Re: Integrating across channels

Kelvin,

It's not clear to me (and perhaps others) if the ultimate deliverables 
include print, or if the print part of the workflow is only an artifact 
of the existing process. Also, you say in step 2, that the URLs and alt 
tags are left off. It's not clear if they are there earlier and 
stripped at this stage, or never there. Who is responsible for them?The 
copywriter, right?

It seems like the basic problem is that the link information is not 
carried through the process, and the person who is responsible for it 
has no involvement in the resulting process. Hence the forking.

A couple of things come to mind:

- Come up with a way that URLS (and alt tags) can be encapsulated in 
the print-type document, so all the relevant information lives in the 
same place as it goes through your process. Perhaps this could be done 
in Word, with links, or with footnotes, or with document comments.

- Teach your layout people to work in CSS and use a web process for web 
deliverables

The point of either of these approaches is to keep all of the 
project-relevant information together throughout the process, instead 
of splitting it out, which is causing synchronization problems.

Good luck.

Hal


On Aug 27, 2004, at 6:03 PM, Green, Kelvin wrote:

> Any advice on the how to resolve the situation depicted below would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> I work for a marketing and design firm in the interactive department.
> Since our projects often cross channels, we've having a bit of a 
> problem
> during handoffs from client-approved layout to client-approved coded
> page.
>
> Depending on the budget, the following steps are usually the foundation
> we follow. To our advantage and disadvantage, the following steps are
> rooted from a print perspective. Ideally, an informed approach would
> allow for multi-service (i.e. Online and offline) production cycle.
>
> The following steps are typically followed:
>
> 1] The copywriter writes "web-friendly" copy in Microsoft Word ands
> gives it to the "print" brand designer for layout.
>
> 2] The designer only uses the "print-friendly" portion of the copy for
> the layout, so URL string paths and ALT tags are left off at this 
> stage.
>
> 3] The layout goes through proofing (as a print out or as PDF/JPG) and
> then off to the client for review and approval.
>
> 4] The client reviews and suggests revisions which are made directly to
> the print layout.
>
> 5] The designer makes suggested revisions and puts the revised layout 
> in
> proofing and then off to the client for review and approval.
>
> 6] The client approves.
>
> 7] The approved print layout comes to my department for development.
>
> While a blue line "can" communicate a hypertext link, it doesn't mean
> anything to my development team without the underlying URL. ALT tags
> would be helpful too.
>
> 8] The account manager advises to use the client-approved layout while
> the copywriter advises to use the original copy (since that's where the
> Web-friendly copy lives).
>
> Then the race is on to compare the original copy document to the
> approved client layout and correct the copy and strip out the 
> formatting
> so it can be easily integrated into coded layouts.
>
>
> We waste time trying to integrate copy across the print and interactive
> channels.
>
>
> My question is: What steps have you found that work when developing 
> copy
> for print and online deliverables?
>
>
> Much thanks.
>
> K!



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