How can you get the best results when working with graphic designers? Every collaboration is different but here are a few best practices to maximize your results.
Know your brand guidelines
Take some time to review your company’s brand guideline documents and be sure you’re sending the agency the most recent version. These are the parameters the designer will be working in. This document may include colors, fonts and guidelines for including photography. This will ensure there are no surprises when you receive creative deliverables that include a color you may have not seen in a while. Printed and digital deliverables will require the use of different color systems (CMYK vs RGB) take a moment to remind yourself which set of colors you can expect to see used in the work you receive.
Write a detailed brief
There’s a common misconception that rules and guidelines can stifle creativity but it’s important to remember design is visual communication. It’s essential to empower designers with the correct information to communicate the appropriate message. It’s always better to give more information than needed to ensure there is little room for misinterpretation of the job at hand.
Provide access to your photo and icon libraries
Including photography can elevate your communications. Photos can provide context for big ideas or help create an emotional connection between the work and the viewer. Specifically, seeing photos of your employees or those in higher positions can build human connections and give employees a sense of pride. Giving designers access to your photo library up front also reduces the number of emails sent back and forth over the course of the project.
Give feedback in a timely manner
Be mindful of the final deadlines that have been set. It’s very rare that the first version of the work you see will be the final. Your comments should be specific and actionable. If your changes are extensive, don’t be afraid to return a document that has been marked up or use a tool like Adobe Acrobat to leave copy changes. If those changes may be difficult to follow, it’s also helpful to explain them in person or on a Teams or Zoom call. Providing feedback with ample time before the final deadline gives designers enough time to adequately work through revisions and receive a second round of comments if necessary.
Interested in working with top designers on your internal communications projects? Tribe can help.
