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Annual Report Design Process

Since 2006, we’ve crafted numerous business profiles, annual reports, brochures, and comprehensive booklets. The final result exudes simplicity, but the intricacy involved often goes unrecognized, especially for those new to collaborating with a design agency on such projects.

Delve into the breakdown below to better understand the meticulous efforts invested in each endeavour.

People Involved From BWD

  • Project manager – Coordination, emails, phone calls, and meetings
  • Copywriter – Content writing or proofreading
  • Designer – The person who actually designs the business profile or report
  • Creative Director – Quality control

Project Management
When a project starts, it needs someone responsible for its completion. A project manager is assigned to it.

A project manager is there so the client can feel like they will be cared for. They bridge the gap between the designers and the clients which is crucial when it comes to designing for the clients’ objectives.

Examples of different tasks done by the Project manager

  • Get brief from client,
  • Double-check that all the required or supplied information is supplied by the client
  • Follow up by phone or email for outstanding content or information
  • To obtain all written approval of the different stages of the project.
  • Be present in all meetings, and take notes and share with all parties [Travel can only be accommodated where  we’ve charged for project management in the quotation]
  • Status reporting

Copywriting/Proofreading

This service is sold separately and is not bundled with the design because a different person handles it.
We provide two options. We can either write the entire content for you or we can proofread the content for you.

Option 1: Co-writing, editing and proof-reading of business profile or annual report

  1. The client’s internal project manager lines up all interviews for the copywriter with business heads over two to three consecutive days to kick-start the project.
  2. Business heads are advised to bring all relevant information and documentation along to the interviews to ensure these sessions are constructive.
  3. The interviews are recorded so that our copywriter can listen to it again and transcribe it afterwards.
  4. The copywriter develops the first draft of the content within the pre-determined agreed and set timelines.
  5. The first draft of the content is sent to the client’s internal project manager, who distributes it to the relevant business heads and ensures that feedback is given and changes are made and tracked on the documents within a predetermined and agreed timeline. At the same time, the client’s Project Manager ensures that the financial section as approved by Client is provided.
  6. The copywriter incorporates the business heads’ changes and sends the documents back for approval by the various business heads.
  7. As soon as the documents are returned from the various business heads, the copywriter proofreads it again before it is sent to the design team for layout and design, together with the financials. For the sake of time efficiency, it is important to note that all major changes must be made before the document goes to design.
  8. As soon as the document has been designed, the copywriter proofreads it for the third time, to check that the content and index aligns, that numbering and formatting, etc., are in order. As soon as all errors are rectified, they are sent to the client.
  9. The client either:
    1. Makes minor inputs for changes, in which case our copywriter will recheck these changes to make sure no errors creep in; or
    2. Approves it and signs it off to go to the design studio.

Option 2: Editing and proofreading of the annual report

  1. The copywriter proofreads and edits the document according to the predetermined guidelines discussed with the client. To streamline the process, all changes are tracked, so that the client can go directly to the changes made and either accept or reject them and/or make the additional input.
  2. As soon as the document returns from the client, the copywriter incorporates the suggested changes by the client and gives the document another proofread and edit before sending it back for approval by the client.
  3. As soon as the documents are returned from the client, the copywriter proofreads it again before it is sent to the design team for layout and design, together with the financials. For the sake of time efficiency, it is essential to note that all major changes must be made before the document goes to design.
  4. As soon as the document has been designed, the copywriter proofreads it for the third time, to check that the content and index aligns, that numbering and formatting, etc., are in order. As soon as all errors are rectified, they are sent to the client.
  5. The client either:
    1. Makes minor inputs for changes, in which case our copywriter will recheck these changes, to make sure no errors creep in; or
    2. Approves it and signs it off to go to the design studio.

Designing
The designer is the person that brings everything together. The writing, fonts, colours, images, theme, style, etc. Even though the designer will be working from a structure he would have created, different pages don’t have the same amount of content which means that he cannot just use the one structure as is for all the pages. He also needs to make the individual pages interesting to look at. If the client also wants a fancy-looking booklet, then he would need to consider things like vanishing, die cutting, foiling etc. We’ve written our design process here.

Quality control
The creative director just makes sure that the quality of the work done by the designer is of a very high level. He basically reviews overall visual appearance and how it communicates visually, stimulates moods, contrasts features, the artistic style used,  and psychologically appeals to a target audience. If the quality of the work is not good enough, then Creative Director and designer would have a meeting to discuss the specifics of how best to improve the quality of the artworks.

Printing
If printing is included we start off by doing test prints at the office to check for issues. Then take the artwork to the printer for more test prints. After the project manager is satisfied with the test print, then we would take the ‘print proof’ to the copywriter for final checking. After the copywriter has checked then it would be delivered to the client for review and sign-off.