How editorial structure shapes journal performance

Setting up your journal for success

A team player

Imagine you’re organizing a relay race team. You could line up the runners in any order — some might be sprinters, others endurance runners. The way you arrange them impacts how the race unfolds: a sprinter at the start might engineer a quick lead, but a strong endurance runner at the end ensures a solid finish. The arrangement of the racers influences how the race is run, how efficiently the baton is passed, and ultimately, the overall performance of the team.

Similarly, when it comes to an academic journal, how the editorial team is structured determines how effectively the entire operation goes. Just like a relay team, the structure makes the difference between a well-oiled machine and a rate-limited process.

The difference is that instead of a baton, we’re now talking about article manuscripts and the authors who have spent countless hours working on them. Fumbling this “baton”, therefore, could have a major impact on someone’s career, so it’s all the more important to get it right. In this article, we’ll explore some observations we’ve accrued from our experience in helping to manage thousands of journals and show how taking the time to step back and think about the journal’s setup could benefit all involved…

Understanding editorial structure

Editorial structure isn’t about hierarchy; it’s about how responsibilities and workloads are distributed. These choices influence key outcomes like turnaround times, workload balance, reportability, and the journal’s ability to grow and evolve.

Editorial teams are typically comprised of three elements: editors, who handle the management of manuscripts, from submission to decision; Editorial Advisory Board members, who act as peer reviewers and provide expert guidance (but do not actively manage manuscripts); and guest editors, who focus on special issues, bringing in targeted expertise and managing the acquisition of manuscripts within specific themes.

Editors manage the manuscript journey — from inviting submissions and conducting the initial desk assessment (“triage”) to coordinating peer review and making final decisions. But not all editor roles are the same: some editors might be responsible for a little (or a lot) of each responsibility, others may be focused on just one or two aspects. Analyzing and discussing the current structure of your journal with your Publisher is the first step in understanding how to optimize.

“Removing bottlenecks in the process and moving from a multi-step to a two-step editorial process has had a positive effect on how manuscripts are handled at the journal,” comments Susanne Steiginga, Publisher of the journal Gene. “Given the success of these changes, I am now restructuring other journals in need of optimization.”

The building blocks of editorial structure

Think of the journal’s structure as a set of interconnected features, each influencing performance:

• Assignment methods: How manuscripts are allocated to an editor — automatically or manually.

• Workload distribution: Ensuring editors aren’t overwhelmed or underutilized.

• Workflow divisions: Whether triage and peer review are handled by the same or different editors.

• Bottlenecks and handovers: Points where delays or dependencies can slow the process.

Adjusting these features allows Publishers to optimize the journal’s efficiency, scalability, and quality.

Why structure matters

A well-designed editorial structure supports growth and improves efficiency. For example, dividing triage and peer review responsibilities among multiple editors prevents bottlenecks, reduces workload stress, and speeds up decisions, meaning authors can move forward with their manuscripts. Conversely, poorly arranged workflows can lead to delays, overburdened editors, and unhappy authors — all of which ultimately affect the journal and its reputation.

The key is understanding a journal’s current setup and exploring how adjustments can enhance performance.

Happily, your Publisher has access to a wealth of data and learnings across journals to understand how a journal’s structure can be optimized. Whether it’s balancing workloads, adopting new workflows, or expanding the team, being open to applying data-driven learnings helps ensure journals remain agile and effective — serving their communities as best as they can.

By understanding and actively managing editorial structure, Publishers can help editors to grow, adapt, and excel. So, reach out and seize the baton — connect with your Publisher today to explore how best to support your authors, your journal, your editorial colleagues and yourself!