One of sxsw session topics was whether to outsource creative to a design company or not.
There is a trend in the entertainment/music industry to do everything (including motion design) in-house. Some say it’s cheaper getting the work done in-house, but they do not account for the many hours, days, months of training and learning that is needed to get work to the pro level that creates results. Also, an out-of-house designer might have the eye, style and look that your project needs, something that can simply not be trained.
When you outsource, you want to work with a specialist with more experience, a wider skill set and resources that you can tap into and that become yours. In the end outsourcing may be cheaper, more creative with better results as genius #Genius and #marniWandner from “the syndicate” are saying.
You just need to make sure, that the hired designer or company has an industry track record, is accountable, communicates well (not too little and not over the top) and reports regularly. You want to find a formula to work together, using tools like slack, trello, smartsheet, google docs, and a combination of the above. Set up time-slots for reviews and discussions/ brainstorming.
It’s best to have a clearly defined strategy from the get-go to avoid disappointments and late delivery. What’s also great about outsourcing: you get an outside viewpoint, a free beta /ux tester and a lot more creative ideas ( I hate to use out-of-the-box but that’s what you are getting...) when you hire the design company at the very start of the project.
This is what I have to share for now... weigh you options and ask me, if you are not certain which way to go. I am not biased at all...😉Have a creative day!
