the PRINT design process

The design process can be intimidating. To take an abstract idea that exists only in your mind, and ask someone else to make it in to something tangible – something that has to do a specific job, fit a specific style, and appeal to a wide audience – leaves a lot of people bewildered. Your designer’s job is to take that feeling away.
It is not your job to articulate what the final piece should look like. It is not your job to choose colors, fonts or styles. It may not even be your job to determine the size, shape or type of piece to convey the message.

So what IS your role in this? And what does the process look like? Let’s look at the basic steps of the design process we use at 410 Creative, and the role that the designer and client each play.

STEP 1 : the idea

In an initial project meeting, the client will be asked to articulate their needs, goals, and budget. The designer will then recommend a format, size and type of piece that will meet the given situation and offer the best ROI.

STEP 2 : the content

In order to begin, the designer will need basic content such as company logos, approved photography where necessary and the desired message for the piece. These items don’t have to be in a final format. The designer will fill in missing content with professional or stock photography and custom illustration, adjust text to ensure that it is written with a marketing mindset, and create imagery that compliments and works in tandem with the message.

STEP 3 : the design

Now, you sit back and watch! A timeline will be defined and the design phase begins. Once complete, you will be presented with a draft or multiple options from which to choose. This is the fun part; but it’s also, the part where it’s tempting to swap roles.You don’t have to tell your designer what to change (ie – move the logo to the left, make the headline blue). Instead, tell them what is wrong: the logo is hard to read, our brand color isn’t very prominent. This allows them to solve the problem in a way that is creative, in keeping with design principals, and considerate of the overall piece. The solution may very well be exactly what you expected, but it might also be something that would never have crossed your mind.

STEP 4 : production

Your revisions may take one round or many, and either way is okay. Remember, we are taking the intangible and making it tangible. That doesn’t always happen seamlessly, and it doesn’t mean that your description is lacking, or that the designer is incapable. It just means that taking something out of someone else’s head, and putting it on to paper can be a multi-step process. Once it’s done, all you have to do is say, “Approved.” From there, we take it to print, handle the proofs, and have it delivered to your doorstep.

And there it is. Your idea. Your feeling. Your thoughts. In your hands.