Abstract
When preparing design students for professional practice, educators must ensure that they understand the basics of client-centered project management. Students should learn to articulate their value and manage project expectations alongside the delivery of work to their stakeholders. As the labor market becomes more fragmented, many students will rely on freelance work as a viable income source. In this pay-per-project economy, they must effectively approach project management to ensure that work done remains inside the agreed upon scope, within the proposed budget and is ultimately to the satisfaction of their client. This satisfaction often hinges on the student’s understanding that excellent customer service is one of the guiding (and unspoken) deliverables that the designer must produce. In this poster presentation, the tools and processes of client-centered project management in the life of a project, specifically a logo job, will be distilled. Methods for reducing designer-client misunderstandings, implementation of scope defining documents, and elicitation of stakeholder requirements and feedback are defined. In understanding how to steer the project management process, students will learn how working together with their client is the best (and most efficient) way to deliver projects successfully.
Presenters
Nancy MillerProgram Coordinator and Associate Professor, Department of Art and Design, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Design Management and Professional Practice
KEYWORDS
Design Education, Design Management, Professional Practice, Client-Centered Project Management
