5 Tips for a Smooth and Fast Digital Design Process with ManyPixels

Eagerly awaiting your fresh digital design? In an ideal world, you’d have an immediate and endless stream of perfect designs. But hey, a ManyPixels subscription isn’t that far off! If you know how to make the most of your subscription, that is. Set yourself up for success with our tips for a smooth and fast collaboration.

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ManyPixels 101

If you’re new here, allow us to introduce ourselves. We’re ManyPixels, a subscription-based design service. There are three different pricing plans on offer, depending on your design needs and your business. The one thing they all have in common? Unlimited requests and revisions for a flat monthly fee.

What can you request?

To make the most out of your subscription, knowing all the possibilities comes in useful. In ManyPixels’ jargon, we speak of requests. A request equals one digital design project. So, to shed some light on what you can (and cannot) request with a subscription at ManyPixels, let’s answer the question: “what is digital design?”

What is digital design?

Digital designs are any design displayed on a digital interface, from online banners to social media graphics and everything in between.

But wait, does that mean you can’t request any print design? Don’t worry, because you most certainly can! However, ManyPixels will deliver your design in digital format. You can use these files digitally or take them to your nearest printing service.

Our scope of service contains the following:

• Social media graphics
• Business cards
• Flyers, posters, banners, brochures
• Infographics
• Books and e-books covers
• Custom illustrations
• Logo and branding design
• And more…

We use a straightforward platform that allows you to drag and drop your requests, pause and resume them, and mark them as completed.

Of course, there’s always the option of going on a Google and YouTube deep dive to get the hang of design lingo and basic design principles.

ETA of your graphic design projects

Understandably, you want your design as fast as possible. Here at ManyPixels, we plan on a day-to-day basis. That means you’ll get an update on your request every business day. However, that doesn’t mean you get a new design each day.

Design is a creative process, and while we work with digital designers with skill sets some would consider supernatural, they remain human beings at the end of the day. That means the estimated arrival time of your new design isn’t set in stone.

We can, however, give you a rough estimate of what you can expect as a daily output from your designer, which is as follows:

• 2-3 social media graphics
• or 1-2 custom illustrations (more if they are not too complex)
• or 2-3 display ads
• or 4-5 pages of a brochure, e-book, report, or slide deck
• or 1 GIF draft (2-3 sec)
• or 1-2 flyers
• or 1 logo draft
• or the first draft of a landing page

Remember, revisions also need to be factored in. So, bear in mind the expected output mentioned above is usually just the first drafts. Digital design work is hardly ever perfect from the get-go, but we’ve got you covered with unlimited revisions.

The image below sheds some light on how long a design project takes from start to finish. These are ballpark figures across the graphic design industry, depending on the project’s complexity. Our designers have been in the game for a while, so they’ll be able to give you much better estimates of when to expect your new design once your design brief is submitted.

5 Ways to get the most out of your ManyPixels subscription

Fortunately, some tips and tricks will help set you up for success. Whether you want create and implement a full design strategy, speed up the everyday design process, or both. With these five tricks up your sleeve, you’re bound to hit your collaboration out of the park.

1. Learn the ropes of digital design

You will have a hard time if you haven’t got a clue about what designs you need and in which formats. That’s why the very first step towards a smooth collaboration with a design service such as ManyPixels, is learning the ropes of digital design.

Before you get flashbacks to college life, know that you don’t have to become an expert on design. That’s what your designer is for, after all! However, it does help to know your RGB from your CMYK and your JPEG from your TIFF.

How to learn digital design basics

Luckily, we live in a digital age in which a wealth of resources are at your fingertips. When it comes to how to learn digital design basics, all you really need is an internet connection.

Here are some examples of resources that will help you learn digital design basics:

• The ManyPixels blog – Forgive us for shamelessly promoting ourselves, but our blog focused on design for beginners makes for an ideal starting point. From learning how to write a kick-ass design brief to giving your designer feedback and everything in between, we’ve got it covered!
• Skillshare – This platform is filled with how-tos in video format, coming straight from professionals. It’s aimed at the creative sector, and with the increasing popularity of design, you’re bound to find a class that interests you.
• Books – If you’re more of an old-school learner, picking up a book on graphic design is a fantastic way to absorb some design knowledge. We’ve compiled a design reading list here.

2. Share your vision and assets (and more)

One of the most valuable things you can give your designer is your vision. What do you want, and more importantly: why? Sharing your vision, inspiration, brand assets, and thoughts is a fantastic way to accelerate the design process.

Our ManyPixels platform has a dedicated section where you can upload all of your brand assets and inspiration.

To gather inspiration and provide your designer with information, here are some handy tools:

• Loom – With Loom, you can easily record your screen and yourself to explain what you think of a design. Remember, the why is essential, so an explanatory video can work miracles to ensure a revision hits the nail on the head.
• Balsamiq – A foolproof tool to quickly and easily create wireframes. For example, if you need a banner, it’s very helpful for your designer to envision its place on a page.
• Behance – Get inspiration by browsing through one of the biggest online graphic design platforms. Behance displays endless amounts of design projects created by professional designers and studios from all around the world.
• Slack – Our Dedicated Designer plan allows you to communicate in real-time with your designer via Slack. Slack is a straightforward platform that will help you to communicate more effectively with your team and your designer.
• Figma – With Figma, you can collaborate on a design project. You can use it to your advantage once you receive your design from your ManyPixels designer and want to discuss it with your team. Make sure to record with Loom and send it to your designer after, and you’re guaranteed a kick-ass revision coming your way at lightning speed!

3. Define your digital design needs

You can bury your designer under a mountain of online graphic design inspiration, but if there is no clear aim for the design you need, you’re not getting anywhere. It may sound like kicking in an open door, but we can’t emphasize the importance of defining your needs enough.

With defining your design needs, we don’t mean leaving your designer hanging with “one social media graphic.” We mean delving into the nitty-gritty of what you need and why.

Here are some questions you can answer that will help your designer tremendously:

• On which platform is the design being used?
• What is the aim of the design?
• What motivates your choice towards this particular design?
• Who is the target audience for this design?

4. Prioritize your graphic design projects

Our service is truly unlimited, and to make the most out of this feature, it’s crucial to prioritize your design projects.

At ManyPixels, our way of working revolves around the queue of requests. You can submit as many requests as you like, which will be placed in your queue. Each working day, our operations team will discuss with your designer what should be worked on for the day.

Mastering your queue will help you manage your requests and make the most out of the unlimited feature. The most important thing is to prioritize your graphic design projects and place them in the corresponding order. Your top request is the most important and will receive immediate attention from your designer.

5. Request a variety

A quick brush-up of an existing online graphic design costs significantly less time than creating a full-fledged design from start to finish. And that’s why our final tip is to use your unlimited requests to your advantage by requesting various options.

For example: when you’re requesting an ad for Facebook, request the same ad in sizing for Instagram. Or, if you need a banner, request one with and one without text. This way, you have a brand new asset on hand that you can use down the road for other campaigns.

Of course, your designer will focus on the initial version of the design first. But once that is done and dusted, your designer will quickly knock out additional variations.

Ready to get started?

An unlimited design service in your corner can significantly boost your business and allow for a more efficient team structure. And with these tips and tricks, you’re well-prepared for a smooth, hassle-free collaboration! Are you ready to get started? Pick a plan, or schedule a demo call for a sneak peek of our platform.