The bellcurve of efficiency

There’s a bellcurve of efficiency in creative projects.

Working too slow creates waste. If you spend too much time ensuring every detail is just right, you’ll forget the other details from months ago. This creates mistakes. If you delay timelines and push things back, this is just what happens. 

Working too fast creates waste, as well. If you want to deliver with speed for your client, expect redundant work, scrapped deliverables, and miscommunications. If you start creating before you have all the answers, this is just how it works. 

You want to move at right speed for maximum efficiency. Like driving a car, there’s a sweet spot that produces the best fuel economy. You want to give yourself enough time to finalize the plan, and source what needs to be sourced. You also want to make the deadline soon enough, so that everyone stays fully focused on the project for the time you’re working on it.