Almost everything you see, be it on the internet (websites, advertisements, etc.), in shops (product packaging, in-store displays), in your mailbox (stamps, print flyers and newsletters) or in your living room (magazines, book jacket cover, newspapers), has gone through the creative hands of a graphic designer. When I say ‘designer’, I mean a person who works on the visual aesthetics of the item. The work they do is a slow and often painstaking creative process, involving a design team with various iterations and revisions followed by rounds of approvals. This is where online proofing software can help, and make things a lot easier for the graphic designer. There are many advantages in using these tools.
On the Aproove blog today we share 12 benefits of online proofing for graphic designers that help them work better with their colleagues, increase their productivity and the quality of their work.
1. Centralized Collaboration
The online proofing software is a centralized space enabling graphic designers to communicate with their clients, collaborators and stakeholders in reference to one particular project. As a result, the communication becomes much more straightforward and everything can be preserved for future use or reference.
2. Real-Time Feedback
Real-time feedback from clients and colleagues is also possible via online proofing tools, allowing the user to address emails more swiftly and reduce the time spent on back-and-forth email exchanges. Aproove’s threaded comments feature a @mention capability, allowing contributors to be tagged to begin new conversations or threads, and added to specific notes.
3. Annotation and Markup Tools
Some of these online proofing platforms also come with annotation and markup tools for the collaborators, who can then highlight a certain area of the design, comment, suggest changes or work directly on the design by drawing on it with a mouse or digital stylus. This kind of visual feedback is invaluable, both for the designer and the client.
4. Version Control
To maintain version control, the graphic design industry has created online proofing systems that allow designers to keep track of different iterations of each project rather than sending multiple copies of the same document.
5. Time Savings
Online proofing tools eliminate the need for printouts or long email strings, saving designers precious time; efficiency can be channeled into more creative endeavors, and thus projects can be delivered faster.
6. Reduced Printing Costs
Traditional proofing always involves printing so many drafts to check and recheck, which is quite expensive and environmentally damaging. The online proofing reassures graphic designers of using less printing cost, contributing to an environmental friendly work area.
7. Accessibility
Online proofing tools let you view any point in your project’s history from wherever you happen to be online. If your clients or team members are in different time zones or out of the office, they’ll still be able to see what you’re seeing.
8. Streamlined Approval Workflow
Online proofing helps to eliminate unnecessary time spent review and approval via approving or rejecting a design by just a click, which reduces human mistake and quickens the project timeline.
9. Detailed Audit Trails
All design changes, comments and approvals are saved in an audit trail, held by an online proofing platform, allowing both designer and client to follow the progress of a project, step by step.
10. Compatibility with Various File Types
With most web-based proofing programs supporting a variety of graphic design file formats, from web graphics to print, it is easier to collaborate on the design project.
11. Customization
There’s usually the option to customize the online proofing software to suit your workflow and branding. This will help it fit seamlessly into your design workflow.
12. Improved Client Satisfaction
Ultimately, such online proofing tools help achieve a more satisfied client, thanks to their transparency and efficiency, as well their ability for collaboration and communication. This leads to a smoother design and ultimately a higher quality finished product.
And so, if you’re a graphic designer looking for a way to make your day-to-day work a little easier – to get your work done faster so that you can focus on other projects, or to enhance your relationships with your clients – then online proofing software (such as Aproove Work Management) is a valuable addition to your kit.
See more insightful articles from the Aproove team, over on our blog!
