How to work with a designer by Janis Ramey and Toney Condello

Background Ideally the writer and designer are both involved with the client from the beginning of the project and both attend planning meetings. Designers bring a perspective to the planning sessions that no one else can usually provide. By planning together, everyone agrees on focus and direction for the project from the outset. Designers bring a perspective to the planning sessions that no one else can usually provide. By planning together, everyone agrees on focus and direction for the project from the outset.

Article Overview  Typical Roles-who does what?  How the designer can help the writer  How can writer can help the designer

Typical roles - who does what? Writer: In a typical scenario, the writer has landed the contract (or has been asked to produce the project) and takes the lead on a project. This means the writer is responsible for a lot of the administrative details. Writer: In a typical scenario, the writer has landed the contract (or has been asked to produce the project) and takes the lead on a project. This means the writer is responsible for a lot of the administrative details.

Typical roles - who does what  Meets with the client (typical, although involving the designer in planning meetings is particularly helpful).  Schedules intermediate and final deadlines.  Makes sure all reviews are completed and changes incorporated.  Establishes and monitors budget.  Collects production information such as number of copies to be printed, distribution method, etc.  Bills the client; pays the designer.  And, of course, writes the text.

Typical roles - who does what Designer: The designer usually has more experience working with the print and graphics media and so often takes those administrative details. Designer: The designer usually has more experience working with the print and graphics media and so often takes those administrative details.  Designs page layout (which includes text and graphic styles).  Suggests emphasis and order for the material.  Draws, scans, or otherwise generates illustrations.  Works with photos (and, ideally, the photographer).  Imports text, imposes font styles, and places text on the page.  Chooses colors, papers, and other items associated with the design.  Obtains bids from printers or helps the client obtain the bids.  Works with various prepress service bureaus to create printer-ready files.  Oversees production including review and approvals of printer proofs

How the designer can help the writer Work with the designer as early as possible in the project so that you can incorporate the designer's ideas as you write. You might need to, for example, write captions for some illustrations but not for others. Work with the designer as early as possible in the project so that you can incorporate the designer's ideas as you write. You might need to, for example, write captions for some illustrations but not for others.

How the designer can help the writer  Designers have the ability to control the way something is perceived by the way it looks. So if you need to project a concept (such as "contemporary" or "solid and reliable") the designer can help by adding visual elements and manipulating layout.  Designers can often visualize and suggest illustrations that you've not considered. This can affect your focus.  The designer can often suggest what needs to be emphasized and what order will work best for the material. This can affect your outline and headings.  Designers are particularly good at enhancing readability of your material and making it inviting. They will ask questions such as -- "Is there some pattern to the material? "Is there some pattern to the material? “Can I divide the material into sections?“ “Can I divide the material into sections?“ “Can I develop a symbol or logo for each section?" “Can I develop a symbol or logo for each section?" "What general look does the market respond to?" "What general look does the market respond to?" "Is this best presented as a brochure? A text book? A poster? A newsletter?" "Is this best presented as a brochure? A text book? A poster? A newsletter?"

How the writer can help the designer  Give the designer a budget to work in. He or she can then create the most effective design within the cost limits imposed -- by trading off cost of buying fancy paper against cost of buying a topnotch photo, for example.  Provide the designer with a list of what should be on each page, which graphics need to be emphasized, and the general order of the material. It's expensive to reorder a layout later just because you suddenly realize that this product rather than that one needs to be shown first.  Create the text with the layout in mind (for example, extremely narrow columns force you to write very short sentences and very, very short paragraphs. World Wide Web layouts have their own forcing functions.)  Indicate on your text which are main headings and which are subheadings. Also indicate major section breaks. Some designers like to see the heading levels (for example, "main head" or "body text") written out in the margin.  Follow the conventions of good typesetting such as using only one space between sentences and only one return between paragraphs. The designer will set the style to insert the appropriate amount of space between paragraphs. There are many other conventions you should incorporate such as putting curly (close) quotes after a period. Check in an appropriate style manual.

How the writer can help the designer  Since your text will probably be converted for the designer's system -- for example, from PC to Macintosh - - use a standard font such as Times New Roman for everything. Also, since conversion programs frequently have trouble with special symbols such as degree signs, Greek letters, math symbols, etc., try to choose these from the standard font (rather than from a symbol font or Dingbat-type font).  Equations or line art (such as graphs or charts) may not convert well. Check with the designer before spending a lot of time building complex equations or developing line art. It may be better to create them in the designer's system.  Find out if the designer would rather have tables built with tabs between columns or in a table editor.