Summary
Melinda started her career as an in-house creative consultant, often feeling frustrated with her agency partners who “just didn’t get it”. She went on to spend 10 years working in agencies with large enterprise clients—until she “went client-side” again, this time with a little more perspective on the agency-enterprise relationship. Melinda will talk about the ways culture, tools and skills differ between enterprise and agency teams, and how those differences manifest themselves in the working relationship. She’ll also discuss ways agencies and enterprises can bridge the gap by using their differences to equal advantage.
Key Insights
-
•
Agencies and enterprises represent different aspects of a collaborative relationship, akin to the left and right brain.
-
•
Cultural differences exist between traditional enterprise values and innovative agency approaches.
-
•
Effective tooling and shared resources are critical for successful collaboration.
-
•
Clear communication regarding roles and responsibilities enhances project success.
-
•
Nurturing the agency-enterprise relationship requires ongoing commitment and attention.
-
•
Both sides can learn from each other's strengths and insights.
-
•
A successful partnership necessitates investment from both the agency and the enterprise.
-
•
Understanding and embracing cultural dualities leads to better outcomes.
-
•
A strong brief is crucial; both sides should collaboratively ensure its effectiveness.
-
•
Agencies and enterprises should challenge assumptions to unlock new opportunities.
Notable Quotes
"The left brain is focused on the bottom line, crunching numbers and making sure the business strategy is on track."
"None of us is walking around with just one half of a brain."
"We need both halves of this brain working together to succeed."
"We are two sides of the same coin, even if it feels like different currency at times."
"The agency brings different cultural norms and values that are valuable for change."
"There is a magic that happens when we're all in the same place sharing the environment and working together."
"If you're not getting good guidance, it's going to be quite frustrating and you won't do your best work."
"Sometimes you just got to spend time to save time."
"It’s essential to commit to the relationship as if it were an actual relationship that requires ongoing work."
"Inside every challenge is an opportunity waiting to be uncovered."
More Videos
"Design has been in the DNA of MailChimp really since day one."
Jacqui FreyFlow and Superfluidity for Design Orgs
November 7, 2018
"To foster engagement, using emojis and gifs can add the tone and body language that are often missed in text."
Laura Gatewood Laine ProkayBeyond Buzzwords: Adding Heart to Effective Slack Communication
September 23, 2024
"Metrics are crucial; they tell us what people pay attention to."
Johanna KollmannInsights-Driven Product Strategy: Get your Research to Count
December 6, 2022
"If you feel like there's a lag, we want to know about it."
Bria AlexanderDay 3 Welcome
September 25, 2024
"Don't get stuck in the refinement stage too early."
Billy CarlsonIdeation tips for Product Managers
December 6, 2022
"It’s crucial to bridge connections between different teams to avoid siloed insights and foster collaboration."
Catherine DubutBridging Physical and Digital Spaces: Approaches to Retail Service Design
March 18, 2021
"Peer recognition programs like shout-out Thursdays are low-effort yet high-impact."
Kim Holt Emma Wylds Pearl Koppenhaver Maisee XiongA Salesforce Panel Discussion on Values-Driven DesignOps
September 8, 2022
"Be curious, understand what other people's experiences have been."
Adrian HowardSturgeon’s Biases
September 25, 2024
"We learned to better work more synchronously as opposed to having a meeting for everything."
Asia HoePartnering with Product: A Journey from Junior to Senior Design
November 29, 2023
