GC Guide to Support

communications GUIDE TO SUPPORT

Good design is good business.

THOMAS J. WATSON, JR. • CEO, IBM

Hi.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know your Graphic Communications team. We are here to help Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College and the Rancho Santiago Community College District shine. With your help, we can do just that. You are our colleague, collaborator, teammate and fellow communicator.

And to be a good communicator takes thinking, discipline and practice...and a few guidelines to follow.

This guide will explain who we are, what we do, and how we can help each other produce the best possible communication materials for our organization. Let’s make it happen. Together.

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So...

WHO ARE WE? (so glad you asked)

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Graphic Communications was established to serve as a true creative department for Rancho Santiago Community College District and its two colleges, Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College. As experts in the fields of graphic design and desktop publishing, we provide creative direction and consultation, art direction, graphic design, production and desktop publishing support, as well as limited photographic support for marketing/communications purposes. Perhaps most importantly, as the district’s authorities in graphic standards and visual branding, it is we who are solely responsible for the design approach and aesthetic style for the entire organization. We establish and maintain “the look and feel” of all graphic materials, a major responsibility for which we are committed to the highest standards of quality design and brand consistency.

We are tasked with presenting the best possible visual image of RSCCD; one that reflects the quality of our people, services, and organization as a whole. We believe that anything that falls short of excellence reflects poorly upon our organization, and does a disservice to our colleagues, students, donors and partners.

Practically speaking, our primary goal is to produce graphic materials that effectively communicate to the intended audience. While we will always consider input from you, our colleague, teammate and collaborator— and implement your ideas whenever appropriate—our priority remains engaging the target audience for each particular project based on our established design approach and graphic standards. Design that resonates with current and prospective students and donors, and the general public is paramount. As such, it’s important to understand that objective solutions will always supersede subjective opinions when it comes to our design choices. This helps ensure our ultimate commitment to quality, and enables us to produce work that outshines the graphic design of other educational organizations.

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Everything is designed.

Few things are designed well.

BRIAN REED • GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Our design approach Graphic Communications is committed to elevating the organization’s standards of design. We don’t compare our design with that of other community colleges; we compare it with great graphic design. Raising the creative bar is a priority and ongoing commitment for us. Simply put, “good enough” isn’t.

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We strive for design that is: • Simple • Clean • Tasteful • Fresh • Professional • Visually interesting • Sophisticated • Purposeful/decisive

What we do: • Establish and maintain graphic standards, and an overall design approach for the organization • Create marketing materials targeted for an “external” audience (see page 9) • Provide design and desktop publishing consultation for our colleagues in need of support • Provide limited photographic support for specific marketing applications

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We avoid design that is: • Trendy • Random • Copycat • Dated • Too literal • Amateurish • Busy/cluttered • Overly safe or conventional

What we don’t: • Merely execute others’ design ideas because we are trained in design software • Create informational materials targeted for an “internal” audience (see page 10) • Manage your project • Write, proofread or edit copy • Photograph general campus events

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“External” materials vs. “internal” materials Graphic Communications breaks down materials into two basic categories: the external and the internal.

External materials are marketing pieces aimed at current and prospective students and donors, as well as the general public, and are distributed on and off campus. Internal materials are more informational in nature, and are distributed on campus (or at the district office) or via college/district email only. They are not intended for distribution to the general public.

EXTERNAL MATERIALS Along with particular employee communication materials, Graphic Communications is charged with providing graphic design and desktop publishing support for marketing materials that

promote

college and district programs and services to an external audience. Because of the high-profile nature of these materials, it is essential that they be professionally designed to ensure quality, consistency and strong visual branding. These materials must be created and prepared for print by Graphic Communications only.

External materials include, but are not limited to:

• Class schedules and catalogs • College and district program brochures • Event invitations and programs • College and district websites

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• Banners/signage viewed by the general public on campus • Print and online ads • Student guides and handbooks

INTERNAL MATERIALS With the exception of certain high-profile items, Graphic Communications is not responsible for the creation of internal materials. Internal materials are the responsibility of program/division staff, faculty and students. Internal jobs include, but are not limited to:

• Posters or flyers distributed on campus—aimed at students or staff—promoting services, events, classes, clubs or programs • E-blasts for office/staff events, such as the announcement of an employee’s retirement, employee parties, raffles, etc.

• General program/informational forms for students or staff to complete and submit

If college or district logos are needed for use on particular internal items, Graphic Communications staff will gladly provide the appropriate logo files. Please note that Graphic Communications cannot be responsible for edits or print set-up for work we do not create.

Some materials walk a fine line between external marketing and internal informational applications. Please consult with our staff if you have any questions.

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Some common misperceptions about us • That we are the college or district photographers. While we are sometimes seen with a camera in our hands, we generally do not document campus or district events. With the exception of certain highprofile instances, our photographic responsibilities only apply to certain marketing projects.

• That we provide services like FedEx Office or Staples. We don’t pump out quick-turnaround flyers, brochures or posters according to your design instructions. We develop designs according to an established, thoughtful design approach, which takes time.

• That we provide technical/production services. Our skills and equipment are applied only to our graphic design and desktop publishing responsibilities.

• That we provide instructional support. Sometimes faculty ask us to produce graphics for classroominstruction purposes. We don’t do that.

• That we are part of District Publications. While we indeed work closely with our teammates in District Publications, they are separate unit with responsibilities that differ from ours. We design your marketing materials, they print them.

• That we create materials for an internal audience on campus. See preceding page.

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While we appreciate the compliment, we are not artists.

WE ARE PROBLEM SOLVERS. We are desktop publishers and graphic designers, not graphic “artists.” The term “graphic artist” is from a bygone era; the profession has advanced to one of solving communication problems visually, utilizing the elements and principles of design to produce work that effectively communicates a specific message to its intended audience. While we appreciate being thought of as artists, our designers are determined to meet communication goals with objective, visually-interesting and aesthetically-pleasing solutions.

For both desktop publishers and graphic designers, how to consistently convey a specific message and/or wide-ranging amounts of practical information in a concise, successful way—and through a wide range of materials—is our daily challenge.

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Graphic design and desktop publishing: What’s the difference?

The short answer:

Graphic design is the creative process of arranging typography, images and graphic elements to successfully communicate a message. Think catalog and schedule covers, logos and posters.

Desktop publishing is the technical process of laying out pages and columns of type, with minimal images/ graphic elements. Think the insides of class schedules, catalogs and handbooks.

The long answer may be a little boring for some, but if you want to know more, don’t hesitate to ask us. We like talking shop.

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MEET OUR TEAM Your desktop publishers and award-winning graphic designers have 96 years of professional experience between them. Our jobs are not about knowing how to use design and desktop publishing software; we are highly-trained experts in composition, visual hierarchy, color theory, typography, layout and photo editing. Years of experience go into each design and desktop publishing solution we create, and every creative choice we make is made for a reason; none of our desktop publishing or graphic design choices are random.

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ERIC HARSEN GRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Dubbed by an SCC faculty member as “The Grand Poobah of all things design,� Eric serves as creative director for the entire organization, establishing a design approach and creative philosophy for design and desktop publishing staff to execute. He is responsible for creating and maintaining the visual brands and graphic standards for the colleges and district, while overseeing Graphic Communications staff. He also does all design for SCC, and most design for the District. Likes: beautiful typography, road trips and Thai food. Dislikes: Microsoft products, clip art and the fact that Justin Beiber is famous.

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MIRANDA MEDRANO GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Our resident boundary-pusher, Miranda is an award-winning designer who is responsible for all design at Santa Ana College, as well as occasional District work. She is big on concept, and strives to keep SAC design fresh, creative and appealing to an audience that is more design savvy than ever before. If she’s not designing, she’s probably on the salsa dance floor or perusing Pinterest. Oh, and she smiles a lot, too.

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DAVID STYFFE DESKTOP PUBLISHER

A lover of trains and Angels baseball, David has 45 years of typesetting and desktop publishing experience.

He is stationed at Santa Ana College, where he serves the college and District with a keen eye for detail and a strong commitment to graphic standards. He’s also pretty handy with a camera (he has a published book of his photography), and is often found behind the lens on campus and off.

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EILEEN CAPEWELL-VINK DESKTOP PUBLISHER

Our longest-serving team member, Eileen has been at RSCCD for over 29 years. She is stationed at OEC/ District Publications, and is responsible for Santiago Canyon College and District desktop publishing. Eileen is known for her speed, infinite patience and can-do attitude. And if you’ve never been to the North Pole, check out Eileen’s office in December. Her decorations give Mrs. Claus a run for her money.

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Design is intelligence made visible.

ALINA WHEELER • BRANDING EXPERT, AUTHOR

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How can you ensure great results on time?

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PLAN AHEAD. GOOD DESIGN REQUIRES TIME. Concept development, font testing, composition, color harmony, etc. all take thought, as well as trial and error. Late/urgent requests for design or desktop publishing work may very well result in either

1. inability to meet the deadline, or 2. a rushed, inferior design

Additionally, our staff resources are such that meeting an increasing demand is very difficult, so it’s extremely important to consult with our team well in advance of your project’s due date.

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So get in the queue!

We understand that late requests are sometimes unavoidable, and we always do our best to accommodate them. However, please know that at any given time, our designers have 15-25 job requests on which they are working. And because our workload continues to increase at a significant rate, getting your job request and finalized copy submitted early is essential to the success of your project. If we are expected to meet your deadlines for project completion, you are expected to meet our deadlines for project submission.

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Basic guidelines for requesting graphic design and desktop publishing work FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SUPPORT: 1. Submit a Graphic Design Job Request form. Email and verbal conversations are welcome

for

consultations, but are no longer accepted as requests for design. Our digital (fillable PDF) Graphic Design Job Request form is the only way to request design work at this time. This form is available on our Graphic Communications web pages. Please note that a request form is required for each individual piece of collateral that you request; it’s not a blanket form for several materials associated with one event or program.

2. Submit FINALIZED, ADMINISTRATOR-APPROVED copy along with your job request form.

3. Give us time to do the job right. Because of the tremendous demand for work from our very small staff, submit your job request and finalized copy to us three to six weeks before you need the final printed or electronically-published piece.

FOR DESKTOP PUBLISHING SUPPORT: Most desktop publishing support does not require a request form. To request desktop publishing work, contact your desktop publisher directly.

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Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.

LEONARDO DA VINCI

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Ready to request some excellent graphic design and desktop publishing work?

COME ON DOWN! 30

Please start with our web pages. Here you will find request forms, handy guidelines and much more information about Graphic Communications, as well as other units in our department:

SAC Graphic Communications: sac.edu/graphics

SCC Graphic Communications: sccollege.edu/graphics

District Graphic Communications: rsccd.edu/graphics

For questions, consultations or to just say hello, feel free to call, email or pay us a visit:

SAC graphic design support: Miranda Medrano: medrano_miranda@sac.edu • x46726 • SAC L-119

SAC/District desktop publishing support: David Styffe: styffe_david@rsccd.edu • x46746 • SAC L-119

SCC/District graphic design support: Eric Harsen: harsen_eric@sccollege.edu • x84866 • SCC A-213

SCC/District desktop publishing support: Eileen Capewell-Vink: capewell_eileen@rsccd.edu • x85953 • OEC 176

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CREDITS: Eric Harsen: art direction, graphic design, photography Miranda Medrano: art direction David Styffe: desktop publishing, photography Eileen Capewell-Vink: desktop publishing

November 2014