That’s not to say that creative projects don’t need structure. Far from it–it’s called a creative process for a reason. Creativity needs organization and oversight as much as any discipline but it should be part of the creative world and not some external project management tool.
Creatives have a reputation for being good at the blue sky stuff, less so at the practical reality of task-setting and deadlines. But that misconception may have to do with the fact that creatives traditionally aren’t given, or fail to utilize, tools to help them effectively manage their own creative projects..
We’re changing the face of collaboration
Not only has Hightail enhanced the review process with contextual commenting for creative files, we’re also bringing project management features like follow-ups, due dates and approvals to the creative space.
Not to say that you should ditch your project manager–they will always have an important role to play especially as resource allocators. But having specific creative tasks be set and resolved in the same place where the work is evolving–instead of channeled through a separate PM tool–will ease the burden on project managers and speed up the process for the creative team.
Here are three of Hightail’s project management features that your team should be using:
1. To-dos
Setting a task for someone in Hightail isn’t a complex multi-step process of moving information from one system to another. You simply add your comment to the image or video (“This color is wrong–should be more Barney purple”) then click Needs follow-up to assign it to someone. Set a due date and a reminder and we’ll notify that person when the deadline is approaching.Watch how-to do to-dos
2. Approvals
When you’re sure you’ve nailed it and it’s time for that final sign-off from your client or stakeholder, use Hightail to get a clear green light. Select Request approval for one or more files then nominate who needs to approve. We will notify them of your request and tell you when they’ve approved your work.See how to respond to a request for approval
3. Overviews
Want to know what everyone on your team is working on without wasting time in endless status meetings? Hightail’s Team View provides an at-a-glance overview of everyone’s latest activity, including files uploaded, comments added and tasks resolved. This snapshot of who’s doing what is a great way to identify roadblocks and keep everyone moving forward together.Find out more about Team View
Those are just three ways that we’re helping creative marketers take project management into their own hands in a more convenient and contextual way.
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