When a new project is started, clients and the design team will meet to introduce ourselves and discuss the current state of their product to allow us to get a better understanding of the goals we aim to achieve. Often times in these kickoff meetings I hear clients say things regarding the previous vendor or contract. They say things like “The old vendor did this” or “We only contact them for support now.” I hear this frequently on a number of projects and I believe it derives from an old model of a ‘project based mentality’.
This mentality circles around the idea that when a design company receives a new contract the focus is to produce the best product within the given scope, time-frame and budget. This often leads teams to focus solely on reaching their deadline and achieving the goals of the project without any thought towards the future. This kind of mentality towards a project often causes the design company to be more concerned about the individual product rather than creating the best possible experience for the user.
The immediate issue with a project based mentality, is the idea that your work ends when the project does. A Website becomes outdated when it is no longer appealing to common trends, both functionally and aesthetically.
With technology always evolving, so must design. Users are given new ways to engage with their content and it is up to us to understand that what works today may not be applicable in a few years. We must be willing to further push the platforms we are creating, as well as the companies. This knowledge helps us develop a ‘continuous innovation’ mentality.
The CI Mindset
Rather than investing in the projects we work on, we invest in the companies behind them. We invest in the company’s system, software, branding and products in order to completely understand what they hope to achieve and what their users need in order to be successful. This allows us to create the best possible Website that is not just for what is currently required but also to inspire what we can achieve in the future.
We are the bridge that connects a company’s ideology and vision to their audience and as a designer, it is our job to invest in not only the projects we are creating but the companies we are creating them for. A “Continuous Innovation Mindset” (CI) allows us to always improve upon what we are creating. Change, no matter the scale is an opportunity to prosper.
If we approach every project with the idea that we can not only meet the project requirements but continue to improve our work over time, each one has the potential to develop into a 100 year relationship.
