'We can’t work in isolation': How the Design and Print Unit collaborate creatively

Justin Reeves reflects on the first year of the territory’s Design and Print Unit.

The Design and Print Unit provides design and printing services to corps, centres, divisions and teams. The new team was introduced in spring 2024 and includes a pool of designers with a diverse mix of skills as well as a print consultant. The unit’s head, Justin Reeves, talks about their collaborative approach to creativity.

How would you describe the Design and Print Unit?

We help people communicate their message in the most effective way possible. Our designers are attention‑grabbers. They’re embellishers and flourishers.

How many jobs have the team done in the past year?

We’ve worked on a wide range of projects, including Commissioning, Together 2024 and Belonging and Believing: The Big Conversation, as well as the upcoming Mission Conference. We’ve worked on roughly 22 corps projects. We’re still advocates for print, but print isn’t always the best way.

How do you approach a project?

We have a briefing form to ask what mission partners are trying to do – what story are they trying to tell? That then informs our conversations with them.

So it’s about collaborating and listening?

We can make anything look good, but for it to be meaningful, we can’t work in isolation. We want to help people communicate their message. If we all work in silos, no one wins.

What’s the benefit of this approach?

With joined‑up working, all the parties involved learn from and understand each other. The end product is always better as a result.

Do any projects stand out?

One corps wanted a banner to celebrate their 100‑year anniversary. They recalled seeing posters at the International Heritage Centre and requested something similar. We contacted the centre to look at posters for inspiration. With each party working to our strengths, we designed a banner that exceeded expectations.

Another good example is a recent report. Our designer realised it hadn’t been fully proofread and flagged that. The result was a more polished, professional report to show potential stakeholders. The local Army team also helped make sure that our design was inclusive and representative. By working together – giving and receiving feedback – we got a better outcome.

Is your role to manage that feedback?

Absolutely. I’m a facilitator. Not all feedback is necessarily implemented in the way people might expect. Changing a colour scheme, for example, can make a lot of difference. We worked on the Harvest materials for last year. While we stepped away from some stereotypical associations, we also leaned into the greens, the yellows, the agricultural earthiness. I was really pleased to see the result used at my own corps.

How do you build that culture of mutual accountability into the way the unit works?

You have to demonstrate it as well as say it. And why would I not listen to feedback? That’s how I’ve learnt during my time working in the Publishing Department, through feedback.

I want people to learn and grow, that’s how you get the best out of them. Part of my job is to help designers not just use their strengths but see where the gaps are so we can help them feel confident in doing things in other ways. I’m an encourager, and that’s because people encouraged me. I try to do things politely and respectfully – although I don’t always get that right!

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

Getting people to trust us. We have a team of professional, qualified and experienced designers. There are still people who don’t know what we can do. The other challenge is urgency caused through bad planning – you’ve always got to start with the end in mind to ensure a quality product that represents our organisation well. After all, we all want the best for the Army.

What’s the most exciting thing?

Supporting frontline mission. I love those ‘wow’ moments when we’ve delighted people!