Richard Curtis is managing editor of graphics and photography for USA TODAY.

Since 1982, USA TODAY has looked basically the same. But a freshening of what used to be thought of as revolutionary was certainly called for as the paper heads into the new millennium. Advertisers, readers, and staff all thought the paper had become a bit stodgy and worn around the edges.

The original design, based on a 7-column grid, has evolved into today’s 12-column grid. What had grown over the years into a hodgepodge of typefaces is now simplified greatly into one typeface for headlines and text. The Page One nameplate shrinks a bit in the new design, yielding more precious space above the fold (the paper continues to sell a million papers a day in single-copy alone, so impulse buyers — influenced by the top half of the front page — are an important audience).

We have retained what readers like about the paper: conciseness, fairness, balanced reporting, a thorough national report, the ground-breaking full-color weather page, news from every state, simple presentation, strong graphics, color, and the most complete sports report available anywhere.

We have added what readers wanted more of: more news analysis, more in-depth and investigative reporting, increased financial news and sports news, a reformatted Life section to provide more news you can use, more graphics, and a greater focus in all sections on high tech and the new economy.

In the end, the redesigned national newspaper that debuted April 3, 2000, is intended to continue to serve almost six million daily readers. We publish at 35 domestic print sites, serving all 50 states, plus five international print sites. In the future: More print sites, increased circulation and advertising revenue, more news bureaus both in the USA and internationally, more pages, and a greater connection between the newspaper and the website version (www.usatoday.com).