Mitre 10

Mitre 10 is a major New Zealand chain of home improvement stores. It sells a range of household hardware, building supplies, garden products, and camping gear.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Design Studio Workflow Optimisation

Challenge

When I joined this role, I encountered challenges in the graphic design workflow. The existing system sometimes hindered effective tracking and management of design projects, leading to inefficiencies. This caused miscommunications, errors, and inconsistencies in job briefs, impacting project deadlines and team productivity. However, these challenges presented valuable opportunities for process refinement and enhanced collaboration.

Some of the specific challenges that affected the design workflow included:

Inconsistent file naming practices
Lack of proper file organisation and structure.
Difficulty in assigning task responsibilities
Absence of design brief.

Process & Solution

To address the challenges we faced, I took proactive steps to improve our processes and find suitable solutions:

Collaboration and Analysis: I initiated discussions with the marketing team to understand common issues and identify solutions that would benefit both teams. Through this collaborative process, I gained insights into the existing software and the specific problems it presented.
Identifying Pain Points: By analysing the team’s challenges with the current software, I identified the key pain points and requirements for an improved workflow and collaboration.
File Organization: I established a consistent file structure that ensured organised saving of jobs, allowing for easier retrieval and management of design projects.
Workflow Visibility: After exploring various software tools and conducting tests, I selected Asana as our solution for providing workflow visibility and streamlining the brief creation process.
Online Briefs: Utilising Asana’s features, I customised online forms to introduce a new online brief system. This streamlined the process and provided a centralized platform for design briefs.
Training and Implementation: I created a guide and conducted a team presentation to introduce and educate the team on the new workflow changes. I ensured that everyone was equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the new processes and tools.

Through these initiatives, we improved our file organization, streamlined the brief creation process, and enhanced collaboration within the team. The implementation of Asana and the introduction of online briefs brought efficiency and clarity to our workflow.

OUTCOME

The changes I implemented resulted in a range of positive outcomes, significantly enhancing our work environment and productivity. With my changes, we achieved:

Consistent File Structure: We established a clear and organized way to save and retrieve design files, making it much easier to find what we needed
Improved Workload Visibility: With the help of Asana, we gained a better view of our workload, allowing us to prioritise tasks more effectively and stay on top of deadlines
Increased Productivity: Our team became more productive as we eliminated inefficiencies and worked together more seamlessly. Projects started to move faster, and we achieved better results.
Clear Briefs and Consistency: The introduction of online briefs helped us communicate project requirements more clearly, resulting in consistent designs and fewer misunderstandings.
Streamlined and Collaborative Process: With the new tools and processes in place, collaboration became smoother and more efficient. We could easily share information, provide feedback, and work together on projects.
Improved Efficiency: Overall, these changes made us much more efficient. Our workflow became optimized, allowing us to accomplish more within our given time frame.

These positive outcomes positively impacted our work environment, enabling us to deliver high-quality design projects efficiently and effectively.

Marketing Campaigns

Our marketing campaigns cover a wide range of exciting initiatives throughout the year. Whether it’s promoting our brand, retail, trade, or sponsorship activities, we create engaging and impactful artwork for our campaigns that resonate with both local and nationwide audiences.

We utilize a mix of digital and print platforms, including eye-catching animated banners, captivating digital screens, and social media, to enhance the visual impact of our campaigns.