Friday, August 29, 2008

The Process

At the risk of career suicide, I'm posting this video which... well. I think its funny.

4 comments:

J.S. said...

This is how yuppies create jobs for themselves... and each other. Kind of the white collar equivalent of four TXDOT workers standing around to watch one guy dig a hole.

The League said...

Nah. This is more a case of folks not used to working in a creative environment, or with no design background, putting designers into a position where nobody wins.

It happens. Frequently.

I'm not just saying this: I'm really lucky with my current client because they've DONE creative and collaborative media work before, so there's none of the stuff in the video.

But the REAL fun begins when you're designing something internally with your co-workers and they start coming up with ideas you know aren't great. And your work pals start taking it personally when you're not taking their notes...

As a PM, its not my role to come up with ideas, but it is my job to often play devil's advocate with clients and/ or deliver designer's opinions to clients. If I've learned to shut off the emotional valve anywhere in my life, that's the place I've been most successful. Sometimes I agree with the client, sometimes I push a little harder for the designer.

J.S. said...

Well, I think these kinds of things happen in work enviroments that aren't all that creative as well. Somehow putting together a several page budget analysis for the commissioners court in my office can turn into a a multi-tomed month-long project once different people start throwing in their two cents on how it should be done.
Despite the work environment, I think it all falls under the ol' addage about meetings and the efficacy of groups: "None of us are as dumb as all of us."

Simon MacDonald said...

Oh gawd! I really wish I could say this wouldn't happen in real life but it's happened to me.