Book Design Program: a Transition to a Hybrid Publishing Context

Abstract

This study is developed within the scientific areas of Information Science, Communication Sciences and Editorial Design. It refers to the hybrid publishing context in which there is a coexistence of electronic and print processes, and to the role played by Information and Communication Technologies. This scenario is conditioned by technical, morphological and cultural transformations, in the words of Roger Chartier, and represents a singular moment to observe the book and its construction processes, valuing it in its various embodiments and contexts. Considering this, the present study sought to contribute to an adaptation of the methodological tools; and an optimization of the designer’s communication and information flow. In order to achieve these goals we defined two main tasks: (i) comparative analysis of traditional publishing and hybrid publishing, (ii) characterization of the designer’s communication and information flows that exist in the context of hybrid publishing. To do so, we adopted qualitative research methods, with literature review and content analysis. This procedure allowed us to conclude that the publishing industry is making major investments (in what concerns organization and capital) in implementing hybrid publishing schemes. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of adequacy of design programs in this scenario. This adaptation involves a redirection of the focus of the design program, not to controlling the final shape of the object (book), but to regulating it. This procedure can only be possible with a dynamic information flow in which the editorial subject is flexible and built inside a participatory scheme by the various agents.