Being a design consultant is usually a very promising career for people who have a sharp eye for aesthetics and are equally able to apply some sense of practicality. Frankly speaking, balancing form and function has always proven to be a delicate art that only a few people can master. It is clearly evident that the skills and talent of experienced consultants is usually truly exceptional. Apart from the above, there are other challenges which designers are faced with when starting their projects.
The most common woe that design consultancy is characteristic of is how to provide their clients with a proper time estimate after being awarded a project.
Failure to properly estimate the difficulty and load of a project is by far one of the main mistakes which design consultants make. Below are simply some of the reasons why design consultants usually commit to this error. They include: –
- Unfamiliarity with the technology and tools used or required to see the project through.
- No clear objectives during the planning phase
- No background information about the project
- Estimation of the project cost without sensible information
- Guessing responses to clients queries in a bid to avoid rejection or possible cancellation of the project
- Provision of an incorrect estimate all in a bid to win over the project
The above mentioned blunders tend not to have any domino effect on the whole project. Seasoned designers on the other hand are only able to make guesses about the amount of time that is required to run a project. Fortunately their level of experience usually acts as a guide helping them roughly figure out how much time is needed to complete a particular project that is besides the issues of trying to win over the project. As strange as it may sound, even experienced designers sometimes find themselves setting rather unrealistic timelines all in a bid to win over projects. Just so you know, it is this over estimation of one’s talent coupled with the underestimation of the demand of project requirements that usually translate into poor results in the end.
In spite of the above, there is some good news. This is the fact that: there s a good way to provide proper real time estimate for whichever project you may have been awarded. It all starts with the right attitude especially towards time management alongside task phasing. For instance, a time tracking tool is usually very helpful particularly in the plotting of important phases of any project. In fact, with dependency on this framework, expect to make more reliable time estimates for future design projects. Keep in mind; most design projects usually follow the following phases:
- Phase one : research, survey and thorough planning
- Phase two: conceptualizations
- Phase three: project design and structuring
- Phase four : project development
- Phase five: project completion
After applying similar templates for various projects, you should be able to have familiarized yourself with how the flow of tasks usually occurs hence placing in the best position to make correct predictions.
Making a correct estimate is not a simple task. It calls for proper planning as well as several years of experience in order to come up with the best possible estimate for the project awarded to you. Remember, a rushed estimate will only do you more harm than good. Time tracking of projects on the other hand will only test your design consultants’ value of time. Simply put, it is only with the right attitude that your actions will attract success.