How to work with Creative Professionals

How to work with Creative Professionals
(e.g. programmers, graphic designers)
by s.a.xanadu

Step 1. Provide all necessary documentation:
	a. Program Specifications / Mockup of all screens / Outcomes for design.
	b. ALL COPY. Do not expect to change initial copy until the first QA revision.
	c. Estimated Deadlines & clear milestones (if project will take more than a week)

Step 2. First Quality Assurance Meeting
	a. If COPY is revised provide clear documentation with changes outlined in yellow.
	b. Provide accurate feedback on program design and implementation. Note 'page', 'screen' and other salient information and clear instructions on how they change.
	c. Initial testing should occur with coworkers related to the project. Feedback needs to be succinct and clear.

Step 3. Second Quality Assurance Meeting
	a. Make sure specifications are met and all features work as expected.
	b. Continue with user testing and test fringe cases.

Step 4. Ship the product/document/newsletter/program.

Special Notes: Creative Professionals will require a longer development time if certain minimum requirements are not provided:

a. If COPY changes are needed and they are presented during a development phase or are ill-formatted. This duplicates work and takes precious time.
b. If specifications change during development. This will require the creative to change the image of the larger project in their mind and will result in lost work hours and lower morale.
c. If work-to-be-finished is presented at the end of the day (4:55pm). This increases stress levels and will result in sub-par work as it will be rushed and will not have any time for quality assurance.
d. If you only know what you DON'T want. You definitely don't know what you WANT. Poor plans create duplicate work and stressful unknowns.
e. A programmer is not a designer. A designer is not a programmer.
f. "Program Specifications" is defined as all requirements, a defined user-interface, software 	interfaces/APIs, Process flow/Page flow, business rules/formulas, diagrams explaining any ambiguous ideas, etc.
g. All revisions should accompany a version number and show a clear distinction of what has changed. Also revisions should be queued and RESTRICTED to QA stages.
h. Provide clear criticism. Constructive and respectful criticism can bolster relationships and improve productivity.
i. There is never an exit clause from good planning called "but we need it right now". Ultimately a good plan will generate faster work. Clear iterations will further press refinement of ideas to idioms translatable to the creative professional. It will also assure quality output from everyone.