THE CARD DESIGN

GuIDe
BOOK

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO CREATING

DYNAMIC, EFFECTIVE AND SECURE ID CARDS

Presented by

BONUS
SECTION:

CARD
DESIGN
GALLERY
 INTRODUCTION ID CARD ANATOMY
CREATING ID CARDS HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER

The Anatomy of a Secure ID Card

A secure ID card is more than a name and a photo. It requires visual security elements to
protect itself from tampering and forgery. Technology cards include embedded electronics,
antennas and smart chip contacts that usually affect card design.

Customized Card Features

Welcome to our Logo

step-by-step guide. THE

Holographic
overlaminate
CARD DESIGN
Smart card contacts
If you have been charged with
designing ID cards for your
organization, you have an
GUIDE BOOK
Custom background
photography

Over-the-edge
important responsibility. High Definition Printing™
Creating an effective ID card design
Custom graphic design
involves more than meets the eye.
However, with a little planning and
consideration of the best practices CONTENTS
discussed in this guide, it will be an
Technology Card Features
Introduction 2
Holographic
enjoyable experience.
ID Card Anatomy 3 overlaminate
After reviewing this simple step-
Smart chip contacts
by-step overview and our gallery of How to Design an ID Card 4

existing ID cards, you’ll be ready to High Definition

ID Card Gallery 18 Printing (HDP®) Film
begin — or enhance — your own
Technology card top
design. Creating dynamic, effective
and secure ID cards has never been
easier.

Proximity antenna
Good luck!
Smart chip antenna

Technology card bottom

2 The Card Design Guide Book

 STEP 1
DEFINE PARAMETERS
Define the parameters
of your ID card design
Creating an effective ID card design involves
more than meets the eye.
That’s why this first step is so important. You
need to understand the objectives of your
organization’s entire ID card program.
While designing a visually attractive card is
also important, it’s secondary to designing a
card that helps:
❏ Enhance physical and logical security
❏ Increase efficiency and productivity
❏ Reduce vulnerability to counterfeiting
❏ Reflect the organization’s brand identity
These objectives will later help determine the
parameters of your card design.
4 The Card Design Guide Book
HOW-TO STEPS
▲
At the beginning of your process, consider talking with an expert in card identity systems. Whether
your cards are designed to protect your organization or promote it (or both), authorized Fargo
integrators are an excellent resource to help you define and achieve your objectives.
PEOPLE
PRIVACY
PROPERTY
▲
PRODUCTIVITY Here are a few questions about ID card
objectives to help you start defining the
PROFITS parameters of your ID card design:
PRIDE ❏ How many employees, contractors
and visitors do we have? Will we have
separate card designs for each?
▲
ID card program ❏ How many different areas of our
objectives will organization will interact with the
strongly influence cards? Will we need different levels of
your ID card design security clearance for each?
parameters.
❏ Does our card design need to comply
with any government regulations?
❏ How will we verify and authenticate the
identity of each cardholder?
 STEP 2 HOW-TO STEPS
DETERMINE SECURITY Holograms can be loaded with high-tech, layered security features from
microtext and fine line (guilloche) designs to optically variable devices
(OVDs) like animated morphing imagery.
▼

Determine the level

of visual security you
will need on your card

▲
The starting point of
A color photo on a plain white card just any secure ID card
design is a 300 dpi
isn’t enough anymore. Today, anyone with color photograph.
From a design
a computer can create a legitimate-looking Daniel Garcia perspective, the
ID card with ease. Proper card design can larger and more ▲
vivid the photo is, Holographic foils and
help reduce your vulnerability to counterfeit the easier it is to images, like those found
authenticate the on credit cards, may
ID cards. Incorporating holographic 92-38848973 cardholder. be applied to a card’s
security elements that are difficult to surface or embedded
below its surface for even
forge, yet easy to authenticate, should be
▲ more security.
the first consideration in a secure card An authorized Fargo
integrator can be an
design. There are choices for every need

▲
excellent resource for Holographic overlaminates
and budget, from basic elements such determining the security can contain an off-the-shelf
elements in your next holographic design, or you
as a simple foil to sophisticated solutions card design. can create a custom design
for even greater security
such as custom-designed holographic — and brand enhancement.
overlaminates.

6 The Card Design Guide Book

 STEP 3
DETERMINE TECHNOLOGIES
Determine the
technologies that your
ID card will have
The card technologies your organization
uses will influence your card design.
They will also affect the selection of the card
printer/encoder you’ll use. But you can still
create a great-looking card, if your design
accommodates technologies such as:
❏ Bar codes
❏ Contact and contactless smart cards
❏ Proximity antennae
❏ Magnetic stripes
Whether on the inside or outside of the card,
these technologies can alter surfaces and
make printing any design more challenging.
8 The Card Design Guide Book
Achieving an effective ID card design involves three layers: functionality,
security and graphics. When making decisions about these elements, it HOW-TO STEPS
is smart to involve the experts, whether they are your security personnel,
ID card system integrators or graphic designers.
▲
▲
Do you plan to utilize a bar code in
your operations?
▲
Remember to allow adequate space
around it to ensure trouble-free
scanning. Also, if your bar code is
printed on a background color, be sure
that background color provides sufficient
contrast for scannability.
▲
Designing a card with a magnetic stripe?
Remember that some elements like this
have fixed positions on ID cards.
▲
The electronics inside proximity cards
▲ create an irregular card surface. For
Cards with embedded consistent image quality on prox and
electronics like smart other technology cards, consider using
cards or “clamshell” High Definition Printing™ technology.
proximity cards will
▲
affect your design and Most traditional direct-to-card printers
the type of printer that can’t print tightly around smart card
you will use. contacts without risking damage to their
print heads. High Definition Printing
Technology prints up to the contacts’
edges, and over the card edge for a high-
quality appearance.
 STEP 4 Many companies utilize both orientations as an at-a-
glance verification aid. Fully functional vertical cards are HOW-TO STEPS
DETERMINE LAYOUT
worn by full-time employees. Less functional horizontal
cards are worn by visitors and short-term contractors.
▲

Determine your
ID card’s orientation
and layout

For maximum effectiveness, explore both

▲
Divide your card into a grid and place
portrait and landscape orientations. fixed elements (i.e., smart card contacts,
magnetic stripes, visual security elements
There is no one right answer. As you arrange or punched holes) into position first.
You may decide that the back and front
the graphical elements of the card around the require different orientations for security.
technology elements (which usually can’t be
moved), ask yourself questions such as:
❏ How will the card be best displayed and
most used?
▲
❏ Where do the electronics on the card fall? Don’t forget! If
❏ Will the card need a hole punch for a clip you’re going to
have a lanyard
or lanyard? hook directly onto
the card, you’ll
❏ Is there critical information printed on the need to allow for
card that, over time, might be rubbed off a hole punch in
your design. Don’t
because of swipe abrasion? If so, consider get caught with
a hole in your
adding a protective overlaminate. organization’s logo.

10 The Card Design Guide Book

 STEP 5 HOW-TO STEPS
SELECT GRAPHICS AND TYPE FACE
Online stock photo companies can be a valuable resource for desiging
professional-looking cards with dynamic imagery.
▼

Select graphics
and a type face
for your card

▲
Bright colors typically work best. Dark
colors can adversely affect readability.
Likewise, pastel backgrounds can look
When designing your ID card, keep in washed out.
mind that it’s more than just a security

▲
A textured background minimizes flaws
device and functional tool — it’s also an in the card surface better than solid
backgrounds.
extension of your organization’s image

▲
and brand. An attractive and professional Contrasting colors are often used to
indicate different levels of access or
card will reinforce the right message about security clearance.
your organization and its employees. And

because a well-designed card is more likely
to be worn, it will go a long way toward
ensuring the effectiveness of your entire
▲
The cardholder’s photo is typically the
primary feature. That’s why it is important
▲ to use images of at least 300 dpi and to
Get a quick preview. make the photo as large as possible.
Fargo’s Create-a-

▲
Card online tool is a A good type face promotes easy
card program. great way to visualize readability for fast and accurate
and experiment with authentication. A “sans serif” font works
different card design best.
ideas. Just visit:

▲
www.fargo.com/ The use of only one or two fonts is
DesignTool suggested. Too many fonts can make a
card difficult to read.

12 The Card Design Guide Book

 STEP 6
CHOOSE PRINTER/ENCODER
Print, encode
and laminate
your ID cards
Now that you’ve invested the time to
develop a custom design for your ID cards,
it’s important to choose the right card
printer/encoder to help bring that design to
life. If your card has simple magnetic stripe
technology, or no electronics technology
at all, consider traditional direct-to-card
(DTC®) printing technology. If your card has
embedded electronics, or if image quality
is of the utmost importance, consider High
Definition Printing™ (HDP®) technology.
Regardless of your card design, there
are numerous printing, encoding and
laminating options available to meet your
on-demand needs.
14 The Card Design Guide Book
HOW-TO STEPS
Knowing the components and capabilities of your card identity system will
help you design a card that uses the system to your best advantage.
▼
A holographic overlaminate lets you add a graphics-
rich design layer to your card that substantially
improves card security and durability.
▲
▲
How would your new design
look on a High Definition card?
As their name suggests, High
Definition printers provide the
best print quality available in
today’s desktop card printer
market. From plain photo IDs to
high-security technology cards,
HDP technology helps designs
▲ jump off the card.
Visit www.fargo.com/
▲
compare for a side- Advanced ID card printers not
by-side comparison only print cards, they can encode
of reliable printing, multiple technologies and laminate
encoding and lamination them — all in one pass.
products that can help
bring your ID card
design to life.
▲
Card issuance software can improve
the efficiency of creating and producing
ID cards, and managing card issuance.
 STEP 7 HOW-TO STEPS
ID CARD TESTING

Test the image quality

and functionality of
your ID cards

▲
Testing your card design with the printer you intend to use will ensure that it won’t present any
surprises during mass card production.
Ensure a successful introduction by
performing comprehensive testing
prior to a large-scale implementation.
Identifying any performance issues at this
point will save significant time and money.

▲
Your new ID
Things to double-check: card will bring
a heightened
❏ Is the image quality consistent? level of security,
productivity and
❏ Is card data successfully read at all
efficiency to your
checkpoints?
▲ organization.
Does your color,
❏ If you’re using the cards to track imagery print as
you had planned?
activity, is that data being accurately Take the extra
time to make it
transmitted to your systems? right. You’ll be
Congratulations. Once you’ve tested your looking at your
ID cards, and the ▲
ID card system at all points in the process, design on them, Fine tune the imagery to your liking via graphics
for a long time. editing programs and your printer settings.
you can proceed with confidence.

16 The Card Design Guide Book

 fitness factory
ID CARD GALLERY baxter high school ID CARD GALLERY
SAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE ID CARD SOLUTIONS

globe labs, inc.

hayes county
Creating dynamic,
effective and secure
ID cards is something
every organization
can do.

While no two organizations are exactly

alike, many share similar goals and
challenges when it comes to securing
assets and increasing productivity.
Let’s take a look at some sample cards in
the ID Card Gallery. They may offer the
creative spark you need to improve upon
your own unique solution.

18 The Card Design Guide Book metro transit

 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY K-12 EDUCATION ID CARD GALLERY
MOUNT VIEW UNIVERSITY: A highly regarded liberal arts university STONE RIDGE SENIOR HIGH: A large suburban high school

Key Concerns: financial transactions, facility access, fraud prevention, brand enhancement Key Concerns: cashless cafeteria, attendance tracking, school pride, book and equipment tracking

What better way to reinforce its reputation as one of the

nation’s most prestigious and scenic campuses than by
Vivid, colorful
choosing a custom holographic overlaminate to go over a
The card serves graphics
background photograph of its renowned Mount View Park.
as a durable and enhance and
reusable ticket to reinforce the
all school sporting school’s image.
A student’s Students’ events and other Plus, the
identity and identification activities. students love
tuition account numbers to show their
balance — read are used to school colors.
via the card’s authenticate A large student
smart chip the user in photo helps staff
— must be legacy campus instantly verify The card’s bar
verified before facilities that individuals as code is scanned
they are allowed do not yet students of the at the beginning
to register for have advanced school. of each class
each semester’s card-reading to automate
classes. equipment. the school’s
attendance
tracking. In
emergencies,
this can provide
Mount View vital logistical
University was information to
able to offset responders.
some of their
card printing
costs through The Mustang’s With a simple
a sponsored principal and swipe of the
partnership with MVU students student council magnetic stripe,
FastBank. The and staff have agreed their code students can
card’s magnetic convenient and of conduct should pay for their
stripe offers speedy access be on every card. lunch, check
students and to library and out library books
faculty access to media center and access
FastBank materials as well athletic facilities
self-service as recreational after school.
kiosks equipment
throughout — all thanks to a
campus. convenient scan
of a 2D bar code.

20 The Card Design Guide Book

 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT ID CARD GALLERY
U.S. SECURITY DIVISION: A highly secure government agency HAYES COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER: An urban government facility

Key Concerns: regulation compliance, legacy system interoperability, security clearance levels Key Concerns: access control, security clearance levels, reputation enhancement, public safety

The crisp,
A large cardholder colorful Proud of its role The county used
photo on the card front graphics of the in the waterfront federal Homeland
and faint duplicate American flag redevelopment Security funds to
monochrome image on are designed initiative, the Hayes augment the security
the back are an easy to add a level County Government of its card identity
and effective way to of patriotism Center was eager system by adding a
deter counterfeiters and pride for to use professional custom holographic
who may only get a cardholders. photography of its foil to the front of its
look at the front of an new building on its cards.
ID card. ID cards.

To increase safety The magnetic

following an intruder stripe facilitates
Varying security The card’s
incident in the tiered access to the
clearance levels are smart chip
government center’s building’s floors.
communicated to allows virtually
previous location, Employee access
security personnel via up-to-the-
the county mandated to individual floors
a prominent color- second security
photo IDs for all is restricted to their
coded system on the clearance
employees — from appropriate security
front of the card. changes for
judges to janitors. clearance level.
facilities and
network access
as events
The use warrant.
of several Visitors to the
technologies restricted levels
on a single card of the center can
— one- and only be admitted
two-dimensional with an escort
bar codes, a and verified
smart chip, employee photo
optical stripe and signature.
and antenna
— are used to
interface with
both new and
legacy systems
in facilities
of varying
sophistication.

22 The Card Design Guide Book

 LARGE CORPORATE CAMPUS SMALL TO MEDIUM BUSINESS ID CARD GALLERY
WILSONMAYER: A global high-tech engineering conglomerate with multiple divisions TRIAD MANUFACTURING: A growing manufacturing firm

Key Concerns: ultra-high security, card durability, government compliance, access control Key Concerns: job and time tracking, inventory control, card security, brand enhancement

The complex
“turbine” The use of a large
A customized hologram around company logo on
holographic the WilsonMayer the front of the card
overlaminate provides logo reinforces plays an important
a sophisticated layer of the company’s role in reinforcing the
security and protects origins in the company’s new brand
against UV light space engineering identity following a
— helping to protect field. corporate acquisition.
the firm’s investment in
several thousand cards.
The victim of a
WilsonMayer recent industrial
incorporated marble espionage
pillars into the Triad opted for a
incident,
background of its tamper-evident
WilsonMayer Field employees scan
cards as a subtle nod holographic foil as a
incorporated their bar code at the
to the firm’s extensive cost-effective deterrent
biometrics and beginning of service
experience working with to card counterfeiting.
a smart chip to calls to initiate
government agencies. control employee a client project
access to sensitive tracking system at
floors of its the corporate office.
headquarters.
The card’s Note the visual
magnetic identification
stripe can be of color-coded
reprogrammed security clearance.
to allow
temporary
Triad Manufacturing is
access to The recent merger committed to providing
Swiping the magnetic
facilities during yielded a new mission our customers the highest stripe before using
long-term All elements statement now quality product possible
copy center services
through our skilled and
projects. of the identity proudly shown on the dedicated employees, automatically tracks
card, including back. Every employee our patented products,
the subsequent costs
and our state-of-the-art
the smart chip carries an ID card, manufacturing processes. to the appropriate
are FIPS 201 and therefore, every Triad employees will cost center.
serve our customers
compliant employee carries the with the highest level
— ensuring that mission. of professionalism and
WilsonMayer technical knowledge in the
industry.
is approved
for work with
government
agencies at all
levels.

24 The Card Design Guide Book

 HEALTH CARE LOYALTY & MEMBERSHIP ID CARD GALLERY
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL: One of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals FITNESS 4 LIFE HEALTH CLUB: An ambitious new club chain

Key Concerns: access control, security, data tracking, brand enhancement, patient experience Key Concerns: attendance tracking, equipment access, fraud reduction, brand enhancement

The card’s colors The card’s custom The club chose to A sign-in / sign-out bar code tracks the use of individual
and simple design holographic foil include a custom memberships and provides the club with valuable
were chosen for not only provides a holographic foil information used to initiate member-retention strategies
their ability to strong measure of on the card as upon periods of non-use.
communicate the security, it’s often a graphically
hospital’s pediatric a starting point for appealing way to
focus. communication protect against
between hospital counterfeiting and
staff and shy reduce fraud.
patients.

New patient-safety A smiling face and

measures require the use of animal
caregivers to scan shapes on the front
their card’s bar of the card help
code and then the provide a measure
patient’s chart before of comfort for the
administering drugs. hospital’s young
That information is patients.
then transmitted As the new kid
to a central patient on the crowded
database. health-club
block, Fitness 4
The magnetic Life aggressively
stripe restricts floor looks to reinforce The magnetic
access and reduces its brand and stripe facilitated
unwanted traffic mission with the introduction
through intensive- existing members of silver, gold
care units of the and prospects. and platinum
The hospital’s CEO
hospital. membership
requested that the
levels which
hospital’s mission
provide access
statement be
to special
included on the back
sections of
of the card “as a
each facility.
daily reminder of the
importance of our
mission.”

The magnetic stripe links to individual member profiles and

provides positive reinforcement and encouragement to individuals
on the workout machines as they approach their fitness goals.

26 The Card Design Guide Book

www.fargo.com

Headquarters
Phone: +1 (952) 941-9470
Phone: (800) 459-5636
E-mail: sales@fargo.com
▲

For more information about card identity systems that

Washington D.C.
Phone: (800) 459-5636
E-mail: govsales@fargo.com
Asia Pacific
Phone: +852 3160-9800
E-mail: asia.sales@fargo.com
Europe
Phone: +44 (0) 1440 714 850
E-mail: europe.sales@fargo.com
can enhance your ID card design, as well as make your
organization more productive and secure, contact your
authorized Fargo integrator today.
This data sheet is for informational purposes only. Fargo Electronics makes no warranties,
expressed or implied, in this summary. Company and product names and data used in sample
output are fictitious. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Fargo Electronics is
certified as meeting the requirements of ISO 9000:2001. High Definition Printing and UltraCard
are trademarks, and HDP, DTC and Fargo are registered trademarks of Fargo Electronics, Inc.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective companies. This
is not an offer of sale.
© 2007, Fargo Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. SL1454-REV0706