When starting on any design project, it is easy to underestimate how complex an undertaking this can be. As well as having the ideas and the vision there are many practical aspects of such a project to be on top of. Here we will examine the practical side of a design project and what we must do to ensure success. Once you have the design part completed then you will need to deal with the practicalities of liaising with the project manager to see the thing through to completion.
Make Sure Your Skills are Adequate
Conceptualizing what you want to do and having an idea of the finished article is a good start, but you need to be sure your skills are up to the job. There are always gaps in everyone’s skill set, and the consummate professional will be aware of what theirs are and be mature enough to plan a way to deal with this. Make a list of what needs to be done and tick off anything you can take care of yourself, then get to the task of contacting subcontractors and freelancers for what you need them to be completing.
Have a Plan & Schedule
It’s important to plan and schedule and be aware of when it is supposed to happen. Neglecting this can become very messy, very quickly. When a building project is underway certain tasks need to be completed before others may begin. People and suppliers need to be constantly updated as things change, to make sure that contractors and materials all arrive on-site at the point at which they are required.
How to handle Logistics
You will need to be sure that everything is where it needs to be at the time it is supposed to be there. Reliable Couriers are a must for getting supplies to the site quickly and reliably. Proficient admin will be required to keep track of all stock, supplies, and financials. For larger projects, dedicated, and separate, admin and accounting departments may be required.
Be Mindful of Budget
Whether it’s a bespoke one-off for an individual client or a design for a larger estate you need to always have a budget in mind. The natural inclination is that you will want to showcase your talent as a designer in everything you do, but it is essential to remember that coming in under budget is a skill itself. There are plenty of budget planning software that can assist with this if you are struggling.
Advertising & Promotion
If you are good at the project work but not at the selling, then it’s essential to get help on this. Take branding as an example, it’s the one thing that makes the average consumer think of you rather than some other firm. You need to be able to differentiate what you do best over the competition and give the customer a reason to go to you rather than someone else.
Follow this advice, and the project will be guaranteed to run more smoothly.
