A committee has been assembled, the scope has been outlined, you’ve hired a consultant and the research is underway. Everything feels under control but before you get too comfortable, make sure you have a solid plan for the end of the process – the part that involves producing a physical report that you’ll be proud to present.

Don’t let the design and production of the document be an afterthought. Save yourself some stress (and potentially money) by connecting with a designer in the early phase of the project. Here are a few pointers to help you achieve a solid end result that’s on-time and on-budget:

Find a designer and book them early

You may hesitate to contact a designer until you have a draft of the report in hand but unless you have an extremely generous timeline, don’t wait. You’ll likely have an idea of the report length and that can be enough for a designer to build an estimate and schedule in an appropriate amount of time to work on it. Even if you don’t expect to see a first draft from the researcher for another four months, it’s beneficial to reach out early.

Leaving the designer out of the process until the last minute may create a number of problems that could have been easily avoided:

1. Errors and increased cost

Even with excellent planning, sometimes unforeseen things throw a timeline off. But I’m not referring to those times right now – I’m talking about poor planning that can lead to being crunched for time at the end. It’s important to involve the designer and the printer at the outset so you know how much time each vendor needs to complete their portion of the process. You may think something can be created in two weeks but it’s never safe to assume. Always ask. Failure to build in sufficient time at the end could lead to a rushed review process, which in turn leads to an increased likelihood of typos and content errors. And if the printer doesn’t have enough time… well, it may be more than a little embarrassing to host a report launch without a report to hand out.

There could also be increased costs if a designer or printer bills for rush charges based on a short turnaround time. Even if a printer could produce the documents in time, if delivery is needed you’ll be facing high courier costs for expedited shipping. There’s also the dreaded combination of grave errors overlooked in the document and having to pay to reprint the publications. A nightmare!

2. Eek! Your favourite designer is unavailable.

Your go-to designer is on vacation or is booked solid for the next few months. You’re left scrambling to find an alternative. Throwing someone new into a process last minute and asking them to work as quickly as possible could lead to a higher error rate (see previous point) or prove to be a potentially frustrating experience. You don’t need the extra stress. Give your favourite designer a heads up as far in advance as possible. Even if you don’t have exact dates worked out, letting them know a project will be happening in X month will allow them to set aside time for your project. If they aren’t available even with lots of notice, at least you’ll have more time to find someone else who would be a good fit.

Create a master timeline

At this point you’ve likely worked out at least a rough timeline with the researcher, so make time to talk with your other vendors: designer, printer (and possibly a photographer or translator). Based on the expected amount of work and the deliverables, ask them how long they will need to complete their phase of the project. (Hint: If your printer isn’t local, remember to factor in shipping time.)

Armed with all that info, create a master timeline, working back from the end date. If possible, leave 1-2 weeks of extra time (hey – things happen!). Consider when the committee plans to meet and aim to have drafts ready for those dates. Are there a lot of people in the group? Factor in even more extra time – someone on that committee is bound to be unavailable during key review periods.

Hopefully your schedule comes together beautifully, but if you find yourself short on time, at least you’ll know this well in advance. Go back to your vendors and see where timing can be shortened up. Example: If a launch event is looming and there isn’t time to print the full run of reports, the printer could produce a smaller quantity that would give you enough for the event and provide the remaining booklets the following week.

Once you have a master timeline that everyone has agreed to, share it will those involved (vendors and committee alike) to help keep everyone accountable.

Collect the finer details

While the research and writing is underway, there are still a few things you can do to keep things rolling.

1. Acknowledgements
Research reports will undoubtedly need this page in the document. Compile the list of names of those that need mentioning: committee members, partners, staff, researcher(s), sponsors/funders of the project and sometimes vendors.

2. Logos
Aside from your organization’s logo, collect or request other logos that need to appear in/on the report. It can sometimes be like pulling teeth to acquire these so better to make the request well in advance. Request a vector logo (a file format that ends in .EPS, .AI and sometimes .PDF, is a good indicator). It’s not a must-have but will guarantee the sharpest image possible and your designer will love you for it. Sometimes all you may get is a .JPG, which will suffice. Don’t gather logos from an organization’s website or Google images – they’re typically not high quality enough for print. It’s always best to make a logo request directly of the organization.

3. Images
If there are photos that need to appear in the report, start rounding them up. If the shots were taken at a public event, it’s unlikely a model release is needed since you’ll be using the images for information purposes. If you’re featuring an individual in a private setting (like a program participant) or someone under the age of 18, play it safe and have them (or their guardian) sign a model release. You may also be required to credit the photographer so be sure to review their contract before publishing anything.

4. Miscellaneous snippets
While the researcher may be doing the bulk of the writing, are there smaller bits that you need to collect? For example, quotes from community members or program participants.

Taking these steps early in the report process will set the stage for a strong finish. It also provides the opportunity to proactively navigate any snags that may exist with timing, images, or a myriad of other issues. Having things happen on-time and on-budget will always looks good on you.

For more tips and tactics on report design, download the Make Your Research Shine PDF eBook. It’s free!