by Mertcan AtikCREATIVE PROCESS
Combining a creative idea with a specific art form creates a new concept. To create this concept, it is necessary to go through a certain creative process. This is a comprehensive collaboration involving many departments and disciplines in the creative process. The entire process after determining the brand strategy and digital marketing plan is the creative process. Each creative process varies depending on the customer’s demand and specific goal. In general, a creative process consists of research and planning, concept development, design and implementation, testing, and improvement stages. After all these processes, the output is shared with the customer and shared through mass media with approval.
During the creative process, skills such as creative problem-solving, idea development, text writing, and design are used. There should be members in this team who can adapt to each other and can transition to new projects according to the needs of the customer. Before the creative production process, creative operations must be carried out completely. Creative operations are the top management that organizes the entire creative process, handling project management, resource allocation, and quality control issues. Ensuring that the creative team produces correctly is possible with the support of the creative operation. Creativity is an open-ended concept. The framework of what needs to be thought and revealed in creative production must be determined correctly.
While some companies create the creative production process through in-house teams, some companies receive services from agencies to carry out this process. Although creating an in-house team seems less costly, this has some pros and cons. The expertise of a team established within the company may not be as sufficient as that of agency employees. In addition, in-house teams may not adapt to changing conditions as quickly as agency employees. The subjects in which the team to be established within the company has expertise will also be limited. Companies will have to employ freelancers depending on the size of their projects. On the contrary, companies working with agencies can get the output they want from agencies, regardless of the size of their projects. Agencies include many creative individuals in different disciplines. However, companies have to bear the costs and expenses imposed on them by the agency they have agreed with.
Stages in the Work Process of the Freelance Team
The stages and steps in a freelance team’s workflow are detailed versions of the overall process. The stages remain the same, even if a freelance team uses different steps when working on a video project or building a website. Below are the steps of the first stage, called the “Definition and Planning Stage”, in detail:
Definition and Planning Stage:
This stage is one of the most critical stages where the foundations of the project are laid, expectations and goals are determined by communicating with the client, and the project’s scope is clarified. Each of the steps to be taken during this process is vital to the successful completion of the project.
- Communicating with the Client
In this stage, initial meetings are held with the client and a comprehensive understanding of their needs, goals, target audience, brand voice, and specific preferences are developed. This is important to ensure that the overall creative direction of the project is aligned with the client’s vision. The information obtained during these meetings forms the basis of the entire process and guides the subsequent stages.
- Writing the Creative Brief
A creative brief is an important document that will be referenced throughout the project. It is a summary of the information received from the client and outlines the roadmap for the project. The creative brief includes critical information such as the project’s purpose, target audience, key messages, tone, style guides, and timeline. Using a creative brief template can help ensure that all important elements are fully included.
- Determine Roles and Responsibilities
In this step, the team members who will be involved in the project are identified and assigned specific tasks and responsibilities based on their areas of expertise. This increases workflow efficiency, clarifies responsibilities, and helps ensure efficient use of resources. Having a clear definition of who is responsible for what ensures that the team works collaboratively and the project progresses smoothly.
- Determine Project Milestones
Creating key milestones throughout the project timeline is critical for tracking progress, managing deadlines, and ensuring that the project is completed on time. These milestones act as checkpoints throughout each phase of the project and help the agency complete deliverables within the agreed-upon timeframe. Each milestone allows the freelance team to evaluate their work and change direction if necessary.
Creation and Development Phase:
After the project scope is determined, the creation process begins. In this phase, ideas that will help the project achieve its goals are developed and these ideas are transformed into concrete outputs. Each step is a part of the creative process and directly affects the quality and impact of the result.
- Conducting Research
In this step, information and data appropriate to the project goals and target audience are collected. This may include market research, competitor analysis, user research, or sectoral trends. An in-depth research ensures that the creative work is based on a solid knowledge base. This helps the decisions to be taken during the project to be more accurate and the creative process to progress on the right track. For example, in a video project, collecting information about the target audience’s viewing habits and preferences ensures that the content strategy is determined correctly.
- Brainstorming
In this collaborative process, team members come together to produce ideas and concepts. Brainstorming brings together different perspectives and provides an opportunity to produce innovative solutions. Team members freely share their thoughts and create a creative synergy by being inspired by each other’s ideas. If the team is stuck for ideas, various brainstorming activities can be tried.
- Concept Development
During this stage, ideas are refined and transformed into concrete concepts. By working on the initial ideas, details are added and the concepts are aligned with the project goals. This process is critical for maturing the ideas and clarifying the creative direction to be used in the project. For example, a concept developed for an advertising campaign is clarified on how it will use visual and verbal elements to convey a certain message.
- Design
During this step, the visual elements of the project are created. The design process includes the creation of elements such as layouts, color palettes, typography, and visuals. The design should be aesthetically appealing, functional, and compatible with the brand identity. All details specified in the creative brief are taken into consideration and implemented during the design process. During this stage, designers create various design options in accordance with the determined concept and develop the most suitable one.
- Creating Sketches
Based on the concept and design, the first drafts of the product deliverables are produced in this step. These drafts are subjected to internal evaluation before being presented to the client. During the internal evaluation process, the team checks whether the drafts are in line with the project goals by giving feedback. Designs are reviewed, ideas and designs are refined, and the best ones are selected and prepared to be presented to the client. This process is the first quality control step before the project reaches its final form.
Review and Approval Phase:
This phase is carried out after the completion of the creative process to ensure that the project fully complies with the client’s expectations. Obtaining client feedback and making the necessary adjustments are critical to the successful completion of the project.
- Collecting Client Feedback
In this step, the completed work is presented to the client and their opinions and suggestions are collected. The main purpose of this phase is to understand how the client evaluates the work, which areas they want to improve, and to what extent it meets their expectations. This process allows the identification of potential areas for improvement before the project reaches its final form. Client feedback is carefully analyzed and aligned with the project goals. This is an important step in ensuring client satisfaction and final approval.
- Going through Revision Cycles
In this iterative process, improvements are made to the design or specific deliverables in line with the feedback received from the client. Revision cycles are important in terms of managing the project efficiently in terms of both time and quality. In this process, it is necessary to determine the number of revision rounds and clarify turnaround times. In each revision cycle, the necessary adjustments are made and the client’s approval is obtained. Finally, these cycles continue until the project reaches its final state and the client gives final approval. Effective communication throughout the revision process helps manage the expectations of both the team and the client.
- Developing Final Assets
This step involves additional production after the client’s initial approval is received. This may include creating marketing materials, preparing files for printing, or developing website elements. As final assets are created, it is important to ensure that every detail is correct and aligns with the overall goals of the project. During this process, the final assets must be re-submitted to the client and final approval must be obtained before launch. Planning enough time for this final client review phase will ensure that the process goes smoothly. Once the final assets are prepared and approved, the project is ready to be published or distributed.
Launch and Evaluation Phase:
Once client approvals are secured, the content is ready to be published and the final step, the launch, is carried out. After the launch, the success of the project is measured and analyzed in line with the parameters determined at the beginning.
- Launch
This phase refers to the process of bringing the completed project to life. The launch can take place in various ways depending on the type of project; for example, the publication of a new website, the launch of social media campaigns, the distribution of printed materials, or the publication of an advertising film. During this process, all preparations are completed to deliver the project to the target audience and the content is presented through the determined platforms. The launch process should be managed meticulously to ensure that the content is published at the right time, in the right places, and in the right way. During the launch phase, technical details (e.g. SEO optimization for the website, timing for social media campaigns) are carefully considered and the content is ensured to reach the right audience.
- Evaluating the Project
This final step involves evaluating how successful the project is in line with the goals and objectives set at the beginning. The evaluation process involves analyzing performance metrics, identifying areas for improvement, and sharing the findings with the client. For example, for a social media campaign, this evaluation can be done on metrics such as campaign reach, engagement rates, conversion rates, and ROI (Return on Investment). While the overall performance of the project is examined, the results obtained serve as a guide for future projects. In addition, the feedback and suggestions shared with the client contribute to strengthening relationships and making future collaborations more successful. The insights gained during the evaluation phase allow the agency to optimize its processes and produce more effective results.
The Core Components of a Freelance Team’s Workflow
The core components of a freelance team’s workflow consist of several interconnected elements that are essential to the successful execution of projects. Each of these elements is crucial to ensuring the efficiency of the workflow and the quality of the project. The success of an agency’s workflow depends on the effective integration of elements such as strong communication, comprehensive briefings, adequate resources, defined deadlines, and clear revision cycles.
While creative agencies are flexible in adapting to unique client needs, maintaining process structure, managing creative operations, and ensuring a well-defined workflow is critical. Striking a balance between flexibility and structure allows teams to cope with the unexpected while also adhering to established processes and delivering on time with high quality.
- Effective Communication
Effective communication plays a critical role in the relationships between freelance team members and the client. Maintaining a constant dialogue throughout the project builds trust and strengthens collaboration. Listening carefully to the client and taking their feedback into account ensures that the project remains aligned with the client’s vision. In internal communication, a clear and continuous flow of information between team members helps maintain alignment throughout each phase of the project. As the project progresses, regular meetings and updates ensure that all parties are on the same page and prevent potential problems.
- Comprehensive Project Briefings
Comprehensive project briefings set the roadmap for the project and establish clear goals, audience, deliverables, and specific requirements from the outset. A well-prepared briefing lays the groundwork for efficient project execution and aligning expectations from the outset. These briefings prevent misunderstandings among agency teams and ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal. It’s important to remember that briefings are the fundamental guide used to manage the project.
- Optimized Resource Allocation
Strategically allocating resources maximizes team productivity and ensures that each task is handled by the most competent person. Allocating tasks based on each team’s strengths and areas of expertise ensures that the project moves forward efficiently. This process contributes to the successful completion of projects by ensuring that both time and skills are used most efficiently. Resource management also includes budget and time planning; therefore, proper allocation helps to keep overall project costs under control.
- Clear Timelines
Creating clear timelines provides a structured overview of the project’s phases, milestones, and deadlines. This structure makes time management efficient and allows projects to progress according to the planned schedule. Timelines ensure that the team works within the specified timeframes, while also providing clients with clear information about the project’s current stage. Regularly updating and monitoring these timelines helps to avoid potential delays.
- Setting and Tracking Milestones
As mentioned earlier, milestones are important checkpoints that ensure that projects are completed within the specified timeframe. Regularly monitoring these milestones allows for early detection of potential obstacles and timely corrective action. Milestones also serve as a roadmap to measure project progress and help the team and client evaluate the project at each stage of the project.
- Structured Revision Cycles and Quality Control
Implementing clearly defined revision cycles allows for client feedback to be captured and the work to be iteratively improved. Implementing quality control measures throughout the project process ensures that potential issues are identified early and addressed promptly. Revision cycles help manage expectations for both the client and the team, while also ensuring that the final product is of the highest quality. Consistent quality control throughout the revision process ensures that deliverables are as expected and error-free.
The creative process is a complex process that brings together different skills and expertise. Managing this process correctly from the beginning ensures that the process progresses in a higher-quality manner. The important thing is to obtain outputs that meet the brand’s exact wishes. Whether progressing with an in-house team or producing with the support of an agency, brand strategy is the fundamental basis of the creative process. Today, the increasing need for digital channels and content has made it necessary to manage creative processes in a much more organized manner. At this point, progress in the creative process must be planned correctly. The goal should be determined with clear statements. Communication among the team should be maximized. The use of technology greatly affects the creative process. Software offered to professionals today has made it possible for the creative process to occur faster and more effectively. Working in a comfortable atmosphere for creative individuals increases the quality of creative production. Creating a flexible and comfortable working environment is as important as creating the right teams.