Just about everything we do at energyhill is project managed and monitored so we can stay on top of our work for every client. But we couldn't do it without the power of technology and apps that bring all of our work together. To get project management right, it takes a ton of technology to streamline the process and keep our team and clients on the same page to execute something great.
In this episode of Modern Marketing, Dr. Ryan Lowe is joined by our director of accounts Orlando Lugo to walk through how we use our favorite project management apps. Orlando has been part of project management teams at the New York Times, Triad Retail Media, and The Mosaic Co. through his career.
You can also the Project Management Apps Powerpoint as a PDF.
"In the initial stage where the client is trying to figure out what the project is all about, as a project manager, I want to know what's going to be delivered so I can create a schedule based on that, I can assign people based on that. So we have a tool that we use for our proposals, and that tool allows us to create certain sections in the proposal that I can use as a project manager.
Normally, what will happen is you put together that proposal, the proposal will have a list of key deliverables. Then I go back to [Dr. Ryan Lowe] after we've signed the contract and say "OK, what's the details based on this. But for example, the number of pages in a website, or things like that.
It just makes it very easy to transition from the initial stages of talking to the client and to move it into production." — Orlando Lugo, Director of Accounts, on Proposify.
"The high-level scope that you saw in the proposal is then defined here. These are perhaps the summary tasks. These boxes are the work packages, so each deliverable would have a work package that details some of the work. In Basecamp, they're called to-dos, some other tools might call them activities or tasks. But it's basically a way of breaking down and detailing the work.
I like Basecamp because these boxes I can move around, and nowadays there's a lot of talk about agile, and Basecamp fits that. It just makes it a lot easier. Anybody can build a schedule." — Orlando Lugo, Director of Accounts, on Basecamp.
"One other thing is here are some additional things it does, it replaces Slack — it does all of these things. I love Basecamp from that standpoint." — Dr. Ryan Lowe on Basecamp.
"There's a project-work collaboration, and it's a great tool for that, because you're getting emails and notices and all of that to keep track." — Lugo
"Filestage is a tool we use on the endcap and really once we start actually creating the deliverables for, whether it's clients or partners." — Dr. Ryan Lowe on Filestage.
"Based on the type of projects we handle as an advertising agency, there's going to be assets. Whether it's a web page, a banner ad, whatever it is we're producing, we want to find a place that everybody can look at it, people can make comments to it, no comments are lost, very easy to use. I've been the one putting those comments in, and you know me, I'm not exactly Mr. Technology.
It's just very simple, very easy to use, I can put my comments in there, it goes to the next person, they can review it, ask any questions. It's just basically working like we're in the same room. Then you can actually have another view of it which is columns as to where that asset stands in the process, if it's been approved internally, approved externally if it's ready for production. It's just a very easy to use tool." — Orlando Lugo on Filestage.
"We use Harvest literally just for time tracking with our team and also making sure projects are on-budget, scope, what have you. Really it just pulls in all of those elements, and there are a lot of tools out there that can do that, but I recommend Harvest. Really we can align by groups, the design team, business team, and align projects based on that." — Dr. Ryan Lowe on Harvest.
"There are tools that can actually do most of this stuff in one tool, but they can get a bit complicated. And one mistake a project manager can make is managing the tool instead of the project. If a tool is very complicated, you end up spending more time on the tool and how you present ht information dn not really managing the project. It's all about communication and collaboration, and sometimes you lose that because you're stuck in that tool." — Orlando Lugo on Harvest.
"Really it gives us the birds-eye view of resources, utility, our team, who is working on what, where there is potential craziness going on, really helps us with anything with that." — Dr. Ryan Lowe on Easy Insight.
"It's a great match for Basecamp. Basecamp has the detail, this presents all the reporting based on those projects. You can do it based on a project, or a set of projects, or a portfolio. We can see what the resources they're working on. If you get a new client, new project, you can figure out who is available to do the work." — Orlando Lugo on Easy Insight.
It takes a lot to make a project go right. With energyhill, the projects are always new, but we rely on the same process for planning, execution, and review. By communicating every step of the way, our team on the same page. And that gets our clients where they need to be.
With a streamlined project management process, we are able to execute award-winning marketing for our partners and clients day in and day out. Want to work with us? Feel free to contact us, ask any questions, or set up a meeting. We'll be happy to talk with you!
