Framework Specification Management is the creation and organisation of values, items and templates that are required to support the use of specifications (Colours) within Framework. These specifications represent documents relating to selections such as colour, tile, or electrical selections. Framework Specification Management allows for consistent and accurate data to be available to complete the client's selections.
Design Considerations - Images
Images should be included in a comprehensive Specification Management solution, recorded against individual selections (ie. value range values). Seeing images make the selection process easier, and end-result selections reports are clear and engaging, providing a professional result from the selections process.
It is important to note that the third-party (on-screen and reporting) tools used by Framework to display and print images do not support the level of flexibility in images sizes and dimensions that might be desired. Careful consideration should be given to developing standards around images used in Specification Management to achieve a consistent and professional result.
When collecting and preparing images for inclusion in Specification Management, the following should be considered.
Supported Image Formats: .bmp, .jpg
Image Dimensions:
Images can be of any dimension, however as many images are often displayed together, any uniformity that can be achieved in image dimensions and/or aspect ratio will improve the aesthetic of any report output. How images will appear in Specification management reporting and output should be a specific focus. Showing images in reports can be done in one of two ways:
- A fixed shape/ratio (ie. horizontal and vertical size, resulting in a specific aspect ratio, eg. 600x300 is 2:1). With this option, any image shown (regardless of size) that is not in the same aspect ratio as the fixed shape will be skewed or stretched to fit the fixed shape. This option provides for reliability in the way images are printed, as they will be a uniform size every time. It can also be easier to source and manage images as their actual dimensions are unimportant. It is however important that the images have the same aspect ratio.
- Actual size. With this option, images on reports will "grow" to show their true size. This does not require images to be of any specific aspect ratio, as they will change size to suit their display requirements. Allowing different images to be bigger, smaller, taller, wider, etc. than one another can be advantageous. It typically does not provide for uniform reporting as fixed shape reporting, and it is highly recommended that a maximum width of all images be determined to avoid unpredictable report results. With a fixed width established, images can be of any height (and aspect ratio), and can be reliably reported.
Note: Of the two options above, option 1 (fixed shape/ratio) is recommended. If adopting option 2, a maximum fixed width for all images of between 450 and 600 pixels is recommended.
Image Size: Less than 50kb (ideally), and no more than 150kb (preferably)
Note: As images are rendered/printed as small pictures/swatches, images of a greater size do not necessarily improve the end result. Additionally, as many images are included in a single Specification Management report, large images can make a report too large to render, and/or can be too large to PDF and send as an email attachment.
Important: Before finalising decisions around these considerations, test adding images to Framework, and be comfortable with the nature, quality, etc. of how they appear both within the system on-screen during the selection process and also in selections reporting.