Production issues
Get the production details up front. Sizes, trim sizes, bleeds, spots, varnishes, die cuts, printer needs, etc. should all be handled up front before design begins. These details may change, but they should be established first and updated accordingly. Why spend all those hours designing something only to have your production staff spend twice as much time undoing and redoing the damage created by an uninformed design staff. It is our opinion that no creative should be elevated from Junior Designer until they have a sound understanding of production issues. All the information you need is available in books, online and through professional organizations.