THINKPIECE
Managing the Design Process
Managing the Design Process
Reflections and learnings while managing projects at the studio
Reflections and learnings while managing projects at the studio
Words by Nishita Mohta & Aditi Rao
Illustrated by Tabitha D'Souza
Apr 20, 2023
Words by Nishita Mohta & Aditi Rao
Illustrated by Tabitha D'Souza
Apr 20, 2023
When clients imagine a creative agency, they’ve come to expect chaos, scattered ideas, and the lack of any visible structure. So, when we introduce ourselves as the project managers at Thought Over Design, the reaction is a mix of (mostly) curiosity and (a bit of) delight.
We are both designers who evolved into design managers. And through our own experience, we’ve found that a people-centric approach can make the agency-client relationship much smoother and the project experience more gratifying.
Here are some of our recent reflections:
- On ‘designing’ the
management process
Good design comes from clarity of thought. We approach the client-collaborator-designer interactions with the same problem-solving mindset that we use to design. - Confidence is good
, rigidity isn’t
It’s important to stay confident of the fundamental processes we’ve developed over years, while also adjusting the nuances for each client’s unique mindset and objectives. - Having a point of view
is essential to what we do
We are experts with a point of view, not just yes-sayers and messengers. Sometimes a counter perspective is just the right value-add to a project’s success. - Making space for ownership
and accountability
Every person on every team - design, strategy, operations, management - has a role to play and responsibilities to take ownership of. It’s important to trust others, and live up to the trust of others. - Go beyond the transactional
With long-ish timelines on most projects, we’ve grown comfortable seeing ourselves as extended parts of client teams. It’s essential to keep their best interests in mind while also ensuring that the internal team has the fuel to create their best work. - Keeping it realistic
We don’t make promises we can’t keep. Being honest about why certain processes take time helps with avoiding unrealistic expectations. People may not like it right away, but they appreciate it in the long run! - Get comfortable acknowledging "It's not clear"
Whether we're discussing new briefs or feedback, clarity isn't always instant. Remember that it's okay to ask for clarifications. Open communication can help resolve confusion early and help everyone work together more effectively.
And there’s so much more... We'll be back to share more notes from our journal soon.
When clients imagine a creative agency, they’ve come to expect chaos, scattered ideas, and the lack of any visible structure. So, when we introduce ourselves as the project managers at Thought Over Design, the reaction is a mix of (mostly) curiosity and (a bit of) delight.
We are both designers who evolved into design managers. And through our own experience, we’ve found that a people-centric approach can make the agency-client relationship much smoother and the project experience more gratifying.
Here are some of our recent reflections:
- On ‘designing’ the management process
Good design comes from clarity of thought. We approach the client-collaborator-designer interactions with the same problem-solving mindset that we use to design. - Confidence is good, rigidity isn’t
It’s important to stay confident of the fundamental processes we’ve developed over years, while also adjusting the nuances for each client’s unique mindset and objectives. - Having a point of view is essential to what we do
We are experts with a point of view, not just yes-sayers and messengers. Sometimes a counter perspective is just the right value-add to a project’s success. - Making space for ownership
and accountability
Every person on every team - design, strategy, operations, management - has a role to play and responsibilities to take ownership of. It’s important to trust others, and live up to the trust of others. - Go beyond the transactional
With long-ish timelines on most projects, we’ve grown comfortable seeing ourselves as extended parts of client teams. It’s essential to keep their best interests in mind while also ensuring that the internal team has the fuel to create their best work. - Keeping it realistic
We don’t make promises we can’t keep. Being honest about why certain processes take time helps with avoiding unrealistic expectations. People may not like it right away, but they appreciate it in the long run! - Get comfortable acknowledging "It's not clear"
Whether we're discussing new briefs or feedback, clarity isn't always instant. Remember that it's okay to ask for clarifications. Open communication can help resolve confusion early and help everyone work together more effectively.
And there’s so much more... We'll be back to share more notes from our journal soon.
We couldn’t agree more!
Nishita is a Senior Project Manager at TOD. She geeks out over the processes & systems at play in the design process. Deeply curious about the workings of the creative mind, she explores that through her own writing & art as well.
Aditi is a Senior Project Manager at TOD. She has a background in Graphic Design, with experience in branding for identities, environments and retail. She loves all things food and has a passion for snacking. She also enjoys finding fun ways to introduce her toddler to the mad world around us.
A note about the Journal
For us at Thought Over Design ‘Creativity’ isn’t an end product. It’s an ongoing journey of inspiration that comes from fresh observations of the world, headlong dives into curious obsessions, explorations of art and culture, listening to diverse voices, and a million more places we’re still discovering.
The Journal is an experiment in sharing these musings with the world. It’s a mixed bag of scribbles from our research, inspiration sessions, lateral think pieces, work from designers we admire, pop-culture takes and often our own agenda-free creative pursuits.
The stories and ideas we share here are an attempt to not just gather our own thoughts but also leave the world a little more inspired than we found it.
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© 2021 Thought Over Design
© 2021 Thought Over Design