Every DoDA project begins with a Kick-Off & Scoping Meeting between your team and the key members of our project team.
This is an important part of our process and gives us the opportunity to understand the project beyond the information contained within drawings, briefs and emails.
Our aim is simple: to make sure everyone understands what we are creating, why we are creating it, what matters most, and when it needs to be delivered.
A good kick-off helps us reduce assumptions, identify missing information early and focus our time on producing the best possible outcome for your project.
From DoDA, the meeting will normally include the people directly responsible for delivering your project, which may include:
From your team, we recommend including the main project contact and, where possible, anyone responsible for key design or creative decisions.
Bringing the right people together at the beginning can prevent conflicting feedback or new requirements appearing later in the project.
We’ll start by understanding the bigger picture.
We want to know:
Understanding the purpose, rather than simply the deliverables, helps our team make better creative decisions throughout the project.
We’ll review the information supplied and make sure we understand your design.
This may include:
We’ll also identify anything that is still outstanding or subject to change.
The more information we can establish at this stage, the more efficiently we can progress the project.
Great visual content isn’t just about modelling the design accurately. We also need to understand how you want the project to feel.
We’ll discuss:
If you have examples of imagery, photography, CGI or previous projects that capture the look you’re trying to achieve, please bring them along.
We’ll confirm exactly what needs to be produced.
Depending on your project, this could include:
We’ll also discuss where the finished content will be used: for example presentations, planning, marketing, social media, websites, print, large-format graphics or digital displays.
This allows us to make sure the content is created appropriately from the outset.
We’ll agree the project programme together, including:
Project Start → First Review → Feedback → Development → Final Review → Delivery
We’ll confirm:
Please let us know about any important presentation or decision dates, even if they fall before the final project deadline.
This allows us to prioritise the right elements at the right time.
To get maximum value from the session, please send us as much relevant information as possible beforehand.
Ideally, this should include:
Don’t worry if everything isn’t available. Part of the purpose of the meeting is to identify what is missing and agree how we move forward.
During the Meeting
This is intended to be a collaborative working session rather than simply a presentation from us.
We encourage you to:
Show us what you like.
References are incredibly useful.
Tell us what really matters.
Not every element of a project has equal importance.
Tell us what doesn’t matter.
This can be equally valuable and helps us concentrate effort where it creates the most value.
Highlight uncertainties.
If something hasn’t been designed, selected or approved yet, let us know.
Share the bigger picture.
Understanding the client, audience, presentation or commercial objective helps us create stronger content.
Before we finish, we’ll aim to have a shared understanding of:
WHAT we’re creating
WHY we’re creating it
HOW it should look and feel
WHAT information we have
WHAT information is still required
WHO is responsible for supplying it
WHEN reviews and feedback will happen
WHEN the final content is required
We’ll follow up with a written summary confirming the agreed scope, creative direction, outstanding information, responsibilities and key dates.
This becomes our shared project reference point and helps both teams keep the project moving efficiently.
If the brief, design, deliverables or programme subsequently change, please let us know as early as possible so we can review any impact on the project.
One Conversation. One Shared Understanding. A Better Project.
Our kick-off process is designed to remove ambiguity before production begins.
It gives your team direct access to the people creating the work and gives our team the context they need to make informed creative decisions.
Less assumption. Less unnecessary back-and-forth. Better creative outcomes.
Let’s talk about you.
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Suite D, 2nd Floor,
Castle House,
Cardiff Road,
Taffs Well, Cardiff.
CF15 7RD
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