I have news for you: there’s a secret to finding the perfect-for-you project management system! In order to find your dream solution, you must first know two things:
The Way Your Brain Works
Sound daunting? It’s really not, for this particular exercise. Ask yourself these questions:
- When you eat a meal with multiple components, do you eat one thing at a time or do you mix items (and flavors) together?
- If you are in a meeting, do your notes end up in a list form or do you sketch and doodle?
- Which social media platform do you prefer: Twitter or Instagram?
- Do you prefer to shop in department stores or mega-sale stores?
By examining these not-so-business focused questions, you can start to see if you are more liner or more graphically inclined. Eat one thing at a time? Linear. Doodle through meetings? Graphic. Instagram is your thing? You think graphically. Perfer to shop where everything is in it’s place? Your’e a linear thinker.
[Tweet “The two questions you have to ask yourself before choosing a project management tool.”]
Once you know if you are more LINEAR or more GRAPHIC, you’re on to step 2.
How Layered Is Your Work?
“Layered” work is work that involves many people or departments, contributions from a client, and multiple moving pieces.
A more simplistic work style might look like one client project at a time, all projects are the same, or perhaps you work completely alone (or maybe with one other colleague or a virtual assistant).
Here are some roles that might just fall into each category. This is not a hard a fast rule but generally speaking these work out:
Layered Worker
graphic/web designer
project manager
copywriter
art director
Simple Worker
business coach
creative strategist
branding expert
program leader
Your work may cross over from one to the other, but it’s important to identify where the majority of your work falls.
[Tweet “Are you a simple worker or linear worker? Find out before you do anything else.”]
So, where do you fall? Tell me in the comments below! Are you linear or graphic? Layered or Simple? Tomorrow we’ll dive into where you might need project management in your creative business and then we’ll start piecing the puzzle together over the rest of the week.
And don’t forget to follow along on Bloglovin’ every day this month or take a moment to pin, tweet, and share with other creative business owners you love.
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