Workflow Links
Wikipedia

iMAG Workflow Links
workflow index
print shop workflow
vinyl shop workflow
engraving shop workflow
screen printing shop workflow

Workflow is an industry term that describes the organization of operations needed to complete a task, job, or project.

Think of workflow as the way you get from here to there. Most any task that involves more than one action can be described as a workflow. Take for example putting on your shoes. Not everyone will do it the same way. But you can imagine the steps in this simple workflow.

Of course even this simple task can go wrong if the steps are not followed in the correct order.

Traditional Graphic Workflow
The traditional workflow in a print production shop includes:

• Planning stage operations
• Design stage operations
• Pre-production stage operations
• Production stage operations
• Finishing stage operations
• Packaging stage operations
• Billing operations

iMAG Production Workflow
This workflow example is a good start for describing how to organize the steps needed to complete iMAG projects. Even though each shop is different they share the basic stages descibed.

Planning Stage Operations
The planning stage includes all the steps needed to set up the project. The workflow described here should act as an example of a typical iMAG project.

Step 1: Creating a customer contract:
Customers first meet with an iMAG instructor to discuss the nature and scope of the intended project. Customers will need to agree to work with a Project Team and communicate with the Project Manager. Instructors will create the Project Team based on the customer’s needs.

The Project Team would include:

• Project Manager*h
• Research Personnel
• Concept Development Personnel
• Graphic Design Personnel
• Technical / Production Personnel
• Advertising Personnel
• Additional Workforce Personnel

*Project Manager Duties
The Project Manager will communicate with the customer regularly via phone and e-mail regarding the project and will coordinate the final delivery. Upon completion of the project, the customer will meet with the Project Team for reflection and evaluation. Grades will be based on peer review, customer evaluation, and instructor evaluation. At the conclusion of the meeting, the team will complete the Project Planner Form.

Step 2: Customer meets with the Project Team.
The customer will return to iMAG to meet with the student Project Team to discuss and plan the project. During this meeting the team will gather information and complete the client information section of the iMAG Project Planner.

Clarify the project by asking the following questions:

• What content information, if any, is already available and what additional content information is needed to proceed?
• What is the most important point or points of the message and how could the information be organized to help the user better understand and remember the message?
  
• Who is the audience for the message and how would that affect the look and feel of the presentation?
  
• Does the product have to relate to already existing products and are there conventions that should be followed?
  
• What will be the format of the new product and how will technical limitations affect the product?

Step 3: Developing a Fact List for the project
A fact list will help to outline the content and other information the project team needs to know to effectively plan the project. All relevant information should be gathered and organized about the subject of the message. All technical and production information should also be decided.

Fact lists could include:

• content information
  
• demographic information
  
• technical and production information
  
• usage information
  

Maintain the fact list throughout the project making changes as needed.

Step 4: Write a Project Description Statement for the project
After all the preliminary questions are asked and understood, the project team should be able to make a simple, clear statement that describes the product. Complete the Project Description Statement field on the Project Planner Form following these examples.

Sample statements:
Example 1: A two color, tri-fold brochure that describes how to cook with mushrooms, intended for customers of Publix Supermarket.

Example 2: A recruiting poster, intended for high school juniors and seniors, that explains the benefits of joining the Army.

Design Stage Operations

Most iMAG projects will require a number of Design Stage Operations. At first, all Project Team members should meet and discuss the graphic design requirements of the project. The Design Personnel wil be responsible for completing and managing the graphic files associated with project.

Use the Fact List and Project Description Statement to help clarify the needs of the graphic designs.

The Research Personnel, Concept Development Personnel, and Graphic Design Personnel should work together to prepare the needed graphic files for the project.

Step 5: Create a folder on the network for the project.
Step 6: Create and save digital graphic files for the project.

The Project Manager is responsible for the quality control of the graphic files.

• Check spelling
• Check size
• Check to make sure the graphic is technically correct for the job.
• Check to make sure the graphic is properly saved in a project folder on the server.

The Planning Stage and Design Stage will be similar for all shops. The Pre-production stage, Production stage, Finishing Stage, and Packaging Stage will be different for each shop.
Click on the relevant shop to view the correct workflow for that shop:
print shop workflow
vinyl shop workflow
engraving shop workflow
screen printing shop workflow

Packaging Stage operations and Billing operations will be coordinated by the Project Manager.