Graphic Design Checklist for Australian Businesses

At‑a‑glance graphic design checklist

• Brand foundations: logo suite, colour, typography, imagery, iconography, tone
• Digital assets: website graphics, landing page modules, ad creatives, email banners, social templates
• Print assets (AU): business cards (90×55 mm), A4/A5/A3, DL, posters, signage, packaging
• Specs: sizes, margins, grids, file formats (AI/EPS/PDF/SVG/PNG/JPG), RGB/CMYK, DPI/PPI, bleed and crops
• Accessibility: contrast, legibility, alt text, motion and colour‑only cues
• Licensing: fonts, stock imagery, icon sets, illustration rights and usage limits
• Handover: source files, exports, naming, version control, brand guidelines, usage examples
• QA: spelling, alignment, colour consistency, link checks, pre‑press proofing, device tests

Brand identity essentials

Good design work starts with clear brand foundations. Lock these down before you commission asset production.

• Logo suite: primary, secondary, horizontal/stacked, mono, reversed; vector masters (AI/EPS/PDF) and web exports (SVG/PNG)
• Colour: named palette with HEX, RGB, CMYK, and Pantone where required; accessibility contrast notes
• Typography: approved families, weights, sizes, web-safe fallbacks, licensing details
• Imagery: photography style, illustration rules, icon style, do/don’t examples
• Layout: grids, spacing tokens, corner radius, button styles, card patterns
• Voice and tone: short copy examples for headlines, CTAs and disclaimers

If your brand foundations are not documented, start there. A short, usable brand guide prevents rework and ensures consistent assets across channels.

Digital design checklist

Specify exactly where assets will be used and at what sizes. Provide copy, imagery and usage examples to reduce guesswork.

• Website and landing pages: hero banners, feature modules, icon sets, diagrams, blog feature images, favicons, OG images
• Ads: Google Display, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), LinkedIn, retargeting sizes; static vs motion variants
• Social media: post templates, story/reel covers, highlight icons, profile/cover images per platform
• Email: header banners, module illustrations, signatures, icons, dark-mode safe variants
• File formats: SVG for UI, PNG for transparency, JPG for photos, MP4/GIF for motion where supported
• Accessibility: text size and contrast, alt text guidance, link/hover/focus states
• Performance: web-optimised exports, modern formats where applicable (e.g., WebP), responsive sizing

Print design checklist (Australia)

Confirm sizes, stock, finishes and pre‑press requirements with your printer before artwork starts.

• Common sizes: business cards 90×55 mm, A6, A5, A4, A3, DL 99×210 mm, posters (A-series), pull‑up banners
• Bleed and crops: minimum 3 mm bleed, crop/registration marks as specified by printer
• Colour and images: CMYK, spot colours (Pantone) if needed, 300 DPI images, avoid RGB in print files
• Stock and finish: gsm, matte/gloss/satin, lamination, spot UV, foiling, folds and binding
• Proofing: soft proof (PDF) and one printed proof for colour‑critical jobs
• Supply: press‑ready PDF/X standard requested by printer, outlined fonts if required, linked images packaged

File delivery and handover

Avoid asset gaps by being explicit about what you expect at project completion.

• Source files: AI/INDD/PSD as applicable, with organised layers and linked assets
• Exports: SVG/PNG/JPG/PDF in named size variants (e.g., hero-1600, hero-1200, hero-800)
• Naming and versioning: clear file names, semantic folders, version history notes
• Guidelines: 10–20 page PDF brand guide with usage examples and do/don’ts
• Licensing: proof of font and stock licences, usage rights and expiry dates
• Access: shared drive or DAM location, permissions, and a handover checklist signed off

Quick QA before you approve design work

• Spelling, numbers and legal text are correct
• Colours match the brand palette across print and digital
• Type hierarchy and spacing are consistent
• Accessibility: contrast, alt text, link and focus states
• Responsive checks: assets look right on mobile/desktop
• For print: bleed applied, crop marks present, images at 300 DPI, CMYK

Common graphic design mistakes

• Starting asset production without a documented brand foundation
• Requesting “one size” assets that don’t fit channel requirements
• Using the wrong colour mode or resolution (RGB/low DPI for print)
• No accessibility standards, causing readability issues
• Forgetting source files, licensing proof or guidelines at handover
• Skipping printer consultation and physical proofing for colour‑critical jobs

Plan scope, timelines and costs

Costs change with number of assets, iterations, custom illustration, motion, packaging or complex pre‑press. If you’re unsure how to scope, start with objectives and a short asset list tied to specific channels and page templates.

Related Graphic Design pages

More helpful pillars

FAQ

• Do I really need source files? Yes. Request AI/PSD/INDD plus exports. Source files let you update assets without starting from scratch.
• RGB or CMYK? RGB for screens. CMYK for print. Ask your printer for a profile and supply press‑ready PDFs with bleed.
• Which sizes for social? Prioritise square (1080×1080), portrait (1080×1350), story/reel cover (1080×1920) and landscape (1200×628) where relevant.
• How do I avoid blurry prints? Use 300 DPI images at final size and export CMYK PDFs with bleed and crop marks.
• What about fonts and stock images? Ensure licences cover commercial use, keep receipts, and store them with your brand guide.

What a sensible next step looks like

List the channels you need assets for, define sizes and formats, then attach your brand foundations. Share this with your designer and agree on file delivery and QA before work begins. This keeps timelines tight and avoids costly rework.