Purpose
The purpose of this project was to create a series of presentation materials that provided educational training for the seasonal releases of our Client’s computer processing chips, and inform their Retail Service Providers (RSPs) about the various products that the Client may sell in their stores. The focus of these collated educational materials was to help the Client’s RSPs sell more effectively with the aid of extensively designed presentation decks and informative animation videos. These materials required a heavy amount of brainstorming and conceptualization with regard to designing each individual slide that consisted of rich content copy with accompanying graphics, and stylized tables and charts. It also entailed the methodical composition of creating a campaign template that would allow for alterations where needed, while remaining in seasonal campaign theme. These presentation decks were purposely created in a highly customizable fashion to accommodate the various devices that the RSPs may have in their particular market, while making dense content easily digestible to the end-users.
The purpose of this project was to create a series of presentation materials that provided educational training for the seasonal releases of our Client’s computer processing chips, and inform their Retail Service Providers (RSPs) about the various products that the Client may sell in their stores. The focus of these collated educational materials was to help the Client’s RSPs sell more effectively with the aid of extensively designed presentation decks and informative animation videos. These materials required a heavy amount of brainstorming and conceptualization with regard to designing each individual slide that consisted of rich content copy with accompanying graphics, and stylized tables and charts. It also entailed the methodical composition of creating a campaign template that would allow for alterations where needed, while remaining in seasonal campaign theme. These presentation decks were purposely created in a highly customizable fashion to accommodate the various devices that the RSPs may have in their particular market, while making dense content easily digestible to the end-users.
Outline/Workflow
The workflow for such an immense undertaking required a Project Manager to formulate internal milestone checkpoints and Client milestone checkpoints. An internal team was aided by a copywriter to compose storylines for presentation decks, a team of three designers to create impactful visuals within these presentation decks, and a motion graphics animator to build supporting videos. Our deliverable date afforded us approximately three months from kickoff to asset delivery. In early stages of the project, each designer was responsible for developing a seasonal campaign-themed template that would be reviewed and selected by Client. Once a template was selected, our department oversaw building out content and storyboarding for animation videos, as well as supplying the animator with supporting campaign graphics. These presentation decks were individualized to focus on Laptops, Desktops, Ultrabooks, All-in-Ones, and Mobile platforms. Interstitial decks consisted of Overviews, Competitive Position Guides, and internal Retail Programs. Our focus was to highlight the Client’s impact on their proprietary computing processors through these stylized training materials.
The workflow for such an immense undertaking required a Project Manager to formulate internal milestone checkpoints and Client milestone checkpoints. An internal team was aided by a copywriter to compose storylines for presentation decks, a team of three designers to create impactful visuals within these presentation decks, and a motion graphics animator to build supporting videos. Our deliverable date afforded us approximately three months from kickoff to asset delivery. In early stages of the project, each designer was responsible for developing a seasonal campaign-themed template that would be reviewed and selected by Client. Once a template was selected, our department oversaw building out content and storyboarding for animation videos, as well as supplying the animator with supporting campaign graphics. These presentation decks were individualized to focus on Laptops, Desktops, Ultrabooks, All-in-Ones, and Mobile platforms. Interstitial decks consisted of Overviews, Competitive Position Guides, and internal Retail Programs. Our focus was to highlight the Client’s impact on their proprietary computing processors through these stylized training materials.
Challenges
With an ongoing project of such scale, it’s bound to come with no shortage of challenges and obstacles. Facing instances where eight presentations looked identical in style and theme, though had content that was altered for specific use cases, could have resulted in file management issues if the appropriate level of knowledge regarding deck individuality was not maintained. Our primary obstacle was learning how to efficiently compose customized presentation slides at mass volume while retaining the rich quality and impact of important information. Further challenges were present with content being released by the Client, and then relayed to Copywriting and the Designer simultaneously, requiring tandem work to meet demanding milestone check-ins. With the continuous evolution of new technology, nearly every campaign season required an adjustment for plan of attack to cater to the Client’s changing information/tactics, leading to alterations in project scope that still retained the original deadline.
With an ongoing project of such scale, it’s bound to come with no shortage of challenges and obstacles. Facing instances where eight presentations looked identical in style and theme, though had content that was altered for specific use cases, could have resulted in file management issues if the appropriate level of knowledge regarding deck individuality was not maintained. Our primary obstacle was learning how to efficiently compose customized presentation slides at mass volume while retaining the rich quality and impact of important information. Further challenges were present with content being released by the Client, and then relayed to Copywriting and the Designer simultaneously, requiring tandem work to meet demanding milestone check-ins. With the continuous evolution of new technology, nearly every campaign season required an adjustment for plan of attack to cater to the Client’s changing information/tactics, leading to alterations in project scope that still retained the original deadline.
Solutions
Being resourceful and adaptable, creative solutions for these challenges were often approached as a team. These solutions were achieved all while adhering to religious internal milestone check-ins to ensure timely delivery of assets to our Client. In rare instances, these campaigns required working after hours, including occasional weekend coverage, all to ensure the standards and quality of work was delivered to the Client. In situations like these, recalling key details of annual brand trainings and webinars significantly helped address some key design challenges and allowed me to develop a methodical approach to conceptualization and execution. Utilizing these brand and campaign guidelines at times of question certainly proved to be informative and beneficial, and further served as an educational asset in the design process, confirming my work aligned with the ideals set in place. Collaborating with my fellow Designer colleagues in weekly stand-ups helps dispel any potential roadblocks or delay in reaching our targeted objectives. Personally taking on the role of robust presentation template creation established my position within my organization as being methodical, meticulous, and reliable. The need for being methodical in the creation of robust presentation deck templates proved to be a vital step in the process to further ensure seasonal campaign themes were carried throughout, reaching as many as eight individualized presentation decks in a seasonal campaign. Beyond the templatization process, a quality assurance round of each presentation was completed that scrutinized font, bullet, copy placement, punctuation, and colors, confirming proper branding and design consistency were carried throughout. This instance occurred at each Client-faced milestone check-in.
Being resourceful and adaptable, creative solutions for these challenges were often approached as a team. These solutions were achieved all while adhering to religious internal milestone check-ins to ensure timely delivery of assets to our Client. In rare instances, these campaigns required working after hours, including occasional weekend coverage, all to ensure the standards and quality of work was delivered to the Client. In situations like these, recalling key details of annual brand trainings and webinars significantly helped address some key design challenges and allowed me to develop a methodical approach to conceptualization and execution. Utilizing these brand and campaign guidelines at times of question certainly proved to be informative and beneficial, and further served as an educational asset in the design process, confirming my work aligned with the ideals set in place. Collaborating with my fellow Designer colleagues in weekly stand-ups helps dispel any potential roadblocks or delay in reaching our targeted objectives. Personally taking on the role of robust presentation template creation established my position within my organization as being methodical, meticulous, and reliable. The need for being methodical in the creation of robust presentation deck templates proved to be a vital step in the process to further ensure seasonal campaign themes were carried throughout, reaching as many as eight individualized presentation decks in a seasonal campaign. Beyond the templatization process, a quality assurance round of each presentation was completed that scrutinized font, bullet, copy placement, punctuation, and colors, confirming proper branding and design consistency were carried throughout. This instance occurred at each Client-faced milestone check-in.
Conclusion
The success of these seasonal campaigns came in the form of continuous praise from our Client, as well as continued seasonal training campaigns across multiple seasons, with an average of six to eight individual presentation decks. Initially, this endeavor was taken on by a design team of three, myself included, but after only two seasons, my level of work led to me being the sole designer entrusted by my Creative Director to facilitate and service all aspects of design on forthcoming campaigns. This included all designing duties from the concept of seasonal campaign template creation through asset delivery to Client. From this point, I carried out all concurrent instructional training campaigns for the following three years. With continued Client praises and direct positive feedback given to our Project Manager, Project Director, and CEO, a campaign of this magnitude further established my design talents, business acumen, and client-facing interaction skills within my organization.
The success of these seasonal campaigns came in the form of continuous praise from our Client, as well as continued seasonal training campaigns across multiple seasons, with an average of six to eight individual presentation decks. Initially, this endeavor was taken on by a design team of three, myself included, but after only two seasons, my level of work led to me being the sole designer entrusted by my Creative Director to facilitate and service all aspects of design on forthcoming campaigns. This included all designing duties from the concept of seasonal campaign template creation through asset delivery to Client. From this point, I carried out all concurrent instructional training campaigns for the following three years. With continued Client praises and direct positive feedback given to our Project Manager, Project Director, and CEO, a campaign of this magnitude further established my design talents, business acumen, and client-facing interaction skills within my organization.