The Power of Online Proofing Software for Design Review

Online proofing software is a tool that you should embrace if you’re working in a creative design role – because you would clearly need to collaborate! Design review is an important phase of a project where you finalize what you’re going to do for a client, how it’s going to be done, and who’s going to do it. Traditionally, you would do this through some very cumbersome processes involved in reviews, where you have different team members together – and historically, they might have been in different locations and different timezones: all the pain and suffering associated with design reviews. You would compile together different reviews, emailing them around, have responses come back, versions of the file and control of those different files. All in all a massive headache that you would endure.

Streamlining Collaboration

A major benefit of using an online proofing solution in the design sector is the fact that they can allow for different stakeholders to comment on the creative, regardless of their physical location. Design reviews could involve multiple in-person meetings or even email threads, both of which could cause delays and miscommunications. Through an online proofing tool, stakeholders can access the files from anywhere, anytime. This reduces the time of the review process and enhances the capabilities of stakeholders to be collaborative and work in real time. They can be more dynamic in giving feedback and making decisions.

Version Control Made Simple

Version control is a common problem in design projects where there are several members of a team reviewing it. Online proofing eliminates confusion about versions because all design files are in a centralised location that’s updated in real time; all collaborators are working on the most current file, thereby reducing errors and the frustration that results from working with out-dated files. Tracking changes and the ability to revert back to previous versions provides additional peace-of-mind.

Efficient Feedback Mechanism

It is a long way from slashing at printed proofs, or composing multi-page emails on feedback. Online proofing tools make feedback clearer and more structured. Users can annotate the screen itself, with comments and changes, without having to paraphrase the content within the new body of text. The software also houses all feedback together, so that vital comments don’t get lost in tangential emails.

Time and Cost Savings

As traditional design review is time-consuming and costly, especially with meetings and printing physical proofs, online proofing software can eliminate the need to meet, with its elimination of fly-throughs and proofs, as well as the associated physical environmental footprints too. In most cases, no physical meeting needs to take place Once more, the reduction in meetings, as well as the elimination of fly-throughs, and the associated physical environmental footprints, results in a more agile and cost-effective design review process.

Enhanced Accessibility and Inclusivity

Online proofing tools improve accessibility and inclusion so that a variety of individuals can participate in the design review from their respective schedules and time zones, regardless of where they may be physically located. This means that more diverse voices become part of the review process, resulting in a richer exchange of viewpoints, improved feedback and better final designs. Such tools also often include built-in accessibility features for disabled participants to help create a more inclusive working environment.

Integration with Existing Workflows

One of the main benefits of online proofing software is that it fits seamlessly within existing design workflows. Some online proofing tools (such as Aproove) provide integrations that enable an easy passage from one part of the design chain to another. By doing so, these tools mean that a move to online proofing doesn’t necessarily disrupt existing workflows – but rather integrates with them to make them simpler and easier to use.

Data-Driven Decision Making

With online-proofing software, content teams can mine data to improve their processes. Analytics, such as overview pages that show the progress of a review, trail statuses, and bottlenecks, can be utilized to understand more about how reviews are progressing. Reporting features can be used to analyze the trends of the comments and feedback to see where teams need more or less attention to complete the review process successfully. All this can assist teams in making decisions for design iterations and prioritisation of tasks or resources. Ultimately, looking at the review process through the ‘lens of data’ can help teams become better. Design teams should see the review process as an opportunity for continuous improvement. It shouldn’t be just the final stage where things happen once and then are forgotten.

Security and Confidentiality

Preserving the secrecy of such sensitive assets is crucial for creative teams. Online proofing addresses these security concerns, offering secure, password-protected environments for design collaboration. Content is usually encrypted and access is restricted to identifiable users, allowing role-based access control from admins that can define roles and permissions.

When a design studio adopts an online proofing tool, it represents a major transformation in how review meetings will be conducted in the design development process. By facilitating more efficient collaboration, more targeted feedback and more accessible review, these tools can enable more effective review meetings – where the reviewers can actually review design!

Aproove acknowledges its place within your tech stack and understands that it's just one tool among many. To complement this, it seamlessly integrates with popular project management and creative tools like Adobe Workfront.

Easily connect your Adobe Workfront instance with Aproove's robust Online Proofing features. Whether your proofing needs are straightforward or highly complex, Aproove ensures a quick and smooth integration process, getting you up and running in no time!

This integration is facilitated through Aproove's newly launched middleware platform, Aproove Concoord. Moreover, Aproove can extend this integration according to specific customer requirements. The remarkable integration capability significantly boosts overall workflow efficiency by eliminating the necessity to switch between various platforms. This allows teams to work within their preferred tools while still harnessing the efficiency of Aproove for streamlined proofing and approval processes.

Creative people must demonstrate the advantages of online proofing software as time goes by. It is not a choice anymore, it is a necessity to stay in this ever changing design world!