Design & Services

KEY ISSUES TO CONSIDER

Purpose
What is the desired result? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want the reader/viewer to do?

Audience
What group are you speaking to? What is the best way to reach them?

Format
Does it need to fit into a standard size envelope? Is it a self-mailer? Are there any inserts? Do you need a reply? Will it also need to go on the Web?
Consider related materials: Is this a one-time publication or part of a series? Does it need to coordinate with another publication? Could this piece have any other uses? Could another department use it also?

Budget
What funds are available? How many copies will you need?

Distribution
Will this be mailed? Standard (bulk)? First class? (Standard mail requires coordination with the Mail Room for approvals - see Mailing Formats) Is this a hand-out or table piece? Where will you store quantities not used immediately?

Timelines
When does your audience need to see/have this piece? How long will this be in the mail? How much time do you need for labeling/addressing?

NOTIFY US
Schedule a meeting with the staff in Graphics as soon as you've sorted through your publication needs. We can help you determine the best communication vehicle for your project and establish a production timeline. Your ideas and samples of things you like are helpful, but please try to resist designing it for us. We may have options you're not aware of and can usually do a better job if not constrained unnecessarily.

ABOUT DEADLINES
A one-day delay in submitting copy does not necessarily mean only a one-day delay in delivery of the finished piece. A very heavy workload may demand that we move on to the next project. If necessary we will develop a new production schedule, or assist you in securing off-campus services.

Production timelines are initially dependent on the complexity of the job, any special photo needs, our staffing (we depend on student assistants for a large part of our general production), and our workload. Keeping on schedule requires team effort. It is just as critical for the copy to come in and the proofs to come back to us in a timely fashion as it is for our office to get the proofs out and the job to the printer on time. Give us as much information as you can up front! The amount of editorial and design changes made along the way can easily affect our ability to adhere to deadlines and may seriously impact the schedule and delivery date.

Allow two to four weeks for design and layout, and two to three weeks for printing. Generally allow eight weeks for a new publication.

Please be aware that a "rush" schedule may compromise quality and increase production costs. Our bag of tricks has a limited number of miracles in it!