How long do you wait for your design to get approved? Sometimes, the process drags on with no end in sight. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
In any business, time is money. And in design, whether graphic, web, fashion, or interior, the faster you can move from concept to approval, the quicker you can deliver to your clients and move on to the next project.
So, why does the design approval process often take so long? Sometimes, it’s because of unclear communication. Other times, it’s the lack of a defined process or even too many people involved, each with their own opinions and revisions.
In this article, we’ll explore how you can fine-tune your design approval process. We’ll examine practical steps you can take to ensure your designs don’t just sit in someone’s inbox but move swiftly toward a resounding “Yes!” And guess what? It’s not as complicated as it might sound.
We’ll also show you how to use project management software like Wrike to keep everyone on the same page.
Streamline your design process for a faster turnaround in Wrike — start your free trial now.
Understanding the design approval process
What usually happens in the design approval process? Well, it begins when a designer finishes their masterpiece and sends it off for approval. This could be anything from a new logo to a web page layout or even the entire branding package for a new product.
The designer waits, hoping for a quick thumbs-up so they can either make the necessary tweaks or move on to the next project. However, this is where designers often hit their first roadblock.
- Does the design meet the brief?
- Does the design meet the expectations of stakeholders?
- Does the design require edits and review?
- Is everyone clear on what’s being reviewed?
Often, the approval process stumbles because the objectives weren’t crystal clear from the start.
Common bottlenecks in design approval
Here are some common bottlenecks in the design approval process:
- Unclear objectives
- Poor communication
- Unclear feedback
- Too many reviewers
- Inefficiencies in workflow tools or software
What are the benefits of streamlining design approval processes?
Do each of your designers work in their own unique way? While creativity is encouraged in this field, it’s best to streamline the design approval process at your company. Here’s why it’s worth considering:
- A more efficient process means faster approvals, which leads to quicker project turnarounds.
- A clear and streamlined process decreases frustration and anxiety for both designers and reviewers.
- With quicker and clearer feedback loops, designers can focus more on delivering quality deliverables rather than trudging through multiple iterations.
- Faster turnarounds and high-quality outputs lead to happier clients.
- Less time spent on revisions and delays means lower operational costs.
Risks of a prolonged approval process
The longer your approval process takes, the more risks your design team is likely to encounter. These include:
- Missed deadlines
- Frustrated clients
- Lower team morale
- Higher stress levels
- Increased project costs
- Lost business opportunities
- Decreased team productivity
Strategies for perfecting the design approval process
Ready to perfect your design approval process? Here are three key strategies to follow:
1. Create efficient communication channels
Think about how you’re sending out your messages.
- Are emails getting buried?
- Is feedback scattered across different platforms?
That’s a recipe for confusion! What you need is a centralized place where everyone can talk, share files, and see updates in real time. This could be a dedicated communication platform that everyone checks regularly.
Imagine having all your discussions, from initial ideas to final approvals, in one spot. You don’t need to search emails or wonder who said what — it’s all right there.
This is where Wrike shines. Your team members can attach comments directly to specific tasks or projects. What’s great about this is that it centralizes communication, ensuring all relevant discussions are tied to the work items. This minimizes the risk of important feedback getting lost in separate email threads or chat apps.
Moreover, Wrike supports @mentions, enabling users to tag specific team members. This is particularly useful for requesting input or approval from the right people at the right time without overloading everyone with unnecessary information. Team members receive notifications when mentioned, ensuring they can respond promptly and keep the workflow moving efficiently.
2. Use a project management tool
You might be thinking, “Why bother with another tool?” But hear me out! Project management tools can make your life much easier and the entire approval process smoother.
Think about all the bits and pieces involved in your design projects. There’s scheduling, assigning tasks, tracking progress, and, not to forget, the actual approval stages. It’s a lot to juggle, right? Project management software like Wrike helps you keep all these elements in one place.
Now, imagine you’ve just sent a design for approval and are waiting for feedback. Instead of emails flying back and forth, with Wrike, you can attach feedback right to the task. This means everyone involved can see updates in real time.
And here’s a big one: deadlines. We all know they can sneak up on you. But with Wrike, you can set up reminders and deadlines that keep everyone on track.
There are also templates for common project types. So, if you’re working on a design project similar to something you’ve done before, you can use a template to get started quickly. This saves time and ensures consistency across projects.
3. Consider automation software
Using the right automation tools in the design approval process helps you focus your energy on your projects’ creative and critical parts rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks.
Think about notifications. You don’t have to rely on people to remember to check if feedback has come in or if a design is ready for the next review. Automation software can send notifications to your team members’ phones or emails.
With Wrike’s workflow automation, you can eliminate manual tasks, like updating statuses or tagging people for review — we do it all for you.
How to measure the success of the design approval process
You’ve streamlined your design approval process — awesome! But how do you know if it’s working better than before? Here are the questions you should consider:
- Are the approval times getting shorter?
- Are your designs getting approved with fewer rounds of revisions?
- Is the feedback more constructive and targeted than before?
- Are your clients happier with the new process?
- Are you seeing an increase in repeat business or referrals?
- Are your team members more engaged in their work?
Each of these questions can clearly show how well your new design approval process is working.
How to perfect the design approval process with Wrike
Using powerful work automation software like Wrike ensures your design process is more streamlined and less of a headache. So, how do you do it? With Wrike, you can:
- Organize projects into folders or spaces
- Track all versions of a design with Wrike’s proofing feature
- Comment directly on designs, attach files, and tag team members
- Create custom workflows that reflect your approval process
- Build a Kanban board to track all stages in the approval process
- Automate notifications for when a design moves to the next stage
- Set deadline reminders for each stage of the approval process so everyone knows what’s due and when
- Add external stakeholders to approve your files
Mikhail Naliuhin, Account Director at InDrive, says:
“By centralizing our communication and collaboration in Wrike, our creative teams get more time to work on projects. Now we might have four months’ rather than two weeks’ lead time so that we can produce much bigger, more impressive campaigns.”
Ready to level up your design approval process? Start your free trial of Wrike today!
