Post Categories: September 2016

Meet the Expert: Managing Creative Teams and Projects with David Silva

davidSilvaCreative branding and visual designs are key elements of Interactions’ consumer engagement services. From mobile tour bus wraps to recipe cards, no job is too big or too small for Interactions’ in-house design team, led by David Silva, Creative Services Manager. Retail News Insider sat down with Silva to see how he navigates working on complex projects with a variety of team members, clients and end users.

RNI: You work with a lot of different teams—in-house designers, freelancers, clients, etc. What are the keys to making that work?

DS: I think that most managers have similar situations and it becomes a balancing act. It’s a matter of juggling things to make sure you’re giving everyone and every project the attention they deserve. At the end of the day, communication is the most important thing, regardless of whether you’re working with different design teams or colleagues or clients. When we have hiccups, it’s usually because of lack of communication. Checking in regularly and communicating openly keeps us all on track.

RNI: What are some of your best practices for building a design team that can handle the range of projects Interactions sees?

DS: What I think is true for any team, regardless whether they’re design-based or not, is that you need to have a variety of genders, ages and skills. That guarantees different perspectives and ensures everyone has something different to bring to the table. My team is very diverse and they come from completely different places in terms of bringing forward ideas and designs. Seeing those worlds collide is such an enriching experience.

RNI: How do you balance encouraging your team to come up with unique and fresh ideas while still fitting within a client’s established brand and message?

DS: I encourage my team to go in any direction when starting a design. When they feel confident in what has been created, I check in with them and help them fine-tune their work toward a finished, polished product. We like to come up with a few different versions to show our clients, so they have several new ideas to consider. Then it’s up to them to decide what direction they want to go in. Sometimes clients have very strict branding guidelines. We still do our best to be creative in other venues where that comes naturally, such as on social medial. Ultimately, it’s the client’s product or brand and it’s our job to help them shine in whatever way they think is best.

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