Most of our larger projects begin only after we spend time outlining the scope of work and the different deliverables. Even though outlining the strategy is the first major component of all of our work, a portion of it will inevitably be accomplished before the project even begins - we need to figure out what we're creating and how long it will take in order to propose something. This time spent up front is a given, obviously - a studio spends much of its life figuring what work to do before actually doing it.
For smaller projects, though - the kind borne out of random "aha moments" or spontaneous brainstorming - we've learned to cut down the inefficiency inherent in proposals and scope definition by sketching out our ideas and sharing them with clients right away. This has not only become the quickest way of getting ideas across, but it has given us the best chance at having good ideas greenlit as soon as possible. And if we're dealing with a web project, it gives us a headstart on defining the user experience before the project even starts. Letting our clients in on our preliminary thinking has helped us flesh out our ideas as well, so estimating the work involved is straightforward. In fact, five minutes with a pencil saves us hours spent reworking a proposal. Simple, maybe, but a nice little eye opener. We're always looking to strike that balance between structured process and organic flow, so it's nice to know that the pencil is sometimes the most efficient tool we have.
Alex
- Dynamo's Interactive Director. Alex's holistic mission at Dynamo is to push the team to create beautiful, usable work online, and to exploit new technological and experiential avenues. He is preoccupied with keeping the studio at the forefront of an industry travelling at light speed.
