We <3 Collaboration
When you hear the word ‘collaboration,’ you might picture stock photos of glass whiteboards and smiling employees huddled around endless sticky notes. But at Project7, collaboration is more than just a buzzword; it’s a dynamic, ongoing process of noodling together to blend creative ideas and processes.
It’s simple, more brains = more ideas. We collaborate as a team to create better processes, better designs, and ultimately better solutions for our clients.
Collaborating with Clients
It all begins with you, our client! To ensure we capture a comprehensive view of your project’s goals, we gather input from various stakeholders, business owners, and users. We collect answers through discovery meetings and a questionnaire, which we then consolidate to form a well-rounded and thorough understanding of your objectives.
Go with the Flow
Collaboration takes many forms, and not everything happens in teams. Some days, we work individually to organize concepts or develop initial designs before bringing them back to the group. Other times, we might be in the same room, each focused on our own work during what we call “design challenges,” working under time constraints. There are also moments when we create literally side by side, whether combining elements from different designers work on a screen or physically collaging logos with scissors and tape. This process of synthesis sparks even more ideas as a group.
No matter how collaboration unfolds, we’re always refining our workflow to strike the perfect balance that fuels creativity. We see processes as a bit like Goldilocks—finding the one that’s just right! Too much process can stifle ideas, hinder collaboration and bog things down with unnecessary work. On the flip side, having no process, or the wrong kind can lead to stress, uncertainty, and, yep, extra work.
Harnessing Our Strengths
Everyone on the p7 team brings a unique strength to the table, which really amps up our collaboration. Some of us thrive in the creative chaos, while others are pros at sorting through the details and narrowing down options. When we mapped ourselves on IDEO U’s collaborative process model, it wasn’t surprising to see that we cover a wide range of points in the continuum. Knowing where we each shine helps us contribute in the right way, whether it’s brainstorming, getting things done, or fine-tuning the details.
Drop the Ego, Fuel the Empathy
As a team, we’ve built a strong foundation of empathy and mutual respect, which helps us step out of our comfort zones and back each other up on big projects. By sharing how we’re feeling and giving each other a gentle push when needed, we create a space where everyone’s excited to contribute. Sure, voting on logos or design challenge might bring out some friendly competition, but in the end, collaboration always wins.
ANNA LEMONS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
As one of Project7 Design’s Creative Directors, Anna collaborates with the team to create strong brands. With 15 years of experience, she has a range of design expertise in a variety of industries.