/ A STRONG FINISH = A STRONG BRAND
There can be nothing more soul destroying than having production glitches or errors throw an important launch off track, especially when there's big dollars and reputations on the line. I think that anyone intensively involved on an integrated branding project or deployment of a critical website or app can relate to this. At one time or another the paper cuts start to add up and lead to catastrophic effects on expectations, team morale, budgets and not to mention the company brand.Â
Right now making headlines across America is the Obamacare initiative website. It has a black eye (and it's a beauty) due to unrealistically hard deadlines, production breakdowns and planning gaps. Surely those heading up the project must have known that mammoth expectations, harsh deadlines, heavy publicity coupled with large scale rollouts just don't not mix well together and almost certainly set you up for failure. An epic fail at that.Â
Why do situations like this happen? How can they be avoided?Â
The project starts off well with a strong execution plan and an extensive brief to refer to. The agency team excitedly buckles down with great creative and touches of innovation and a steady stream of ideas. What gets lost in translation are the small details along the critical path that quietly add up and either are poorly implemented, taken for granted or missed altogether. Projects can go through seemingly countless changes and revisions and hang in the wind for months. During this time, details you normally would have caught become fuzzy and hard to remember, if not entirely forgotten. People can become unnoticeably apathetic as the initial rush and excitement of the project has past, or thinking someone else on the team will tie down the loose ends and check for errors and omissions.Â
How can we keep it on track and finish well?Â
David C. Baker, one of the foremost consultants to the creative services industry states that 'contrary to what most believe, agencies aren't so judged on creative excellence as they are on sound project management and execution'.Â
Before the project is underway, make sure there's an agency side and client side champion; someone capable assigned to make sure the project team is referring back to the project plan and/or brief at regular intervals. Make sure they use the proper tools to test, refine, proof and check the work. These tools can be prepared checklists and project tracking software which can be shared amongst the team. Effective lists force everyone involved to stop and think and get out of comfort zones and jar important details to mind. There are no doubt other ways to keep projects on track. But the bottom line is have and use a plan or guide-map with checkpoints along the way.
By being attentive to this, you'll ensure the project finishes well ensuring you have a strong brand in the eyes of your audience. And, you'll likely sleep a little better too.