How these type of reports are made?

#1

Hey designers, I want to know how these type of reports are made? What software are used to create these type of reports? Below is the report sample.

https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/media/1951/file/Final%20Key%20Findings%20Report%202019.pdf

#2

You certainly need a vector graphics editor (e.g. Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Inkscape), a photo editor (e.g. Photoshop, Affinity Photo, GIMP), and a DTP app (e.g. InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Scribus).

The graphs might have been generated with a spreadsheet app or Illustrator.

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#3

Thank for the response, so each page might be design in Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop types softwares then merge in with Indesign softwares?

#4

I agree with @Jakub_Trybowski. Yes, most of the graphics were designed in Illustrator (or a similar vector application) and assembled into pages using InDesign (or a similar layout application). The spreadsheet-like tables could have been put together directly in InDesign or built separately and imported.

By the way, some people might hesitate to download PDFs from the web since they can contain malware. However, since this PDF downloads directly from UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund), I think it’s safe.

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#5

It is more accurate to say that the individual graphic elements (charts, photos, etc.) were created in Illustrator or Photoshop and the page layout work was done in InDesign.

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#6

I see, thanks for the response, how much charge these type of work cost? Is there is any AI tool which is can be used along with Graphic Softwares?

#7

I see, thanks for the response, how much charge these type of work cost? Is there is any AI tool which is can be used along with Graphic Software programs?

As for PDF, I did not know that even PDF can have the virus.

#8

That’s hard to say because a report like this one was produced by a team. Researching and compiling the information was likely assembled by a team of specialists who worked closely with government officials. Assuming they handed it off to a creative team to design the report, project managers, writers, copy editors, designers, art directors, and perhaps illustrators, photographers, cartographers, and translators would be involved.

The designer was probably on the creative team. However, if they had contracted with an outside graphic designer, the report design would have been a large project involving many custom-designed graphics, charts, graphs, tables, and illustrations. From my experience, the project would almost certainly entail bureaucratic oversight, delays, and interference, which would easily double the cost due to wasted time, multiple revisions, and overhead.

I don’t know how much a freelance design would cost in Pakistan. Even here in the U.S., the price would differ dramatically from one region to another and from one designer or design studio to the next. I’m sure a U.S. freelancer could be found to design it for $1,000, but the results would be poor and amateurish. To obtain the level of quality shown in the PDF, $10,000 to $15,000 (or even higher in some areas) might be more realistic.

AI is slowly being incorporated into various software applications — especially for photo and copy editing, but the results, so far, are not typically satisfactory for high-quality work. I don’t know of any AI that works well with vector graphics. This will change over time, but so far, the hype has exceeded the reality.

I’m also unsure. I suspect it’s a rarity. However, some forum members might hesitate to download a PDF from an unknown source, so I pointed out that the PDF downloads directly from UNICEF.

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#9

I see, thanks for the in depth response.