Make sure this is not you!

copy the link into a new window and read the 13 signs of a bad designer!

http://justcreativedesign.com/2007/12/06/bad-graphic-design/

If you go to the home page of this site you will find links to other interesting articles and design websites.

Year 13: US 2789, AS 3.1, 3.2

Graphic design project Breakdown

Visual diary / Blog
Research

• Current designs being used by your client
  Designs used by similar companies/ businesses
• Research into design principles relating to the design of printed documents

Research into cost

• Compare costs for your project for example printing options, where to print, size, colour, number of copies, quality of paper etc

Research into content

• Make sure that if you are using information or material that is not original that you gain written permission.
• Font to be used, Any client images, logos or content to be used?
  Will you need to find any of the content? Surveys? Research? Photographs? Images?

Gantt chart

• You should have different versions of these by the end of your project, your initial plan may change for many different reasons, you should explain why it changes and justify any missed deadlines.

Brief

• You need to create a brief for each of your documents
• In your briefs identify the purpose, the key factors and list the specifications for your design (For more information on key factors check the L3 Achievement all.pdf document pg 13)

Log

• This should refer to your Gantt chart and be a regular record of your work and resources used.

Stakeholders

• List the stakeholders
• For key stakeholders you should write a paragraph explaining who they are and how they affect your designs
• You may need to survey the stakeholders, although you will ultimately be creating the documents for the manager / owner. How will you meet the needs of the other stakeholders? what do they want? how can you be sure that your solution is the best solution?

Key Factors

• For each of the key factors you need to say how it is appropriate to your project and what you need to take into account.
  
• Key Factors:
• Social: e.g. Range of society, appropriate to wide range of people
• Cultural: e.g. Different beliefs and customs
• Legal: e.g. Different laws that will be relevant
• Economic: e.g. Costs of your project, for example printing costs, time and client resources for the project.

The law

• Investigate the different laws that may affect your designs and describe how you could be in breach of the law and what you can do to prevent this…then do it!
  Examples of laws that may be relevant: Data Protection Act, Computer Misuse Act, Obscene Publications Act, Defamation Law, Copyright Law

Questionnaire, results and meetings with your client

• Documented meetings with your client and the outcomes
• You should meet with your client several times during the project
• Document any meetings you have with your client, e.g. meet you’re your client to show them initial sketches and get them to make comments which you would then use to develop your work.

Thumbnail sketches for each document

• Be creative
• You should annotate to describe what can’t be seen as well as justifying your designs in terms of the client

Concept drawings

• Detailed sketches for your final designs (remember these may develop further into the project, through discussions with your client, new skills acquired etc. Any changes should be documented)

Produce your documents

• Justify in terms of your brief and client needs
• Justify use of software and hardware

Evaluation

• In terms of:
• Your brief
• The client
• The stakeholders and key factors

Graphic Design

Year 13
Unit Standard 2798 version 5
As 3.1 and As 3.2
Deadline: End of Week 8 Term 2

Overview
In this project you will design and make three
documents for a real client to use in their organisation.
You will produce:

1) A single page document.
Examples of this could include; a poster, a flyer, a full page
advertisement for a newspaper/magazine, a CD/Video/DVD/book/
magazine cover, a banner/billboard design, etc.
2) A multi-page document.
Examples of this could include; a magazine, a newspaper, a news sheet, a manual, a product catalogue, a programme, etc.
3) A folded document.
Examples of this could include; a DLE brochure, a leaflet, a
promotional CV, advertising material, etc.

Your Client
You will need to set up an initial interview with your client to find out the purpose of the documents and specifications. You will also be expected to meet with your client in order to receive feedback during the project as well as at the end.
You should be prepared for your first client interview and think
carefully about:

• The target audience,
• Where the documents are being displayed,
• Any typeface, formatting or logo the
  organisation would like to be included,
• The purpose of the documents,
• Text or images to be used.
  

Planning

Write a brief
Your brief is a statement of use and should include the purpose and requirements of the documents. You should also plan for your use of resources, which could include technology (software, digital camera,
scanner etc), information sources etc.• identify the purpose of each document, i.e. where and how it is to be used and who the target market is
• identify all the requirements of the brief as specified by the client and any other things that you think are important to consider when designing your documents
• identify at least two constraints or restrictions you will need to consider in producing the document, e.g. are the images you will use of an appropriate resolution for printing?

Create a Gantt chart
You will need to break your project up into tasks and work out how much time you will need to spend on each section and the order you will complete them.
You need to schedule at least three meetings with your client prior to the date the documents are required; Outline which parts of the task you will have completed prior to each meeting.
Identify what resources you will use to successfully complete those parts. Resources could include technology (software, digital camera, scanner etc), information sources etc.

Brainstorm ideas for your designs
This could be through a diagram, may include pictures, text, visions etc.

Annotated thumbnail designs
Your thumbnail sketches should illustrate how you will layout the documents. The sketches should show the relative positions, colours and sizes of both the text and graphics, identify the fonts, font sizes, text formatting, and enhancements that will be used.

Annotated concept drawings
You should justify your design in terms of your client and brief.

Creating of documents
Your documents should be original as far as possible. If you use text and/or graphics that have been created by someone else, you should seek their permission (evidence of request must be given), and acknowledge the original authors in accordance with copyright standards, this could be done via email.Your work should look professional in its layout and the design should be appealing to the intended target market and meet your clients needs set out in the brief.

Think carefully about:

• Your target audience, where the documents are being displayed, typefaces, image sizes and resolution.
• The documents must communicate their message clearly and effectively in terms of readability,legibility, presentation and accuracy and appeal to their target market.
• All text placed in your documents should be formatted to meet the current conventions of typography and meet the design specifications.
• Think carefully about your paragraph spacing, justification, leading, tracking, kerning, font size, type faces and heading hierarchy.
• You should use at least two different images and two different enhancements in each of your documents. Enhancements may include things like drop capitals, drop shadows, lines, shapes and frames, dingbats, symbols, use of colour for effect, headers and footers, page numbering, etc.
• Your layout design must follow the graphic design principles of harmony, balance, proportion and sequence.

Proofing, printing and evaluating

Proofing
Print out black and white copies of your documents and annotate them. You should be checking that;

• all text is formatted to design specification
• the documents meet the design brief
• all spelling and grammar is correct (use a spell checker)
• Peer assessment of your designs. You will be assessing all stages of each others work using the tick sheet on the back page of your booklet.
• all text is legible and reader friendly
• all text and graphics that you have not produced yourself are referenced, where appropriate
• you have used at least two different graphics and that all graphics are used in accordance with the design specification
• you have used at least two different enhancements and the enhancements used are the ones indicated in your sketches
• the documents display balance, proportion, harmony and sequence
• all text and graphics are reproduced clearly and accurately when printed

Evaluation
Evaluate your designs against your brief do your designs meet what you set out to achieve?
Evaluation of your final solution

What is good about it? Why? What could be improved? How? Were there any unexpected developments? Is the client happy with the result?

If, as a result of your proofing and evaluation, you identify any changes that need to be made to the documents, make them. Then save and print a final copy to present to the teacher. You should also give your teacher the initial draft copy.