photo of a hand working on a design board

Design Process

The Division of Research communications team has designers available to work with you on creating the most effective communications materials to meet your objectives, budget and schedule. The team also works with the Division of Public Affairs creative services group and/or external designers, depending on the project.

The DOR communications team handles most routine requests, and will work with other designers on a case-by-case basis. Examples of projects include:

Advertisements

Brochures

Email communications

Fliers

Posters

Banners

Direct mail campaigns

Event materials (programs, invitations, signage, etc.)

Multi-piece campaign collateral

Web graphics
  • For routine projects, please submit a work request using the DOR communications Work Request page.
  • For more complex initiatives, please contact Cammi Clark to start the discussion or submit a Work Request outlining as much detail as possible.

Standard Steps to Completing Design and Production

  1. Develop and finalize the content (i.e., text, suggested imagery and/or graphics, etc.). This is the most important step since content drives the design. The DOR communications team will edit all materials to adhere to the FAU Editorial Standards.
  2. A designer will be assigned the project and, if necessary, he/she will contact you to discuss the project.
  3. The designer will create the material based on your objectives and provide you a PDF for review. Once you are satisfied, DOR communications will submit the design for creative services approval. All designs with an FAU logo must be approved by creative services. Approvals are generally obtained in 2-3 days.
  4. DOR Comm will obtain cost estimates and production schedules (if project will be printed) from approved vendors.
  5. DOR Comm will submit in Workday the estimate and creative services approval to purchasing to get a purchase order for print projects. DOR-wide projects are generally covered using the DOR Comm budget and tag number. For unit-specific projects, we may ask for a tag number before submitting the PO request.
  6. Upon final approval of the design, DOR Comm will submit the project to the vendor for production, and keep you apprised of the progress. Printing generally takes 5-20 business days from the date the project is sent to the vendor to delivery, depending on the project. Most prints jobs are delivered directly to DOR Comm for quality check. Upon request, we'll have the vendors deliver the completed jobs directly to you.

Project Timelines

The design and approval process generally can last 2-3 weeks after the final content is submitted. This does not include printing time. Complete project time from request to print delivery may vary depending on the nature of the project, if all necessary elements are provided to DOR Comm in a timely manner, and how quickly units review and approval materials.

Please use these timelines (does not include printing time frames*) to plan your project.

Business Cards/Notecards/Postcards 8 working days
Trifold Brochures/Event Program 10-15 working days
Multiple Page Brochure (up to 12 pages) 15-20 working days
Posters 10-15 working days
Pull-Up/Vinyl Banners 10-15 working days
Reprint (no revisions) 8 working days
Reprint w/revisions 10-15 working days
Email Blasts 10-15 working days
Web Images/Digital Graphics Three Weeks