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Print Planning at the Arm-Waving Stage
By Nani Paape, independent project
facilitator
I like to get in the loop with a print project while
it’s still at the arm-waving stage. That’s the time
when designers are just beginning to dream up design
solutions, but haven’t done too much designing.
Sometimes the entire design team gets together at
this point; other times it’s just me and the lead
designer. It’s a great time to include the
electronic production artist, too. Don’t forget to
bring the creative brief!
At an arm-waving stage meeting, designers ask me
questions like:
• “Have you ever seen…” or
• “Is it possible to print silver ink on top of
4-color images?” or
• “Can you find me some printed samples of black and
metallic copper Duotones?” or
• ”How many pages does a book need to have in order
to be perfect-bound?”
I review the creative brief and ask questions to
help me understand the designer’s creative intent,
too. With this understanding, I can often suggest
techniques and structures and start thinking about
workarounds for must-have design features that may
pose manufacturing challenges.
Things print managers think about
Are there finishing or mailing considerations? Does
the piece need to fit into a particular size of
envelope or weigh in under an ounce? Will the reader
want to write on the paper? Where will the pieces be
shipped to and when do they need to arrive? Will
posters be folded or rolled?
All of these questions need to be considered during
design, but can be easily missed. Asking them before
design begins, helps avoid future revisions.
Pesky budget details that influence design direction
At this meeting it’s good to review any budget
information that’s available. We might want to
sketch out rough specifications for pre-design,
budget estimates.
We can also discuss which ideas would be likely to
fall into VW, Ford, or Rolls Royce price ranges. For
example, a plus-cover brochure on premium uncoated
paper will be more expensive than a self-cover
brochure on a number 2 coated paper. A design that
includes 20 photos will cost more than one that
includes 10.
When the preliminary estimates come in, you’ll know
whether an approach you’re considering will fit the
budget the client has in mind before you’ve spent
time and energy going down that design path.
Some designers worry that a production manager will
be a naysayer or budget gatekeeper. I don’t operate
that way. I rarely advise designers to kill any idea
at the arm-waving stage. After all, finding ways to
produce cool designs within budget is a big part of
the fun!
Early is good
I usually leave these sessions with a list of
samples to track down, technical questions to
research, and budget bids to send out.
Including print and production resources at the
arm-waving stage gets everyone thinking about the
project and beginning to draw up our internal
checklists and ideas, as they relate to our areas of
expertise. As one printer’s CSR is fond of reminding
me, “a print job well-planned is a job already
half-done.” Well, maybe not half, but you get the
idea.
---Source: Nani Paape is an
independent project facilitator providing print
production management, marketing writing and
editing, and creative project planning to design
firms and creative companies. Read more about Nani's
print management philosophy on her blog, Printing
Disasters—and how to avoid them, at
NaniPrints.wordpress.com. © 2009 Nani Paape
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