Here’s a typical story on a 6-column grid. But notice how gray the layout is, and how small that 1-column photo seems. What if you want more flexibility, more design options?

If you run the photo 2 columns wide, it takes up a lot more space and may not always crop into that shape. What if we could run that photo one-and-a-half columns wide instead?

On a 12-column grid -- instead of 6 -- we have twice as many options: for the photo size, the deck, the cutline. (Notice the position of the liftout quote. That’s common in British newspapers. Like it?)