The Minnesota Star Tribune
Product Design
Despite a national trend of decline in local journalism—with over 3,000 local newspapers closing since 2005—the Minnesota Star Tribune has remained a trusted voice in the Midwest and ranks among the top 10 newspapers in the U.S. However, by 2023, the paper faced mounting challenges. In particular, the publication’s digital experience relied on outdated technology, affecting speed, quality and communication across the newsroom.
At this critical moment in the newspaper’s 154-year history, ee partnered with The Star Tribune to transform its business and brand. In less than six months, we delivered a comprehensive transformation: a modern web experience that’s more accessible for younger readers, created new premium opportunities for advertisers, and leveraged best-in-class technology to build the system so it can all flex for the future.
Role:
Product Designer
Design Team:
Francisco Seiz
Laurence Adrian
Jorge Silva Gomes Jr
Scalable Design System
The original Star Tribune experience was dense, text-heavy and inflexible. We delivered an elevated design that’s modern, responsive and aligns with younger audiences’ expectations from digital platforms.
The revamped design also unlocks new publishing capabilities. We developed new page-building and customization tools, immersive visual storytelling and a premium, high-impact ad system, all part of a performative design strategy that celebrates the content and presents it in a way that appeals to a larger, younger audience.
Strategy & Execution
With an ambitious timeline of 6 months, the project required massive and constant collaboration. The digital transformation involved a complete overhaul of the Star Tribune’s online platforms. we rebuilt its website and mobile app using modern, fast, reliable technologies like Next.js, React, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS. This redevelopment ensured a responsive, user-friendly experience across devices, catering to younger audiences, enhancing accessibility and opening the door for easier integration with advertisers.
The brand redesign introduced immersive, visual storytelling, flexible page-building tools, and a premium advertising system, all aimed at celebrating content and engaging a broader audience. The unified codebase improved SEO performance and reduced maintenance efforts, positioning the Minnesota Star Tribune to easily flex with future technological advancements.
