|
WE Have It (Technology), Now Use It!
BY WILLIAM C. PEARCH
What a hassle! Faxes and hard copies are piling up around the office. Too many floppy disks are being passed around from one department to the next. Ever had a floppy disk go bad or, even worse, bring a virus to your machine? Think there is no way to avoid these challenges? Here is an example of how current technology aids the process of creating and printing brochures.
Several years ago, all publications produced by the Elmhurst Park District were moved in-house. A free-lance designer would prepare layout charging at an hourly rate. Utilizing current technology allows staff to streamline editing and graphic design, reduce wasted paper, function in a cross-platform (Windows and Macintosh OS) environment and easily backup files to the network.
The Elmhurst Park District operates in several locations throughout the community. This was the impetus which allowed the "X drive" to evolve. The X drive is a district-wide shared drive. The goal was, and still remains, to empower staff to edit copy freely while allowing our in-house designer the flexibility to create artwork, scan photos and prepare all pre-press items.
Phase 1 — The X Drive. As the brochure process commences, all categories, such as preschool, visual arts and Courts Plus, are saved as separate text documents. For three weeks, managers from every department are responsible for editing program copy and collecting registration information. During this time, the communication manager prepares drafts of the interior layout, selects a Pantone Matching System color (PMS), creates the necessary Quark XPress style sheets (pre-formatted text appearances) and works with the marketing assistant to choose photos and artwork.
Phase 2-Layout Begins. The cutoff date arrives. All text is imported from the X drive and placed into a QuarkXPress document. A rough draft of the brochure is prepared and backed-up to the network X drive. The initial draft is saved as a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat. A draft is saved on the X drive so that managers can print hard copies, edit text and make any necessary revisions to the brochure.
Now that the initial draft is completed, the process repeats once again. The second draft features more artwork and photos, and is nearly ready for print. A final draft is printed on paper and reviewed by staff director of marketing, program managers and office staff in the administrative office.
Phase 3 — Pre-Press, Once the brochure is ready for print, all files are backed up to the network and copied to a ZIP disk, which can hold approximately 100 megs of graphics, photos and page layouts. Copying all graphics and fonts over to a zip disk is as simple as copying files to a floppy disk. All artwork is archived back to the X drive for historical value.
Current technology is a valuable asset and promotes both efficiency and quality publications. Through its use of technology, Elmhurst saves hours of staff time, eliminates charges for contracted designers, increases accuracy, accelerates the printing process. You, too, can reduce the hassle of faxes and hard copies piling up around the office. Through the use of current technology, the Elmhurst Park District has improved efficiency and helped create an award-winning seasonal brochure.
WILLIAM C. PEARCH
Is the communication manager for the Elmhurst Park District, the Elmhurst Park District won a 2001 Kudos Award for "Best Overall Communicator" in Class II from the National Recreation and Park Association.
|
