Workflow, Details, and Lessons Learned
INTRODUCTION
If you are new to the Blue Art Studio blog, congratulations! So am I. To start things off it is important that you, the reader, know how these posts are structured. I will be posting a new blog each weekend and will always start the post with an outline. As much as I appreciate those that want to read every line and every word of my writings, I know as much as anyone that we scour the internet focused on immediate results. Nothing is worse than searching Google for an answer and clicking a link to an article that is completely irrelevant to your search. So without further ado, here’s the gist.
Introduction
Definitions
Topic: Workflow and Details - How they create value but also stall progress.
Workflow: Understanding the focal point of your business to establish a workflow
Details: Why they are so important and such a waste of time. Deciding where they fit in the creation process.
Conclusion
To all that have made it this far, thank you. I’d like to start by acknowledging a few important facts. One; I am not a professional advisor, a trained career coach, or holder of an MBA. Two; These written opinions are based on my personal experiences with creating a new (and still young) company while working full time in construction management. And Three; I am still learning more than I am succeeding. But in pursuit of transparency, I believe it is important when sharing lessons that the writer acknowledges where they stand in the process. Context is everything when it comes to useful information. And with those notes, let’s move on to the subject at hand
DEFINITIONS
Workflow: the sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion. For the purposes of this blog post, I am referring to the processes and tools we create and use to efficiently carry out tasks in the setting of a business.
Details: an individual feature, fact, or item. For the purposes of this blog post, I am referring to the small actions, tasks, and decisions that make up the larger picture of providing a business service or product.
WORKFLOW AND DETAILS:
How they create value but also stall progress.
Through the process of developing Blue Art Studio Company, the two most exhausting and difficult components have been establishing workflow and maintaining attention to detail. These two ideas are exaggerated even more when you have a personality, like mine, that likes to “close the loop,” i.e. create work systems and processes that are repeatable and methodical and try to resolve issues that have yet to arise. I don’t think this preference is rare, especially among Millennial and Gen Z populations. We grew up in and around established processes: standardized testing, computer based learning, and (more culturally speaking) a society that demonized lack of success in these closed systems. It’s no surprise that I, or anyone else that grew up in this environment, feel the need to solve problems before they show up.
But if there is anything you gain from this blog post, please let it be this excerpt: Creating a workflow and focusing on details in pursuit of solving future problems may have value, but making that the focal point IN THE BEGINNING is like trying to catch wind in a jar - you will drive yourself crazy and accomplish nothing. Despite our digital age and ability to organize every aspect of our lives - people and circumstances cannot be predicted with 100% certainty. The best predictions we have come from generic categories based on analyzed group data. To you, the business creator, these categories are (unofficially) called “audiences.” Audiences can be as broad or as specific as you wish but the point remains; they are generic groups of people with similar needs - not ALL people. Said simply, create workflow processes that meet your audience’s needs and focus on details that said audience will notice. This concept is what leads me in how I approach workflow and details.
BEGINNING WITH WORKFLOW
The environment in which I have chosen to start a company is art, which means design, flow, color, etc. are relevant to my business plan. I have to focus heavily on the “feeling” of my art, website, and packaging. This means that my workflow relies on accurate design software, fast website servers, and finding material providers that offer high-quality products at affordable prices. I have ZERO hesitation sharing with you that establishing this work-flow has been the most time consuming part of my journey. I have had to research every purchase and process with no previous knowledge, purchase products on a whim just to see what they feel like, and spend countless hours losing and finding files as I try to understand the best way to transfer data as an artist. These choices, although clumsy, were focused on my audience. That focus helps me move past mistakes and avoid feeling like my efforts are futile.
I recognize that my chosen industry is culturally driven and rooted in provoking emotions. Design intent is imperative. But to make my point about using your chosen audience to drive your workflow decisions, let’s use an example of a service provider. A car mechanic or HVAC service provider, for example, need to focus on the efficacy of their services - not the color palette of their logo. I understand that presentation as a service provider matters (that is inarguable), but the value of their service and testimonials is what drives it’s initial growth. The workflow process for a mechanic should be driven by tools, logistics, and speed and quality of service. This should be the primary focus of a new company owner in a service industry, not logo design and uniform colors (at least not at the onset).
It needs to be stated that company owners should strive to succeed in all of these categories; tool selection, speed, advertising, presentation, culture, emotion, visuals, etc. But this post is about where a new company owner should begin their journey to success. It is my opinion that workflow should be driven by the needs of your audience and follow the intention of your business. Only after you find success in making a base for your new business should you change focus to a new problem. Again, don’t solve problems that don’t yet exist.
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS
Details are a more broad-stroke concept since they intertwine with everything involving a new business (or creation for that matter). But I believe they deserve a separate discussion because so many of us trying to make new things often overthink or address macro issues on a micro level. In order to pull myself out of that habit I think about details in layers.
I start by addressing what I want to achieve personally (after all, people that start new businesses are inherently driven by the need to achieve something personal). This helps create your expectations, which I advise try to keep between a 6 month to 1 year maximum to avoid thinking too far ahead. Once personal expectations have been made I develop a list of requirements or achievements that correlate to the audience that I wish to engage. Finally, I make a smaller to-do list for each of these requirements that have more than one step. After that, I stop. One of the worst habits I have removed from my mental tool box is spending excessive amounts of time micro-planning tasks. In my experience, micro-planning is nothing more than trying to ease the anxiety of the unknown. If a required task has an element of danger, large monetary consequences, or involves other people’s time and resources then by all means, micro-plan within reason. But if all a task requires is elbow grease and dedication to a new process, put the planner down and start the damn thing. Reminder to all: discussing, organizing, or pondering a task is NOT the same as working on that task. Organize and attack.
Once the plan is finally made and your expectations have specified tasks, the next hurdle are the details within those tasks. This is where things get tricky for most people, myself included. But as my work moves forward I find myself using the same focus point as my workflow; the details my audience cares about. With art being the central point of my business I focus on precision in my pieces, materials, and quality of my reproductions and deliveries. For the previous car mechanic example, the focus should be on quality of install, car parts, and customer engagement. In the start of making Blue Art Studio Co. I spent countless hours on details that were irrelevant to my current audience. I was working on QR codes for when I hung my art up at a local shop, business cards when I didn’t even have a portfolio ready, and making clothing/accessory items when I hadn’t even tried to sell actual art. I recommend being mindful of the tasks that consume a lot of time. If you decide that a task is demanding but necessary for your business and audience, move forward. If you decide that a task is demanding because you are “stuck” on it, don’t be afraid to cut your losses and re-focus on something productive.
CONCLUSION
Details and workflow work hand-in-hand and no matter how hard any of us try, the beginning of a new business, art piece, or project will require you to prepare for the unknown. My experience, as written above, is what I have to offer to those that are at the beginning of their own creative journey. Hopefully there is something to be learned from my many lessons and mistakes. Thanks for reading and as always, stay classy.
- Blue
