Design Planning
Good design planning is essential for the smooth running of you professional life as a freelancer. Being organised can benefit you by maximising profits, avoiding mislaying things and enable your design work to flow as calmly as possible. A project plan enables you to sort jobs into milestones best for your work. There should be a system in place for booking jobs in for scheduling purposes also allocating project codes. This is termed as "Processing" it should also remain consist across all other projects. Such as the initials of the client or client name e.g. AL and a number to identify a client.
Planning involves a set of systems and methods. Good planning is purposeful and effective as it helps to avoid mistakes. There are a few important questions you should consider these include, What am I trying to do? or the aim, what is important or criteria, how can I achieve the aim within the given conditions or working method and when do I start or deadlines and time.
Aims
Aims are decision maker's guidelines. Without setting out aims how can you attain them? They should be specific, measurable, realistic, time based and achievable. Where possible they should also be reviewed and amended. Each project should have a plan breaking down jobs into a list of priority. Important and quick jobs should be tackled first. A reminder system is an effective source and can be good to build into your project plan.
Tips for effective planning
- Good self discipline required
- Small jobs should be done at once
- Larger jobs can be broken into several other steps
- Check the list of jobs remaining regularly
- Use a calendar
- Keep a deadline reminder on the calendar
Time Management
"Time is money" set deadlines within each project and stick to these deadlines to maximise productivity profits and benefits overall. Every project has a beginning and end. Although they vary in complexity each project contains stages within therefore a project needs a well thought out and planned timeline to meet the defined aim. Smaller aspects of project should come together to realise the larger aim of the project.
Main components of Planning
Evaluation : Includes challenges and what needs to be done?
Planning : How do I deal with the project challenges?
Execution : What will the solution look like?
Observation : How do I check the outcome?
Without adequate planning, projects can quickly fail this can include, deadlines exceeded, jobs forgotten about or mislaid etc. You may have to play catch up as a result of inadequate planning. You can have the best design skills in the world with planning you run the risk of causing problems to a project or group of projects.
Projects usually succeed if...
- Everybody involved has clearly defined the aims and outcomes in mind
- Project is adequately planned, to prevent false starts and having to repeat steps
- Work timetabled and monitor to ensure the project can be included
- Open channels of communication at all levels
- In place emergency plans to fall back on if events don't run as planned
Other rules of the planning process
- Plan ahead
- Consider having back up or emergency options
- Break projects down to make manageable
- Make a list of resources needed
- Draw up a project budget
Execution
- Review project goals and aims
- Be motivated and stay enthusiastic
- Complete the project
Constantly monitoring your progress and the project will enable you to stay on top of events.
Monitoring
- Monitor daily activities and workflow
- Keep an eye on timeframes, deadlines and progress
- Similarly for events
- Outcomes, foreseen and unforeseen
Adaptation
- Solve problems as they occur
- Keep plans flexible amending if necessary
- Take emergency or back up steps if necessary
- Conclude the project on time
The Project Plan
The project plan can be defined as a detailed description of what is required of each project and is often made up by the following parts:Project Definition
- Description of tasks carried out
- Project resources needed
- Stated project aims
- Project outcome
- Projected project outcomes
Project Variables
- Jobs to be executed
- Project start date
- Predicted project duration
- Predicted end date
List of jobs to be done
- Responsibilities (working in a team)
- Jobs
- Predicted outcomes
- Planned start date
- Planned end date
- Actual start date
- Actual end date
Project Budget
- Actual budget
- Projected budget
- Other expenses
- Unforeseen costs
Supplementary plans
- Alternative- Plan 'B'
Project approval
Summary
Planning is a necessity although tiresome or boring good design and good administration benefits by generating good fees well earned. Routines soon become habitual and the benefits these reveal are substantial. Effective planning enables a project to successfully conclude on time within budget.
(Blog : The Graphic Design School : www.thegraphicdesignschool.com)
(Blog : The Graphic Design School : www.thegraphicdesignschool.com)
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