Well not really a co-worker, but a company like Exhibit Associates. It was a meeting of the minds. Talking about this mousetrap called business.
One part of the conversation was Process. How do we stop giving away design and time to companies that do not buy? We once did over 10 versions of design for a company that went to a competitor. How much design time, estimation and miscellaneous time was spent for nothing? What is
At Exhibit Associates we have three rules: No talking about Design without a designer, No detail design development without a financial commitment from the client and Operations owns the time lines.
Operational Timelines are easy. Why? Account Management can't make promises they can't keep! If a client wants a 10x20 inline booth in a week, there are only so many options we have to get that done. If they want a fully customized 20x20 booth in a week, that is not getting done - ever!
So the Account Management Team knows where to say yes, and where to say - Let me check!
Design Meetings are another thing. Napoleon stated - "Every French solder carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack." Everybody is a designer. Well that is true to a certain extent - but real design takes real work. So the concept drawn out on a bar napkin can turn into reality, but usually not by the guys at the bar. Designers hear things different. It provides a quicker, more effective process, which benefits our clients in the end.
The money rule - well that just get's commitment from the client. Concepts are one thing, when the conversation moves into detail discussions and design - well, that is every company that does design's bread and butter.
The co-worker in this situation looked at me like I had just come down from the mountain with items etched in stone. (Trust me I do not get that look that often/at all.)
It is a process, it a culture. While concept of 4DX is important it is the team executing on 4DX that counts. The three rules just back it up. Just part of the mousetrap.
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