DESIGN, PROTOTYPING & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
QBS Design has created hundreds of successful products for clients around the world. We believe that successful design highlights important content features and makes them visible to reviewers and customers. It also enhances user experience by improving readability and supports visual learners with integrated graphics, images, and considerate text.
The specific challenge of designing covers and packaging is to create a unique brand that maintains a program identity, stands out in the marketplace, and is consistent with the client’s overall product line. A successful branding solution will have a major positive impact on sales.
The QBS Digital Content Engineering team provides digital products, solutions, and services for education businesses. Our solutions range from engaging learning products to games, simulations, interactive content, animation, video, and augmented reality.
Successful user interface and user experience design requires careful planning, testing, and revising. Content development grows from research and collaboration to develop storyboards and wireframes that reflect the interactivity and goals of each component. The content, interface, and experience must work together for a successful product.
QBS offers high-end Illustration (2D and 3D), animation, and art management services across the US, UK, Australia, Europe, and Asian markets.
We use analytical and imaginative processes for image research to meet our clients’ requirements. We select images only from trusted sources to avoid any copyright issues Once selected, images can be used widely i.e. in books, magazines, websites, etc.
QBS Learning provides end-to-end accessibility services to ensure compliance with Section 508, WCAG guidelines and ADA standards. Our approach to accessibility begins with a thorough evaluation of both content and delivery platforms to identify non-conforming elements and build a remediation plan which addresses the full spectrum of visual, hearing, speech and cognitive disability requirements that need to be met to be in full compliance with state and federal guidelines for accessibility
Our team of accessibility experts incorporates best practices, such as ensuring that accessible technology is Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR), to ensure your offerings are fully compliant
Project Management is about application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Project Managers at QBS understand this very well and strive to provide the best service to clients every time.
Design, Prototyping, & Product Development
We listen to your vision and identify strategies to best actualize that vision.
We listen to your vision, and identify strategies to actualize that vision. The QBS design team consists of experienced design leaders and designers in New York, Chicago, New Delhi, and other locations around the US and the world. We assemble teams based on project needs and utilize the strongest talent available.
Each project is unique, but our collaborative design model allows us to make the best use of both our experienced senior design leaders and our cost-effective international design teams to create custom workflows for each project.
The advantages are:
- Efficiency and scalability
- Maximizing contributions of most experienced design leaders at key stages
- Chance for entire design team to be involved with prototyping and execution
- Getting design leaders (directors and managers) at internal and client meetings throughout the project
- Recursive review and revision process leads to faster approvals
- Collaboration within QBS reduces need for client intervention
- By combining the cost efficiencies of our talented international designers with the experience of our US designers, we provide substantial cost savings to our clients while providing top-shelf “boutique” design solutions.
Branding, Covers, & Packaging Design
Developing a unique brand—as visualized in corporate identities, program covers and packaging— is essential to success, and QBS has helped hundreds of clients become market leaders.
QBS has designed thousands of successful covers and program identities. The process of developing a brand—whether a single cover or a complex program with multiple components— begins with a design launch. We discuss the market and product specifications with the client team, develop and refine a design brief that describes the goals for the product, and begin the process of design and image research.
With the goals in mind, we begin a creative process of exploration, prototyping, evaluation, revising, and refining. Initial phases will have a broad range of options, which we evaluate and revise internally before sharing with the larger team and stakeholders. We then begin to narrow the approach to the most successful options and apply that direction to multiple components. Each phase results in feedback, further revisions and testing, and ultimately a clear direction that can be applied program wide.
Animation, Video, & Studio Services
QBS works with clients around the world to develop more than 7,000 videos, animations, and interactives every year. Our content creators, designers, programmers, and illustrators work together to provide the most dynamic experiences for all learning environments.
The QBS Digital Content Engineering team provides digital products, solutions, and services for education businesses. Our solutions range from engaging learning products to games, simulations, interactive content, animation, video, and augmented reality.
QBS also has a large platform authoring team who is well versed and experienced in working on different industry leading authoring tools for customers around the globe.
Authoring tools range from assessment authoring platforms to platforms used for eBooks/interactivity/game/simulation development. QBS teams have worked on platforms including Habitat, Learnosity, Exact LCMS, Avallain, Alfresco, Sleave.
We have a 150-member team, comprised of production engineers, programmers, animators, video editors, and quality engineers. Digital production team works closely with our editorial team to bring in the domain/subject matter expertise to ensure high quality product delivery to our customers.
- 500 videos edited per year
- 1,200 animations developed per year
- 6,000 interactives created per year
We concept and develop the animation, with the goals of capturing the attention of target audiences, meeting the goals in a unique presentation, and reflecting the brand’s style and tone.
The QBS pricing model is very competitive. We understand the budget requirements of our customers.
Our focus is always to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers. Our animations are engaging and follow the requested style.
QBS offers a one-stop shop for technology solutions with its vast experience of successfully delivered projects to our clients across the globe.
Specialization in education technology /content technology:
- QBS is well equipped with the latest tools and practice.
- Our team is experienced at manual and automation testing exposure in content, functionality, compliance and standards, APIs, and database verification and validation.
UI/UX, Wireframing, and Storyboarding
Creating excellent user experience is our priority on every project, regardless of media.
User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design are two different aspects of creating a digital product that QBS understands. UI involves creating a visual system for navigating and displaying information. User Experience is the emotional and intellectual response of the user with the product. Like signage at a busy airport, a good interface will easily lead the traveler to their destination and create a rewarding experience; while a bad interface will lead to delays, frustration, and an unhappy traveler. Considerations include:
- Is the user able to focus on content rather than format?
- Is the user able to experience ease-of-use and understand functionality without a steep learning curve?
- Can the user easily navigate their way from screen to screen and back?
A word frequently used to discuss user experience is empathy. When evaluating a user interface and the resulting user experience, every effort should be made to see the product through the eyes of the user, someone new to the format and the content. Anything that would be confusing, misleading, or leave the user stranded—wondering where to go next—needs to be identified and remedied. Navigational elements such as buttons, links, and menus need to be clear and self-explanatory.
Storyboarding is a way to provide “manuscript” for interactive media. The storyboard will include text, instructions to the designer and programmer, and possibly visual references. Wireframing is a means to demonstrate the interactive and sequential components of the content in a simplified format; frequently with basic buttons, menus, and all screen layouts to show the overall format for reviewers and programmers.
Creative and Technical Illustration
QBS Art Team
Our artists are knowledgeable about content and cultural sensitivities for both US and international markets. We bring contemporary illustration styles to update the look and relevance of educational content. Comprehensive art management with rigorous review and quality assurance ensures a successful art program. To do this, we:
- provide art direction and management.
- identify illustrators and styles appropriate for domestic and global markets.
- utilize proven illustration talent and continually search for new talent.
- participate in thumbnail meetings by offering ideas, artist suggestions, and scrap reference.
- write clear and concise specs for art, map, and animation
- work with Art Team, Art Buyer, Design, Content Specialists, and client to secure
- artist approvals.
- route specs to Design and Content Specialists and enter specs into client database.
- negotiate artist fees for commissioned art and supply artist contracts.
- supply art that adheres to client standards and is consistent with the project
- style and design.
- route artwork through Design and Content Specialists based on client processes.
- communicate illustration alterations and modifications clearly and promptly to artists.
- update project database as information becomes available.
- attend status meetings and provide weekly status reports following report guidelines provided by Client
Technical Art – Hybrid
QBS has an experienced technical artwork team that is responsible for producing and delivering technical artworks to be included in technical manuals, children and higher education books as well as medical books. The team is highly experienced and capable of creating illustrations and graphical diagrams that meet established content standards as well as customer-specific requirements. Our artists have deep experience with industry-leading page layout applications, vector- and raster-based illustration, graphing packages, and computational software programs used for complex scientific, engineering, mathematical, and computer science applications. Oversight and quality review is handled by art/design management in both the US and Delhi.
Photo Research
Finding the perfect image every time is an art in itself, and QBS takes that challenge very seriously.
Photo Research and Manipulation – Hybrid
The QBS Photo Research team consists of 15 experienced photo researchers, based both in India and the US. We provide image research and permissions services to clients in the US and abroad. Our team has the capacity to handle 6,000 to 8,500 specs per month. Basic photo manipulation— including color correction, retouching, silhouetting, and special effects— is handled by our production and art team, with more complex or higher priority work (such as covers) being handled by our US designers.
Accessibility Compliance
Helping all users easily access content is part of the experience that QBS strives to create in every project.
QBS designers test color accessibility as part of every design project to ensure the product meets all color contrast requirements. We test type and graphics for proper contrast and adjust as needed. Color type needs to be large enough and strong enough to be clearly visible and separate from the background. White type is especially important to test, as the contrast requirements dictate a fairly dark background, and certain colors such as yellow and orange on light backgrounds are best avoided.
Project and Art Management
QBS project management team functions through a Project Management Office (PMO) setup. PMO Manager provides direction & support to project managers by supplying template documents, driving best practices, conducting training & applying lessons learnt from past projects. We have a strong team of 13 project managers (U.S. & India based) experienced in handling variety of print & digital projects in K-12 space. We have managed remote/distributed teams across various regions/time-zones of the world. We are flexible with working hours and open to the needs of client. Our project managers are comfortable managing projects in traditional and agile workflows. We have also handled big end-to-end programs involving development of student books, teacher books & ancillary products for both digital and print. Responsibilities of a project manager at QBS begins as soon as the project is awarded and doesn’t end until the project is signed-off & archived. This allows our project managers to better initiate, plan, execute, monitor/control & close all project activities.
PMO Setup
Project managers at QBS are managed with a PMO setup. PMO provides support to PMs by providing templates, best practices, training, and lessons learnt from previous projects.
Project Management Responsibilities
Responsibilities of a project manager at QBS begin as soon as the project is awarded and don’t end until the project is signed-off, archived, and a lessons-learnt wrap-up meeting is held. This allows project managers to better initiate, plan, execute, monitor/control, and close all project activities. Project managers consider the following as key factors in managing a successful project.
- Identifying Requirements
- Addressing expectations of stakeholders
- Setting up, maintaining and carrying out communication among stakeholders (via emails, meetings, calls, etc)
- Managing requirements and expectations
- Managing/Balancing project constraints (if any) like scope, schedule, quality,
budget, resources, and risks
Project Management Tools
Project management tools play an important role in helping project managers provide real time data points that are critical to the success of any project. Our project managers have experience working in project management tools like Smartsheet, Trello, Wrike, and MS Project. An effective file tracking mechanism allows project teams to retain, organize, and access project files easily. We have also worked in various project setup frameworks like Alfreso, K4, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, FTP, etc.
Types of projects
Our project managers have experience handling variety of print and digital projects in the education space. We have managed remote/distributed teams across various regions and time-zones of the world. We are flexible with working hours and open to the needs of client. Our project managers are comfortable handling traditional and agile workflows.
We have handled large programs involving development of student books, teacher books, and ancillary products for both digital and print. We are currently managing projects involving learning object repositories like Safari Montage and content creation tools like Learning Maker.
Art Management/Art Direction – Art Buyer/Art Director/Designer
- Work with Art Team, Art Buyer, Design, Content Specialists, and client to secure artist approvals prior to production.
- Review manuscript, storyboard, or outline, and enter specs into database.
- Route art, map, and/or animation specs to Design and Content Specialists.
- Negotiate illustration fees within the project budget.
- Assign art, map, and/or animation specs to approved artists.
- Procure art that adheres to client standards and is consistent with the project
- style and design.
- Supply artist contracts before assigning art.
- Route artwork through Design and Content Specialists based on client processes.
- Communicate illustration alterations and modifications clearly and promptly
- to artists.
- Update project database as information becomes available.
- Attend status meetings and provide weekly status reports following report
- guidelines provided by Client.
