The Computer Revolution/Computer Graphics/Design Efficiency

Instructions on how to design computer graphics is an individualistic approach. Often Graphic Designers design in specific ways. However with my 4 year experience graphic designing, constituting 2.5 years corporate packages, 1.5 year animation and websites. I have trained several designers to increase speed and accuracy using specific tools, shortcuts and methodological process,some of my instructions are as follows:

How to start without designing. The concept here is pre-design. Often designers complain of too much information, lack of pictures, lack of material, etc. the typical idea is laying out the format first that they have in mind and then placing all the information. I disagree to that ritual of design. I tend to do it the following way.

Start the page with the exact size of page that has to be used. For example a tri-panel brochure with 3 folds. Hence guidelines at 3.67" and 7.4".
The most important point. Throw in all the information that the customer wants, for example logo, contact information, slogan, pictures, text material, clip art if any (not recommended), etc. This information is unformatted it is just placed in the work area not in the actual document. nothing is aligned, re-sized, etc.
This is the deciding factor. Decide on fonts, colours, the process of printing..which means questions like: can I make bleed the brochure? can I make it full colour, can I use spot colours? Can I make a solid colour background. This step is setting parameters for your design..these are usually customer restrains printing barriers, etc.
Once after everything is placed the formatting is easier because you have all the information to play with and now formatting it the way you want to make it look beautiful is the glamour and fun of designing.
Also, start with aspects easier and known, this fuels momentum in design.

This process saves tons of time to effectively manage your design project to finish it earlier then expected because you dont run into problems such as changing the format and design when you have to insert something new.