planning for grapic design success

COM305

Planning for Results

You can have two …

Good

Cheap Quick

Basic Planning Questions1-1 What is your

purpose? Who is your audience?

How will your piece look?

How will readers use your piece?

How will you reach your audience?

Where else might you use your content?

When do you need the job

delivered?

How many pieces do you

need?

How much should you

spend?

What are your workflows?

How will your piece reach your

printer?

What help do you need?

What services do you want from your printer?

What is your purpose?

Entertain

Inform

Sell Inspire

Don’t waste a professional’s time and your money because

you have no idea what you want

Who is your audience?

Keep it consistent with the best standards of your clients, customers or members have come to expect from similar organizations

How will your piece look?

Dignified or informal

Conservative or

speculative

Products or services

Writing quality

Pay equal attention to the

quality of the written message

Poor writing can ruin a printed

piece as easily as poor design

Every sentence you cut saves on

paper and printing

There is a fine line between being specific enough to get

what you want and general enough to stimulate creativity

How will readers use your piece?

Read quickly? •Brochure •Newsletters

Absorb over time? •Books

Life expectancy? •Menus? •Instruction Manuals? •Catalogs with pricing?

How will others handle your piece?

Labels must fit

Instruction sheets fit into boxes

Mailing? •Format •Size •Paper •Printing •Folding •Packing

How will you reach your audience?

Envelopes?

Spiral binding?

Wrapping? Boxes?

Shipping?

Where else might you use your content?

Website

“Any device in, any

device out”

CD TV Ad

When you need it delivered?

First in, first out

Set deadlines and stick to

them

Plan backward from the deadline

Cutting production time 1-3 •use common ink, paper, formats Standardize •Files and specs right the first time Avoid alterations •PDFs reduce pre-press Exploit technology •Keep it under one roof Reduce buyouts •give up perfection, get the job done Lower quality •Reduce the number of people who review copy and proofs Expedite approvals •Use correct terms and symbols Communicate clearly •Eliminate unnecessary turn-around time Cut dead time •Pick up the job today Speed delivery •Find designers and printers who can accommodate rush work Shop for speed • If you want it fast, you’ll pay for it Pay for speed

How many?

• 10% over or under

• Quantity up, price per piece goes down

Accountability for the accuracy of the final copy

lies with you

What quality do you need? • One or two colors, toner not ink • Newsletters, real estate flyers Basic • Standard materials, toner or ink, colors saturated • Hardcover books, Time Newsweek Good • High Grade materials, ink, very sharp • National Geographic, upscale clothing catalogs Premium • Best materials and machines, First class, photo quality • Museum-grade art books, resorts Showcase • Quality highly variable • Acceptable for internal consumption

DIY

How much should you spend?

Fixed costs Design and prepress

Price of paper

Press time

Finishing

Few copies, pay attention to fixed costs

Variable Quantity

More copies, pay attention to variable costs

What are your workflows? 1-5

Agreements

Service expectations

Schedules

Quality

Digital standards

Documents

Descriptions

Agreements

Proofs

Delivery

Financial

Technical Tests

Calibrate

Preflight

Archives

Materials

Documents

What help do you need?

Writers

Photographers

Illustrators Designers

Agencies

Overhead

Stock photography Fonts

Print brokers

What services do you need?

Price?

Flawless production?

What aspects are important?

Finishing?

Shipping?