Design Project Onboarding Checklist

Welcome to JAB

Thank you for choosing JAB Design. We’re delighted to be working with you and appreciate the opportunity to help bring your project to life.

Every successful project begins with a shared understanding. This onboarding guide helps us better understand your project, your objectives and your expectations before creative work begins.

You do not need to have every answer today. Simply share what you already know, let us know what is still being considered, and we’ll work through the rest together.

The clearer the brief, the more purposeful the creative outcome.

Working Together

Over the years, we’ve found that a few simple practices help projects run more smoothly and make collaboration easier for everyone involved.

If you’re unsure about any part of this checklist, just ask. We’d much rather clarify something at the beginning than make assumptions later.

Primary Contact

Where possible, please nominate one primary contact person to coordinate communication and consolidate feedback on behalf of your organisation. This helps keep communication clear, feedback organised and everyone working from the same information throughout the project.

File Transfers

Our preferred method for sending and receiving project files is WeTransfer. It is quick, reliable and avoids the attachment size limitations of email.

Please send only vetted, final and approved content and assets. This includes written copy, photographs, illustrations, logos and other supporting materials. Doing so helps minimise unnecessary revisions, avoid version confusion and keep the project moving efficiently.

Please let us know which content or images are still pending, and when the final approved versions are expected.

Please send original or high-resolution files separately rather than embedding images inside Microsoft Word or PowerPoint documents, as embedded images are often compressed and may not be suitable for design and production.

If multiple photographs or illustrations are supplied, it is helpful to indicate their priority using the following guide:

  • Essential – must be used.
  • Preferred – use where appropriate.
  • Optional – use if suitable.

Where final content or images are still pending, JAB may use dummy text (Lorem Ipsum) or image placeholders during the design process. This allows the design and layout to progress while clearly identifying items that require replacement before final artwork is approved.

Clear priorities, approved content and properly prepared files help us make informed creative decisions, reduce unnecessary rework and keep the project moving efficiently.

Reviewing Artwork

Our preferred method for reviewing artwork is by commenting directly on the PDF supplied by us.

Please consolidate comments from your team into a single marked-up PDF before returning it. This helps minimise conflicting instructions, reduce unnecessary revisions and allows us to implement changes more accurately.

Questions Along the Way

If something changes during the project—or if you’re unsure about anything—please let us know. We’d much rather discuss it early than make assumptions later.

1. About the Project

Let’s start with the essentials.

This helps us understand who is involved, how the project will be managed and how best to communicate with your team.

  • Organisation name
  • Project title or working title
  • Main project contact
  • Project team members
  • Final approving authority
  • Preferred contact details

Helpful tip:It is useful to distinguish between the person coordinating the project, those contributing feedback, the person authorised to give final approval, and any other stakeholders whose feedback should be considered before final approval.

2. Project Background

Every project begins with a reason.

Understanding what prompted the project helps us appreciate its purpose before discussing possible solutions.

  • What prompted this project?
  • Why is it being undertaken now?
  • What opportunity or challenge are you responding to?
  • Why is this important to your organisation?
  • What would you like this project to achieve?
  • What should remain unchanged?

The project may appear to be about creating a logo, publication, campaign, report or environmental graphics. Often, the underlying need is to improve understanding, strengthen confidence, create consistency or communicate more effectively.

Understanding the purpose behind the project helps us make better creative decisions throughout the process.

3. Previous Work

Looking back often helps us move forward more effectively.

If similar work has already been explored, we’d like to understand what has been learned.

  • Has anything similar been developed before?
  • Was it produced internally or by another creative partner?
  • What worked well?
  • What did not work?
  • Why was the previous direction not continued?
  • Are there existing materials we should review?
  • What would you like us to retain from the existing work?

Previous concepts, campaigns, publications, presentations and other relevant reference materials are always helpful.

4. Your Audience

Good communication begins with understanding the people it is intended for.

Rather than describing your audience only by age or demographics, think about who they are, what matters to them and what they need from this project.

  • Who is the primary audience?
  • Are there other important audiences?
  • What do they currently know or understand?
  • What might they misunderstand?
  • What is most important to them?
  • What should they understand, believe or do after this project?

Other audiences may include employees, partners, parents, investors, regulators, volunteers, distributors or the wider public.

5. Your Organisation

This section helps us create work that is authentic to your organisation rather than simply looking attractive.

  • What does your organisation do?
  • Why do people choose or support your organisation?
  • What should people remember about your organisation?
  • How is it perceived today?
  • How would you like it to be perceived?
  • Who are you commonly compared with?

References

Sometimes it is easier to show than describe.

  • Are there brands, organisations or projects whose communication you admire?
  • What do you find effective about them?
  • Are there approaches you particularly like?
  • Is there anything you would prefer us to avoid?

References help us understand your preferences and expectations. They are not intended to be copied.

6. Scope of Work

Now that we have a better understanding of the project, let’s define what needs to be created.

If every detail has not been decided yet, that’s perfectly fine. Tell us what is currently known, and we’ll help refine the scope as the project develops.

  • What needs to be created?
  • What is the purpose of each item?
  • Where will your audience encounter it?
  • Who will be using or managing it?
  • Are different sizes, formats or language versions required?
  • Will the work need to be adapted or expanded in future?

Every deliverable has a job to do. Understanding how each piece will be used helps us recommend the most appropriate solution.

7. Available Materials

The sooner we understand what is already available, the better we can plan the work and minimise delays later.

Existing Materials

Please let us know what is already available.

  • Logo files
  • Brand guidelines
  • Written content
  • Draft content
  • Photographs
  • Illustrations or icons
  • Charts, diagrams or data
  • Previous artwork
  • Online content
  • Reference materials

Content

  • Who will prepare the written content?
  • Who will review and approve the final content?
  • Will different language versions be required?
  • Are there copyright or usage restrictions we should know about?
  • Are there any mandatory elements that must appear in the artwork?

Preferred file transfer: Please use WeTransfer for larger files and artwork.

8. Timeline & Reviews

A realistic schedule allows sufficient time for creative development, reviews, revisions and production.

  • Preferred commencement date
  • Target completion date
  • Launch or event date, where applicable
  • Important milestones
  • Internal review periods
  • Any dates that cannot move
  • Periods when key stakeholders will be unavailable
  • Are there any scheduled meetings, presentations or board reviews that may affect the project timeline?

Please allow sufficient time for internal reviews and approvals. To help us implement revisions efficiently, we recommend consolidating comments from your team into a single annotated PDF before returning artwork.

9. Success & Considerations

Before we begin, it is helpful to understand what a successful outcome looks like from your perspective.

  • What would make this project successful?
  • How will you know it has achieved its purpose?
  • What outcome are you hoping to see?
  • Are there existing guidelines or requirements we should work within?
  • Are there any sensitivities or important considerations we should be aware of?
  • Are there any brand, corporate or regulatory guidelines we should work within?

Success is not always measured by the finished design. Sometimes it is reflected in better understanding, stronger engagement, improved consistency or clearer communication.

When everyone shares the same understanding of success, creative decisions become much easier.

10. Anything Else?

Every project is unique.

If there is anything we have not asked that would help us better understand your organisation, project or expectations, we’d be pleased to hear it.

  • Additional background information
  • Special considerations
  • Questions or concerns
  • Future plans related to the project
  • Anything else you feel would be helpful

Before You Send Everything Across

A quick check before sending your onboarding information:

  • Project objectives are clear.
  • The intended audience has been identified.
  • Key stakeholders have been identified.
  • Expected deliverables have been outlined.
  • Available content and materials have been gathered.
  • Important dates have been included.
  • Relevant files are ready to be shared via WeTransfer.

Do not worry if some information is still evolving. Simply let us know what has been confirmed and what is still being worked through.

Thank You

Thank you once again for choosing JAB Design.

We appreciate the opportunity to work with you and look forward to partnering with you throughout the project.

If you have any questions at any stage, please get in touch. We’re here to help.

Good projects begin with clear communication. Thank you for helping us get off to the best possible start.

More About What We Do

Our creative expertise spans four core disciplines:

Questions? We’re just an email away. info@jab.sg, or connect with us via our contact form.

We look forward to working with you.