Almost Done

Yesterday I finished the user manual for the website. I think its fairly simple and straightforward to understand. So now hopefully Lexie will be able to upload all the content onto her site without me holding her hand. But I'm more than happy to help if any problems arise with the uploading of files onto the site.
With the site i also came up against a few problems. The first problem was that the site automatically redirected to the network property group home page. After talking to the hosters, Westnet, i found that there was an automatic server side redirect. Westnet told me that they needed Lexie's confirmation to stop the redirect. They also need to change the server that the site's files are on from a Windows based server to a Linux based one. This will mean that the PHP scripts i used on the site will run properly.
I just reminded Lexie via email to send her confirmation email to Westnet. Hopefully she already remembered...

I also went down to ArtAngel yesterday to see how the banner stand was coming along. Deb said that the stand would hopefully be here by next monday at the latest. Here's hoping. Though Lexie said that she wouldn't need the sign for another two or three months (thank god!).

So everything is on track and hopefully i'll be able to hand over all the print ready designs to Lexie by Wednesday or Thursday this week! Then all I have to do is finish the evaluation of my project and i can compile it and hand it all in to Luke!!!!

Banner Stand on the Way

I went down to ArtAngel on tuesday and gave them my banner stand file. By now they would have already sent the file away, so by this time next week I'll have a shiny new banner stand ready and raring to go! And with all the letterhead designs (except for the fax) completed and in the appropriate PDF format, I am practically ready to hand over the print files to Lexie.

The website's a bit more of a tricky issue. I have finished a working version of the site, but Lexie said that it could take her weeks to come up with the content for it. So what I think I will do is incorporate a small amount of PHP so that Lexie can update the site herself. This way I can create a user manual for uploading to the site. For the moment I will leave dummy text on the site and when it does go live (sometime next week hopefully) I'll have the home page up and runnig and have a "under construction" notice on the rest pages.

Final Designs almost ready

The final versions of the numerous designs have been tweaked and I'm almost ready to hand them over to Lexie. I'm also ready to send of the banner stand and hopefully, assuming the designs get sent off today, the banner will be delivered by this friday or even monday next week.
The website will still be a bit of a problem because Lexie has informed me that it may take her weeks to collate all of the info for the website. I'll talk to Luke about this on wednesday.

I see the end...

I had another meeting with Lexie yesterday evening and she has shown the letterheads, the business card, the W.C slip and the website to her superiors. There are only extremely minor changes that need to be done and they can be printed!

Also, she has OKed a banner design. I talked to the people at ArtAngel Design and through them I should be able to give Lexie the banner stand for about $550.

I also went down to Oxford Printery (Bolcon's preferred printery) today and got all of the specifications for the print work.

The project looks like it will be wrapped up in about 2 weeks! But I'm still dreading all of this freakin' paperwork...

The Never Ending War

Lexie gotten back to me with her thoughts on the second gen drafts. She has small quams with some of my design choices. This is becoming very annoying, because I have done these things for a reason. But I have to learn to put my personal views aside and bow to the clients demands (VERY ANNOYING!!!). Tommorow I will exact these changes and then Lexie will present them to her superiors.

Meeting

I had a quick meeting with Lexie this evening. The main topic of discussion was her to verbally explain what she meant by the feedback that she had written on the proposed designs I had given to her. Now all of that is clarified I'm able to move onto the next phase of development - 2nd Gen designs.
I've also discussed pushing the due date backwards, and Lexie seems fine with this. So now I have to change the deadlines in the contract and get Lexie to sign-off on the changes.

My thoughts:
I'm finding the actual design process rather simple but the main issue for me is the overwhelming amounts of paperwork that I have to accumulate for this assignment. Is all this really neccessary in the real world? I hope not...

Feedback...Finally!!

I know, I know, long time no post...

After giving Lexie all of my proposed ideas her supervisor has finally given her (and therefore me) some written feedback. After looking through all of the designs Lexie's supervisor has given me this feedback:

All designs will be done with green shades instead of red
The supervisor has selected their favourite design proposals
The logo needs to be incorperated
The letterhead must be fax and photocopier friendly (greys aren't photocopier friendly)
Each banner stand design has been given individual notes

because it's taken so long for the proposed designs to be evaluated by the client, I will try to extend the deadline for the different project tasks. I am meeting with Lexie this afternoon to discuss how the project is going, and to go through some of the finer written notes.

Bolcon Logo

After talking to the people at Oxford Printery, i have finally received an email from them containing the Bolton Connolly logo in a digital format (.ps to be exact). Now i can incorporate the proper Bolcon logo into my future designs.

I still haven't heard from Lexie about which proposed design has been approved. I'll organise a meeting with her tonight to get a heads up on any changes.

Full colour proposed designs

Today i gave Lexie full colour A4 sized copies of all the proposed designs. I have also made colour variations on some of these designs, as she requested. Now Lexie has to consult with her superiors as to which design(s) are most appropriate.

Proposal V1.1 signed off

On thursday evening i got Lexie's signature and on friday i got Lukes. Now Proposal v1.1 (added more proposed designs) is complete and signed off by all parties.

Proposal Update

I have updated the proposal/contract so that it now includes my latest designs. The new proposal has to be signed off by both Lexie (external client) and Luke (internal client).

The following are the proposed website designs that I'm going to present to Lexie in our upcoming meeting:

Proposed Letterhead Pics

The following are the letterhead designs that I'm going to present to Lexie in our upcoming meeting:

Proposed Banner Signs Pics

The following are the proposed banner signs that I'm going to present to Lexie in our upcoming meeting:

Letterheads

I have now created 3 more letterhead designs. Tomorrow I will be able to go to tafe and print out all the proposed designs for my meeting with Lexie.

Letterheads

After receiving the Bolcon's current stationary this morning, I have begun design on the letterheads. So far I have created one proposed design.

i've finished another proposed design for the sign and found out some more prices for the banner stand. Signs Plus has quoted around $700 for the production. This is about $200 above most other quotes, but they have admitted this and believe they have a superior product and service. I'll talk to Lexie and see if she wants to pay extra (after all, it's her company's, not mine!).
I still haven't been able to get the existing stationary off Lexie yet, but hopefully she'll have it for me tomorrow...

Client Proposal Meeting

I met with Lexie last night to go over the proposal. She said she thought it was fine, but I just needed to fix a few spelling mistakes before she signed it off. I also requested the existing stationary again. I plan to see Lexie again tomorrow, if not tonight, to get her signature.

Banner Stand Prices

Today I called some different signwriters to find out the prices for a banner stand.

Littlewood Sign Solutions
$500+GST - Production cost (premium setup) BYO artwork in illustrator format. Need to consider pantone colours, CMYK printing capabilities and all text needs to be outlined.

Riverina Signmakers
$350 - Production cost. BYO artwork.

SignsPlus Graphics
Produce signs but i need to ring back later to get a quote.

First Blog

This is the first post for my major design blog. I'm going to keep this and hopefully use it to record everything I'm doing from here on in. This is for my benifit as much as anyone else's so I can hopefully not forget anything I have done to move this project forward.