented workflow and style guidelines for the internal design team, ensuring consistency across issues
• Built a library of master pages and typographic systems that reduced future layout production time by 25%
• Created modular design components for quick adaptation to different article lengths and feature formats
• Documented workflow and style guidelines for the internal design team, ensuring consistency across issues
Team Collaboration & Leadership
• Delegated layout and asset preparation tasks to junior designer while maintaining final oversight on technical and aesthetic quality
• Facilitated weekly cross-functional reviews with editors, copywriters, and photographers to align on content strategy and print requirements
• Mentored team members on typography, grid systems, and print workflow best practices, strengthening overall team capabilities
• Delegated layout and asset preparation tasks to junior designer while maintaining final oversight on technical and aesthetic quality
• Facilitated weekly cross-functional reviews with editors, copywriters, and photographers to align on content strategy and print requirements
• Mentored team members on typography, grid systems, and print workflow best practices, strengthening overall team capabilities
Outcome
• Delivered on-schedule, high-quality print magazines that aligned with brand standards and exceeded stakeholder expectations
• Implemented a design system that became the foundation for all subsequent issues, increasing team efficiency
• Positive feedback highlighted improved readability, structured layouts, and visually cohesive storytelling
• Delivered on-schedule, high-quality print magazines that aligned with brand standards and exceeded stakeholder expectations
• Implemented a design system that became the foundation for all subsequent issues, increasing team efficiency
• Positive feedback highlighted improved readability, structured layouts, and visually cohesive storytelling
