CalMatters
Nonprofit news outlet covering California politics and policy
Article Experience
My top priority when designing for news was maintaining our robust editorial credibility while also advocating for the user and delivering an accessible and engaging reading experience. News design requires a delicate balance — encouraging readers to actively engage without risking undermining the serious journalism at our core. How can we honor CalMatters' commitment to in-depth policy reporting while meeting the evolving expectations of digital news consumers?
Article Page / Standard Layout
Pull quote modules and recirculation blocks are positioned strategically to highlight important information and create visual rhythm.
Article Page / Multi-Part Series Layout / Custom Template
Series and custom features incorporate specialized accent colors, content overview, and subsection navigation while maintaining brand consistency.
Branding & Design System
One of my first initiatives upon joining was to form the foundational structure of a design system that could support this variety of needs we would have over the long term, starting with standardizing fonts, colors, and icons, and continuing on with reusable components and layout that could serve multiple purposes as we expanded.
The design system is a constantly evolving framework; taking into account new needs and design directions— however once it was initially established, it gave me a valuable foundation to rely on as I designed other areas of the company.
Click here to view my design system documentation →
Colors
VARIABLES
Do's and don'ts
Typography
VARIABLES
Do's and don'ts
Social Media
Instagram posts
