Hey!
Today I wanted to share a little warning. I see a lot of people in full firefighting mode at the moment, which is unsurprising given the circumstances. However, in doing so, be careful not to lose sight of the bigger picture and in particular what the future holds.
But before I explain exactly what that involves – a quick announcement. On the 22nd April for one-week, I am opening my Encouraging Clicks Masterclass for new registrations. If you are interested in enrolling I highly recommend joining the waiting list before that date because it will give you access to an exclusive discount.
Anyway, let us get back to the future (see what I did there).
It is, of course, completely understandable that we focus on the present at the moment. However, in our industry, we cannot afford to do that for long. Digital is volatile and unpredictable. It is always changing. There is continuously some innovation that changes the game. Heck, the whole world is like that these days.
In practical terms, this means two things — we need to be prepared, and we need to be adaptable.
We Need to Be Prepared
How prepared were you for the COVID-19 crisis? Did your business have savings in the bank when work dried up or did you immediately go into panic mode? Could you easily cut back expenses or were you committed? Did you have a method for generating new business?
What about those of you who were luckier and saw an explosion of work? Did you have a system in place to deal with the extra workload as efficiently as possible? For example, did you have a design system to let you turn around work faster or a process for prioritising work?
What about remote working? Were you ready to go or did it blindside you? Had you considered how to run workshops remotely already? What about communicating with stakeholders and running user research?
I am not suggesting you should have seen COVID-19 coming, let alone predicted all the ways it has impacted our lives. However, we should be thinking strategically about our businesses and teams. We should be putting processes in place, so they are as robust and resilient as possible.
At the same time, we should always have an eye on the horizon.
How to be Adaptable
I have always pictured working in digital as being a bit like surfing. I have never tried to surf, but one thing I know, you cannot control the waves, all you can do is adapt to them. The trick, therefore (I imagine) is to predict what they will do and keep moving forward!
But how do we do that exactly in digital?
Experience has taught me that it is about not holding on to what worked in the past. Just because you invested a lot of money in that content management system five years ago, doesn’t mean it is the right fit today. Equally, just because using a design sprint worked well on that last project doesn’t make it a good fit for the next one.
That doesn’t just apply to technologies and design techniques. It applies to everything from the makeup of your team to the kind of work you do. For example, I have had to adapt to the current crisis by focusing on small quick jobs for a low price point, rather than larger, more expensive projects because these have all gone on hold.
Of course, this means understanding the consequences of the changes that you are seeing, and that comes with experience. If you don’t have that experience, then you must pay attention to others. There are a lot of smart people out there that I am listening to at the moment, and you should be too.
Keep Focused on the Horizon
I guess what I am saying is stay focused on the horizon. When there are immediate dangers in front of you, it is easy to be consumed by those. However, if you don’t keep your eyes looking forward, you will be ill-prepared for what comes next. You need to keep your eye out for that next wave.
Be prepared, be attentive and be adaptable.
If you need help doing that, you know where to find me.
Good luck and keep safe.
