The creative folder
Help you and your colleagues navigate the folders on the server in an intuitive way.
Overview
- Organization of the creative folder
- The assets folder
- Naming your files
Organization of the Creative folder
- The folder struture
Small project scenario
If your project is small and only requires one item of design then try to keep your folder structure as minimal as possible.
Inside the “JPG” and “PSD” folder should only be the most recent version of the PSD/JPG and an Archive folder. Nothing else. All older files should be archived.
Large project scenario
Some projects may have multiple design requirements, so split up the folders into categories (Project X: website, email template, promo banners.
Website: home, category, section, cart, etc)
Add a numbering system to each folders in either show order or priority.
(01.Website: 01.Home, 02. category… etc.)
2. Archiving
Archiving is essential to keep the creative files organized. Older files should be archived by date <YYMMDD>.
The assets folder
Organize and make assets readily available to other designers and developers. No one should have to go hunting to find original assets.
- Logos & brand elements (Logos, fonts, guidelines)
- UI Elements (Buttons, overstates, Iconography, etc.)
- Photoshop Assets (Color swatch palette, paragraph styles, etc.)
- Stock Photography (All photography found for project)
- From Client (Any files or assets from the Client)
- Templates (Pre-setup Photoshop files of design page template e.g. desktop webpage with guides)
Naming your files
ABSOLUTELY NO SPACES!
Do not use spaces when naming files.
Only use underscores (_) or Hyphens
Using spaces breaks the file server path.
Design/01.Website/01.Home/Desktop/PSDs/Homepage_2014.12.28_LC.psd
<Description>_<Date_YYMMDD>_<Designer’s_initials>
Homepage_141228_LC.psd
Not this!!
<Verizon_DeviceWall_Homepage_v9.psd
Most designers will have their own naming convention that’s easily understood by themselves but unfortunately not by everyone else. To avoid confusion we want to introduce a standard convention that is straight forward to use and understand.
