a communication guide to design - uw-stout€¦ · consider social media oia edia an e sae and ge...

A COMMUNICATIONGUIDE TO DESIGNBY HOUSING DESIGN

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CONSIDERATIONS

3. THE DESIGN TALK

4. PROJECTS

5. IDENTIFIERS

1. INTRODUCTION

Hi.

We are a group of student graphic designers who work for University Housing.

Some may know us as Housing Design.

We hope this book will help enhance the communication and relationship between us

(the designers) and you (the client).

Let’s start with an overview.

3

THE PROJECT FLOW

Our project flow varies between designers and the anticipated

scope of projects. We ask to allow at least two weeks for a project

to be completed as our designers may be working on multiple

projects at a time.

As a reminder, a project does not “begin” until all necessary

content and information is given to the designer.1 | THE EMAIL

Project requests are received

and assigned to one or

multiple designer(s).

The chosen designer(s) will

contact the client about the

project and receive more

information. You can expect

correspondence within 3

business days of submission.

3 – 5 B U S I N E S S D A Y SA P P R O X .D U R A T I O N :

2 | LET’S MEET

The designer will ideate

concepts and share them

with the client upon meeting

in-person or discuss details

via email.

Your prompt response to set

up a meeting will help keep

things moving.

! All necessary project details must be discussed before any designing begins

4 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 5INTRODUCTION

3 | DESIGN TIME

The designer will finally begin

the ideation process! Clients

can expect to see sketches or

mockups of different ideas.

This would also be the time for

receiving and making changes

per client feedback.

! This is the most critical and time consuming step of the Project Flow. When a project has a short deadline, the project ends up losing quality and time to develop.

3 | PRINT OR NAH?

After final revisions are made,

the design will be readied for

print (if applicable).

If the client is printing, the

print-ready file will be placed

on the Housing Design Teams

site and the client will be

emailed an access link.

If the designer is printing, the

client will be alerted when and

where the prints are available

for pick-up.

3 | ALL DONE!

The client will be contacted

again to confirm the

completion of the project. Any

final documents will be saved

to the Housing Design Teams

site for clients to access at any

later date.

After receiving confirmation,

the project is closed out and

the celebratory disco balls are

turned on.

1 0 + B U S I N E S S D A Y S 1 - 3 B U S I N E S S D A Y S

6 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 7INTRODUCTION

Consider the following pointers, tips, and suggestions before submitting a project.2. CONSIDERATIONS

9

BE A VISIONARY

Research and gather design

ideas. Think about what the

final product will look like

before submitting a request

so we’re not sitting in the dark.

BE ON TRACK

Know what projects you have

open with Housing Design. If

you’re ever unsure, check in

with the Student Office

Manager at our office.

COMMUNICATE WITH US

Keep us updated on any

changes to the project with

the designer. Is the project

completed? Canceled?

Waiting for approval?

AVOID “SCOPE CREEP”

Communicate with us at the

start if there are going to be

multiple components to the

project so that we can split

tasks between designers.

WRITE TO US

We’ll be depending on you to

provide the copy (text,

language, etc.) for your

project. We want to make

sure the right message is

being communicated!

CONSIDER SOCIAL MEDIA Social media can help share

and get your message out,

and we’re trained to format

for many different platforms

and devices.

10 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 11CONSIDERATIONS

THINK ON IT

Will your project benefit from

professional design work?

Or can your project be

accomplished with online

design tools, e.g. Canva?

GIVE US THE ‘DEETS Describe your project in

detail. What is it for? Who

are you targeting? What is

the goal of the project?

KNOW OUR LIMITS

Does the project need crafty

designers to assemble the

product? Or can the production

be handled by student staff?

BE OUR FRIEND

Reach out to us if you have

any questions about what we

do and who we are. We’ll try

not to scare you off.

ASSIGN RESPONSIBLY We can only let professional

staff members submit project

requests. This is to secure

accountability to people we

know. (Sorry students!)

12 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 13CONSIDERATIONS

3. THE DESIGN TALK

By knowing our language, we can better understand your thoughts and intentions

for your project.

Help guide the conversation with these terms and styles. How do you want your

project to communicate?

15

EXTERNAL AUDIENCE

MIXED AUDIENCEBRANDED

INTERAL AUDIENCE

Parents, Prospective Students, Alumni, Community, Legislators,

Mass-Market, Clients

Current Students, Staff, Faculty

Is the creating unit funded with any university funds?

Is the unit, project, or event cosponsored by other entities?

Not Branded

Branded

Co-Branded(Case by Case)

Stout Branded

Will the project be on the web in its entirety?

Is there a likelihood the piece will appear with recruitment material?

Branded

Is there a likelihood the piece will be sent to a student before arriving on campus?

Branded

Not Branded

WHEN TO BRAND

University of Wisconsin-Stout

has Identity Standards that

outlines a collection of colors,

typefaces, and guidelines

specific to their brand.

Depending on the audience for

your project, we might have to

apply these standards to the

final design so the university

maintains professional

consistency.

If you’re ever unsure, follow

this simple flow chart:

16 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 17THE DESIGN TALK

HOW WILL IT LOOK?

There are many methods to creating designs, but which one is the

most appropriate for your project? Do you want the final product

to be approachable? Realistic? Playful? Clean? We want to know

which style speaks to you for your project, and we’ll execute it in

the best way possible.

ILLUSTRATIVE STYLE

Illustrative designs often

retain hand-drawn qualities

seen in sketches during early

stages of a project. They use

varying strokes and organic

line work to make a project

more expressive. This poster

series uses this style with the

characters and words.

This poster was not created at taxpayer expense.

Designed by Jesse Lindhorst. Fifth year Graphic Designer from Minneapolis, Minn.

? ??

This poster was not created at taxpayer expense.

Designed by Jesse Lindhorst. Fifth year Graphic Designer from Minneapolis, Minn.


TYPOGRAPHIC STYLE

Typographic style is a

combination of illustration and

typography to communicate a

message. This style is typically

used as a decorative way to

display phrases or quotes that

are less than ten words. The

words are the main focus of

design, like on this T-shirt.

MINIMALIST STYLE

Designs with minimalist

styles tend to focus on strong

typography, colors, and

shapes. The simplicity of the

graphics make a bold and

straightforward statement

against the surrounding white

space.


FLAT DESIGN STYLE

Flat designs incorporate

mainly vector drawings. Vector

drawings have crisp, clean

edges and do not distort the

illustration after resizing. This

type of style uses layers of

flat colors to convey depth

and complexity. The pizza in

this poster is an example of

layering flat colors and shapes

in vector drawings.

PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE

Photographic style involves

the manipulation or use of

photographic elements. Photo-

based projects tend to look

more elegant and professional

compared to illustrated works.

This style can include the use

of single photos or a collage

of photo elements. This entire

poster utilizes a collage of

photo elements.


WHAT’S THE VIBE?

A fitting color palette can go a long way, but the variation

of colors can also heavily affect the overall tone of the final

product. Saturated colors are bright and grabs your attention.

Monochromatic colors, or varied shades/tints of one colors, create

calmness and unity. Pastel colors exhibit cheerfulness, while

muted colors feel more grounded and inviting.

SATURATED MONOCHROME

PASTEL MUTED


WHAT’S YOUR TYPE?

Two of the most common types of fonts are serifs and sans-

serifs. Serif fonts have lines at the end of the letter’s stroke,

thus giving the letters a classic and traditional look. They are

considered easier to read and are used most often in publications.

On the other hand, sans-serif fonts, or “without” serif fonts,

gives a more modern feel and are often used for display text and

advertisements.

SERIF SANS-SERIF


4. PROJECTS

Our flexibility allows us to design for a wide range of projects.

Some of our projects include—but not at all limited to—posters, brochures,

flyers, banners, T-shirts, bulletin boards, nametags, buttons, and websites.

We’ve collected some of our favorite projects for you to see our capabilities.

29

LOGOS / IDENTIFIERS POSTERS

18

COMING SOON

NOVEMBER2018

CONTACT [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION

THIS PUBLICATION WAS NOT PRINTED AT TAXPAYERS’ EXPENSEA COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE BY HOUSING, RECREATION, AND INVOLVEMENT

30 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 31PROJECTS

POSTCARDS BROCHURES

Why are these guys so happy?Why are these guys so happy?

Because they paid their hall dues and so should you!Because they paid theirhall dues and so should you!

Why are these guys so happy?

Because they paid their hall dues and so should you!

Why are these guys so happy?

Because they paid theirhall dues and so should you!

RECRUITING STUDENTSRECRUITING STUDENTS

OTHER GREAT IDEAS...

HELPFUL ACTIONS TO ASSIST WITH HELPFUL ACTIONS TO ASSIST WITH

Share that you work at Stout with your own kids, as

well as relatives’, friends’ and neighbors’ kids.

Ask your kids’ teachers, coaches and counselors

about when they talk with their students about

Stout opportunities.

Think beyond “kids.”

Become a welcomer.

Middle school students are considering class and their futures and if a college is in it. (Yes, as young as 6th grade!)

High school students are making decisions about where to visit and attend.

Having someone they know and trust say “Stout might be a good place for you. Check out the website.” starts the process. Add to the conversation with details about what you like about Stout and the quality of the students you’ve had a chance to interact with.

Encourage folks to attend a summer camp, visit campus and talk with an Admission officer. Invite someone along to a campus event you are attending.

If someone you know comes for a visit day, ask them to look you up for coffee when they come to town. Let them know you want to be part of their Stout network.

Post a picture of you both on social media to let your network know Stout is a welcoming place to learn and work.

If someone applies and lets you know, tell them how glad you are they want to attend Stout and to keep in touch.

(I work at Stout, do you ever talk about attending Stout with them or the opportunities available at Stout?)

Teachers, coaches and counselors can inspire students to consider options and try something like college.

Living near a college creates some great opportunities for all of us… > STEPS & STEAM summer camps > Films, music and speaker offerings > Taking a class or workshop > Sports & Event Hosting > Climbing Wall > School-College collaborations

Offer your professional skills to assist or collaborate

with a youth group, sports team or classroom.

(You might be coaching a soccer team or touring around 3rd graders as a maintenance guy or leading an exploding reactions event as a chemistry instructor.)

What are ways that you’re already interacting with youth in the area and state? How can you encourage them to take a look at Stout when they start thinking about college?

Consider who could be a student… > a teacher looking for continuing ed credits, > a stay-at-home parent who is sending kiddos off to school > a colleague who wants to move up or change jobs > someone who stopped out for their family and may want to take on-line courses to complete a degree…

INCREASING RETENTIONINCREASING RETENTION

Check in with students that you work with, see

regularly or teach.

Encourage student-to-student connections.

Be helpful in a way that’s authentic to your style.

Ask about who their supporters are—family, friends, co-workers, instructors. These connections matter. > Students have 8 semesters to find 3 good references who can talk about how their talents, skills and growth. > Supportive parents/families are a huge factor for obtaining a degree (without that, folks benefit from a strong team).

Encourage class attendance and use of FREE

tutoring services.

Students manage to forget they pay for each class period—currently around $15-17 per hour (more for some classes).

Attending class has advantages even when the student says they don’t learn anything from the instructor and have to teach themselves, including: > Hearing the material initially discussed helps introduce your brain to the concepts that can be further researched on YouTube or Kahn Academy, etc. > Getting to know other students in class who can be study mates. > Being thought of in the best student light if a grade borders between a C and a B. > Knowing what tutoring services are available because you asked in class.

The Writing Center helps will all kinds of writing assignments. The Math Lab is specifically set-up for students taking math courses. Several science courses have tutoring study sessions available.

The residence halls have Academic Resource Coordinators who hold study nights that are great for students to attend as well.

Make a referral to a campus office. How?

“It sounds like you might want to talk with someone, have you thought about talking to (the counseling center, your advisor’s office, financial aid, your instructor)?”

Then, asking a follow-up the next time you see them. “How did that meeting with ___ go?”

If they seem reluctant, offer to walk them to the office to schedule a meeting. It is especially helpful if you know someone personally to make a hand-off to and can share that with the student.

If you don’t know where to send them to, go with generalists like the first year advising office or housing or counseling or Dean of Students.

Make “Seeking help” normal and smart. Addressing small problems keeps them from becoming big ones.

Still nervous…practice with a co-worker or boss, they will help you set the tone in the best way.

Ask the students if they have Class BFFs or Work BFFs? Who is someone who will text them when they’re late or check in if they are sick? Who doesn’t like a little help when they feel ill? Friendly reminders about time management and follow-through get folks jobs, through classes and across the graduation finish line.

Help students see the importance of building their own support team and the difference between party buddies versus success partners.

Who are their advisors (specialist who help)? You can be one of these. A professional who offers sound advice and refers to good resources.

Do what is natural to you. If you’re a crabby curmudgeon sort, there’s no need to plaster on a fake smile. Consider: > What are you hired to do? > What service does a student expect from you?

Then, meet that at a high standard. > If you can add a smile or considerate joke, do that. > If you’re warm and welcoming, be that. > If you’re calm and collected, offer a helpful tip. > If you can help someone with what you know, do that.

OTHER GREAT IDEAS...

MAPWORKS DATA AND

WHY IT MATTERSWHY IT MATTERS

The Top 3 student reported issues shared inMapworks surveys regarding their transition:

Based upon Mapworks results, the following areas affect retention (and students’ GPA) the most:

Fall 2015 to Fall 2017

GPA Fall & Spring Year 1

1. Homesickness-separation anxiety

2. Miss 2 or more classes

3. Struggling in 2 or more classes

Although not an initial concern, as time passes financial burdens become greater. In second semester and into the second year, students in need are often strapped and worried about paying bills and future tuition.

Some students benefit from someone taking an interest and looking over a budget with them or creating one. Job leads are often appreciated, too.

Financial Need

STOUT ISCHANGING.STOUT IS CHANGING.

STUDENTS ARE CHANGING.

We need all hands on deck to get students in our doors and keep them.

– TINTO, NOEL-LEVITZ, KUH, ASTIN…

41%

Missed 2+ classes

Struggle in 2+ courses

Study 5 or fewer hours

N=1270

25%

19%

STUDENTREPORTEDISSUES

Week 4 of enrollment

Fall 2017

>> Time management is another influential factor that affects GPA

>> Satisfaction and commitment to the institution are more factors that influence student retention

Basic Study Skills

Academic Resiliency

Academic Integration 13

6

186

188

Retention Mid-Year 1 & Fall 2

Current with academic work? Motivated? Learning?

To what degree, are you...

Hard worker? Extra effort when challenging?

Go to class? Take good notes? Turn in assignments?


VIDEOS + MOTION GRAPHICS WEBSITES


T-SHIRTS OTHER


5. IDENTIFIERS

Last but not least, we have the most updated marks used within the

department and University.

Any of these identifiers can be appliedto your project. Ask us, and your

wish is our command.

39

40 COMMUNICATION GUIDE TO DESIGN 41IDENTIFIERS

THANKS FORSTOPPING BY!

– THE HD TEAM

a communication guide to design - uw-stout€¦ · consider social media oia edia an e sae and ge...

Documents