Overview
Description: This policy defines roles and responsibilities for DHS publication and graphic design development. The policy also provides reference to associated procedures and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
Purpose/Rationale:
The purpose of this policy, associated procedures and the DHS Publication Design Guide are to ensure that publications:
- Clearly and effectively communicate information about the specific topic to the intended audience.
- Reflect the identity of DHS as a single, unified agency.
- Are consistent in certain writing and design elements.
- Show the DHS commitment to professionalism and quality while also being a good steward of limited resources.
Applicability: This policy applies to all DHS employees and contractors engaged in publication development, design or revisions of DHS publications.
Failure to Comply: Failure to comply with this policy or associated guidelines and procedures may result in disciplinary action.
Policy
- General
- The publication requirements noted in this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide reflect professional standards used in the publication design industry, standards required by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- DHS Publications shall have a high-quality, professional design. They will be designed following the DHS Publication Design Guide using commonly-held professional design industry standards that reflect well on DHS, can be produced economically, and designed to reach the appropriate audience.
- Publications include, but are not limited to brochures, posters, newsletters, pamphlets, flyers, reports, information packets, booklets, manuals, presentation folders, displays and charts.
- Before beginning work on a publication project, DHS staff and contractors should read this entire policy, accompanying procedures and the DHS Publication Design Guide to ensure compliance with design and layout standards and the required publication process.
- Roles & Responsibilities
- Web & Publication Design Team (WPDT)
- Has primary responsibility for layout, design and print coordination for DHS publications.
- Designs DHS publications, or works with and provides guidance and assistance to DHS staff authorized to design publications, following the standards set forth in this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- Designs custom artwork for DHS projects including icons, illustrations and fine art for printed publications and the Web.
- Will audit, on a quarterly basis, a random sample of publications produced by other authorized DHS offices (see Section 8.b., Exceptions) to ensure those publications adhere to the standards set forth in this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- Reviews contract proposals for graphic and publication design to determine if project work can be completed by the WPDT at no additional cost.
- Coordinates the printing, duplication and distribution of publications.
- Will retain publication preparation records, submitted to the WPDT, for a period of 1 year after the publication has been printed. (As required by Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR), 166-300-0015(23), General Records Retention Schedule-Administrative Records).
- Publication or Graphic Design Requestor or Requesting Program/Office
- Submit DHS publication and graphic design projects to the WPDT following DHS-130-001-01, Publication & Graphic Design Orders and Revisions procedure.
- Publication Content - The contact person working with the WPDT designer is responsible to provide final publication content at the time the request is submitted to WPDT. References such as laws, rules, statutes, quantifiable numbers, dollar amounts, Web sites, etc. should be verified in advance of submitting the project. In addition, the contact person is responsible for proofreading each draft and approving the final proof before the print job is started.
- Authorizing funds for printing
- A DHS employee who is authorized to release funds for printing must be designated on the DHS 2001, Publication & Graphic Design Project Request form when the project is submitted to WPDT.
- Following steps outlined in DHS-130-001-01, Publication and Graphic Design Orders and Revisions procedure, the person authorized to release funds for printing must, following receipt and approval of a Price Quote submitted by the WPDT designer, give approval to begin the print job.
- Will retain any publication preparation records, not submitted to the WPDT, for a period of 1 year after the publication has been printed. (As required by Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR), 166-300-0015(23), General Records Retention Schedule-Administrative Records).
- DHS Office of Contracts and Procurement/Contract Administrators/
Contractors
- The DHS Office of Contracts and Procurement will submit contract proposals for graphic and publication design to the WPDT to determine if project work can be completed by the WPDT at no additional cost to the Department.
- When WPDT determines it cannot perform graphic or publication design work outlined in the contract proposal, the DHS Office of Contracts and Procurement shall ensure that contract language reflects requirements set forth in this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- Contract Administrators will ensure publications produced by contractors adhere to this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- Contract Administrators will relay recommended or required changes in the publications to the contractor, unless otherwise agreed.
- Contractors performing publication or graphic design work for the department must adhere to the provisions of this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- Copyright Material
Material that is protected by copyright shall not be used without written permission of the owner. (Also see Section 4., Artwork, illustrations and photos, below.)
- Artwork, Illustrations and Photos
Artwork should advance the message of the publication, not distract the viewer from the message. See the DHS Publication Design Guide.
- If photos of people other than purchased photo art are used in a publication, a photo release form must be signed by the photo subject or guardian. The program office shall keep the release on file for the life of the publication. Photos shall only be used for that publication. A copy of the release must be included with the project when it’s submitted to WPDT for processing. (See DHS-130-001-01, Publications & Graphic Design Orders and Revisions procedure.
- Restrictions on use of photographs purchased from commercial photographers must be honored.
- Artwork used in other publications is protected by copyright even if it is not noted. Copyrighted images downloaded from Web sites or scanned from other materials shall not be used unless permission to do so is granted from the source. Documentation listing the web address giving download permission must be included with the project when it’s submitted to WPDT.
- Alternate Formats and Reasonable Accommodation Statements
DHS publications are required to include reasonable accommodation and/or alternate format statements as set forth in DHS-010-005, Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability for Programs, Services and Activities policy.
- Use of Logos
- All DHS publications must include the DHS logo in the most current form authorized by the DHS Chief Administrative Officer or a designee.
- An exception may be made when DHS develops publications in partnership with other agencies or entities and no agency logos are used.
- Entities within DHS may not develop or use separate logos. The DHS Director or a designee may grant limited exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
- When separate logos are approved, they may not be larger or more prominently displayed than the DHS logo. (See the DHS logo guidelines)
- Public Documents
- ORS 357.005(2)(j) provides for permanent public access to state government publications through the State Library. ORS 357.004 (2)(b) defines a public document to mean “informational matter produced for public distribution or access….”. DHS, through DAS Publishing and Distribution (P&D), must provide 10 copies of all public documents to the State Library in order to meet requirements of ORS Chapter 357.
- DHS offices/programs submitting publication and/or graphic design projects to the WPDT will indicate on the DHS 2001, Publication and Graphic Design Project Request form, if the publication is for internal or general public/external use. When the publication is for general public/external use, WPDT designers will, through defined electronic processes, provide DHS public documents to the State Library.
- DHS offices/programs who have been authorized, under Section 8.b., below, to retain publication layout, design and print coordination responsibilities for their publications, are required to provide the State Library 10 copies of those publications identified for general public/external use.
- Exceptions
- Color, Design and Printing
- As a standard practice, DHS publications should not be produced in full color. Full-color production is costly and inconsistent with the image of a human services agency with limited resources. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis following DHS-130-001-02, Publication Exceptions procedure.
- Publications will be printed using black (or very dark) ink only, or black/dark ink and a second color. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis following DHS-130-001-02, Publication Exceptions procedure.
- Expensive printing options such as die-cuts, specialized paper stock that is not a standard size or weight, and special application processes like varnishing or foil are discouraged. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis following DHS-130-001-02, Publication Exceptions procedure.
- Layout, Design and Print Coordination
- DHS programs/offices may request approval to retain publication layout, design and print coordination responsibilities by submitting a DHS 2001A, Exception Request form to the Web and Publication Design Team following DHS-130-001-002, Publication Exceptions procedure.
- WPDT will review and evaluate requests to determine a business reason exists to delegate layout, design and print coordination responsibilities. Business reasons may include but not be limited to time factors, logistics and workload volume.
- When a request is approved, the requesting office must ensure staff engaged in the publication layout, design and print coordination process possess adequate professional design skills to create or maintain professional looking documents, develop publications using the DHS standard graphic design and publication software and follow the requirements and standards of this policy and the DHS Publication Design Guide.
Procedure(s)
Form(s)
Reference(s)
Definition(s)
Publication – Publications include, but are not limited to brochures, posters, newsletters, pamphlets, flyers, reports, information packets, booklets, manuals, presentation folders, displays and charts.
Project Production Schedule – A written document outlining the timelines for design, layout, artwork, review times, changes, printing and distribution of a publication.
Price Estimate – An estimate is a professional opinion as to the selling price of a job based on probable labor and material costs calculated from information provided to the estimator by the customer.
Price Quote – A Price Quote is the actual cost of a job per the specifications provided on a work order. If the job specifications do not change and if there are no changes in the proof stage, a quote is a solid cost.
Contact
Policy History
- Version 3.0:
- 12/08/2005 - This revision changes and defines the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in DHS publication development, layout, design and printing. It includes new procedures for submitting publication project requests and publication exception requests and releases the DHS Publication Design Guide as the DHS standard for publication development.
- Version 2.0:
- 06/22/2005 - Policy renumbered from AS-010-002
to DHS-130-001 representing transfer of ownership from former
Communications Office to the Web & Publications Design
Team
- 01/27/2003 - Removed responsibility of
Communications Office to review publications prior to web
posting.
- Version 1.0:
- 02/22/2002 - Initial Release
If you have comments about this site, send email to dhs.policyinfo@state.or.us.
Oregon Department of Human Services
500 Summer St. NE E25, Salem, OR 97301-1098
Phone: (503) 945-5944
Fax: (503) 378-2897
TTY: (503) 947-5330