How to Collaborate with Designers on Ad Projects

All I know about PMs working w designers: 1. You're not a designer. They are. 2. Involve them earlier than you think you need to. 3. Frquent, small meetings are much better than infrequent, larger reviews. 4. Always create multiple versions. Compare them side-by-side. 5. Build an environment that celebrates multiple drafts and throwaway work. Throwaway work is good. 6. Avoid biasing them with the way you believe the designs should be if there's room for exploration. 7. Embrace the fact that they likely think differently than you. That’s a good thing. 8. Treat them as a true partner. 9. Communicate your goals clearly. They appreciate understanding the desired outcome. 10. Avoid giving upfront design feedback after the first iteration. Designers prefer time to explore and iterate. Give them space to refine their designs. 11. Speak their language. Don't say: "Improve the conversion rate" but "How do you think we can get more people to sign up?" 12. Let them surprise you. 13. Communicate how you each operate and align on how to make decisions. 14. Collaborate on roadmap. Have an internal working version & public facing version. 15. Design experiments and review metrics together. 16. Don’t expect them to understand your idea – draw it. 17. If there’s something in a design you disagree with, frame it as a concern, not a criticism. #product #productmanagement #design #collaboration #technology

Designers are strategic communicators, not just decorators. How can we bust the silos between strategy and design? I asked Brittney Westbrook that question in this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO. Key takeaways include: ✅ A well-structured creative brief is essential. It should outline objectives, audience, required content, and deliverables while still allowing room for creative autonomy. ✅ Collaboration is key. Designers should be involved in project kickoff meetings and work closely with writers and strategists to ensure alignment. ✅ Provide specific and actionable feedback. Avoid vague statements like "make it pop" and instead focus on objectives, audience needs, and functionality. ✅ Respect designers' time and creative process. Avoid last-minute changes and ensure they have the bandwidth to do their best work. ✅ Break down silos within marketing teams. Encourage cross-functional collaboration to create more cohesive and impactful campaigns. Listen now: https://lnkd.in/e4MabCGq

How to work with a designer: Provide context, clarity, and collaboration. These three words can make or break your creative outcomes. Here's how they come to life in conversation: Context: Give designers a sense of what you're aiming for, not just what to do. Avoid saying: “Make it pop.” Say: “I want this part to really grab attention, like it’s the first thing someone notices.” Clarity: You don't need perfect answers—just a clear direction. Avoid saying: “I’m not sure what I want.” Say: “I’m not sure of the exact look yet, but I know we want to come across as modern and trustworthy. Can you show a couple of options that explore that?” Collaboration: Great work happens when ideas are built together, not dictated. Avoid saying: “Just change it to what I said.” Say: “I see why you approached it that way. Can we try blending that with the idea I had to see if it works better?” You don’t need to speak fluent design. You just need to speak with intention. Better creative work starts with better conversations. #CreativeCollaboration #DesignThinking #CreativeDirection #FeedbackCulture #WorkBetterTogether