So, you want to be a project manager for an advertising agency or design shop. You want to take a project from the very beginning and see it through to the very end. In between those two extremes, you’re ready to set deadlines, keep deadlines and explain to account people (the guys who speak to the clients) why deadlines were missed. Basically, you’re ready to face Hell head on and say, "Ok, Satan, I’m here and ready to whip your butt into shape."
To accomplish your tasks, you’re going to need to work with and manage a lot of people - in particular, designers. Simple, you say? Not quite. Managing artists is a lot like trying to break in horses: do it wrong, and you’re bound to get kicked in the head. Do it right, and you’ll probably get kicked in the head a few times anyway. But at least you’ll be secure in the knowledge that it wasn’t all your fault.
Managing designers is more about managing personalities than it is about scheduling deadlines. To do this well, you need to be familiar with the various personalities and traits that you, Mr. or Ms. Project Manager, will inevitably deal with. And so, without further fanfare, we present to you the personality profile of designers:
The Ego Maniac
Profile: The Ego Maniac is the most common among the designer breeds, and the least in danger of extinction. In fact, while full-blown ego mania may be rare, a little bit of the Ego Maniac’s personality traits can be found in 95 percent of all designers (the other 5 percent later switch careers and become accountants). You can spot the Ego Maniac by their constant belief that their designs are always the best and if the client doesn’t like their work, then the client is stupid. In fact, the client is often seen as the enemy, as is anyone who sides with the client. The most resistant to direction, the pure-bred Ego Maniac also tends to be among the more talented of the design stock, which accounts for their hyper-increased snootiness.
Tendencies: The Ego Maniac will tend to pout if their work is changed. If not watched closely, they may make additional changes on their own, if only to keep their own fingerprint on their work. In addition, the Ego Maniac could lash out and experience a slow-down in production if you attempt to manage them too tightly, such as standing over their shoulder when they work.
Tip(s): Let the Ego Maniac have a relatively clean canvas to work on. They tend to do a better-than-average job on most projects that you give them. However, it is rare that the Ego Maniac will ever make the connection that their work belongs to the client and not to them. So, to get them to make changes to their work, the path of least resistance is to blame it on the client. Try the following line: "I agree with you. Your way really is better. It’s a stupid change, but hey, my hands are tied. Just make the change this time and we’ll fight the good fight later, when the client really makes an awful change."
The Mac Monkey
Profile: The Mac Monkey is the easiest to manage, but also the least creative. Easily spotted in the wild by the confused look on their face when you ask them, "How do you think we should design this piece?" the Mac Monkey excels at doing exactly what they are told, but little beyond that. For example, let’s say that you need a designer to illustrate the face of a person, but neglect to say that the face needs to have eyes in the proper place. You’ll get a face without eyes. When you ask why there aren’t any eyes in the face, the Mac Monkey will likely respond with, "Um…you didn’t tell me to put them there."
Tendencies: The Mac Monkey will be very fast at color correction, masking, silhouetting and other tasks, but will invariably be slow at completing any project that requires thought. Watch for increased cigarette breaks, more computer problems and longer trips to the bathroom during these types of projects.
Tip(s): Because part of the Ego Maniac’s tendency still resides in the Mac Monkey, you need to make even small, boring and tedious projects seem as lively and exciting as possible. Everything depends upon how you present the project: "Guess what? We have a major project that requires your specialized skills. All of the eyes in theses images are red and I think you are the only person here skilled enough to fix it." As long as the Mac Monkey thinks they’re being creative, they’ll work just fine.
The Pixelator (a.k.a. The Perfectionist)
Profile: Pixelators tend to be good designers, but also rank as the slowest moving of the design breeds. Pixelators have an enhanced love and respect for the work that they do which sometimes, but not always, compensates for the fact that they can be as slow as tar from a tap.
The Pixelator name derives from the fact that these guys will always try to get an image they are working on to be perfect – right down to the last pixel. They can often be seen moving even the most minor element in a piece one pixel to the left, then one pixel to the right, then one pixel to the left, and on and on in an obsessive-compulsive need for perfection.
Tendencies: You can spot a Pixelator by two distinct features: they will always, no matter what the lighting is in the room, tend to work with their face pressed practically against the computer monitor, with their eyes in a narrow squint as though they were trying to decipher worn out fine print in age-old sandstone, and their insistence to magnify every design to 2000 percent so that they can make corrections to their work, one pixel at a time.
Tip(s): Create deadlines that are at least two full days ahead of when you actually need the work accomplished. That way it will only be one day late.
The Monet
Profile: The Monet tends to be the most artistic, and often the most flamboyant, of the design personalities that you will work with. However, the Monet is also the least knowledgeable or caring about marketing for a specific audience. This means that even the most corporate needs by the most corporate of clients will be designed by the Monet as though it were meant to hang in a Museum of Modern Art, to be appreciated only by those with artistic style. Should one of their designs actually hit the mark of what you and the client is looking for, you will consider it a stroke of extreme luck, the Monet will consider it a stroke of pure genius. The most major negative, however, is that the Monet will steadfastly refuse to work on any projects that they deem to be artistically beneath them, such as most of the work that the Mac Monkey will be asked to do.
Tendencies: The Monet will shut off completely at any discussion that involves the words marketing, branding, audience or target market. Like the Ego Maniac, the Monet will also be highly resistant to change, especially from the client. The Monet can also be found designing even the simplest piece in the most complex way possible, for the sake of art.
Tip(s): Avoid contact with the Monet at all costs, even if that means firing them. They are rarely worth the effort, and may poison the minds of those around them.
The Stereotype Incarnate
Profile: The easiest to spot, the Stereotype is the embodiment of what the non-design world thinks of artists: morose, emotional, hating the world. They are decent designers (although never as good as they believe they are) and while they will get their work done on time they will constantly lament the commercialization of art.
Tendencies: The Stereotype makes itself very obvious right away, as it does little to camouflage its appearance. They can usually be heard uttering words such as "existentialism" and "pseudo-" even if they don’t really know what these words mean. In addition, they will usually wear black outfits, smoke cigarettes that you’ve never heard of, listen to music that you’ve never heard (and that, in reality, they probably don’t even like), and will work in as dark a space as possible while rarely removing their sunglasses.
Tip(s): The Stereotype will do what they’re told, and do it on time. However, for your own sanity, try to spend as little time with them as possible. Too much socializing with the Stereotype can lead to severe depression and suicidal tendencies.
So there you have it. Of course, these are only a few of the personality profiles that you’ll encounter among designers. Other popular ones include the Retro (who constantly reminds you how much better life was at their last job) and the Everything Can Be Done Better in Illustrator (self-explanatory). Once you’ve learned and understood all of these traits, you’ll be well on your way to a successful career in Project Management (or at least the beginning of a new career in accounting).
