Working with a Graphic Designer

Project Management 101

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I have a project.

How do I start working with a graphic designer?

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Project Management 101

No doubt you’ve worked long and hard with a team to create your project.

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Project Management 101

Good communication skills are central to the success of all projects.

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Project Management 101

Knowing the language and the questions to ask, helps make the process smooth and easy.

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Project Management 101

Define your project To make your best choices, it’s important to have all of the information about your project: 1. What type of project is it?

2. What is the intended use?

3. Who is your target audience?

4. What quantity do you want?

5. What is your time line?

6. What is your design budget?

7. What is your print budget?

8. Who is the project lead?

9. Who is responsible for final approval & payment?

10. Who will track the final project files?

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Project Management 101

1. What type of project is it?

Publication 40 pages / offset printing / digital publication / web only / hyperlinks / stapled / mailer / handout Brochure standard tri-fold / mailer / handout / pdf download Postcard print / email campaign / website Poster design concept as part of a larger campaign; poster / brochure / banner / website Tip! Providing as many descriptive words of your project at the onset helps designers make best choices and recommendations.

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Project Management 101

2. What is the intended use?

Write a sentence or two about the intended use of your project.

Example My project is a postcard for print, and the graphics will also be used on a T-shirt. The postcard needs to fit in a standard rack card holder, and will also be used as a mailer. We’d like to include our mailing permit on the postcard.

Tip! The more information you can provide at the beginning of a project saves time later.

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Project Management 101

3. Who is your target audience?

Write a sentence or two about your target audience.

Example My target audience are middle-aged women, have weight gain problems and poor health. They are middle-class and have income to spend on gym memberships and special classes.

Tip! All design for print + web is advertising design.

All advertising design is about ‘them,’ your audience.

Defining your target audience drives design.

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Project Management 101

4. What quantity do you want?

It’s helpful to know approximately how many of something you are producing.

Example I’d like 250 offset printed.

Tip! Provide a range of quantiles: 250 / 500 / 1000 It’s more expensive to print 250 offset than it is to print 250 digitally.

Your designer should be well versed in print estimates.

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Project Management 101

5. What is your time line?

Think backwards to prepare your time line.

Example I need my project in hand by February 1st.

6 weeks prior - in-house data collecting 4 weeks prior - work with designer 2 weeks prior - print + ship Tip! Good rules of Thumb Allow 2 weeks for print/ship Allow 2 weeks for proof/edits Allow 2 weeks for in-house data collecting DISCOVERY . SOLUTION . IMPLEMENTATION . SUPPORT – 33ImageDesign.com

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Project Management 101

6. What is your design budget?

Make sure you have a realistic design budget to match your project.

Example I need to design a postcard and print 500.

I have a $100 design budget.

Tips!

Most designers have standard design estimates for standard projects. If you’re upfront with your budget, they may be willing to work with you.

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Project Management 101

7. What is your print budget?

Your print budget affects your project choices.

Example I need 10,000 of something printed, but I only have a $200 print budget.

Tip! By knowing your print budget ahead of time, your designer can recommend the best print product for the best price.

In this case, 10,000 business cards may fit the bill!

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Project Management 101

8. Who is the project lead?

Assigning a person as the project lead for your project will decrease communication and increase the effectiveness of your overall design process.

Example Too many ‘cooks in the kitchen’ adds time to your design costs.

Tip! A good project lead manages the information flow between team members and your designer.

Your designer depends on your clear communication skills. Collect input from your team members and compile notes to share with your designer.

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Project Management 101

9. Who is responsible for final proof approval & payment?

Assign someone in-house to sign off and approve.

Make sure you understand the payment process.

Tip! Talk about the hard stuff first.

Be clear about your responsibility and your designer’s responsibility.

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Project Management 101

Now that you have defined your project, you’re ready to talk to graphic designers.

Following are good Q&As to ask.

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Project Management 101

Are you taking new clients/project?

Independent designers juggle many projects and may not always be available to take new work.

What services do you provide?

Consulting / Design / Proofing / Editing Production / File Prep / Administrative What is your hourly rate? $85hr / 2hr minimum per project 15-minute minimum edit session DISCOVERY . SOLUTION . IMPLEMENTATION . SUPPORT – 33ImageDesign.com

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Project Management 101

Do you provide design estimates?

I provide design estimates for standard products; i.e., postcards, brochures, publications, etc.

Do you provide print estimates?

I provide print estimates on my project proofs.

How do you provide proofs?

As PDFs by email.

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Project Management 101

What are your proficiencies in the Adobe Creative Suite?

I am highly proficient in InDesign CC, have good Photoshop skills and some Illustrator skills.

Do you produce publications for press?

I have a lot of experience designing publications for press and file prep for offset printing.

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Project Management 101

What 3 things do you bring to your industry that set you apart?

I’m a practicing artist with an emphasis in photography I have a minor in business and marketing.

I aspire to add beauty, function and form to my work.

What do you find most challenging?

Proof reading and poor communication.

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Project Management 101

Describe an experience where you had to use your creative skills to solve a problem.

The page count for publications needs to be in multiples of 4. I ended up with 2 blank pages in the center layout. I found unique high-res images in the creative commons on flickr.com and designed a 2-page photo spread without additional photo costs.

What are your best creative resources?

Online stock photos, library of photos and illustrations, and a large font collection.

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Project Management 101

Who is your target audience?

I work with individuals and small to mid-size companies.

Do you provide guaranteed bids for design + print/ship for projects?

I provide fairly accurate estimates based on the project specs for ‘standard’ projects; i.e., brochures, business cards, banners, posters, publications, etc.

Custom projects are billed hourly.

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Project Management 101

If we accepted your design estimate, how long would it take you to start our project?

I am generally two weeks out before I can begin new projects.

After we’ve started working together, how long do you expect our project to take?

It can depend on the size of your project.

As a general rule of thumb, I tell my clients to expect two weeks from start to finish.

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Project Management 101

May we have copies of our project files?

I provide all of the packaged project files.

Are you available in the future if we need to update our project?

Yes, I provide ongoing and future support.

What do you like best about your job?

I highly value my relationships with my clients. I enjoy helping them to succeed in their industry.

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