Want to stand out from your competition?

“Members of the Graphic Designers of Canada can make you stand out, motivate your potential customers, cultivate brand recognition, and influence public perception of your company, your service, your product. Experienced graphic designers understand this – extending your reach into the marketplace and helping you achieve your full market potential.”*

The Design Process

Graphic designers are professional communication strategists who combine aesthetic judgement with project management. The design process typically involves four phases: project planning & research, concept development, production & implementation, and quality control & supervision.

Project Planning & Research

The designer discusses with the client to establish visual and content requirements, production considerations, budget, and timelines. Frequently, the client’s business plan and marketing strategy is reviewed so the designer may gain background knowledge about the client’s business and goals. The client supplies the designer with his/her content and/or visuals to be incorporated into the design.

Concept Development

At this stage, the designer presents one or more rough layouts for the client’s approval. This usually includes preliminary specifications for typography, photography or illustration, colour schemes, paper, printing options, web or media design structure, and strategy. The designer gathers feedback from the client as to the desired direction of the project, and refines or modifies details. The client is provided with more definite costs for printing, production, and timelines.

Production & Implementation

The designer oversees the coordination and direction of typography, photography and illustration, and/or web structure. The designer provides mock-ups to the client. The designer liaises on an ongoing basis with the client (usually providing subsequent changes to the mock-up) for proofreading and corrections until the client approves the final design and content. The designer then assembles film-ready artwork (mechanicals or electronic files), or preliminary web or new media files. Detailed printing specifications are then provided to the printer along with the artwork.

Quality Control & Supervision

The designer also liaises with the printer or production house in order to oversee quality control and consults with the client to achieve final approvals of colour proofs, presswork, and finishing of printed matter and website testing.

* Source: About Graphic Design, Graphic Designers of Canada website