During the [1], the team identified a recurring friction point in the design workflow: designers were receiving insufficient context upfront, requiring back-and-forth clarification and slowing delivery. A process change was adopted requiring Account Managers to provide detailed copy and topic briefs before handing off to the design team.
The design team's workload was described as "heavy" but manageable. However, a key inefficiency was identified: AMs were passing design requests without fully prepared copy or clearly defined topics. This created downstream delays as designers either had to wait for content or make assumptions that required revision.
The team noted that this had been easier when designers had deep client familiarity (e.g., a dedicated writer who "knew these clients so well that we could just be like, here's some topics, run, write"). As team composition changes, that institutional knowledge can no longer be assumed.
Account Managers must provide the following before assigning design tasks:
This applies to recurring content (social graphics, email assets) as well as one-off design requests.
The team acknowledged this adds front-loaded work for AMs:
"I know that it adds a little bit more to our, as an account manager, up front, but in the end, it's just what we have to do right now."
This is accepted as a necessary cost to keep the design pipeline moving efficiently.