At Culture Studio, we are all here together because of the creative process.

In 2006:  The problem was presented: “How do we make oversized prints soft?” And the process began…

THE WORKFLOW

IDEA

Everything we have ever built starts with an idea, usually to solve a problem.

RESEARCH

Extensive research is required to identify a solution to the problem.  Here is where the work starts in a big way.  Usually, this problem has yet to be solved so it takes a serious amount of time to find the solution.  Most of our problems also require technology to be designing or implemented.  This throws wild complexity to the solution.

DESIGN

Ok, we think we solved this problem.  Now we have to build the UI/UX or the process inside the factory to communicate the solution.

TEST INTERNAL

Yup another step here before anyone sees anything our R&D team has invested countless hours to test.

PILOT

Here is where compassion for those that have invested their time comes in.  There must be a pilot or beta phase with all new ideas.  You can’t solve a problem unless you can pilot it in real life.  Yes, this is the pain.  We don’t have all the answers and someone needs to develop them.  This has to be done with a live client or interaction.  You may suspect that the creators haven’t even begun to think about how to communicate the new idea properly and may not possess the skills to do so.  Here is where all team members can support the idea by also taking the initiative to develop the messaging or as clarifying constructive questions.  Learning.

LAUNCH

The pain is over the real-world problems have been ironed out and now we can properly launch.

When launching a product we document content around how to produce this custom product.  The info is as valuable for our internal team as it is for our clients.

1. The concept for sourcing requests will start in the basecamp sourcing project. – – Create a request or comment on a previous topic.

-Product number will be assigned and added to Stokkup. This cost will allow each sales team to then use our base guides or custom price guides to create a markup and quote the client.  I am attaching a simple markup key here that we can all use as a baseline.

2. A final sell-sheet will be created and posted to our blog which is searchable and public.

3. If the product can be added to our design tool for sale it will go up for online sale. Always link the sell sheet to the product description.

4. New product info will be posted to the Marketing Slack channel/shared in the weekly sales meetings.

5. Marketing e-blast with new product release (our Weekly Merchandise Report scheduled for Tuesday’s).

“If companies don’t innovate they die”   – Bill Campbell (Apple mentor)

Wait, there is change coming!

– Rich Santo