Design and produce page layout

This Standard involves the design of page layouts to meet the organisation or brand’s editorial requirements, to attract attention and interest, and to enhance the experience for the reader.

It is about producing layouts for publications and making the most of the material available. It involves working within an existing design style for the publication or brand, and taking the publication process into consideration.

It also requires an awareness of the amount and likely placing of advertising copy.

1. ensure that you have all the necessary material in the required formats

2. recognise any legal and ethical issues likely to arise from the choice of content and layout, and reach agreement with relevant colleagues on how to deal with them

3. adapt layout plans to take account of changes in; editorial priorities such as breaking news, advertising modifications the availability of material

4. keep colleagues informed about any changes in layout or likely delays 

5. make the best use of pictures and graphics, and identify opportunities to use techniques to enhance material where they contribute to page design

6. produce layouts that; meet the organisation or brand’s editorial requirements, suit the material and the medium, are in the right format for production and attract and maintain interest 

7. ensure that each page is correctly labelled and laid out, and check for any clashes within and between pages

8. produce page layouts to deadline, save them correctly, and forward them to production

9. make suggestions about page layout and design that may improve overall design quality

10. recognise any legal and ethical issues likely to arise from the editorial and commercial content and take appropriate advice

11. assess accurately any health and safety risks involved in using equipment for designing and producing page layout, and take action to minimise them

1. the organisation’s requirements for content, treatment and format 

2. the target audience and its characteristics and expectations 

3. how to judge the editorial value of material, and its ability to meet the needs of the target audience 

4. how to present ideas effectively to colleagues 

5. the format in which material should be created for production

6. the principles of page design, typography, and colour theory, in relation to the medium

7. the correct typefaces, measures, and point sizes

8. how to make the best use of pictures and graphics by cropping and sizing them

9. the uses of different page layout techniques including panels, ragout, sidebars, fact boxes, and pull out quotes

10. the design requirements of the different sections of the publication 

11. how to use appropriate software to design page layout, when required

12. the organisation’s production schedule, and the publication’s production process 

13. how the publication’s commercial departments operate, and their relationships with the editorial department

14. the health and safety issues related to using equipment for designing and producing page layout, and ways to minimise them

15. the legal, ethical and commercial issues likely to arise from the editorial content