City of Launceston Corporate Brand Guidelines

CITY OF LAUNCESTON CORPORATE BRAND GUIDELINES

Corporate Brand Guidelines Introduction

All marketing and communication materials (both externally and internally produced) for the City of Launceston and its secondary brands, must be approved by the Communications Team before reaching the public to meet the requirements of Council’s Media and Communications Policy (05-Pl-022).

It is important that the Corporate Brand Guidelines are consistently applied to all marketing and communication materials to ensure the City of Launceston presents a strong and consistent image to our community, in an accessible and easy to identify approach.

This document is designed to act as an overarching guide to provide guidance on the following;

• Design Guidelines

• Written Guidelines

• Signage Guidelines

For more information regarding the Corporate Brand Guidelines, please contact the Communications Team on (03) 6323 3180.

Please note that the City of Launceston follows the Australian Government Written Style Manual which can be found online via www.stylemanual.gov.au

More online

To download all branding assets featured within the Corporate Brand Guidelines, and the latest version of this document, visit www.launceston.tas. gov.au/brand

Our accessibility commitment

provider to remain compliant with the required WCAG 2.1 standards.

We encourage you to remain up to date with the WCAG 2.1 guidelines while collaborating with the City of Launceston.

Universal design principles

• Minimum font size of 10 point;

• Use simple colours and avoid using bright contrasting colours;

• Make all hyperlinks easy to understand (i.e. bolding, underlining and/or ensuring a colour variation has been applied to where the link is placed);

• Avoid the use of generic terms such as ‘click here’ as hyperlinked text in copy, instead opt to hyperlink relevant descriptive text;

The City of Launceston aims to provide accessible communications for everyone living within, working within and exploring Launceston.

To achieve the best experience for locals and visitors alike, we are committed to working with service providers to create designs that are inclusive and accessible - designs that provide equal access and support the needs of everyone who interacts with City of Launceston.

We strive to achieve compliance with the WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines, and work closely with all of our providers to work towards this outcome.

We share a collective responsibility to make every design, on every platform, accessible to everyone.

While collaborating with the City of Launceston, it is a priority to ensure all design deliverables are being checked for appropriate accessibility standards, and where needed, edits are made to remain compliant. This will be a responsibility of the contracted service

• Left justify text;

• PDF tags are used;

• Provide image descriptions on all occasions, unless images are purely for decorative purposes in which case descriptions and ALT tags/text are not required (i.e. your design will not lose context if a screen reader skips past the image);

• Take care with symbols as screen readers may have trouble distinguishing these;

• Take care with abbreviations. Spelling out the full word is always best;

• Allow room for plenty of white space;

• Leave space between paragraphs;

• Use high contrast between background colours and text;

• Avoid printing text over heavily textured backgrounds;

• Use clear and relevant headers when creating tables, and tag heading rows and columns accordingly;

• Logically apply heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc) to all primary headings and sub-headings;

• Identify logical use of ordered and/or unordered lists; and

• Avoid breaking words at the end of a line.

We believe human-centred design starts with accessibility.

Our accessibility commitment

Universal content development principles

• Avoid unnecessary jargon;

• Keep sentences short and easy to understand;

• Where appropriate, content should be developed using Easy English;

• Break large chunks of text into smaller, easier to read paragraph clusters;

Accessibility support tools

• Adobe PDF accessibility checker - this tool will generate a report on your PDF file and provide feedback on what requires editing to meet accessibility standards. This tool is available via Adobe Acrobat DC.

• Word accessibility checker - this tool is an inbuilt feature to Microsoft Word and allows a report to be generated on your document formatting. This report will assist in guiding you towards what edits need to be made to make the file accessible.

• Hemingway - this website will support the creation of accessible content for all designs by offering readability suggestions. It is crucial to always review the messaging of your project to reduce the use of jargon, and tailor your messaging to your desired target audience.

• ColourContrast.cc - this online tool will easily allow for the checking of colour contrasts in relation to bestpractice accessibility guidance.

• ColourOracle.org - this tool can be download to your device to view your work through a colour-blindness simulator, helping you to make any adjustments as needed to ensure your work is accessible.

• Vision Australia Document Accessibility Toolbar - the Vision Australia toolbar for Microsoft Word is a free tool that can be download and installed onto your desktop. This toolbar will then populate as an added menu in Microsoft Word allowing you to use a range of built-in accessibility features to format your document.

Corporate Brand Guidelines

Understanding the Brand Guidelines

Why does Council need Brand Guidelines?

The City of Launceston and its internal departments have a large volume of design work for projects yearon-year. Whether this is for new brand development, signage, general promotional designs, corporate designs, or digital asset development – the Council requires a consistent representation of its brand at all times.

We’re committed to creating a consistent brand for our community to help identify Council involvement across the city, while best representing our projects in a modern, yet creative way.

With a panel of designers working with the Council on a wide range of projects, it’s key that we offer a central point of reference for all designs to be anchored back to.

The City of Launceston Corporate Brand Guidelines will support designers in creating work that is best reflective of the Council, while still allowing for individual creative direction to be applied to each concept.

The guidelines are designed to offer an understanding of corporate branding needs, and individual brand creation scope.

What are the benefits?

The primary benefit of the City of Launceston Brand Guidelines is to ensure that we, as Council, are collaborating with creative individuals and businesses in a streamlined approach to produce great designs. From designs that have set standards to follow, through to full brand creations, we are confident this guide will assist in streamlining the process of implementing the Council identity across all projects.

Who can use the guidelines?

Whether you work within the Council or are someone who collaborates with us on various projects, this guide is for everyone who may be seeking guidance on how to best deliver a project in line with the City of Launceston needs.

CITY OF LAUNCESTON DESIGN STYLE GUIDELINES

General corporate design direction

Colour

When choosing colours to be used throughout any design, it is key to assess the general colour tones within the Council brand. Please ensure colours used are complementary of the overarching Council brand. For example – no fluoro colours should be used throughout designs, unless a specific project brand has been created where a more creative direction can be applied.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) recommend a text colour and background ratio of at least 4.5:1 (or 3:1 for text larger than 18 point or at least 14 point bolded).

Several tools can help check colour contrast ratios, such as WebAIM colour contrast checker.

TIP:

Example complementary colour palette guide alongside the City of Launceston primary brand colour.

PMS Black CMYK K 100 RGB R0 G0 B0

Black

PMS 199 CMYK C7 M100 Y85 K0 RGB R221 G0 B49

Red

3.5. PICTOGRAMS

Directional icon suite

The following regulatory and advisory symbols are included on signage to identify destinations and facilities.

Pictograms communicate to the widest possible audience, and eliminate language barriers by conveying a meaning through their pictorial resemblance to a physical object. They help to reduce unnecessary clutter and create consistency throughout all aspects of the signage system.

For all icons used within City of Launceston designs, the following icon style must be followed to ensure accessibility standards are met, along with ensuring all designs mirror the same iconography at all times.

These designs are based on the following

International Standards:

—ISO standards 7001: 2007

These designs are based on the following International Standards:

—AIGA the professional association for design icon set National Park Service Icons 1982, USA

• ISO standards 7001: 2007

These icons will also be provided in reverse for use on dark backgrounds.

• AIGA the professional association for design icon set National Park Service Icons 1982, USA

TIP:

All icons can be download in Adobe Illustrator format via the online brand hub.

APPROVED SIGNAGE GUIDELINES ICONOGRAPHY

Infographics

Infographics are frequently used to best display data to various stakeholder groups. When designing infographics, various factors need to be considered including;

• Print and digital display requirements – where and how will this information be displayed, are different variations of this information required to meet accessibility standards in print and digital?

• Specific graphic style use – when selecting graphics for use, it is important to keep in mind that there is a set preferred style to be used to ensure that the modern look and feel of the City of Launceston brand is met. The examples featured to the right embody the desired look and feel. This style is a line vector graphic and can be customised by colouring to complement the end design.

• Accessibility – please be aware of tagging requirements for infographics and tables to support ease of integration with assistive technologies.

Creative direction is encouraged when designing infographics for various projects, while always attempting to embody a modern design approach in all mock-ups.

• To provide a unified vision and consistent policy framework to support prosperity and sustainable development for existing and future communities in the greater Launceston area.

• To provide an overarching metropolitan regional framework to coordinate planning and development in the municipalities that together make up the greater Launceston area.

• To provide a regional view of development priorities within the greater Launceston area.

• To identify key city projects to be undertaken by the participating councils which will act as a focus for new investment and sustainable development opportunities in the greater Launceston area.

• To facilitate a consistent approach to the implementation of planning and development policy and initiatives within the greater Launceston area.

This End of Term Report is the City of Launceston’s early contribution towards understanding where we are now in terms of achieving the ambitious regional outcomes that are framed by the GLP. This is done by assessing our performance against our Strategic Plan 2014–2024, which is the City of Launceston’s response to the overarching community vision set out in the GLP.

Strategic Plan 2014–2024

Our Strategic Plan 2014–2024 is prepared in compliance with the Local Government Act 1993 (Tas), which requires us to develop a 10-year strategic plan and review it at least every four years. Visit www.launceston.tas.gov.au to download a copy of our Strategic Plan 2014–2024.

Greater Launceston Plan goals and Strategic Plan 2014–2024 links

Greater Launceston Plan overarching goalStrategic Plan section

Creativity and innovation 1. A creative and innovative city

Liveability and amenity 2. A city where people choose to live

Connected and networked region 3. A city in touch with its region

Building diversity 4. A diverse and welcoming city

Social inclusion and equity

Environmental sustainability

5. A city that values its environment

Land use, transport and infrastructure 6. A city building its future

Economic development 7. A city that stimulates economic activity and vibrancy

Governance

8. A secure, accountable and responsive council

Why an End of Term Report?

The purpose of the End of Term Report is to acknowledge and objectively comment on our progress against the strategic goals that we set in 2014.

Figure 1 – GLP goals and Strategic Plan 2014-2024 links lists the strategic themes from the GLP and shows how those themes are carried through to the Strategic Plan 2014–2024.

Together with the GLP, our Strategic Plan 2014–2024 is a principal document in our corporate planning framework.

The End of Term Report summarises the achievements of our organisation and our outgoing Aldermen, and sets the strategic scene that our incoming Aldermen will influence during their 2018–2022 term.

Figure 2 – Integrated planning at City of Launceston shows the formalised framework for our integrated strategic planning, linking through to service delivery activities and operations. The framework demonstrates the clear alignment towards achievement of our corporate objectives from the community vision through to the strategic plan, and down to service delivery plans at a directorate, department and individual level.

Our strategic goals are articulated in our Strategic Plan 2014–2024, adopted by our then newly-elected Council on 24 November 2014, following the former Council’s endorsement of the Greater Launceston Plan (GLP) on 10 June 2014.

The Greater Launceston Plan (GLP)

TIP:

The GLP articulates the Greater Launceston community’s vision and aspirations for the greater Launceston area as we move toward 2035. Visit www.launceston.tas.gov.au to download a copy of the GLP.

The GLPs vision is: Sustainable prosperity for greater Launceston will be achieved by consolidating and building nationally and internationally recognised strategic advantages through a focus on creativity and innovation, maintaining exceptional environmental and liveability qualities and ensuring a diverse, connected and inclusive community.

• What will Launceston look and feel like in 20 years?

• Where will new housing be located and how will people live?

• How will we get around the city and greater Launceston area, within a state and national context?

• What infrastructure and projects should the government invest in?

The GLP was developed following substantial research on the future of northern Tasmania, our relative competitive advantages and challenges, data analysis and consultation with the community.

This End of Term Report will provide valuable context, understanding and continuity for the incoming Council to enable it to continue delivering on the GLP.

The development of the GLP was initiated and led by the City of Launceston in collaboration with the George Town, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands and West Tamar councils to guide how the city and surrounding communities will develop over the coming decades. It answers questions such as:

Our regional community said that the GLP should focus on increasing economic prosperity, liveability and creativity in Launceston and the surrounding region.

In pursuing these objectives, the GLP seeks to satisfy five principal outcomes for the participating councils and broader communities that they represent:

– Integrated planning at City of Launceston

Figure 1 – GLP goals and Strategic Plan 2014–2024 links

At times tagging complex infographics as an image and supplying context in the form of an ALT tag will produce the best result for users accessing content through a range of technology platforms.

Tables

For all tables, whether this be within formal reporting or general Council reporting, the following example must be followed.

An interchangeable element of this table design can be the colour used in the top row of the table where the headings of each field is located. Shading of each row in the table should be shown as demonstrated in the example provided.

When creating a table, please ensure all content is left-aligned, with the body text within the table remaining a charcoal grey colouring, as displayed, and all headings format in white against the coloured background.

To achieve the shading rotation of the rows, use the colour black and set the tint to 5% and 10% alternating row, as shown.

TIP:

To make sure your table meets bestpractice accessibility advice, create clear and concise headings. For any nested sub-cells in your table, be sure to tag accordingly.

To provide for the health, safety and welfare of the community.

To fairly and equitably discharge our statutory and governance obligations.

Commence implementation of the Workplace Strategy.

Complete negotiation of the City of Launceston Enterprise Agreement.

Continue review of Governance/ Ownership Model - UTAS Stadium.

Commence review of Governance / Ownership Model - QVMAG.

Infrastructure & Assets

Organisational Services

Chief Executive Officer

To ensure decisions are made on the basis of accurate and relevant information.

Chief Executive Officer

To continually improve our service delivery via a continuous improvement mindset, pursuing efficiency gains, and adopting technological and other process innovations.

Level of Service Planning Stage 1

Develop a project plan to document service levels, review appropriateness of services, and engage with the community around expectations.

Organisational Cultural Development Roadmap; and

Continue to implement an organisational development program.

Review organisational Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy.

Organisational Services

Organisational Services

Organisational Services

Corporate footer guidelines

The purpose of the corporate footer is to provide a graphic element which houses the City of Launceston logos and contact details in a consistent and recognisable manner.

The footer ensures a clear display of brand hierarchy, as well as allowing for a uniform arrangement of logos and/or type.

It also creates a clear delineation between the mandatory information within the footer, and the variable content above the footer.

The footer will appear on internal and external documents where specified. It must also appear on all advertising material, all flyers and posters, the first page of all documents and on electronic communications such as letters and newsletters.

Colour

• The line graphic, separating the footer from the rest of the page must always be BLACK in colour

• The red rectangle on the far right must always be PMS 199 (or CMYK equivalent).

• The City of Launceston logos must appear in the correct PMS colours (or CMYK equivalent).

• Any text must appear in black.

Positioning

• The line will create a white footer area at the base of the communication piece which is 10% of the overall height (e.g. on an A4 page, the line should be positioned 2.97cm up from the bottom edge).

• If this is NOT possible, the minimum space below the line should be 2cm (this allows for 0.5cm below and 0.5cm above the 1cm high logo).

• On communication pieces A4 or smaller, the black line should always be 0.5pt in weight. On pieces sized A3 or larger, the line can increase to be 1pt in weight.

* PLEASE NOTE: On communication pieces that use a background image or colour ABOVE the footer, the black line can be omitted, and the lower edge of the image or background colour used in its place to separate the logo area within the footer.

General report page footers

Throughout formal reporting, where able, the following footer should be applied to all pagessitting next to page numbers. This should include the City of Launceston logo either on both sides, or alternating the secondary logo as displayed below.

Where a footer is placed over colour, ensure a reversed colouring approach (white) is used to assist with visibility on the desired background.

LEFT RIGHT

Corporate reports: page layout guide

Content layout

For all report designs where large scale content is to be formatted, please refer to the report design style InDesign file, located in the branding hub.

Emblem

The Council emblem is a key design element in all formal Council report designs. This should be used on the two internal pages of any report, across the index field and the introductory title pages (as featured). This emblem can be removed where a specific brand identity has been developed for a project. The emblem must sit on a primary block colour, in a transparency level that allows for it to be format as displayed.

The emblem is available for your use on Council collateral via the branding hub.

TIP:

We encourage the use of the emblem in designs where appropriate to represent the corporate City of Launceston branding.

Page design

While designing the layout for pages in large or smallscale corporate reports, please factor in the below checklist to ensure the desired look at feel is achieved. This includes:

Front page

Report heading is to sit at 36pt ‘City of Launceston’ is to sit as the first title in Lato Thin

The report title then follows directly underneath in Lato Black

When formatting the report title, please break large headings onto two lines to avoid the title running too far into the page

Dates are to sit under the report title as displayed below in Rockwell Black font or Lato Regular

City of Launceston logo to be placed in the bottom right corner of the page

There should be a thin white line down the left side of the page about 10mm out

White border to be placed at the top, right and bottom sections of the page

Heading to remain in capital letters

Introduction messages

For all reports that require an introduction message field, please refer to this example of an approved layout. This example showcases how this field should be created, with headings, profile, body content and signature fields.

Index page

For every report, an inside page index page is required.

The following design must be followed, mirroring the template file located in the branding hub.

For all primary headings in this section, please have this format in Lato Black, for subheadings in the index section, please have this in Lato Regular.

All sections within a document index must be linked to the corresponding sections throughout the report for ease of navigation.

Multiple profile fields

Where formatting pages with multiple images of staff, board members, Councillors - please refer to the featured approach for the layout of this content. To the right is an example showcasing the preferred image layout direction, followed by profile descriptions and an image key.

General advertising

Print advertising (newspaper)

The City of Launceston has a range of routine print media advertising requirements, across both early general news and classifieds. For all legislative advertising requirements there is a set standard for ad layouts, and a template is supplied in the branding hub for use. Please ensure all margins are kept to 5mm, and all fonts/layouts remain as supplied.

Other print advertising (promotional)

For all other Council advertising needs, we encourage full creative control to designers to create advertising that fits the desired target audience for each project.

Logo requirements

Primary logo

The primary logo for the City of Launceston should be placed on all design work. Traditionally this will sit in the bottom right corner of a design, however, this is again open to creative direction to ensure the best look for the design in question.

Primary logo variations

For various designs, the City of Launceston will need to have its logo represented in variations to best achieve a positive design outcome. Located in the branding hub, you will find variations on the website for use, this includes a reverse black, and white logo option.

Secondary logo variation

For The option to use solely the Council thylacine graphic is also available for set designs, however, this would be used for aesthetic purposes only. Where possible, the full logo is the primary choice. Use of this logo on designs must have final approval provided by the City of Launceston Communications Team.

Full colour

The preferred version of the logo.

Black/Mono Use on single colour print material.

Adjacent logos should also be presented in a single colour. Acceptable to switch the colour in limited colour publications where black has been replaced with a different colour. Use when the logo is extremely small.

(See Minimum Size)

White/Mono Use on black or dark backgrounds.

Use when the logo appears over an image. Adjacent logos should appear in the same way.

Icon

Used in special circumstances or as a feature design element

Using the logo alongside government logos

In situations where the logo appears as a sponsor or partner with other government organisations:

Arrange according to government hierarchy; and Use mono versions if possible.

TIP:

Please refer to the QVMAG Style Guide for information on how to stack logos when creating designs for this facility.

Co-branding with other logos

The City of Launceston logo is often used in conjunction with other organisations or partners.

Secondary logos should appear alongside or adjacent to the primary logo.

Where possible, include a clarification line.

TIP:

Don’t assume the viewer necessarily understands the relationship between the two brands.

Primary logo and partner with attribution line (preferred option) SUPPORTED

Primary logo and partner with no attribution line

Attribution line:

Font Lato Regular, all caps

Font size 30% of measure

Colour Single colour

www.launceston.tas.gov.au/brand

Community and corporate grant use

Grant recipients are required to display Council’s logo on their grant material.

Make sure there is ample space between the logos.

If Council is the primary or major supporter, sponsor or stakeholder, our logo should appear first in the list.

The logo should only be displayed on a white background. Otherwise, use the solid black or solid white version.

Do not skew or distort the logo.

Logo requirements

Facility logos

The following facilities have set logos for use:

• Launceston Leisure & Aquatic Centre

• University of Tasmania Stadium

• Queen Victoria Museum Inveresk

• Queen Victoria Art Gallery Royal Park

• Carr Villa Memorial Park

Please note: for QVMAG specific designs, the Tasmanian Government logo must be included on all designs alongside QVMAG.

All facility logos can be located in the branding hub, and can again be utilised in black and white format where required to achieve the best design outcome.

*This application of the QVMAG brand is to be used solely across digital platforms and on-site signage. Please refer to the QVMAG style guide for further guidance on use.

TIP:

When spelling out Launceston Leisure & Aquatic Centre, always use an ampersand versus the full spelling of ‘and’ to meet our brand standards.

Clear space

When using the City of Launceston logo or facility logos, it is key to ensure the correct use of white space is being used around the logo on your design.

Minimum size

The sizing of all logos will vary depending on the need - as a guide, please follow the below suggestions for minimum size when using the full colour and single colour variations of the logo.

Typography kit

font use

Primary fonts

The City of Launceston corporate font family is Lato - this must be used in all primary designs, unless a specific brand identity has been developed for a project.

For queries regarding additional fonts on corporate designs, please ensure this has prior approval with the project manager, who will seek approval from the Council Communications Team.

For individual brand identities, following the corporate font guide is not required.

Lato is an approved font that meets the required accessibility standards. This can be used on all design styles required for Council, including signage.

If you are yet to have this font family installed, you can download this font family online through Adobe Fonts or via Google Fonts.

Alternate/secondary fonts

For secondary fonts in corporate designs, the following font families can be used:

• Rockwell font family

• Arial font family

Font use

The Lato font family must be used in all infographics unless a specific brand has been developed for a set project to be identifiable in the public eye.

You are able to again access font downloads for all alternate/secondary fonts via Adobe Fonts or via Google Fonts.

TIP:

The Rockwell and Arial font families meet accessibility requirements.

Font colour use

For font colouring throughout designs and reports, please opt for the following general guidelines:

• General report text: Pantone Warm Gray 11 or black;

• Where required, reverse colouring of white text should be used on heavy coloured backgrounds; and

• Designer discretion should be applied to determine which colour will offer the best design outcome for the project on hand, while meeting best contrast for accessibility.

This is a general guide for core Council designs only, for projects that are developing an individual brand, creative discretion is asked to be applied.

Please note: when choosing a font for use, if creating a brand for a project, please ensure you align the font to the overall vision of the project while also keeping a tie to the Council brand. For example the use of cursive fonts and the like would not be a fit for Council, as it may not meet accessibility standards nor match our Council brand.

PMS Black CMYK K 100

RGB R0 G0 B0

PMS Warm Gray 11

CMYK C52 M53 Y58 K23

RGB R111 G98 B89

Font hierarchy

This general adoption can be made with all font families that have been approved for use. Example of font hierarchy use within a design:

Individual project brand identities

For various projects you will be required to go further down the path of creating an individual brand identity for a project/initiative.

This will help distinguish the project in the eyes of the community, while still underpinning the top tier Council branding.

As the designer, you are able to take creative direction with the overall branding development for any project that falls within this category.

TIP:

When creating a sub-brand identity for projects under the City of Launceston banner, it is a requirement to seek the Communications Team approval on the initial concept and again prior to a final proof approval.

This approval process does not apply for QVMAG or the Launceston Leisure & Aquatic Centre brands as individual style guides for each facility will apply.

Report design examples

Poster design

Digital asset design guide

Facebook

• Recommended sizing for Facebook tile graphics is 1200 x 628 px

• Recommended sizing for Facebook banners is 820 x 312 px

Breakpoints to consider for Facebook include:

• Desktop: 820px x 310px

• Mobile/iPad: 820 px x 460px

• Event Image: 1920px x 1080

Instagram

• Recommended sizing for Instagram graphics is 1080 x 1080 px

TIP:

When designing digital banners, design mobile-first at all times.

Primary website

Website banners where required should be designed to factor in the current website banner text overlay requirements. There is a permanent area of text overlay located on the website banner for www.launceston.tas.gov.au, which is crucial in ensuring a successful design. The examples shown demonstrate designs that utilise the space around the overlay box.

Recommended sizing for a primary website header is 1920 x 650px

When in mobile optimised view, the banner will feature only core-centre justified imagery and the overlay assets.

Please factor this into all designs.

Secondary sub-sites

QVMAG and Aquatic Centre

Please note: There is an overlay box at the bottom of this banner section that should be factored in when designing.

Recommended sizing for website header is 1140 x 440px

Your Voice Your Launceston

The banner for the Communications Engagement platform, www.yourvoiceyourlaunceston.com.au should always be representing the platform needs - either the focus of the 18-month campaign Tomorrow Together, or, a generalised approach to reflect community consultation in Launceston/the Your Voice Your Launceston brand.

Recommended sizing for website header is 6000 x 1042px

ORIGINAL WEB BANNER

DESKTOP WEB BANNER

MOBILE WEB BANNER

LIVE WEB BANNER

YOUR VOICE YOUR LAUNCESTON

Photography direction and style

Capturing authentic Launceston.

We’re focused on capturing the essence of our community and city through all photography taken for the City of Launceston and our facilities.

Imagery that shows authentic situations with authentic reactions.

Our goal is to always ensure that our imagery is people-first, showcasing not only the beauty of our City but also the people who make Launceston what it is today.

TIP:

It’s critical to always seek the correct photography permissions from every person featured within an image if their identity is recognisable. Please ensure photography release forms are used on all occasions and where needed. The corporate City of Launceston Photography release form can be found via ECM.

Accessibility

Word and PDF

When supplying final design files to Council, please ensure you are meeting best practice accessibility requirements.

We focus on a digital-first mentality for all designs to support the integration of assistive technologies across all Council communications.

By following the below suggestions for both Word and PDF format, your document will support the ease of integration with a broad range of technologies.

Word files

A great resource to utilise is the Microsoft Office Accessibility Checker - this will assist in sweeping your file and offering improvement suggestions regarding accessibility. This will flag errors, warnings and tips to help you get the most out of your file.

Learn more about the Microsoft Word accessibility check.

Vision Australia Toolbar

The Vision Australia toolbar for Microsoft Word is a free tool that can be download and installed onto your desktop. This toolbar will then populate as an added menu in Microsoft Word, allowing you to use a range of built-in accessibility features to format your document.

Learn more about the Vision Australia Word Accessibility Toolbar

PDF files

Make use of the inbuilt Accessibility Checker to review any common accessibility errors. This will assist in ranking you based on Pass, Needs a Manual Check or Failed - assisting you in identifying where improvements can be made.

Learn more about how to install this feature in Acrobat Pro DC.

Accessibility

Word Files

Word has a range of built-in features to support your document accessibility goals. The following tips will support your goal of achieving best-practice formatting for all documents.

If you need support or guidance when it comes to making your document accessible, please contact a member of KAST or the Communications Team for further advice.

There are a range of baseline steps to follow when creating an accessible Word document, this includes;

• Using the correct heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.);

• Using lists and tagging this content accordingly;

• Create relevant and meaningful hyperlinks (i.e. avoid the use of generic hyperlinks such as ‘Click here for more information’);

• Add ALT tags to all images throughout your document to support assistive technology in identifying what each object is;

• Use tables wisely throughout your file with appropriate heading tags; and

• Understand how to export your file to other formats while keeping all your accessibility tagging in format.

Using correct headings

When adding heading tags into your document, it’s important to think about the logical hierarchy of text placement. Your heading tags will allow assistive technology (such as a text-to-speech reader) to identify content sections and new topics throughout your file. By using the correct heading tags throughout your file you’ll also be creating a better user experience for those accessing your file by adding further context and clarity to the structure of your document.

Hyperlinks

Hyperlinking a URL to content such as ‘Click here’, or ‘Download here’ can cause a user to miss the link action when being accessed by assistive technology.

Embedded hyperlinking should include embedding the URL over a relevant snippet of text. For example, in the sentence ‘The City of Launceston Brand Guidelines...’ we would choose to hyperlink the ‘City of Launceston Brand Guidelines’.

Alternative text (ALT) tags

ALT tags (alternative text tags) on your images are a must - not only do they allow assistive technology to read aloud or provide a text description of an image, it also helps to build further context to the document in question for all users.

To add alt tags to images throughout your file, rightclick on each image and select ‘Picture’. From here, navigate to the tab ‘Alt Text’ in the pop-up field, enter your image description and click ‘Ok’ to save.

Tables

When using tables throughout your document, it’s best to keep it simple. Tables are great for displaying data sets where needed, but if you find you need to display complex and large quantities of data in tables, be sure to tag your heading rows and columns accordingly.

To do so, right-click on your table and navigate to ‘Table Properties’. Select the tab ‘Row’ and tick the option to repeat the header row across each new page.

Additionally, you’re able to add an ALT tag to your table to offer a brief overview of the findings presented within your table. To do so, follow the same steps as above and select the tab ‘Alt Text’ to input and save your description.

Keep your column headers clean and clear and avoid making this content too complicated.

If you have a range of nested cells within your table, it’s key to clearly identify the headings of each section to support assistive technology when reading this content aloud to a user.

Making the most of lists

It’s important to make the most of ordered lists where practicable throughout your document. By doing so, this will allow assistive technology to identify where a list of content within the document is nested. To tag this accordingly in Word, simply apply the bullet point or number point setting to your list in Word.

Exporting from Word to PDF

By selecting Export>Save As> PDF this will automatically save your accessibility settings and translate this across to your PDF export.

When saving, select ‘Options’ and check that ‘Document structure tags for accessibility’ is ticked. This is typically ticked by default but can become untagged in certain circumstances.

PDF files

At times you may need to check the accessibility of an existing PDF file, and are unable to access the original Word document.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (paid version) supports an accessibility audit of PDF files, and takes users through a step-by-step audit to tag the document with;

• Heading tags;

• Alt tags;

• Adding bookmarks;

• Document title settings;

• Identifying interactive forms;

Free tool alternatives

There are a range of tools that have been made available to support the accessibility review of documents.

Alternate platforms include;

• www.pave-pdf.org

This platform is a free online tool that allows users to upload a file and have this reviewed against accessibility standards. The platform will first attempt to rectify all changes required for you, and will provide you with a list of remaining edits needed. The system will provide how-to guides for all changes flagged, and will allow for you to make all changes within the PAVE platform.

• www.CommonLook.com

TIP:

Forward planning when it comes to creating accessible documents and communication is key. Formatting as you go, versus completing a full accessibility sweep when proofing a document will save a considerable amount of time and resources.

• Tables; and

• Lists.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC can also scan your PDF file and produce an Accessibility report that will outline current errors and suggested changes to make your file more compliant.

To access this feature, you must be signed up to a paid version of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.

CommonLook provides a free software integration that links directly with Adobe Acrobat. This software enables users who don’t have access to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to undertake accessibility compliance checks and receive a report of any errors that are present within the file.

Copyright guidelines

Copyright refers to the legal right of the owner of intellectual property.

In simpler terms, copyright is the right to copy. This means that the original creators of products and anyone they give authorisation to are the only ones with the exclusive right to reproduce the work.

For the City of Launceston, this means that we are restricted in what we can legally reproduce in terms of imagery, artwork, written content and music.

Without the express permission of the author of these mediums, we cannot reproduce any of these for our use.

Images

Unless you took an image yourself, or you have the permission of the person who did take a photo or image, you cannot reproduce that image for external use under ANY circumstances.

For example, you cannot simply save an image from the internet (ie a Google search) and use it in a report or study without asking permission to do so from its owner.

The copyright owner of that photo or image must be contacted, preferably in writing, and permission sought.

If that process is followed, it is also strongly advisable that some form of attribution is given when publishing that image.

For example: Launceston’s Cataract Gorge in Flood: Reprinted by permission of John Smith.

It is also strongly advised that you do not digitally manipulate any image or photo under any circumstances.

There are websites that do provide a large number of royalty free images that can be used, such as Pixabay.

As with any issues of copyright, it is strongly advised that you contact the Communications Team for guidance and advice if you are unsure.

Artwork

The same restrictions for images apply for the use of artwork produced by a third party.

Unless prior authorisation is given, you cannot use a piece of artwork, nor can you pass it on to another artist to replicate or revise unless there are provisions for such in a contract.

It is advised that consideration is given to this when engaging specific artists through contractual or tender negotiations, that is, the Council would retain all ownership of any material or artwork produced.

Written content/text

Also known as plagiarism, directly using written content from another person is not permitted.

Plagiarism can take many forms, from deliberate cheating to accidentally copying from a source without acknowledgement. Consequently, whenever you use the words or ideas of another person in your work, you must acknowledge where they came from.

For example, you are producing a pamphlet on water quality in the kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary and you find a report written by an environmental scientist and you wish to republish a key piece of information contained in that report.

You can republish those quotes as long as you attribute them back to the author.

More information on how to correctly attribute this type of information can be found here: https://www. masterclass.com/articles/how-to-attribute-a-quote

Music

Unless you have paid for the rights to republish music, or part thereof, the simple rule is “Don’t”.

There are a number of websites that do provide royalty free music to download, and they can be found using a simple Google search. As a general rule of thumb, always read the ‘fine print’ on those sites as usually they do contain rules around the use of their materials, which usually include some form of attribution.

Wikipedia

People often use Wikipedia as a source of general information.

However, caution must be urged if using any information from a Wikipedia search as the content is user-generated and there are no guarantees around its authenticity or accuracy.

Playing licenced music/radio in a public building or business

Many people may be unaware, but it is illegal to play music in a public building without the required permissions.

For example, a hair-dressing salon or clothing store is not allowed to have a radio playing in the background, or to play a CD for their clients as background music. The same goes for streaming music over platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music.

There are strict rules around this and businesses and individuals have been fined for doing so.

However, if for some reason you do wish to do this, there are ways to do it legally. For information on obtaining these permissions, you can visit these websites:

• https://ablis.business.gov.au/service/ag/ background-music-licence/338

• https://onemusic.com.au/

CITY OF LAUNCESTON WRITTEN STYLE GUIDELINES

Please note that the City of Launceston follows the Australian Government Written Style Manual, which can be found online via www.stylemanual.gov.au

Referring to the Council/City of Launceston

• The/the City of Launceston

• The/the Council

• Capitalise Council in all circumstances when referring to the City of Launceston, lower-case ‘c’ when referring to multiple councils or other councils

• CoL is acceptable in internal/informal correspondence only

Example:

• “The City of Launceston’s City Heart Project …”

• “The Council will move a motion that the City of Launceston reviews its signage strategy.”

• “Northern councils will discuss the issue next week.”

Capitalisation of titles

• Capitalise Council job titles and departments/ directorates

• Capitalise other organisations’ job titles

• Capitalise Councillors: Mayor, Councillor

Example:

• City of Launceston Chief Executive Officer [name here] said [quote here]

• Recycling Officer [name here]

• The City of Launceston’s General Manager, [name here] said…

• The City of Launceston’s Mayor and Councillors ...

• The Mayor will move the motion for a vote by Councillors …”

• When referring to a specific Council team, use a capital ‘T’ in the first instance (the Finance Team …) then a lower case ‘t’ thereafter (the team will …)

• Use a capital ‘S’ when referring to the State of Tasmania, for other states use a lower case ‘s’

• Use capitals when referring to Northern Tasmania

• Launceston is the first city in the State to introduce recycling.

• Northern Tasmanians are invited to the event.

• It is a first in the State for Northern Tasmania.

Italics

Refer to legislation, reports, policies, official documents, plans and guidelines in italics where appropriate:

Example:

• The Council’s Dog Registration Policy …

• The City of Launceston’s Annual Report 2017-18 …

• Mr Smith’s Development Application 6578 …

Email signatures

All staff across the organisation must use the below format (Arial 10). Network and facilities staff will also include their network’s name.

To change your signature to comply with the below, open a new email in Outlook, click on the Signatures tab and cut and paste or type in the details as listed below then hit save. For assistance, contact Communications on 3201.

Example:

Professional responses/correspondence

Before posting, hitting send or signing off on your written word, apply this rule: always write in such a professional/appropriate manner that would not cause you or the Council embarrassment if it were to be published online or in your local newspaperpotentially inappropriate responses should never be fired off without first considering your words could be on the front page of the paper tomorrow.

Obviously, many Council reports are confidential and the above is not relevant to documenting necessary confidential information, neither would the vast majority of inappropriate emails ever be likely to be published online or in the paper - but if you imagine it could be, you will never make the mistake of sending rude or angry emails or letters, and you will avoid writing anything that could in any way be taken as discriminatory on the basis of age, gender, sexuality, disability, appearance, marital status, parenthood and so on. We all know what is inappropriate in this day and age and as a government organisation we are held to the highest possible standards.

Remember, as a government organisation, all of our emails - including colleague to colleague and friend to friend - are accessible under Right to Information laws and therefore potentially publishable by the media and private/public applicants to use as they see fit.

Abbreviations

Abbreviate the City of Launceston to CoL only in informal/internal correspondence. Use “the City of Launceston” or “the Council” in all other written content.

• State and territory governments - capitalise the formal state or territory government title only.

Example:

• Tasmanian Government

• Tasmanian government agencies

• “Including all Tasmanian local government stakeholders…”

• “The Federal Government…”

• “The City Heart Project received State and Federal government funding.”

• “Launceston is the largest local government municipal area in Tasmania.”

Policies, legislation, acts and other publications

Use title case for titles of publications, policies, programs, books, films, photographs, TV programs, paintings, songs and albums. Italics are optional and appropriate in more formal writing, such as reports and guidelines, versus emails and website/digital media platform content. Capitalise the principal words only. Exceptions are when the title begins with a, for, on, to and so on.

Example:

• “The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009”, then “the Act”.

Local government terminology

• The Budget, budget provisions, the budgetary process, successive budgets

• Town Hall

• The Council Chambers

• The Town Hall Reception Room

• Our Customer Service Centre Commonly used words at Council

Commonly used words at Council

• Acts - Acts are preferably italicised

Example:

• Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993

• ageing - retain ‘e’ in ageing

• airshed - not air shed

• blackout - one word, not hyphenated

• brownfield (site) - one word, not hyphenated

• built-up (adjective) - hyphenated

• car park - two words

• central Launceston

• co-locate - hyphenated

• coordinate(d)/coordination - one word, not hyphenated

• cooperate -one word, not hyphenated

• cost-effective - hyphenated

• council/s - lower case c where used as a generic term

Example:

• All Tasmanian councils, in local council areas…

• Council - capitalised C when referring to the City of Launceston

Example

• ...the Council will, the Council’s policies are, in the Council area…

• Councillor/s - lower case when used generically. Use a capital when referring to City of Launceston Councillor or in a person’s title.

• cul-de-sac - two hyphens

• disability/people with a disability - not “the disabled” or “disabled people”. Use “people with disabilities”.

• email - one word, not hyphenated

• first-class - hyphenated

• focused/focusing - use single ‘s’

• full-time - hyphenated

• greenfield - one word, not hyphenated

• governments

• The Federal Government is preferable to the Commonwealth Government or the Australian Government

• The State Government when referring to the Tasmanian Government.

• Lower case s and g when referring to interstate or multiple governments

• hand-held - hyphenated

• high school - two words

• in-house - hyphenated

• installation - double ‘l’ but single ‘l’ in instalment

• -ise - not –ize (eg minimise)

• kerbside - one word, not hyphenated

• kick-start -hyphenated

• labour-intensive - hyphenated

• landowner - one word (not land owner)

• master plan - two words

• Northern Tasmania and the Northern Tasmania region - Capitals for first letters of an established name of the region but the ‘region’ in Northern Tasmania region uses lower case as it’s more generic.

• North-West Coast/the North-East -capitalised and hyphenated as the established name of the region, but north-west direction, south-east to Fingal, etc are lower case.

• off-road - hyphenated

• online - one word, no hyphen

• onsite - one word

• on-street - hyphenated

• Parliament/parliament - capitalised if referring to a particular parliament; lower case if general reference.

• part-time - hyphenated

• proactive - one word, not hyphenated

• ratepayer - one word, not hyphenated

• redevelop - one word, not hyphenated

• relocate - one word, not hyphenated

• reopen - one word, not hyphenated

• reuse - one word, not hyphenated

• rezone - one word, not hyphenated

• Rivers/rivers - lower case plural rivers when referring to specific rivers.

• roadworthy - one word, not hyphenated

• run-off - hyphenated

• Seaport - (Launceston) Seaport

• semidetached - one word, not hyphenated

• sewerage/sewage - Sewerage refers to the system (eg the pipes). Sewage refers to the waste matter which passes through the sewers.

• short-term - hyphenated (not short term)

• Statewide - when referring to Tasmania

• state-of-the-art - three hyphens

• stormwater - one word, not hyphenated

• streets - lower case streets when referring to multiple streets ie St John and Cameron streets.

• subdivision - one word, not hyphenated

• tailor-made - hyphenated

• takeover - one word, not hyphenated

• Tamar Estuary - both words capitalised

• kanamaluka/Tamar River - The City of Launceston uses dual naming for the Tamar River to include the Aboriginal name for the river, kanamaluka. The k is

lower-case

• thank you - two words

• trade-in - hyphenated

• U-turn - hyphenated

• wastewater - one word, not hyphenated

• weekend - one word

• Wi-Fi - not wifi or WI-FI

• woodheater - one word, not hyphenated

• world-class - hyphenated

• zone - capital letter for zone classifications but not the word ‘zone’

Examples:

• The Rural zone

• In an Industrial zone

• In an area zoned Rural Residential.

CITY OF LAUNCESTON SIGNAGE GUIDELINES

PLEASE NOTE

The following Signage Guidelines document is a direct PDF merge of the adopted styling, as supplied by ASPECT Studios.

City of Launceston

Corporate Signage Design Guidelines

STATUS DRAFT / STAGE 2

ISSUE P6

DATE 02.03.2017

PREPARED BY AA

APPROVED BY IR

This Stamp is for issue control during Draft Phase, and will be removed for Final Issue.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

City of Launceston

Urban&Public

What is Wayfinding Signage Principles

Welcome to the City of Launceston Corporate Signage Design Guidelines.

These Guidelines aim to improve Council signage, the navigability between open spaces and the local experience for visitors.

WHY IS CORPORATE SIGNAGE NEEDED?

Council have identified the need to improve the identification of their Parks and Facilities so as to provide a more legible and consistent system of identification and navigation for users.

Municipal signage systems are an important ‘face’ to the broader community and communicate the corporation brand and identity to the world. Creating a clear and consistent approach provides Council with the opportunity to build a stronger and more coherent identity for the City as a whole.

OBJECTIVES Statutory and Standards

Signs shall be designed to ensure that the graphics, colour palette and other design elements meet the relevant Australian Standards.

Signage shall comply with the Disabilities Discrimination Act 1992 and include integrated braille formats.

Signs shall be designed to meet statutory and regulatory design requirements.

Construction and Maintenance

Signage design should incorporate Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles.

Robust and durable materials should be selected to reduce ongoing maintenance.

Maintenance, cleaning and anti-graffiti coatings should be considered.

Life-cycle cost and durability of materials should be key consideration in the design of signage elements. Signage should be designed with consideration for an efficient assembly and replaceable information where possible (kit-of-parts approach).

Legibility and Location

Appropriate scale of signage elements should be provided for users (vehicular, pedestrian, cyclist).

Signage design should demonstrate a clear hierarchy of information.

Utilise a consistent visual language. Ensure signage provides the user with concise information for user orientation and navigation.

Consider placement of signage elements, to ensure they are accessible, legible and sited with minimal visual obstructions (i.e. vegetation).

Identity, Form and Materials

Ensure the signage suite palettes throughout the municipality are recognisable as a ‘family’ of elements and represents a coherent municipal identity.

Enhance precincts or connective areas with the selection of consistent primary materials (e.g. metal, timber) alongside minor highlight colours. Highlight colours should be limited to ensure they do not conflict with the legibility of signed information. Colour selection is guided by the colour palette.

Council brand application on signage within the municipality should be consistent across the signage suite. Some exemptions will apply for major facilities and sponsorship arrangements. Any exemptions to these Style Design Guidelines must be approved by the Communications Manager.

Signage Suite Overview

Audience Viewing Heights & Distance

Placement Guidelines & Planning

Signage Consistency

Example Location

Facility Name and Second Line

SUBHEADING IF REQUIRED

Facility Name and Second Line

SUBHEADING IF REQUIRED

To provide facilities with on street identification for vehicular legibility. Scale of sign should be selected to suit site location.

Major road intersections, with large open areas available for signage. Sign location not required to be near any entry point.

To provide facilities with on street identification for vehicular legibility. Scale of sign should be selected to suit site location.

May also be located at secondary entry points.

Near an entrance to facilities car park, or corner locations for smaller facilities.

SIGNAGE SUITE OVERVIEW

Purpose To provide pedestrians with information at arrival points to facilities.

Example Location At arrival/entrance to facility where vehicular signs are not located.

To provide pedestrians with information at arrival points to facilities.

To provide users with sitespecific information

To provide pedestrians with site arrival at Key Sites and local navigational information.

To provide users with a precinct-area map or local directional information. These signs should be used in locations where space does not permit a plinth, or where traffic levels do not warrant the expense of a free-standing plinth.

To provide users with key directional information at secondary/tertiary nodes, providing pedestrians with reassurance when traveling through spaces. Pole can be used in areas where existing infrastructure (i.e. walls) do not exist.

At arrival/entrance to facility

At Site Arrival locations of interest e.g. City Park, Tamar River, QVMAG

Laneways, Arcades and Link-throughs within the City Heart.

Along pedestrian pathways which do not require mapped information or and when identifying a facility in walkable distances e.g. Library.

Purpose To provide users with important regulatory information about the area, such as No Smoking, Dog On Leash areas, etc.

To provide users with important regulatory information about the area, such as No Skating, No Cycling, No Smoking etc.

To provide users with important regulatory information about the site at a larger scale for a longer distance visibility

To provide vehicular directions to Facilities/ Sites that have limited visibility from street. Signage offers reassurance/ tertiary directional information for vehicle users.

To provide facilities with on street identification and directional information for vehicular legibility. Scale of sign should be selected to suit site location.

May also be located at secondary entry points.

Example Location Where specific regulations change within a site e.g. No Smoking near playgrounds.

At tertiary entrances to areas where direction signage is not required or the directional signage does not have provisional space for regulatory information e.g. Fingerboards.

To larger street lighting poles, near street intersections and major pedestrian areas.

Where specific regulations change within a site e.g. No Vehicles or bikes.

At entrances to areas where direction signage is not required or the directional signage does not have provisional space for regulatory information.

Reassurance signage to car park and facility areas located within Royal Park.

Near an entrance to facilities car park, or corner locations for smaller facilities.

SIGNAGE SUITE OVERVIEW

Purpose To provide on street identification for public car parking facilities.

To provide users with car park directional information at intersection nodes.

Pole can be used in areas where existing infrastructure (i.e. walls) do not exist.

To provide users with car park specific information i.e. Speed limits, permitted hours of parking, opening times, etc.

To provide users a visual cue and identification of payment stations

Example Location To the kerb edge at all public car parking facilities.

Along internal roads. At entrance to car parks. At payment stations.

2.2. AUDIENCE VIEWING HEIGHTS & DISTANCES

The overall legibility of a sign is essentially determined by the height, color, and font characteristics of the letters making up its message component. All signs have been designed to maximise the optimum viewing height zones and required viewing distances according to the user.

2.2.1. Pedestrians

Refer to the diagram and table below for a guide to the optimum viewing zones for different audiences and the appropriate text size according to the required viewing distance.

2.2.2. Cyclists

Current text height for major cycle directional signage varies nationally between 40–80 mm.

However more recent standards (AS1744.2015) recommend lettering height of 60 mm for destination names and 45 mm for subsidiary information.

Large cycle networks that connect across neighbouring municipalities should align with the current Austroads Bicycle Wayfinding Guidelines for consistent and legible cycle wayfinding. Text heights should be no smaller than 30 mm.

2.2.3. Motorist

The legibility of a sign will influence the viewer’s reaction time, the time necessary for a motorist to detect, read, and react to a message displayed to their approach.

Austroads Guide to Traffic Management Part 10: Traffic Control and Communication Devices (2009) (Section 4.3.7) provides the following guideline for the required letter size based on the user’s approaching speed and number of words on the sign:

The minimum size of capital letters is determined by using the following equation:

H = 0.14 NV + 11.4S

Where:

H = capital letter height in millimetres, including height of initial capitals used with lower-case letters

N = number of words on the sign

V = approach speed in kilometres per hour

S = lateral offset of sign in metres, measured from the center of the sign to the center of the traffic lane

3 DESIGN STANDARDS

Colours and Materials

Brandmark Application

Visual Accessibility

3.1. COLOURS AND MATERIALS

3.1.1. Base Colour Palette

Please note: When reproducing any artwork it is imperative that the colours are matched using the Pantone Colour Matching Guide. This will ensure consistency throughout all signage.

Neutral base to compliment and contrast highlight colours to aid legibility. It is a recessive tone and will not dominate in the surrounding landscape.

3.1.2. Highlight Colour

Base colours are complemented with a highlight colour from the following palette. Orange is used for all coorporate signage and Blue for carparking signage.

3.1.3. Materiality Palette

Durable material suited for outdoor use. Its hardiness enables it to withstand weathering, it is fireproof, heat resistant and retains colour stability.

Used for the majority of text to provide high contract for readability.

Used for mounting parks and open spaces signs. It provides visual softness to the environment.

Protective coating.

For speciality facilities i.e. Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre.

Only used for carparking signage.

3.1. COLOURS AND MATERIALS

All signage within the LCH and LCAD should use “Orange” as the highlight colour with the exception of Cyclist Wayfinding signage, which should be “Blue”.

3.2. BRANDMARK APPLICATION

When implementing the City of Launceston brandmark to the signage system, it is essential to ensure that it is consistently reproduced across all signs.

The logo configuration is based on the City of Launceston Design Style Guide, August 2015. Under no circumstance is the logo to be altered or recreated in format, proportion, layout and accepted colour usage.

As solid colours have been selected for the signage suite, the mono or reverse format of the brandmark will be used - whichever provides the most contrast to aid legibility.

Examples

White brandmark on PMS 419 C

Charcoal brandmark on PMS 151 C

Charcoal brandmark on PMS 360 C

3.3. VISUAL ACCESSIBILITY

Light Reflective Value

A key factor in choosing colours for outdoor signage is to ensure sufficient contrast between the foreground and background colours. Each colour has a Light Reflective Value (LRV ) and contrast levels are measured by comparing the foreground and background LRV ratings. 70% is deemed to be an acceptable standard of contrast, making signage more legible for persons with vision impairment.

Generally this means that highlight colours need to be lighter in tone to achieve sufficient contrast with the background.

All colours combinations selected for the signage achieve a contrast level of 70% and over.

In order to maintain both consistency and legibility throughout the system, it is important to ensure that these colour combinations remain consistent.

Note:

Where posible use white text on charcoal background for key information and orange text on charcoal background for titles/highlighted information. Restrict to a minimum the use of charcoal text on orange background.

SOURCE http://asisignage.com/resources/lrv-calculator

Lato

Semi-rounded details of the letters give Lato a feeling of warmth, while the strong structure provides stability and seriousness.

Available weights within the Lato font family are:

Medium / Medium Italic

Semibold / Semibold Italic

Bold / Bold Italic

Heavy / Heavy Italic

Black / Black Italic

1234567890

Lato Medium

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Lato Semi Bold

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Lato Heavy

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

3.5. PICTOGRAMS

The following regulatory and advisory symbols are included on signage to identify destinations and facilities.

Pictograms communicate to the widest possible audience, and eliminate language barriers by conveying a meaning through their pictorial resemblance to a physical object. They help to reduce unnecessary clutter and create consistency throughout all aspects of the signage system.

These designs are based on the following International Standards:

ISO standards 7001: 2007

AIGA the professional association for design icon set National Park Service Icons 1982, USA

These icons will also be provided in reverse for use on dark backgrounds.

3.6. ARROWS

Directions

Users should never be directed to facilities which are behind them. Only forwards, left, right and 45º angled arrows are to be used. Backward facing arrows are open to misinterpretation and may become confusing for users.

Arrow bounding box

A bounding box provides guidance for the alignment of arrows on template panels. The arrow head may extend beyond the guide when used in particular rotations. The box is provided for the templates and must be deleted for finished artwork files and printing.

3.7. TIME VS DISTANCE

There are a number of signs that require the calculation of time and distance to destinations. Use the following formulas as follows:

Pedestrians

Walking time information must be used as an appropriate means of journey-planning. This is designed to make walking to destinations more achievable, as long distances are often misunderstood. This approach ties in with sustainable transport principles. Walking speed will vary between people so a basic walking time may be based on the following equation:

80 metres distance = 1 minute walking time

The Google Maps Distance API web service could also be used to collect data for all walking distances.

Injuries are a common and expected part of the activity. We strongly suggest that helmets, protective clothing and activity specific bikes are used within the park.

Injuries are a common and expected part of the activity. We strongly suggest that helmets, protective clothing and activity specific bikes are used within the park. Please familiarise yourself with the terrain prior to riding.

Please familiarise yourself with the terrain prior to riding.

Injuries are a common and expected part of the activity.

We strongly suggest that helmets, protective clothing and activity specific bikes are used within the park.

Injuries are a common and expected part of the activity.

We strongly suggest that helmets, protective clothing and activity specific bikes are used within the park.

Please familiarise yourself with the terrain prior to riding.

Please familiarise yourself with the terrain prior to riding.

5.1. INSTALLATION

Installation should be undertaken by an appropriately qualified contractor. Site conditions will have an impact on the installation and fabrication of signage and it is therefore necessary to identify these issues during the planning phase.

Prior to installation please ensure

Footing and construction details have been reviewed.

All potential services have been identified. If applicable, a ‘Dial Before you Dig’ has been undertaken to identify any potential underground services.

Installation method and approach is appropriate for the site conditions.

Sign locations do not negatively impact on the heritage or cultural environment.

The sign is located within the site boundary.

The sign locations are accurately identified and correspond to an approved sign plan.

Occupational Health and Safety measures are adhered to.

During installation please ensure

The site is cleaned and free of excess materials. The site is restored and remediated if necessary.

The signage has not been damaged during installation.

Transportation

Ensure delivery of new signage from fabricators is undertaken with the utmost care to avoid damage.

New signage should be bubble wrapped or similarly protected to avoid dents and scratches. Check all new signs on delivery to ensure no damage was incurred in transit.

Storage

Signage should be stored in a safe place prior to installation and not layed flat where panels can be damaged.

Ensure all protective coatings have been applied as per the manufacturers specifications.

Site safety

When constructing and installing signs the appropriate health and safety measures need to be taken. Consider the following when constructing or installing signs:

Slip and trip hazards to installers and the general public from; hoses, cables, leads running on the ground.

Working on or near sources of electricity, including hidden cables behind walls; using electrical equipment.

Falling objects or falling from a height. Hazardous noise levels.

Environmental conditions e.g. wind, dust, rain.

Hazardous chemicals e.g. solvents, adhesives.

Manual handling: types of postures and force required to install the sign.

Ensure all relevant traffic and pedestrian safety requirements are in place during installation to avoid falls and injuries.

Remember that a sign itself may be a hazard. Place signs so that they do not obscure hazards or distract the viewer during hazardous situations.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) e.g. gloves, dust mask, high-visibility vest, helmet, safety glasses, steel cap boots, ear plugs etc.

Staff are suitably trained or supervised when using machinery e.g. auger, bench saw etc.

5.2. MAINTENANCE

Signage should always be well maintained to project a positive image for the City of Launceston and the community.

General

If signage requires maintenance, please ring the relevant department within the City of Launceston for maintenance requests.

If signs are required to be replaced, the design of the new signs must follow this guide.

Checking sign conditions

To achieve this, signs require regular inspections and upkeep.

A regular inspection program should look for:

The sign has not been removed, tampered with or vandalised

The relevance of the information

The condition of the finishes and materials

The presence of any obstructions

All fixings are tight and present

Make sure the information on signage is relevant and the sign is functioning as it was originally intended. Things change, so signage should reflect the changes that happen and be up-to-date and relevant.