Critical Comparison of Brochure, Web Site & Mi-Card
Design and Production Process
Functions & Content
Cost & Distribution
Design & Production Process
D & P |
Brochure |
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Scope & Definition |
Definition of Project, Intended audience, Objectives, Budget setting, Vendor selection, Schedule (printer & distribution) | Definition of Project, Audience broad & diffused, Objectives, Budget setting, Vendor selection, Schedule (launch & marketing, advertising) | Definition of Project, Audience focused & controlled, Objectives, Budget setting, Vendor selection, Schedule (distribution) | Depends on project size, no. of pages, content, fulfillment of objectives, ratio of new artwork vs existing art & web pages | Brochure & web site tend to require more time to define scope than Mi-Card, especially on vendor interaction | Limited free vendor session available for scoping. Trade off between internal & external resources &cost |
Requirement & Specification |
Ideas, Vision, Expectations, Fulfillment of objectives, Design & print quality & quantity, Color req't, Packaging, Means of distribution | Ideas, Vision, Expectations, Fulfillment of objectives, Site map & navigation, Design quality , No color limit, ISP Hosting selection | Ideas, Vision, Expectations, Fulfillment of objectives, Content navigation, Design quality, No color limit, direct mail or download | Req't definition process can be complex & iterative if project scope is broad & involved with many people. Experienced vendor helps. | Gathering req'ts is most time consuming for web site, next brochure then Mi-Card. | Dedicated internal resources may save time but not necessarily cost. Definition session with several vendors desired. |
Brainstorm |
Brainstorming with contractors highly desired. Content, Visual, Message, Audiences & Expected impact. Insist on mock-up versions if not too costly. | Brainstorming with web designer & req't holder important. Iterative versions produced by brainstorming valuable. | Brainstorming led by project coordinator sufficient to produce consensus. On-line brainstorming session very feasible. | Brainstorming verifies and improves on the definition & req'ts hence its complexity is directly related to the complexity of the project scope. | Allow at least two sessions to converge conclusions. Experienced vendors bringing samples saves time to reach consensus. | Mi-Card can better reuse past or existing artwork and web pages than brochure and web site can, hence saving resources and cost. |
Prototype & Review |
Print prototype is generally a mock-up presented and reviewed in a meeting to have interactive feedback | Web site prototype fully functional, can be reviewed by a large number of users & a focused group remotely but presentation desirable. | Mi-Card prototype fully functional like web site, also can be in CD-R format distributed for simultaneous review. Its intrinsic interactive features very helpful. | Prototyping brochure is more complex and costly hence only mock-up presented. Web site & Mi-Card have prototyping advantages. | Multiple versions of prototype reviewed by many users either on-line or on CD-R can be very productive. | On-line prototyping saves resources & cost for web site & Mi-Card. Many tools available. |
Production & Maintenance |
Production cost is a significant portion of
the budget. Color, production volume, inventory, delivery, reprint &
reusability limitations major concern. Fulfillment of brochure
mailing & feedback issues |
Hosting cost is the production and maintenance. Launch needs marketing & advertising. Maintenance contract separate from production. Selection of ISP. | CD replication is the production cost, competitive to other media. Selection of vendor, volume consideration, Call feature & utility maintenance amortized over many clients | Brochure production can be complex, if content and packaging are complex. Paper & ink material, weight in transportation & mailing logistics. | Production schedule is not an issue with web site and Mi-Card. Web site launch needs separate process and schedule. |
Production involves subcontracts, Mi-Card replication cost competitive to paper brochure especially at high end complexity. |
Functions & Content
F & C |
Brochure |
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Multimedia |
Text, image, color, fonts and insertions of scents and audio feasible but expensive. Generally a push media by direct mail or tradeshow. | Text, fonts, color, image, graphics, audio and video. Pull media not a push media. Rely on search engine & other media advertising such as Mi-Card. | Text, fonts, color, image, graphics, audio and video. Focused presentation with Internet telephony. Pull media & a push media. CD & Download distribution big advantage. | Content dictates multimedia complexity. Brochure has intrinsic limitation, web site bandwidth limitation & Mi-Card least limitation. | Original multimedia content requires time to produce. Reuse best strategy. Integration tools very efficient for Web Site and Mi-Card. | Multimedia resources and tools plentiful on-line and off-line. Print world more McIntosh centric. CD sources most compatible with Mi-Card. |
Utility |
Information, reference, catalog, directory, survey form & document in various formats, book, pamphlet, and flyer. | Information, reference, catalog, directory, multimedia document, interactive form, transaction, A/V broadcast, game, search & rich hyperlinks. | Information, reference, catalog, click & call directory & telephony, multimedia document, interactive form, transaction, fast audio video, game, search & rich hyperlinks. Name card & archive. | Brochure has simplest user interface & requirement but limited utilities. Web & Mi-Card offers rich utilities some are complex to novice users. Internet telephony gained acceptance in quality & ease of use. | New utilities require time for development. Integration of existing utilities are simple to do. Many are free for the picking. Web site & Mi-Card do require Internet. | Mi-Card and web site can take advantage of on-line resources. Clients own utilities tools can be included to increase Mi-Card and web site value to customers. |
Content |
Visual effect & text content (information) provide value. Sales coupon & inserts may increase value. | Multimedia content (information & edutainment) provide value. e-commerce & transaction, free download including sales coupon add value. | MM high speed A/V and database content (information & edutainment) provide value. Internet telephony & directory, e-commerce & transaction, free download including sales coupon add value. Focused utility tools useful. | Brochure content limited in complexity with obsolescence concern. Web site & Mi-Card highly flexible in update and reuse. Time variant info easily manageable. | Content development for web site can be very time consuming if fresh and varied look desired. Brochure has shortest "useful life over development time". Mi-Card longest useful life. | Hyperlink and search engine are the greatest values for information dissemination. Mi-Card compliments with web site in extending its use and persistence with users. |
Cost & Distribution
C & D |
Brochure |
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Material |
Paper, Ink, Color Film, and other accessories are costly with price increasing with time. | Server, network access and bandwidth are increasing in performance while lowering in price with time. | CD, CD-R & DVD & server, network access & bandwidth are increasing in performance while lowering in price with time. | Raw material availability & transportation logistics rather than production processes are the issues, hence making brochures less competitive. | Nature/seasonal dependence and environmental issues make material supply sensitive with time. This applies to most industries. | Paper depends on lumber & forest growth. Chips and plastics are less limited resources. |
Packaging |
Envelope, cover, and protective packaging for distribution are necessary items some require design effort. | No packaging issue. | Mi-Card takes advantage of the CD and DVD industry maturity. | Brochure has the most complexity in Packaging, design, vendor selection and labor handling. | Additional time must be included for allowing packaging design. | Web site requires no physical packaging. Mi-Card uses standard templates for CD packaging design & uses the low cost standard packaging available for high volume CDs. |
Distribution |
Distribution logistics, weight in transportation and increasing price of postage are challenging issues. More labor involved in brochure distribution. | No direct distribution issue but its marketing and advertising in paper media face the same issues. | Download used as an alternative or complimentary distribution means. Its light weight & simple packaging makes direct mailing and tradeshow distribution more cost effective. | Labor handling and transportation logistics are the main complexity in distribution for brochures web site advertising. | Express delivery of 2-3 days is the limiting factor for distribution relying on postal or package delivery. Over night delivery too costly. | FedEx & UPS have made package delivery efficient but cost is still substantial for bulky & heavy printed material. |