More on plan the work; work the plan

I talked about the approach I take to accomplish complex creative projects in my 8/19/11 post. There are essentially 4 steps:

1. WHAT has to be done? Identify every piece of the project no matter how small.
2. HOW LONG will each piece take? Keep track of your estimated and actual time spent.
3. WHEN will each piece be done? Schedule a start and finish date.
4. WHO will deliver each of the pieces?

Tonight we have a theater show that has a cast of 13 and will utilize a lot of different elements:

     - 17 sound cues

     - 6 videos

     - 2 backdrop graphics

     - 6 original comedy sketches

     - 5 original video “commercials”

     - 14 “knock, knock” jokes

     - 1 magic show

     - 20 minute music package

All this was done by a relatively small team working together for about 2 months, which could only be done because of planning the work and then working the plan.

If you’re a creative that is also responsible for delivering, there is a strange combination of hats you wear. One is a multi-colored, frumpy, bouncy, audacious hat that lets you dream and create and explore. The other is a black, stiff, non-descript hat that lets you organize, plan and stay focused on completing each task. Wear them with pride. Wear them and deliver.

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

It was made to be driven, but it's now still and forgotten.

Plan the work; work the plan

If you are in charge of a multi-faceted project that involves a bunch of creative pieces, I have a suggestion that will help you "ship" more effectively. I produce theatrical shows at a local theater and have a simple system for some very complex productions:

The three keys are: 1. WHAT  2. HOURS DONE  3. HOURS LEFT. Knowing what I have to do and approximately how long it will take allows me to schedule things accordingly. It clears the fog of the undone list. And, keeping track of the HOURS DONE helps for the next time. While it takes a little time to set this up and update it, the peace of mind that comes from knowing where I am in the process is worth it!

PIC-OF-THE-WEEK

I was taking a random drive south of town and found these two guys hanging out. One was nice enough to pose for me (didn't get a model release though).