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How to brief us

When you are starting a new project which requires professional design it’s important to supply a detailed, unambiguous and realistic brief.

This design brief is not unnecessary red tape, it is there to ensure you get value for money from our service. Your job will be processed quicker and more efficiently if briefs are clear.

Your brief should include:

The title and aim of your project

Let us know your objectives. Make it clear who your target audience is, and what messages you want them to receive. If you have a vision of how you think the project should look and feel, you need to convey this as clearly as possible. Please bear in mind that we have to implement the University's visual identity, and in some cases briefs may need to be altered slightly to fit these.

What physical deliverables you think you require

Try to specify what physical items you require as accurately as possible. For brochures, specify the format, the number of pages, weight of paper (GSM), how it should be bound... If you are in doubt, don't worry. Call us and we will help you to decide what is right for you.

Realistic and detailed timescales

Please try to schedule your whole project before briefing us, incorporating appropriate feedback and incubation stages. We will inform you in advance if deadlines are unrealistic. Specify when you will supply copy, images etc and when you need your job delivered. This way we can work to schedules and deliver on time.

Your budget

This will help us to determine which route is best for you.

A list of what you will provide

Photography, website screen shots, diagrams.

Any ideas you have

Everyone has varying tastes. It might be useful to provide a few examples of some designs or styles that you like.

Full delivery details

Please supply exact delivery details as soon as you know them. This allows us to factor delivery costs into our estimates and to deliver people in the right places.

Clean copy by email

Amends to artwork waste valuable time and resources. To avoid extra costs, make sure all copy is proof-read by someone else in your department before you send it to us. Know the hierarchy of your copy messages, what are your headlines, what is body copy, what are your calls-to-action. Spell check all documents before ending them to us and use the University house style.

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Contact us
  • cps@reading.ac.uk
  • 0118 378 8085
  • Print Workshop location: TOB2, Earley Gate, Whiteknights (Building 21)
  • Design Studio location: L027, London Road