What’s cooking in agencies these days takes a hell of a lot of processes and energy. The final deliverables often don’t look complicated in and of themselves, but the reality is that between the client’s wish list and the final product, there’s a jungle of management processes to navigate.
It wasn’t always this way though – the world of marketing has become much more complicated in the last decade or two. Now, with tech like AI in the mix, this seems like a good time to take stock and explore opportunities to make life smoother, save time, and keep everyone’s sanity intact.
Here are a few things to ponder on.
1. One source of data, one source of truth
It takes a myriad of platforms and apps to get a project from A to B and out of the agency door, and usually, more apps than is strictly necessary. Software sprawl can be a real problem, and while ‘context switching’ – the expenditure that comes from toggling between apps – is wasteful and leads to lower productivity, there is another major issue that comes with it: data fragmentation.
Fragmentation requires PMs to switch between apps, catching pieces of information, entering data or updating data – sometimes the same data in multiple places – hundreds of times a day. And on top of that they have a ton of unstructured information living inside spreadsheets and documents to take into account.
The cognitive energy and time expenditure from grappling with all this is huge, not to mention the errors that can easily creep in. You can never fully trust the data, which leads to more energy expenditure as PMs constantly cross-check data across documents and platforms.
The answer to information silos and fragmentation is a connected, relational database that feeds various apps with the project data. For example, a database tool like Airtable can eliminate the need for so many apps whilst being the single source of truth that drives all project reporting and tracking.
2. Quantifying and categorising briefs
Efficient delivery relies on the effective distribution of projects among PMs.
For PMs, having a keen “attention to detail” is a prerequisite. However, for this attention to be rightly allocated, it’s essential to quantify not only how many details but also what specific details they need to focus on before assigning projects.
It’s crucial to recognise that task switching can significantly impact efficiency. For instance, a project involving a video shoot with just three outputs may seem similar in PM effort to a banner ad campaign.
However, these two tasks require distinct skill sets and involve significant context shifts. Moving from managing logistics to overseeing the quality of multiple animated assets can be a substantial challenge.
Attention to detail also extends to client interactions. While some projects may involve minimal client involvement, others are deeply integrated with the client’s work processes, demanding a higher level of diligence and responsiveness from the project manager.
Given these nuances, rethinking how agency briefs are categorised may be a worthwhile exercise.
3. Intelligent briefs
It’s remarkable how, considering the tech developments of the past 10 years, briefs are often just basic Word or PDF documents that clients are expected to complete.
Putting aside the possible issues with outdated or ill-suited templates, which often force clients to shoehorn their requirements into inappropriate spaces, briefing forms could go so much further in terms of requirements capture, saving valuable time.
Imagine dynamic, conditional questionnaires that guide, adapt, and expand as the client provides answers. This way, the agency can dive deep into the specifics of the client’s needs.
What’s more, this data can be saved directly into the ‘font of all truth’ database (see point no. 1), and your project is already set up to go.
4. Agile hybrid teams
The Agile methodology, with its Scrum process, was initially designed for software and web development projects. Think of a Scrum team as a high-performance engine always at the ready. But in many marketing agencies, it’s like the engine needs a cold start every time a new project brief drops in.
Before the age of COVID, we used to have teams sharing the same office space. Surprisingly, the idea of going all Scrum was a big “Nope!”. Scrum would mean the client being physically present in the Scrum team, the team had to be in the same spot, and they had to work together on the same project at the same time.
Fast forward to post-COVID times, and we’ve realised something important. Real-time collaboration doesn’t require everyone to huddle in the same office.
Marketing agencies can definitely embrace a more synchronous approach, borrowing from Agile principles – especially for workstreams like display ads, SEO content, emails, and social media content.
The concept is pretty straightforward: replace the fragmented handling of individual deliverables with Scrum ceremonies like sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
5- Give your PMs a back office
The agency day-to-day can be a whirlwind for PMs. They’re constantly being tugged in opposite directions – one minute they’re dealing with clients, and the next, they’re diving into the nitty-gritty with their teams. Oh, and don’t forget herding all the stakeholders, documenting everything, and managing the inevitable curveballs coming from multiple projects.
Taking some of the administrative tasks, like documentation, off the PMs’ plate could help optimise the workflow and delivery. They would get to focus on creative problem-solving and keeping the communication channels flowing with clients and teams.
When it comes to setting up a Project Management Office (PMO) within your agency, you have the power to design it your way. You could have a one-person show, or a whole squad, handling important tasks like:
- Creating and managing project timelines.
- Keeping documentation and artifacts in order.
- Making sure projects are compliant.
- Pulling together pre-production briefings.
- And, maybe even taking those all important meeting notes and distributing them…
While some of these efficiency upgrades might need a bit of a structural facelift, others might just be about dusting off some of those not-so-exciting tasks that often end up in the “maybe later” pile.
Either way, if you’re looking to explore ways to streamline project delivery, feel free to get in touch with me.
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