This guide is one part how-to tutorial and one part productivity philosophy (with a splash of software recommendations) to get your design project management ambitions fulfilled. Now grab your third cup of coffee and let\u2019s begin! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Table of Contents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- What Is Design Project Management?<\/a><\/li>
- How To Execute Design Project Management (and Tips To Solve Designer Challenges)<\/a><\/li>
- A Pocket Guide To Design Project Management Methodologies<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
What Is Design Project Management?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Design project management is working with creative professionals to conceptualize, manage, and build design projects, from products to pop-up shops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike traditional projects with a start and closing date, design projects are ongoing. It takes client and customer feedback to improve for the next experience. What\u2019s more, design projects have different characteristics and challenges because design work is subjective. As a result, no two designers will produce the same project deliverable! Everyone has unique tastes, perceptions, and life experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Successful creative professionals understand that design and systems must work side by side for people to deliver high-quality work to the world \u2014 without burning out. <\/em>So let\u2019s peel back the curtain and walk through the inner workings of design project management.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nAs we dive into each design project phase, you\u2019ll learn tips to help you 10x team productivity and create a predictable environment for designers to focus on the work that matters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Execute Design Project Management (and Tips To Solve Designer Challenges)<\/h2>\n\n\n\nPhase 1: Planning and Preparation <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The not-so-secret to design project success? Clarity<\/em>. This means bringing together your employees, project management tools<\/a>, and systems to prepare how you\u2019re doing to deliver design services<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nStep 1: Organize the project team <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Most businesses have adopted a remote-first structure in this rapidly changing world. You\u2019re not limited to the same building or zip code when looking for talent! What\u2019s more, the landscape of design skill sets is vast and diverse. You\u2019ll want to bring in diverse design project managers and designers to fulfill specific responsibilities of the design process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here is a shortlist of the most common design roles, each with different functions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Graphic designers<\/strong> arrange visual and text concepts to convey the message of the brand, marketing, web, and advertising materials<\/a><\/li>
- UX designers<\/strong> shape a user\u2019s journey with web pages to make it enjoyable and accessible<\/li>
- UI designers<\/strong> organize a webpage\u2019s buttons, text entry fields, color schemes, etc. to make every visual element come together as a picture but individually serve a purpose\u00a0<\/li>
- Product designers <\/strong>build solutions to a customer\u2019s needs by developing and improving a product\u2019s features<\/li>
- Experiential designers <\/strong>construct an interactive experience to communicate information to people in a space<\/li>
- Motion graphic designers<\/strong> blend storytelling, animation, and filmmaking to create 2D and 3D videos\u00a0<\/li>
- Game designers<\/strong> invent a virtual world experience with characters and storylines\u00a0<\/li>
- Writers <\/strong>compose the taglines, phrases, and sentences in a brand\u2019s voice to get readers to take action\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Whether you have an internal team of two or fifty, you\u2019ll likely enlist the help of contractors for different reasons at any given time: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Add support to a large-scale design project<\/li>
- Backfill for a designer while they\u2019re on leave or vacation <\/li>
- Provide skills or specialties that don\u2019t exist within the current project team<\/li>
- Take on fulfilling assignments while the core team focuses on design strategy and planning<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Building a project team with a Rolodex of reliable contractors will ensure you have the right people in place (or the right people to ring) virtually anywhere!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Arrange workflows in design project management software<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re like most design teams, you use multiple processes and tools to complete a project from start to finish. People shouldn\u2019t work 24\/7, but there\u2019s one thing that can \u2014 your design project management software<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nDesigners need brainpower for creative work, not busy work<\/em>. Busywork is sifting through 50+ emails to get feedback on a design. Building a client folder from scratch each time. Or responding to the same \u201cCan I get this font file?\u201d message every other day. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo how can you develop fail-proof workflows? Ask the source: your team! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Which design assets<\/a> take up the most time?<\/li>
- What monotonous tasks are you doing day to day?<\/li>
- What types of tasks require collaboration with others?<\/li>
- What meetings are you attending that provide no value to you?<\/li>
- Are there things that need to be automated or outsourced to someone else?\u00a0<\/li>
- Is it the project management tools that are slowing you down? Is it me?\u00a0<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Then you can start to assemble workflows that will positively impact the entire team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=844,h=484\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/1-ClickUp-Mind-Map-for-visual-representation-of-processes-and-workflows.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSomething to keep in mind is you don’t (and shouldn’t) over-engineer and make drastic changes to the design process overnight. This could potentially disrupt the team’s flow and invite more issues in. If you want to start making moves today, create and customize web design templates<\/a> for various projects. A must-have for teams with routine projects, processes, or tasks!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nTip: add buffer time in your templates for cushion throughout the project timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Intake the design project request <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Does this sound familiar? A designer is sent an email from Jesse in IT asking for \u201cjust a branded LinkedIn banner for the IT team.\u201d Innocently, the designer thinks it\u2019s simple enough and can knock it out in half a day. After a few short exchanges, the designer sends the Linkedin banner and returns it to their to-do list. A notification pops from Jesse suggesting the banner is part of an internal campaign and now needs 43 assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A tale as old as time. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s the reality most graphic designers have to deal with almost every day when there isn\u2019t a standardized design request channel in place. To help our graphic designers get out of this cycle, use an online form<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=818,h=503\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/2-ClickUp-Form-for-design-project-requests.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOnline forms are much better than emails that get buried in someone\u2019s inbox. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Online forms ensure time and people resources are not wasted<\/a> \u2014 especially during the execution phase<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Online forms are sent to the project management tool for accessibility and approval \u2014 before<\/em> any work begins<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Online forms ensure design requests have enough information about the client’s requirements to start outlining the project scope without confusion\u05e5<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Online forms reduce the chances of scope creep<\/a> \u2014 a designer\u2019s Achilles\u2019 heel<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Part of a designer\u2019s role is to offer solutions to the problem a client is trying to solve. Still, it can go in a million different directions if the designer is scrapping for information. Customize your online form to require clear expectations (project objective, high-level deliverables<\/a>, target live date, budget), so the project team can see what\u2019s involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn the flip side, a design client needs to know what working with your designers and business will look like. Elementor\u2019s sentiments on client expectations<\/a> say it best: \u201cOne way to ensure that a project goes smoothly is by setting and managing client expectations. While there can be quite a few steps that take some time and effort, doing the necessary due diligence can prevent friction in the long run and keep your reputation stellar.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nThese few steps you can take now to lay the groundwork for a successful client experience are providing a hub where you can share documents, key dates for client calls, and tasks with status updates. Create a template<\/a> for this client hub and improve it as your team\u2019s strategies, workflows, and resources evolve over time!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=841,h=493\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/3-ClickUp-Doc-to-manage-clients-expectations-and-communication.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPhase 2: The Build <\/h3>\n\n\n\nStep 4: Prune the priorities for complete transparency <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
When tasks come from a medley of sources \u2014 managers, marketing teams, Jamie asking to print their homework \u2014 which takes priority? It can get messy early and often between post-it notes, Slack messages, and emails.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a dedicated task list in the design project management software, every designer has a detailed view of their workload each day and how it fits into the bigger picture. A personal task list helps creative teams in more ways than one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Designers are free from administrative burdens<\/li>
- Designers stay on track with priorities, due dates, and task dependencies<\/li>
- Design project managers can assign tasks and track progress to update clients and other stakeholders<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/4-ClickUp-List-to-assign-tasks-and-manage-design-workloads.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 5: Make work memorable with a time tracking system <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Time is a finite resource, yet it\u2019s the most misunderstood. Creatives struggle with timekeeping, and it could be for other reasons than motivation: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- They\u2019re using a prehistoric time tracking tool that\u2019s complicated and not creative-friendly <\/li>
- They don\u2019t know how to start and be consistent with timekeeping<\/li>
- The idea of being micromanaged is a discouragement<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Start now if time tracking is not a collective habit. The most essential areas in your business are affected by time tracking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Keeping projects profitable<\/li>
- Improving pricing models <\/li>
- Managing team workloads<\/li>
- Requesting budget approvals to upgrade technology and bring in design support<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You need validation that your design team\u2019s attention, systems, and energy<\/em> are spent on the right tasks. So let\u2019s take the timekeeping reservations list above and look at how you can encourage your design team to consistently track time: <\/p>\n\n\n\n- They\u2019re using a prehistoric time tracking tool that\u2019s complicated and not creative-friendly.<\/strong> Research project management tools that can integrate with your design project management software. (Bring in two to four designers during the trial and selection process. See why in #2) <\/li>
- They don\u2019t know how to start and be consistent. <\/strong>Ask \u201cTime Ambassadors\u201d (the selected designers) to use the time tracking tool and teach the rest of the team in safe 1:1 sessions <\/li>
- The idea of being micromanaged is a discouragement. <\/strong>Share with your team how honest time tracking data is not working against<\/em> them, but for<\/em> them to push back when there\u2019s too much work coming to the request queue <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=832,h=520\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/5-ClickUp-time-tracking-and-reporting.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA designer drifts away from their creative zone every minute they spend looking for a file. It’s like a Nancy Drew mystery searching for a draft\u2019s digital footprints. Here are things to avoid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Storing project files on a designer\u2019s desktop<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Oftentimes, design tasks are passed through multiple designers. As a result, a designer can easily misspend time waiting on someone to send the project file from their desktop. (Or they can listen to the 10-minute version of \u201cAll Too Well\u201d twice, and it won\u2019t be considered misspent time.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Using multiple cloud-based services with unreliable access\u00a0<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s in the drive. No, not the brand drive\u2026 not the Google Drive\u2026 not Dropbox. Wait wait, it is in the brand drive. Oh, you need VPN to access the brand drive? Sh*t.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Need I say more? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Limiting access to project files<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If Alex is living out their luxury travel dreams in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas, the very last thing they want to do is send a file path to the web page mock-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Saving design changes over the original file<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=834,h=775\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/6-ClickUp-comments-to-filter-all-communication-in-one-place.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMoving on\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If using a plain and boring folder system doesn\u2019t spark joy in your design team, try ClickUp Whiteboards<\/a>! Designers can link assets, brainstorm new ideas, and create detailed project tasks. \u201cWe conduct design and product hackathons \u2014 brainstorming sessions \u2014 where we ideate in real-time and work through challenging UI\/UX problems,\u201d says Zach Blodgett, ClickUp\u2019s Senior Product Manager.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=841,h=399\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/7-ClickUp-Whiteboards-to-turn-design-ideas-into-actionable-projects-.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPhase 3: Wrapping Up <\/h3>\n\n\n\nStep 6: Establish a culture of feedback <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This part of the design project management process feels like a sprint to the finish line. First, designers get feedback and make intricate tweaks or significant changes to get closer to the client\u2019s vision. Then days feel like hours and hours feel like minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider filtering all feedback messages into your project management system<\/a> to maximize this short but critical period.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nGet hyper-specific by using annotation tools to comment directly on files, so designers don\u2019t have to do detective work. Unless you\u2019re Shania Twain, you must give quality feedback to a designer about the asset elements that don\u2019t impress you much. An ambiguous comment can snowball into multiple iterations of a design that could have been avoided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=839,h=391\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/8-ClickUp-annotation-tool-for-design-teams.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking to get started or improve your feedback system, consider using DACI, a decision-making framework that defines a person\u2019s involvement in a project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Driver<\/strong>: the person who manages the entire project from start to finish<\/li>
- Approver<\/strong>: the person or people who have the final say on features of a project<\/li>
- Contributor<\/strong>: the person or people who influence the decision because of their expertise <\/li>
- Informed<\/strong>: the person or people who are not directly involved in the project but need to be aware because it could influence their work <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Take it a step further and add this to your design project management tool for transparency, updates, and record-keeping!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=838,h=470\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/9-ClickUp-List-view-to-outline-project-contributors.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 7: Send final deliverables and housekeeping<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
All assets are approved, and it\u2019s time to wrap them up in a virtual bow and send them off! This is where the client project folder from phase one comes in handy. Not only does this streamline the delivery to the client, but it also serves as an archive for all project-related materials. Tasks, communication, documents, invoices\u2014they\u2019re all linked together for easy reference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Step 8: Bump the Greatest Hits of the 90s<\/em> and celebrate as a team <\/h4>\n\n\n\nCelebrations are not required, though highly mandatory<\/em>, <\/em>especially for projects that can last up to nine months! All the late nights of problem-solving and team members going above and beyond should be recognized in a fun setting. (I mean, look at these smiling faces after a victorious launch!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=835,h=626\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/10-ClickUp-creative-team-celebration.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRing the bell! We’re at the end of the design project management process \u2014 but there\u2019s one last piece of this puzzle to bring it all home. My hope for you and your team is long-term success, so here are a few methodologies to consider that can help you understand your projects and teams better.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Pocket Guide To Design Project Management Methodologies<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAgile Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=839,h=449\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/11-agile-design-project-management-methodology-in-ClickUp-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe agile project management methodology is an incremental and iterative approach to managing projects in phases. Each iteration has a fixed scope (between 1-3 weeks) to maintain product release consistency, stability, and on-time delivery!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agile design pros <\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Client satisfaction and retention increases<\/li>
- Software code and testing standards are used repeatedly<\/li>
- Specific roles with multiple project drivers to meet the same goal<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Agile design cons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n- Potential lack of understanding in workflow flexibility<\/li>
- Some organizations might find agile workflows<\/a> to be a poor culture fit<\/li>
- An experienced agile professional might be necessary for teams new to agile<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Kanban Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elementor.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/f=auto,w=835,h=394\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/12-kanban-design-project-management-methodology-in-ClickUp-1.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
What Is Design Project Management?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Design project management is working with creative professionals to conceptualize, manage, and build design projects, from products to pop-up shops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike traditional projects with a start and closing date, design projects are ongoing. It takes client and customer feedback to improve for the next experience. What\u2019s more, design projects have different characteristics and challenges because design work is subjective. As a result, no two designers will produce the same project deliverable! Everyone has unique tastes, perceptions, and life experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Successful creative professionals understand that design and systems must work side by side for people to deliver high-quality work to the world \u2014 without burning out. <\/em>So let\u2019s peel back the curtain and walk through the inner workings of design project management.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we dive into each design project phase, you\u2019ll learn tips to help you 10x team productivity and create a predictable environment for designers to focus on the work that matters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The not-so-secret to design project success? Clarity<\/em>. This means bringing together your employees, project management tools<\/a>, and systems to prepare how you\u2019re doing to deliver design services<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most businesses have adopted a remote-first structure in this rapidly changing world. You\u2019re not limited to the same building or zip code when looking for talent! What\u2019s more, the landscape of design skill sets is vast and diverse. You\u2019ll want to bring in diverse design project managers and designers to fulfill specific responsibilities of the design process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is a shortlist of the most common design roles, each with different functions: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you have an internal team of two or fifty, you\u2019ll likely enlist the help of contractors for different reasons at any given time: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Building a project team with a Rolodex of reliable contractors will ensure you have the right people in place (or the right people to ring) virtually anywhere!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re like most design teams, you use multiple processes and tools to complete a project from start to finish. People shouldn\u2019t work 24\/7, but there\u2019s one thing that can \u2014 your design project management software<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designers need brainpower for creative work, not busy work<\/em>. Busywork is sifting through 50+ emails to get feedback on a design. Building a client folder from scratch each time. Or responding to the same \u201cCan I get this font file?\u201d message every other day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So how can you develop fail-proof workflows? Ask the source: your team! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then you can start to assemble workflows that will positively impact the entire team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Something to keep in mind is you don’t (and shouldn’t) over-engineer and make drastic changes to the design process overnight. This could potentially disrupt the team’s flow and invite more issues in. If you want to start making moves today, create and customize web design templates<\/a> for various projects. A must-have for teams with routine projects, processes, or tasks!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip: add buffer time in your templates for cushion throughout the project timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does this sound familiar? A designer is sent an email from Jesse in IT asking for \u201cjust a branded LinkedIn banner for the IT team.\u201d Innocently, the designer thinks it\u2019s simple enough and can knock it out in half a day. After a few short exchanges, the designer sends the Linkedin banner and returns it to their to-do list. A notification pops from Jesse suggesting the banner is part of an internal campaign and now needs 43 assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A tale as old as time. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the reality most graphic designers have to deal with almost every day when there isn\u2019t a standardized design request channel in place. To help our graphic designers get out of this cycle, use an online form<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online forms are much better than emails that get buried in someone\u2019s inbox. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part of a designer\u2019s role is to offer solutions to the problem a client is trying to solve. Still, it can go in a million different directions if the designer is scrapping for information. Customize your online form to require clear expectations (project objective, high-level deliverables<\/a>, target live date, budget), so the project team can see what\u2019s involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the flip side, a design client needs to know what working with your designers and business will look like. Elementor\u2019s sentiments on client expectations<\/a> say it best: \u201cOne way to ensure that a project goes smoothly is by setting and managing client expectations. While there can be quite a few steps that take some time and effort, doing the necessary due diligence can prevent friction in the long run and keep your reputation stellar.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n These few steps you can take now to lay the groundwork for a successful client experience are providing a hub where you can share documents, key dates for client calls, and tasks with status updates. Create a template<\/a> for this client hub and improve it as your team\u2019s strategies, workflows, and resources evolve over time!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n When tasks come from a medley of sources \u2014 managers, marketing teams, Jamie asking to print their homework \u2014 which takes priority? It can get messy early and often between post-it notes, Slack messages, and emails.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a dedicated task list in the design project management software, every designer has a detailed view of their workload each day and how it fits into the bigger picture. A personal task list helps creative teams in more ways than one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time is a finite resource, yet it\u2019s the most misunderstood. Creatives struggle with timekeeping, and it could be for other reasons than motivation: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start now if time tracking is not a collective habit. The most essential areas in your business are affected by time tracking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need validation that your design team\u2019s attention, systems, and energy<\/em> are spent on the right tasks. So let\u2019s take the timekeeping reservations list above and look at how you can encourage your design team to consistently track time: <\/p>\n\n\n\n A designer drifts away from their creative zone every minute they spend looking for a file. It’s like a Nancy Drew mystery searching for a draft\u2019s digital footprints. Here are things to avoid:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oftentimes, design tasks are passed through multiple designers. As a result, a designer can easily misspend time waiting on someone to send the project file from their desktop. (Or they can listen to the 10-minute version of \u201cAll Too Well\u201d twice, and it won\u2019t be considered misspent time.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s in the drive. No, not the brand drive\u2026 not the Google Drive\u2026 not Dropbox. Wait wait, it is in the brand drive. Oh, you need VPN to access the brand drive? Sh*t.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Need I say more? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If Alex is living out their luxury travel dreams in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas, the very last thing they want to do is send a file path to the web page mock-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moving on\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n If using a plain and boring folder system doesn\u2019t spark joy in your design team, try ClickUp Whiteboards<\/a>! Designers can link assets, brainstorm new ideas, and create detailed project tasks. \u201cWe conduct design and product hackathons \u2014 brainstorming sessions \u2014 where we ideate in real-time and work through challenging UI\/UX problems,\u201d says Zach Blodgett, ClickUp\u2019s Senior Product Manager.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This part of the design project management process feels like a sprint to the finish line. First, designers get feedback and make intricate tweaks or significant changes to get closer to the client\u2019s vision. Then days feel like hours and hours feel like minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider filtering all feedback messages into your project management system<\/a> to maximize this short but critical period.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get hyper-specific by using annotation tools to comment directly on files, so designers don\u2019t have to do detective work. Unless you\u2019re Shania Twain, you must give quality feedback to a designer about the asset elements that don\u2019t impress you much. An ambiguous comment can snowball into multiple iterations of a design that could have been avoided. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking to get started or improve your feedback system, consider using DACI, a decision-making framework that defines a person\u2019s involvement in a project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take it a step further and add this to your design project management tool for transparency, updates, and record-keeping!<\/p>\n\n\n\n All assets are approved, and it\u2019s time to wrap them up in a virtual bow and send them off! This is where the client project folder from phase one comes in handy. Not only does this streamline the delivery to the client, but it also serves as an archive for all project-related materials. Tasks, communication, documents, invoices\u2014they\u2019re all linked together for easy reference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Celebrations are not required, though highly mandatory<\/em>, <\/em>especially for projects that can last up to nine months! All the late nights of problem-solving and team members going above and beyond should be recognized in a fun setting. (I mean, look at these smiling faces after a victorious launch!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ring the bell! We’re at the end of the design project management process \u2014 but there\u2019s one last piece of this puzzle to bring it all home. My hope for you and your team is long-term success, so here are a few methodologies to consider that can help you understand your projects and teams better.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The agile project management methodology is an incremental and iterative approach to managing projects in phases. Each iteration has a fixed scope (between 1-3 weeks) to maintain product release consistency, stability, and on-time delivery!<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow To Execute Design Project Management (and Tips To Solve Designer Challenges)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Phase 1: Planning and Preparation <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Organize the project team <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Arrange workflows in design project management software<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 3: Intake the design project request <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPhase 2: The Build <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Prune the priorities for complete transparency <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 5: Make work memorable with a time tracking system <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPhase 3: Wrapping Up <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 6: Establish a culture of feedback <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 7: Send final deliverables and housekeeping<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Step 8: Bump the Greatest Hits of the 90s<\/em> and celebrate as a team <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA Pocket Guide To Design Project Management Methodologies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Agile Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAgile design pros <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Agile design cons<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Kanban Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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