Design and produce page layout
Overview
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.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
ensure that you have all the necessary material in the required formats
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
adapt layout plans to take account of changes in; editorial priorities such as breaking news, advertising modifications the availability of material
keep colleagues informed about any changes in layout or likely delays
make the best use of pictures and graphics, and identify opportunities to use techniques to enhance material where they contribute to page design
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
ensure that each page is correctly labelled and laid out, and check for any clashes within and between pages
produce page layouts to deadline, save them correctly, and forward them to production
make suggestions about page layout and design that may improve overall design quality
recognise any legal and ethical issues likely to arise from the editorial and commercial content and take appropriate advice
assess accurately any health and safety risks involved in using equipment for designing and producing page layout, and take action to minimise them
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
the organisation’s requirements for content, treatment and format
the target audience and its characteristics and expectations
how to judge the editorial value of material, and its ability to meet the needs of the target audience
how to present ideas effectively to colleagues
the format in which material should be created for production
the principles of page design, typography, and colour theory, in relation to the medium
the correct typefaces, measures, and point sizes
how to make the best use of pictures and graphics by cropping and sizing them
the uses of different page layout techniques including panels, ragout, sidebars, fact boxes, and pull out quotes
the design requirements of the different sections of the publication
how to use appropriate software to design page layout, when required
the organisation’s production schedule, and the publication’s production process
how the publication’s commercial departments operate, and their relationships with the editorial department
the health and safety issues related to using equipment for designing and producing page layout, and ways to minimise them
the legal, ethical and commercial issues likely to arise from the editorial content