Hello, I'm Director Oyabuchi.
The "director" is essential for moving a project forward, but what exactly does he or she actually do? In fact, the director's role is often asked. Generally, the following are some of the roles of a director:
- Meeting with clients and company members
- Schedule Management
- Issue Management
- Progress Management
- Quality Control
- Giving instructions to production members
I have introduced these tasks from various angles in this column, but personally I think it's not just important to know "what kind of work they are doing" but also "the attitude they have as they approach it."
So, this time I would like to introduce some of the important "rules" that I keep in mind when working as a director.
Rule 1: Don't use your hands
Basically, the director is in charge of managing the progress of the project, so they do not actually do any production work such as design or coding. However, when a person who used to be a production person becomes a director, they may be tempted to get their hands dirty.
For example, when a careless design mistake or a small coding bug occurs, it's easy to think, "It's a hassle to give instructions to the production staff, and we're in a hurry, so I'll just deal with it myself..." but I think this is a no-no for a director.
Speaking from past experience, there was a time when I thought it would be quicker if I did it myself, so I ended up handling a lot of things myself, which resulted in me working overtime late into the night and on holidays. As a result, I was so short on time that I neglected the responsibilities of a director.
If the director, who sets the course for the project, becomes overwhelmed, the production team will also be in trouble. The director's role is not to just do small corrections or changes, but to think about how to get the production team to respond efficiently and how to prevent mistakes, and to think about how to proceed in the future.
Rather than being a "jack of all trades," I think it's important for a director to always remain calm and have the space to think about how to deal with whatever happens.
Tip 2: Act as if you are the creator
I mentioned earlier that the director should not get involved in the project himself, but I personally try to proceed with the project with the mindset that, although I am not actually involved, I am in charge of all the production.
A project has many steps from start to finish, and the content of the previous step is connected to the production of the next step. If you do not understand the details of each step and how to respond, you will not be able to give appropriate instructions to the next creator or make the right decisions.
Even if things don't go as expected, as long as you understand the situation as if you were "making it yourself," you can be sure to know what impact each process will have and how to recover. We also strive to create an environment where creators can perform to their full potential, such as having the director do the preparatory work in advance so that production staff do not have to do unnecessary work.
In addition, directors sometimes have meetings with clients on their own, but at those times they must act as the "representative of the production side." When making a proposal, I try to be able to explain clearly why this idea is necessary, after understanding the intentions of the production side.
In order for a project to proceed smoothly and for the client to be satisfied, I think it is important for the director to have the attitude that he or she will take full responsibility for the entire production.
Rule 3: Be more passionate than anyone else
The last rule is to "have more passion than anyone else."
When a project begins, both the client and the production team work toward the goal with the same desire to "create something great!" Among these, I think it is most important for the director himself to maintain his passion throughout the entire duration of the project.
If the director, who is at the forefront of production, remains silent, no one will take action.
How can we create what the client wants? Is there a better idea? The project moves forward when the director takes action.
Sometimes it's necessary to be more proactive than the client. For example, even if the client is muttering to themselves during a meeting, listen carefully and ask "What is that?" to pick up on even the smallest details, such as what they want or their questions. Approach the project with enough passion to think of the client's website as your own website. By conveying that enthusiasm, the client will also become more proactive, which will ultimately lead to results that exceed expectations.
It's the director's passion that drives the project!
summary
This article gave me the opportunity to reaffirm my own mindset as a director. In the past, I spent most of my time on work-related tasks such as creating schedules and task management tables, but recently I feel like I spend more time thinking about things like "how to create something good" and "what do customers want?"
This may be because, through my experiences, I have realized the importance of truly facing clients and production members (thinking with my eyes, ears, and heart). Unlike designers and coders, I don't create many things with my own hands, but it's a great feeling when a site that I've poured my heart and soul into is completed. I would like to continue to cherish my "calmness" and "passion" as I lead projects as a director.
モノサスアーカイブ