Creativity is an incredibly powerful characteristic of humans. It drives progress and propels the wave of change. The process by which creatives generate novel ideas remains a mystery, but their contributions enable us to immerse ourselves in wonderful books, captivating movies, and awe-inspiring architectural marvels.
Creativity knows no bounds – it drifts lightly like a feather in the wind, requiring time to emerge and flourish. In contrast, project management embodies a different approach. It entails meticulous planning, the establishment of deadlines, and the coordination of teams of skilled professionals.
WHAT IS CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
Image courtesy of Anna Shvets for Pexels
Creative project management is more than just traditional task-based management. It’s about managing and coordinating creative projects to achieve high-quality work efficiently and quickly. This could involve creating videos, designing logos or websites, crafting campaigns, or other visual projects.
Creative project management helps project managers and creative teams stay on track with tasks, progress, and priorities in real-time. With the right tools, every stage of the creative process. This is done for the sake of enabling seamless collaboration, efficient content creation, and timely project delivery.
Tracking project milestones becomes crucial, especially in uncertain creative work. Without a creative project management system, team members and stakeholders may lack access to real-time progress updates, leading to confusion.
GUIDE TO CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project management in the creative project lifecycle includes the initiation, planning, execution, and delivery of creative projects.
- Initiation involves setting the scope, purpose, and timeline. The goal is to establish a clear path for execution and define why we’re working on the project and what it’ll bring to our organization’s goals.
- During the planning phase, creative agencies in project management define workflows, allocate resources, identify constraints, and set milestones and dependencies, among other things.
- In the execution phase, we put our workflow plan into action, monitor progress, communicate with team members, and adjust as needed to stay on track.
- Lastly, in the delivery phase of creative project management, our focus is on sharing the deliverables with the client. We also analyze whether the project meets stakeholders’ expectations and conduct a post-project evaluation to find areas for improvement.
In order not to slow down the creative process and achieve effective creative collaboration, you need to prepare ways of communication between all interested parties. It can be a fax – for the secure transfer of documents or secure messengers. If you’re linking a fax machine to a fax machine, you’re missing out on a lot. You just need to install the application on iOS to enjoy the benefits of faxing. This is useful both at the resource allocation stage and during project completion.
Image courtesy of Antoni Shkraba for Pexels
WHAT MAKES A GREAT CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER?
#1 People-oriented
Managing people requires being people-oriented. This crucial skill is essential for leading creatives because you should understand their quirks and give space for their ideas to shine. By demonstrating yourself as a team player, you can expect your team to achieve success.
#2 Communicative
Communication plays a vital role in various professions, but it truly shines in the realm of creative project management. The creative manager serves as a crucial liaison between the project team and clients, carefully selecting the perfect words when interacting with team members. To stimulate their creative potential and address their shortcomings, creative managers must exhibit great tactfulness.
#3 Technical Skills
Technical skills are categorized as hard skills in project management and are acquired through education and training. In creative project management, these skills encompass a working knowledge of software programs, visual art platforms, graphic design, and more. Creative project managers are aware of the advantages of using software for organizing and planning, as it simplifies their work.
#4 Industry Knowledge
Having industry knowledge means possessing specialized knowledge of the client’s industry. Creative managers within marketing teams should understand how to effectively target the appropriate audience, cater to the right demographic, and choose the most suitable platforms. Conducting thorough research is crucial during the creative project process, as it enhances professionalism and impresses the client. Let’s face it – leading successful creative teams requires immense dedication. However, we can offer some tips to alleviate pressure and help you excel in your role.
Image courtesy of Fauxels for Pexels
TIPS FOR CREATING A CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER
#1 Create a Transparent Process
If you’re aiming to foster trust between your team and the client, it’s crucial to establish a transparent process. Your team should possess a solid understanding of the creative workflow, comprehending the steps and their purpose to accomplish project objectives. Furthermore, by providing stakeholders with clear insights into the project’s progress, you demonstrate respect and a willingness to collaborate.
#2 Be Flexible
Making changes is never easy. That’s why it’s so important to be able to adapt your work and quickly reallocate resources in creative project management. Your client may ask for more features, a key team member could take sick leave, or it might rain on the day you’re supposed to do a beach photoshoot. All these things are possibilities, and it’s crucial to learn to be flexible and avoid panicking.
#3 Team Recognition
Surprises are common and you need to be prepared for them. All of them can be overcome if you have the recognition of the team and everyone works fruitfully to achieve the goal. Showing appreciation for their efforts will be greatly appreciated by your team.
#4 Avoid Micromanagement
Frequently monitoring your team members can harm their performance. Creatives flourish in a relaxed working environment, and if you attempt to micromanage every aspect, you’ll hinder their true potential. Instead, consider adapting your approach and allowing some freedom. Set clear goals and schedule check-ins to track progress, address obstacles, and provide motivation to keep them motivated.
#5 Have Empathy
A fantastic creative project manager always recognizes and values the personal needs of their team members. The wellspring of their creativity lies in finding inner peace, and if anything hinders their ability to perform at their best, providing assistance and understanding is crucial. After all, you are managing real people, not machines. Moreover, extending your understanding to clients is paramount. Take the time to elucidate anything they wish to understand, exhibit patience in addressing their inquiries, and demonstrate your reliability.
Conclusion
Creative project management tools are crucial for high-performing marketing teams. With the right ones, they can stay focused on their goals and maintain their competitive edge. These tools offer real-time project progress tracking and enhance team collaboration, streamlining the creative process for exceptional outputs.
Investing in creative project management tools such as DAM and PM solutions can streamline workflows, minimize administrative tasks, and boost efficiency, resulting in improved outcomes and successful projects.
_____________________________
About author:
Angela Green is a content writer for websites and social media. She is interested in technology and cybersecurity and offers advice and recommendations in these industries.
