The Work Begins

Develop Comp | Develop Manuscript | Plan and Gather Images | Route Proofs

Your project is now ready to move. You’ll need to develop a manuscript, a comp, and plan and gather images. We’ve listed these items separately for clarity, but in most cases, you will be working in these areas concurrently leading up to your first proof.

Develop a comp

You have your IPO, journal entry, or PO and you are ready to start your project. Now you need to get a comp developed for your client to approve by the date indicated on your production schedule. Here are some steps to help:

  • Create or obtain outline that will establish major sections and elements of the piece.
  • Firm up creative/visual approach with designer and assistant director of production, taking into consideration client budget, expectations, and requirements.
  • Develop image list with designer.
  • Determine source of images (from client, UR archives, stock photos, original photography, stock or original  illustrations).
  • Develop pagination planner or thumbnail layout.
  • Create a design comp (two or three more approaches if appropriate). Do so with outline or preliminary manuscript if possible.
  • Share comps with your supervisor; John Van Cleaf, assistant director of design; Jeanne Weber, director of creative services; Joanne Dus-Zastrow, senior director of creative services; and Jane Hart, media archivist before presentation to client. Use a comp routing slip to do this, with all signatures obtained before showing comp to client. If major changes are required during this phase, you may need to develop another comp and route it again.
  • Present comp to client with designer. Discuss client likes and dislikes. If the design is not approved by client, you may need to develop another comp.
  • Once comp is approved, revisit final production schedule and change if needed. If there are changes to the schedule, clear them with rest of team before updating client.

Sample comp routing slip [PDF]

Develop a manuscript

If possible, develop the manuscript before or during the time you are developing the comp.

  • Determine who will write the manuscript. The client with editing from CS? A freelancer? A writer on the CS team? Discuss with Jeanne Weber, director of creative services-editorial, if you are unsure.
  • Review and edit manuscript. Show to Jeanne or an editor she designates for feedback and suggestions.
  • Have manuscript proofread. Use a manuscript routing slip in this process.
  • If you need factchecking, give proofreader explicit instructions and supply proofreader with source material (if available) to verify against.
  • Return manuscript to client for review.
  • Receive client changes to manuscript.
  • Do final edit and review. Have manuscript proofread again if needed.
  • Email manuscript to designer to incorporate into first proof. Use a proof routing slip.
  • If a comp has already been approved, consider using a layout routing slip so that John Van Cleaf, assistant director; Jeanne Weber, director; Joanne Dus-Zastrow, senior director; and Jane Hart, media archivist can all sign off again.

Proofreading

Your project will need proofreading at every phase of production. Make sure that you give Lisa Elwood, our proofreader, as much advance notice as possible to make sure either she or our part-time proofreader is available.

See sample manuscript routing slip [PDF]

See sample proof routing slip [PDF]

See sample layout routing slip [PDF]

Plan and gather images

First, consider what types of sources you’ll need for images:

  • If using original photography, formulate original photography shot list and begin planning photo shoot logisitics. Consider the rights you will need to obtain.
  • If using original illustration, you and designer (or designer alone) will meet with illustrator and get rough sketches.
  • If using stock illustration or photography, designer will do photo research.
  • If using UR archived images, sometimes the designer will work directly with photo archivist. Sometimes you will need to work with archivist Jane Hart.

Begin photo shoots for all original images or purchase stock (ongoing). Make sure all your models sign model release forms. Note that if we are gathering information from or taking photos of patients, you must have them sign a patient authorization form.

Make sure you have secured the rights to all purchased images and UR archive images.

Learn more about photo shoots

Route proofs

Once you have an approved comp, manuscript, and images, the designer will create a proof containing all these elements. If all of these were not present in the comp phase, and you feel it makes enough of a difference in the design of the piece, you may want to use another comp routing slip or layout routing slip to to get approvals so that assistant director of design (John Van Cleaf), editorial director (Jeanne Weber), senior director (Joanne Dus-Zastrow), and media archivist (Jane Hart) can all sign off again before going to the proof stage.

When you have your proof ready, have it proofread before going to the client. Meet with client to show the first proof and discuss any changes or solutions since the last comp.

If the client has changes, you will need to generate another proof. Repeat the process until the client approves a proof. Have a proofreader check each new proof to be sure the changes marked in the previous proof were made correctly. If you have substantial changes between proofs, you may want to have the entire piece proofread fully.