City of Boulder Recreation Guide Refresh:
Otherwise known as "How to Build A Plane While You Fly It."
As a core function in my role as the senior designer for Boulder Parks and Recreation, I was tasked with taking over our quarterly Recreation Guide publication. In transitioning into the role, I was able to update the publication with an enthusiastically welcomed new design that better spoke to a younger, more engaged audience.
I quickly learned, however, that there were very few processes documented or consistently enforced to publish such an in-depth quarterly. As I redesigned the publication from the bones up, we decided to make the most of that opportunity and shore up some procedures and policies while we were at it.
Plan of Attack:
1. Create a comprehensive project plan for the publication, from content strategy and development to print and distribution.
2. Define, document, and implement a formal editing procedure.
3. Establish a centralized and consistent review platform.
4. Conduct an Assessment of new policies and refreshed design.
5. Celebrate with a happy hour.
2. Define, document, and implement a formal editing procedure.
3. Establish a centralized and consistent review platform.
4. Conduct an Assessment of new policies and refreshed design.
5. Celebrate with a happy hour.
Original Design
Updated Design
Formalizing Standard Operating Procedures & Providing Self-service Documentation
While we were redeveloping the publication, we were also documenting and implementing new SOPs to help us set consistent expectations and deadlines for our 30+ stakeholders. This consisted the adoption of a formal Rec Guide process, editing process, and approval process with the addition of a comprehensive tutorial for the Adobe Review Platform and additional self-service articles.
Comprehensive Project Management Plan
As the senior designer for Boulder Parks and Recreation, I was charged with developing and executing not only the printed & digital guides, but also a comprehensive project plan to coordinate all 30 internal stakeholders, set deadlines for registration, and conduct an assessment on the publication with both external consumers and internal project contributors.
Shared below is a sample project plan pulled from the Winter 2025 Recreation Guide.
Internal Refresh Assessment
After introducing the new design and editing process using the Adobe Review platform, I conducted an assessment internally to hear feedback about how the group was responding to the design and the updated editing process. Here are a few of the results:
