On this site we try and identify the key steps in process and

workflow in a typical agency. However, agencies are anything but

typical. Part of what makes an agency special (besides the
characters that work there) is the agency's approach to how they
create work.
We use to identify agencies by either being account or creative
driven. Now we identify agencies in dozens of different ways
including creative, account, digital, data-driven, interactive with
varying 360 experience or general agencies with varying degrees
of interactive experience, to name just a few. This fragmentation has
lead to a greater variety in workflow paths among agencies.
As experienced managers we know the dangers and pitfalls of
having a workflow process that leans toward one of these extremes.
It's no wonder that many agencies are re-examining project
management and redefining traditional roles within the agency. In
the quest to better manage our agencies, we are tearing down
traditional silos to create cross-functional teams, on the opposite
end we are also creating new digital silos with technical teams that
seem to have a narrower creative function.
One of the struggles of the emerging digital agency has been to
create balance. We lock in strong technically skilled project
managers that can succeed on specific interactive projects, but too
few can also can succeed on the larger creative client perspective.
We are also asking a lot of our project mangers and lets face it,
times have changed, agencies have become leaner. Combined with
the perception that interactive projects have unique workflow needs
that mirror the software and gaming industry with the need for less

people to take on more responsibility, project managers have

evolved into jack-of-all-trade producers.
A producer in the new agency model can be part account manager,
project manager, production manager, technical advisor, finance
manager and psuedo creative manager. From a workflow
perspective, this presents new challenges that can be hard to
implement in agency environment steeped in older traditions.
However, I counter that each agency can find its own balance in reassigning responsibilities. A producer is only as good as his/her team
and support system. For example, while producers may take over
part of the role of account executive, they should not be relied upon
as someone that has the sole ability to manage the client/agency
relationship. While they may be great at identifying potential new
opportunities for client growth, an agency still needs to have a
strong account planning and strategic account presence to build on
those opportunities.
The key is to find a balance that works best for your agency. Hire
smartly. If you want to be known for more than just a specific digital
space, its important to hire great general critical thinkers to
supplement your technical producer team. Its similar to the way we
think about creative hires. Great digital space people often need
larger space thinkers. Breakthrough digital creative also require
highly technical project managers to tackle a project in the digital
space. However, that breakthrough often comes paired with a larger
tactical idea that may go beyond digital. The craft that exists in
broadcast and print production often trumps the digital content
space. Finding the proper mix for your shop requires a bit of
alchemy to create a larger creative production environment.

Remember, today's Facebook fan page project is yesterday's sitelet,

which might be tomorrow's targeted mobile activated digital OOH
advertising. What makes your agency valuable is its ability to
continue to grow into these new spaces.
So even in the digital space, projects change. What your agency
managed five years ago is different than what it manages today.
Stong project management theory applied to your workflow will help
to maintain an environment where new projects can be managed
successfully.
Silos (functional managers) and teams (cross-functional
teams led by PMs or producers)
In the old days, we use to think very functional when it came to
managing things in the agency. Production department, account
management, creative department and so on. In the new nimble
world of advertising where creative content is so intertwined with
production, it doesn't necessarily make sense to have so many
separate silos. More agencies are replacing those silos with crossfunctional teams, headed up by project managers or defined
producer chains. The downside to having no silos, is that advocates
and specialists are highly sought after on particular projects. There
is also an organic need for support teams for functions. Even project
managers benefit greatly from a strong PMO. Also, the bigger the
need for project managers who are highly technical, perhaps the
smaller the ability to hire project managers who can go beyond their
own unique experiences. Depending on the size of your agency,
your matrix (mix of functional managers and project managers) will
be different. You may no longer have a need for a managed print or
studio department, instead you may have created a need for

functionally managed backend team. At the end of the day, the

most important thing that you can do in this situation is to identify a
clear reporting structure that supports the team environment.
Strong project managers have always been needed in the agency,
we may not of always had defined PMs, but there was always proect
management responsibility. It just wasn't always clear who was
ultimately responsible for the entire project. Account people did one
part, the creative director did another and production finished it out.
This is why in the old days, traffic was so important to the workflow
of a project. Remember, we still have the same stakeholders even
when we do have a project manager or producer. In many ways,
project managers have become a necessity to create a consistent
pulse maintaining, guiding force in the agency. They also help to
free up your key players. When you have dedicated project
managers, creatives have more time to create and account people
have more time to spend on planning and strategy and so on.
Producer vs. project manager.
While the word producer is common in today's agency world, what
that word means in an agency can vary greatly. A producer can be a
specialist in one area or a generalist. A producer's role can be
production centric, or can be holistic and client facing. A producer
can have limited responsibility (like an art buyer) or be identified as
THE end-to-end project manager. Whatever flavor you decide on, it
is important to identify and make clear who is ultimately responsible
for the project and team. It needs to be clearly spelled out so that
everyone has the same expectations. Moving to a producer model
for client engagement can be a positive one. However, it doesn't
mean there should be an absence of account management. I know

I'm repeating, but its important to note, a producer who has the
responsibility of managing the overall project, responsibility for the
technical end and the added duties of a junior account person will
have limited time to think strategically and to potentially grow the
business as well as manage all of the client / agency experience.
In the job listings below, I've identified some top line responsibilities.
Each of the line items may be included in a potential project
manager roles within an agency. Roles, however, can be mixed and
matched or even made into some sort of unique hybrid particular to
your shop. When you are planning out responsibilities, list out all of
the tasks for each key position, balance them out, identify one role
to be the ultimate project lead and clearly identify how you are
going to address potential short falls or funcational manager cross
overs. Above all, when under taking a transition to a project
management or producer model, make sure to support your new
team leaders. Empower your team leaders. Ensure that you are
supportive and your entire management team is supportive of your
new model. Lastly, assign one person in your shop to whom the
project managers ultimately report to.
Project management players in the agency may include the
following:
Account manager
Chain (Assistant AE, Account Executive, Account Supervisor, Account
Director, Head of account services)
Basics

 Client engagement (agency "face" to the client, presents

estimates and SOWs, schedules, project status and
deliverables).
All backend correspondence such as meeting reports, creative
briefs, strategic briefs.
Client status reports and client meeting facilitator
Internal meeting coordinator and lead presenter.
Client advocate, understands clients business, clients goals,
deliverables and strategies.
Agency advocate, understands full agency process and how
best to match it with client requests.
Creative advocate, understands agency creative process and
strives to maintain creative integrity.
Production advocate, understands production needs of both
agency and client and strives to maintain production
equilibrium.
Participates in pre engagement meetings.
Participates in planning meetings.
Advanced
Develops or is an advocate for strategic goals, planning and
positioning.

 Marketing advocate, understanding of clients business from a

client perspective.
Media advocate, understanding of the media space and media
planning.
PR and social media advocate, understanding of client and
agency PR perspectives and risk
Research and ROI advocate.
Grows agency relationship. Seeks out new opportunities with
existing or new clients.
Project Manager
Basic
Owns and manage project production process (Advanced
creative through production process.)
Develops RFP and Scope document.
Defines project steps, tasks, requirements against SOW.
Tracks timeline and milestones.
Tracks resources.
Translates and presents specifications and project
requirements.
True Project managers:

 Develop projects and plans, direct, manage and monitor

project execution. Control changes in scope and end of project
closing requirements.
They have full authority over project scope, time, cost,
resources and team members.
Advanced
Write SOWs, assesses and manages requirements and content
development.
Manages project steps, tasks, requirements against SOW.
(Scope management)
Manages resources, timelines and milestones. (Time and cost
management)
Manages and monitors project lifecycle. (Time and cost
management)
Manages risk assessment and risk management. (Including
time, costs and resources)
Manages project quality.
Manages actual team members. (The human resources)
Manages project communications
Manages project procurement.
Producer

Chain (producer, senior producer, executive producer, production

director, head of production services)
Basics
Estimating and project management of outside production
related resources.
Estimating and project management of internal production
resources
Production timelines, production schedules.
Manage budgets.
Technical and creative partner.
Manages production process and tasks.
Manages production tasks, activities, risk, quality control and
production team member.
Manages project procurement.
Advanced
Estimates all aspects of project and creates SOW.
End-to-end project management responsibility (see project
manager responsibilities below).
Skilled in advanced production or technical aspects in one or
more specialties.

Hybrid
Non-client facing: Owns project from creative through
production and delivery but does not have account
management responsibilities. (Typical Interactive, budget >
schedules > creative > wireframes > design > development /
CMS > delivery)
Client facing level 1: Engagement (typically from presenting
estimates and SOWs, project planning, correspondence,
scheduling, meeting assignment)
Client facing level 2: Account management with basic or
advanced functions and responsibilities of the account
manager.
The full deal: Faces client and has full engagement and
ownership of project: Owns and directs all project tasks,
activities and risk centers. (project scheduling, project
planning, resource and task assignments, time and resource
tracking)
Specific
Art Buyer / Photo production
Specialty
Production Manager
Chain (production coordinator, production manager, senior
production manager, production director)

Basics
Manage production portion of a project life-cycle and
production teams as it relates to specific production experience
(print, interactive, or broadcast).
Estimating and project management of outside production
related resources.
Estimating and project management of internal production
resources
Production timelines, production schedules.
Production advocate.
Manage production budgets.
Technical and creative partner.
Manages production process and tasks.
Manages production tasks, activities, risk, quality control and
production team member.
Manages project procurement.
Interactive example: Ownership after hand-off of creative
development. production budget > schedules > wireframes >
ui > development / CMS > delivery)
Print example: Ownership after hand-off of creative
development. production budget > schedules > art or photo

buying > retouching > mechanicals / prepress > print >

fulfillment >delivery)
Advanced
Advanced technical background in one or more specific areas.
Creative partner, contributes to the creative process.
Full circle SOW, estimate all costs
Full Project management responsibility
Owns production management from a technical and creative
development standpoint, advisor and partner of the creative
process.
(Interactive example: creative development > production
budget > schedules > wireframes > design > ui >
development / CMS > delivery)
Traffic Manager
Chain (traffic manager > junior AE, project or producer)
Basics
Collects project information.
Formats project information from stakeholders.
Collects status information and records.
Creates client and agency status.

 Tracks resources from a logistic background, flags issues.

Keeps project records.
Schedules internal meetings.
Responsible for gathering and tracking internal creative or
project approvals.
May create master agency status.
Tracks task assignments, but has no responsibility from a
project manager standpoint.
Resource Manager
Basics
Tracks project assignments and time records for staff and
freelancers.
Assesses which team members are available and appropriate
for specific projects.
Works with project managers to assess best usage of
resources.
Heads up human resource management risk.
Seeks and maintains freelance base.
Can be specific to teams (by client(s) or full agency.
Advanced

 Human resources background.

Recruits and has a background in an agency specialty.