InDesign Advanced (1 Day)

Course Description

Adobe InDesign software speaks the language of professional designers, delivering unparalleled creative freedom, productivity, and precision for designing superb pages.

This 1-day course provides a focused overview of advanced InDesign features, including interactive and digital publishing, data merge and automation, high-end color management, and complex layouts. The course is an ideal combination of instructor-led demonstration and hands-on practice.

Who Should Attend

Creative professionals seeking the fastest, easiest, most comprehensive way to learn InDesign.

Prerequisites:

Practical working knowledge of computers and basic Mac OS X or Windows skills.
InDesign Fundamentals: An Introduction to InDesign class or equivalent experience.

Course Outline:

Note: The curricula below comprise activities typically covered in a class at this skill level. The instructor may, at his/her discretion, adjust the lesson plan to meet the needs of the class.

Lesson 1: Interactive & Digital Publishing

Creating interactive PDFs with hyperlinks, bookmarks, and buttons
Designing digital publications, slide decks, and digital forms
Adding audio, video, and animation effects with the Timing panel
Exporting to EPUB (Fixed Layout and Reflowable) and Publish Online

Lesson 2: Data Merge, Automation & Variables

Setting up data-driven layouts using Data Merge and CSV/TXT files
Target page generation for personalized collateral, badges, and catalogs
Working with Text Variables for dynamic content (metadata, chapter names)
Utilizing scripts for batch production and automated tasks

Lesson 3: High-End Color Management & Printing

Color settings, soft proofing, and spot-to-process conversions
Overprint Preview, Ink Manager, and Separations Preview
Transparency flattener presets and PDF/X standards compliance
Advanced export settings for commercial print vendors

Lesson 4: Complex Layouts, Vector Graphics & Accessibility

Advanced Anchored Objects and inline graphics placement
Pathfinder tools, compound paths, and custom frame shapes in InDesign
Tagging content and managing Reading Order for PDF Accessibility (Section 508 / WCAG compliance)
Multi-state objects (MSOs) for advanced interactive layouts