The Challenge

York University Magazine had a long history as a printed publication, celebrated for delivering thought-provoking stories to alumni. The challenge was to translate that experience into digital form without reducing it to “just another magazine-style blog.” York U needed a solution that would preserve the engagement of print while opening up new possibilities online.

Rakuten Kobo, on the other hand, operates on a global scale. As one of the world’s leaders in digital reading technology—with eReaders, apps, audiobooks, and an expansive online bookstore—Kobo needed a web ecosystem that could evolve with changing technologies and accessibility standards. Their challenge wasn’t a single launch, but an ongoing partnership to scale, stabilize, and continuously optimize a complex, international digital presence.

Though distinct, both organizations faced the same core challenge: how to deliver digital reading experiences that are engaging, accessible, and adaptable to the future.

Our Approach

We brought the same principles of collaboration, design excellence, and technical adaptability to both engagements.

York University Magazine

As part of reimagining a flagship academic publication, we applied our approach to balance editorial needs with digital innovation.

• Prototyping, not just mockups – Instead of static wireframes, we built an interactive prototype that allowed the editorial team to “feel” the future magazine. This helped win trust and enthusiasm for a bold new direction.

• Editorial empowerment – We customized WordPress so that editors could continue to manage content comfortably, while still delivering an engaging, interactive reading experience for audiences.

• Vision over expectation – The team expected a blog; instead, they received a purpose-built digital magazine that honoured the printed page.

Rakuten Kobo

In building a long-term digital partnership, we applied the same principles to stabilize, modernize, and scale their ecosystem.

• Built for continuity – From the start, we focused on rhythm and long-term collaboration rather than isolated projects.

• Stabilize, then scale – We began with blog optimization, then expanded to migrations (WordPress → Craft CMS), accessibility overhauls, hosting changes (to Servd), and cross-brand integrations.

• User-focused design – Introduced flexible content blocks, embedded media, and custom UI components — all designed to improve engagement and editorial control.

• Global accessibility – Every enhancement was shaped by usability, scalability, and accessibility to support multilingual audiences worldwide.

Results

Both partnerships underscore how RDEL transforms digital reading—not just at the surface, but in the systems and relationships that sustain it.

• Notable recognition – The York University Magazine was awarded the gold prize in the Digital Magazines category at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Circle of Excellence awards—considered the “Oscars” of post-secondary publishing.
It also won gold for Best Digital Publication and Best Website Design from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards.
• Continuous evolution – Kobo has steadily advanced its digital maturity with each phase of collaboration—from improved accessibility and SEO performance to seamless migrations and global UX improvements.

• Enduring partnerships – Both clients cite the same strengths: an ability to push creative thinking, adapt technology, and invest in long-term success.

Conclusion

From a single alumni magazine to a global digital bookstore, our work with York University and Rakuten Kobo demonstrates the breadth of what RDEL brings to digital reading experiences. We balance vision with execution, empower editorial teams, and build the kind of long-term partnerships that keep content accessible, engaging, and future-ready.

Together with York University and Rakuten Kobo, we’ve proven that digital reading can be as immersive, award-winning, and globally scalable as its print counterpart.