PROJECT DESCRIPTIONOne of the big Dutch publishers WPG Uitgevers asked us how a commercially and journalistically sustainable online magazine might look like, inspired by their magazines Happinez, Yoga and Psychologie and targeted at millennials.

HOW WE STARTEDWe decided to build our website on the topic of mindstyle, which is the core topic for three of WPG’s magazines: Happinez, Yoga and Psychologie.

RESEARCHWe researched several aspects of creating and developing a digital platform - the audience, business model and monetization, design and features - from different academic and professional sources. We created a survey to investigate the audience.

AudienceWe investigated the audience through two methods - first we researched the relevant literature and then, based on that and the needs of the project, we created a survey in English and Dutch with more than 100 millennial respondents.

Business modelWe approached the business model looking at relevant articles and research into monetization. Furthermore, we discuss the business model (its revenue model and content distribution channels strategy) with WPG’s team to come up with a successful and convenient strategy for the new platform.

DesignSeeing what is out there is fun, but it is not an easy task to select only a few examples of good (or bad) online platforms in the sea of websites. We did it nonetheless. We looked at lots and lots of graphical user interfaces and experienced these virtual spaces (UI/UX for those who like shortcuts). With our critical eye finally came up with a plan: Dividing the sea in two. One side is the ‘trendy’ or less original, yet practical platforms; the other, we called it the unconventional storytellers.

OUTCOMEPrototype Concept and designOur team came up with a visual identity and guidelines for the content, then testing out the platform with eye tracking tools. The name is Even Up and the main theme is Balance between body, mind and environment. The design is simple and tilted, playing with our theme of balance. In addition, we came up with several features, based on the research and the survey, to make the platform more exciting - Bubble Burst, Local Map, Audio-Guided Meditation and more to come.

AudienceThe audience we are targeting are adult millennials – people between 20-35. These are the people who are financially independent, interested in mindstyle and self-improvement. However, we don’t alienate older readers with our design decisions.

MonetizationIn collaboration with our client, we worked out a monetization model combining free content and accounts with advertising (sponsored content and native advertising) and a premium subscription option.

UsabilityTo make sure the platform made sense to other people, we tested it on a few users and got some really useful feedback. We found out that our visual representation of functionalities of the website is comprehensive and user-friendly.

CONCLUSIONThis prototype of the platform is our final proposition to WPG. We developed an exciting and distinctive website with potential features. To create an actual working platform, there is still a lot of work to be done. However, our research and ideas can help bring the project to life! Working in a team was a positive experience which helped us improve our communication and social skills. We have acquired many skills and knowledge, and we eager to learn even more!

TeaMMMMandy NugterenNadine Rotem-StibbeRadina Teodosieva

Thanks toAll the PublishingLab teamWPG team + editorsFelipe (MediaLAB) Amsterdam

Produced by TeaMMM as part of a PublishingLab (INC) internship, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, June 2016

Visit uswww.publishinglab.nl/mutatingthemedium

What does an online magazine look like which is targeted at millennials and built upon the domains of WPG Uitgevers?

utating the edium for illennials