diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cf08049..6bfee6e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -22,32 +22,35 @@ WRITE_C := $(sort $(shell find . -name write.C))
 READ_C := $(sort $(shell find . -name read.C))
 
 # run each Makefile in subdirectories to create dictionaries
-.PHONY: dict
-dict:: check $(DICT_MAKEFILE_DIR)
-$(DICT_MAKEFILE_DIR):: $(DICT_DIR)
+.PHONY: dict $(DICT_MAKEFILE_DIR) $(DICT_DIR)
+dict: check $(DICT_MAKEFILE_DIR)
+$(DICT_MAKEFILE_DIR): $(DICT_DIR)
 	@$(MAKE) -C $@
-$(DICT_DIR)::
-	@echo "\nStarting dict target - Storing dictionaries in: '$@'" && mkdir -p $@
+$(DICT_DIR):
+	$(info ###### Starting dict target - Storing dictionaries in: '$@' ######)
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
 # run each write.C file in subdirectories to create .root files
-.PHONY: write
-write:: check $(WRITE_C)
-$(WRITE_C):: $(WRITE_DIR)
+.PHONY: write $(WRITE_C) $(WRITE_DIR)
+write: check $(WRITE_C)
+$(WRITE_C): $(WRITE_DIR)
 	@LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+$$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:}$(DICT_DIR)" $(ROOT_EXE) -q -l '$@("$(WRITE_DIR)$(subst /,.,$(shell dirname $@)).root")'
-$(WRITE_DIR)::
-	@echo "\nStarting write target - Storing root files in: '$@'" && mkdir -p $@
+$(WRITE_DIR):
+	$(info ###### Starting write target - Storing root files in: '$@' ######)
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
 # run each read.C file in subdirectories to create .json files
-.PHONY: read
-read:: check $(READ_C)
-$(READ_C):: $(READ_DIR)
+.PHONY: read $(READ_C) $(READ_DIR)
+read: check $(READ_C)
+$(READ_C): $(READ_DIR)
 	@LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+$$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:}$(DICT_DIR)" $(ROOT_EXE) -q -l \
 	'$@("$(WRITE_DIR)$(subst /,.,$(shell dirname $@)).root", "$(READ_DIR)$(subst /,.,$(shell dirname $@)).json")'
-$(READ_DIR)::
-	@echo "\nStarting read target - Storing json files in: '$@'" && mkdir -p $@
+$(READ_DIR):
+	$(info ###### Starting read target - Storing json files in: '$@' ######)
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
 .PHONY: check
-check::
+check:
 	@test -x "$(ROOT_EXE)" || { echo "Could not find root.exe"; exit 1; }
 
 .PHONY: validate
@@ -57,29 +60,25 @@ validate:
     fi
 
 #	run make dict to create dictionaries
-	@echo "-- Creating dictionaries --"
 	@for s_path in $(source_scripts); do \
 		(bash -c "source $$s_path && ROOT_VERSION=\$$(root-config --version) && $(MAKE) dict dict_dir=\$$ROOT_VERSION") || exit $$?; \
 	done
 
 #	run make write to create binaries
-	@echo "-- Creating binaries --"
 	@for s_path in $(source_scripts); do \
 		(bash -c "source $$s_path && ROOT_VERSION=\$$(root-config --version) && $(MAKE) write dict_dir=\$$ROOT_VERSION write_dir=\$$ROOT_VERSION") || exit $$?; \
 	done
 	
-#	run make read to create json files
-	@echo "-- Creating .json files --"
+#	run make read to do cross-validation
 	@for s_path in $(source_scripts); do \
 		for w_dir in write/*; do \
 			(bash -c "source $$s_path && ROOT_VERSION=\$$(root-config --version) && $(MAKE) read dict_dir=\$$ROOT_VERSION write_dir=$$(basename $$w_dir) read_dir=\$$ROOT_VERSION") || exit $$?; \
 		done; \
 	done
-	@echo Finished
 
 .PHONY: download
 download: 
-	@echo "Downloading and unpacking assets from GitHub.."
+	$(info Downloading and unpacking assets from GitHub..)
 	@wget -q -N -P ./assets https://github.com/root-project/rntuple-validation/releases/download/v$(ASSET_VERSION)/$(ROOT_ASSET)
 	@mkdir -p write && unzip -n -q -d write/$(basename $(ROOT_ASSET)) assets/$(ROOT_ASSET)
 	@wget -q -N -P ./assets https://github.com/root-project/rntuple-validation/releases/download/v$(ASSET_VERSION)/$(JSON_ASSET)