Creative teams that produce a constant flow of deliverables for clients are profitable. Over the last few years we have seen almost every project delay known to creative teams, both on the creative team side and on the client side. The following items are many times overlooked by startup companies and well established companies alike. 

I read a really interesting article by Lionel Valdellon of Wrike, a project management software comapany and it inspired me to think deeply about what we have also learned and wanted to share with our readers and to remind our team... we have come a long way! 

Managing by Email
Millions of teams around the globe use email to manage and to effectively communicate. Lets recognize that with even secure email that strips out the spam, or most of it, email is a cluttered way to manage and organize. Teams that are focused with objectives need a project management system that organizes projects, tasks, people, timelines, content and notifications.

Zero collaboration between stake holders, too many emails, back and forth nonsense and misunderstandings, sound familiar? If your teams are using email to manage anything, we would suggest that you STOP this crazy and painful communications process. 

The answer to this is a team based project management system that everyone who has responsibilities for the VIP DELIVERABLE or any task associated with the DELIVERABLE get the information through the project management system.  An online project management system that will use email for immediate notifications to only bring you back into the project management system that is designed for layers of information.

Keep meetings to 10 minutes
Really only 10 minutes. This idea keeps every person on the team focused and prepared. If there are needs to be prepared for ask what is needed in advance. If the solution is not the responsibility of the entire team break out into a different scheduled meeting. 

Its amazing how much information is delivered in meetings. I think I have come to realize that as a corporate manager and entrepreneur, not everyone wants to know how much I know. They only really need to spoonful of information they need. Everyone has to come into the meeting with the information in an organized written format , not to be spelled out orally, in great detail. 

If a team has to keep the engine running, the workflow flowing , hold the meetings down to 10 minutes. 

Now the 800 pound Gorilla.
Physical meetings vs. Online Digital meetings. Workflow means continuity of work. Give your meetings the 80/20 rule. 80% of all meetings are online using fast answers like team chat tools for immediate information and or voice meetings. We use SKYPE extensively for the immediate need for needed answers and  information. We have discovered the best project management tool would have a SKYPE like tool built into the software so that the project team would be in contact with the team that is on the project. Tools like SKYPE, Google Hangouts, GotoMeeting, Join.me, Apple Facetime are used extensively by creative teams.

This idea is really important. Every member who is tasked with project details needs to connect with other team members at some point ( if it's a team of two or more).

Physical meetings are a needed component to human teams, but not for 80+% of the work that is required. Physical meetings are expensive gatherings of people but provide a true team connection of trust and accountability.  

Look for the integration of both CHAT and VOICE within your project management tool suite. 

Organize Content  - everyone will appreciate you more ! 
The project management solution needs to have a file system that allows the team to find resources needed. The digital files need to be easy to find by  different team members. Make sure and add the meta data descriptors so that the project name, file name make sense to someone else who might be looking for it. This saves a lot of time for everyone.

Delete content as if your job depended on it. Too much data is left over for someone else to make a decision about keeping, using or deleting. If the content is not a piece of a profitable project get rid of it. Think about the value that every piece of content has. If you think it needs to hang around for a while fine, but take the responsibility to delete it. Content is KING, but it also becomes a pain to everyone else if you cant find anything! 

Think of Project Workflow - Cost to Deliver
Workflow speeds up every item in the task list!  If your teams build creative elements, a project manager's role is an opportunity to define workflow and also workflow killers. Build the idea of optimization into the workflow process. Every member of a team is looking for tasks and resources to complete the tasks on time. Workflows can help guide a team through complex elements and/or sequenced tasks that need incremental delivery and communications. Keep it simple. 

Workflow is a project map, a block by block, step by step process that goes through the project or an element of the project. 

Think about the value of each task , time allotted and cost to deliver. The time to delivery and cost of each element is essential to know by the manager to keep the cost within budget. 

If the project is over budget look at workflow. Several industries have created a "Book of Business". This book of business is a detailed, itemized accounting for how long creative elements should take any member. This accounting can be developed over time and become one of the most valuable cost management tools. 

Project management tools can assign project tasks, timelines and associated cost. Workflow saves money so think about your workflows and how to utilize and share workflows to the team much more efficient.