Book Design
CLIENT:
New York State Dept. of Health
SECTOR: Public Health. DISCIPLINE: Desktop Publishing. TEAM: Mildred Center, Centerdesign, Microsoft Word book and template design. Production, Centerdesign Desktop Publishing Team.
As a designer with a strong expertise in Microsoft Word, I was presented with a unique challenge when the NYS Department of Health requested book design services using this platform. While Adobe InDesign is typically the go-to tool for print layout, the client specifically wanted the ability for their in-house team to make future edits using Microsoft Word. My deep understanding and experience with Word as a professional desktop publishing tool proved invaluable.
By meticulously planning and implementing a well-structured layout using styles in Word, I ensured that the client's team could easily make edits to the collateral while maintaining the integrity of the overall design. Recognizing that this project involved multiple books, I worked diligently to create templates with style sheets for each publication type, including headline, paragraph, table, call-out, header, and footer styles.
The initial stages of the project were undoubtedly time-consuming, but once the templates were established and my team members, who possessed strong proficiency in Microsoft Word's desktop publishing capabilities, began converting the client's text into the predetermined layouts, the process took off.
I cringe when I encounter Word documents filled with manual formatting techniques, such as excessive paragraph returns, incorrect spacing, and improper use of tabs. Utilizing styles preserves the intended design and streamlines the editing process, saving valuable time.