My name is Sakamoto and I work in the BtoB team of the Marketing Department.
In order to improve the corporate websites of B2B companies in a variety of industries, our BtoB team is constantly engaged in various activities, such as interviewing people in charge, disseminating information, and proposing specific renewals.
From my perspective as a salesperson, I also act as a bridge between the company's representatives and Monosus's production team. I am often the liaison until a project is finalized, but once production actually begins, it is the web director who becomes the liaison for the project.
It is no exaggeration to say that whether or not the project requested by the customer is delivered successfully depends on the web director.
What are they thinking about when they do their work?
This time, we interviewed Nakagawa , a director in the Creative Department who is an essential member of our BtoB team in carrying out our mission (we even sit close together!).
Nakagawa was a hardcore coder since he joined the company, but in the past few years he has shifted to a director role. With the attitude of learning more with every project, he is expanding his repertoire as a director every day. Let's take a look at what the director's job is thinking through Nakagawa.
The person who takes the website to publication
Sakamoto: Today, I would like to ask you about the work of a director, who is an essential part of the production process. First of all, what exactly does a web director do?
Nakagawa : Personally, I think of the director as the "person who releases the work." Their role is to sort out the information flying around and give instructions to get the work released, so they can also be said to be the link between the client and the production staff.
Sakamoto : I see. What problems would have arisen if there hadn't been a director for that project?
Nakagawa: In that case, the production staff will also serve as director, but there are concerns that the quality of the deliverables will not be maintained and that the schedule will be delayed. It is not an ideal situation for the production staff to serve as director.
With Director Sakamoto acting as the intermediary between the customer and the creators, the creators can concentrate on creating the work.
What I keep in mind when directing
Nakagawa's desktop is spacious and comfortable, with no unnecessary items on it. He drinks black unsweetened coffee at work, both in summer and winter.
Sakamoto : What do you keep in mind when directing?
Nakagawa: It's important to take the time to prepare for the first half of a project and to always think about priorities. I come from a production background, so I keep in mind how much man-hours will be involved. I try to make sure that the man-hours don't exceed the budget or schedule.
Sakamoto: It's a balance between budget, schedule, and quality.
Nakagawa: I always look at the whole picture and strive to find the optimal balance depending on the situation.
Planning the production schedule is an important part of Director Sakamoto's job, but what do you pay attention to?
Nakagawa: I pay attention to whether there is enough time for production and confirmation, and whether the items necessary for the project have been picked up in the first place. Once a schedule is released, it is difficult to change it later.
Sakamoto: That's right. It's important to set a realistic schedule and consider whether the customer's confirmation work can be completed within that period.
Acting as a bridge between clients and production staff
Sakamoto: Do you ever have trouble listening to requests from customers? I think sometimes we get "vague" requests.
NakagawaI want to understand why the customer wants to do something, and understand the thoughts and circumstances behind the request, and then be able to convey that to the production team.
Director Sakamoto , you also have a role like an interpreter, translating the client's words and conveying them to the production team. Finally, what do you think the future holds for web production?
Nakagawa: I think the content of work may change. Coding can now be automated to a certain extent. I think the boundaries between job titles such as designer and system engineer will become blurred. Even so, I think that by acquiring specialized skills, I will be able to keep up with the changes in the environment. However, the role of director itself will not disappear.