Original posting – http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1191675/how_to_run_your_own_graphic_design.html?cat=55

Studio management rarely gets a credit once graphic design is talked over, but for many studios it might just make the divergence between succeeder and loser. And so what can you act to ascertain you are acting at maximum efficiency? Allow me provides you ten top tips.

The function of the studio manager is crucial to the efficient running of a design business. But usually it’s only the big design companies that can afford to pay for such services. Yet all studios – even small ones – need management. This means that most designers have to do their own,
just as they have to do their own book-keeping, IT consultancy and print buying. But by investing in a good studio manager, designers could growth efficiency and productivity, make the working day more pleasurable for everyone and, last not least, encourage profitability . The fundamental to acquiring the most out of studio management is to remember that as a designer you’re in the service sector. Don’t think of studio management as an irksome in-house overhead. Think of it as key factor in the way you look after your clients. Viewed like this, studio management (and project management) becomes a way of boosting your income. So it pays to employ someone in this role, and it pays to employ someone good. But what exactly is the role of the studio manager?

1. WHAT DOES A STUDIO MANAGER DO?

Put simply, a studio manager in a small design studio (ten to 20 people) deals with all non-design matters, leaving designers free to design. A good studio manager might be required to change light bulbs one day and negotiate fees with the studio’s biggest client the next. Studio management used to be about keeping materials such as pens and layout pads in stock, and dealing with printers. Today, a studio manager needs many skills: IT knowledge; the ability to co-ordinate multimedia projects; the know-how to monitor work; basic financial skills and experience commissioning and controlling external suppliers. It also helps if they’re likeable individuals.

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