How Creative Companies Can Leverage Technology To Boost Efficiency
by Caroline Petersen, Founder & Chief Design Officer of Gallery Design Studio
The quicker and more efficient business operations are, the better their bottom line. For that reason, many companies are embracing new technologies that eliminate unnecessary work and streamline procedures.
For enterprises in the creative industries, such as ad and website design, content creation, marketing, and public relations, these technologies can be game-changers. Adopting the following cutting-edge technologies has helped my team revolutionize our workflow in many ways.
Adjusting to change and pivoting quickly
Profitable companies are nimble, pivoting quickly to avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities. That’s precisely what today’s technology enables.
Project management software like Asana tracks and organizes tasks so team members can always understand where projects are in the pipeline. These technological solutions not only facilitate collaboration but enable managers to signal the urgency of certain projects and modify that urgency level if circumstances change. Workers can then prioritize activities at all times.
For instance, when an urgent project comes in, my managers and I often need to re-orient our team’s efforts overnight. Instead of making desperate emails with red exclamation marks, project management software enables us to flag everyone’s attention and redirect them toward the new project with one simple move: setting its urgency as high and allowing us to follow up with a Slack message.
Meanwhile, we move around other, less pressing work to compensate. Consequently, when people log in at the beginning of the day, they immediately see the new project, understand what they need to do, and get busy doing it.
Similarly, we communicate with clients and teams as quickly as possible by giving each their own Slack channel. After every meeting, we post an executive summary of what was discussed and the next steps. This helps everyone keep track of project progress and stay in sync.
Clearer communication, streamlined feedback loops
New video-editing tools like Frame.io enable creatives to collaborate better, both internally and with their clients. These technologies allow users to comment on exact moments in a video. The commenter no longer needs to describe which part of the video they are referring to — the comment is pinned to the precise frame. They can even write or draw right on individual frames, circling or drawing an arrow toward something they would like edited.
This helps others on the team understand what the commenter is saying. Clear communication is effective communication; misunderstandings decrease, and so does the potential for conflict.
Moreover, the software notifies our team whenever someone leaves feedback, leading to quicker turnaround times. People can even work on projects together in real time, regardless of where in the world they might be located.
Efficient, replicable design
Similarly, new software for graphic design like Figma makes our work easier. Designers, copywriters, developers, editors, project managers, and clients can all work on a file — such as a new website — from their separate locations. They can all work on the file at the same time and see the changes or suggestions others are making in real time.
These tools also make it easy to copy files, which then become the foundation for new projects. In my experience, this accelerates projects greatly since previous work can be leveraged to create new deliverables without having to start from scratch.
Deliver the highest quality work in record time
New advances in technology will fundamentally change the game for creative companies. Collaboration becomes clearer and more effective. Work not only becomes faster but also more enjoyable. Our team can pivot on short notice, making the best use of people’s time.
As a result, we can turn the highest quality work around in record time. That’s why creative companies of all kinds should consider how a state-of-the-art tech stack could benefit them.
Caroline Petersen is the founder and Chief Design Officer of Gallery Design Studio, a NYC-based design consultancy specializing in B2B AI-driven software companies. Recently, she founded eShelf, a creative operations SaaS platform revolutionizing agency profitability. With eight years of experience in the global tech sector, Caroline is an expert in design, business, and technology.