[IxDA Discuss] Producer, Strategist, Experience Lead

[Douglas O;Dell]

You've pretty much described my job description as well. Although my company designs interactives for physical environments using game technologies and sensor systems - (not as much on the web side).  My responsibilities include sales, strategy, conceptualization, discovery, technical and creative management, client, project and team management. My title is Creative Director. I think the distinction between interaction/usability and "design" or aesthetics is a false dichotomy - its all about a cohesive experience - which in my mind is design. You could come up with many web-bubbley titles for the position - "experience architect", "interactionist", "VP of Cool" - whatever - I like creative director because it's ambiguous enough to encompass a number of hats, and conventional enough to avoid client eye rolls.

I have a producer on my team that helps me to manage some of the project details, but for the most part, its all on me. It is a lot to put on one person, but in my experience, it's not optimal to silo work on an interactive into distinct disciplines. Someone has to own the grand vision.

Trip
 
On Tuesday, May 01, 2007, at 07:00AM, "Mark Green" <mark at wechsler.com> wrote:
>There was an interesting discussion last week about a job posting  
>from our company, Wechsler. But I was traveling and unable to respond.
>
>We're a fairly small team and the Producer role developed  
>organically. That person takes charge of the project and all direct  
>contact with the client from kickoff to launch. He or she handles  
>most of the discovery/strategy/IA phase, and then directs editors,  
>designers and site builders to complete the project. The direction of  
>these professionals is more in terms of usability and adherence to  
>strategy than dictating aesthetics. When prompted, I tell people that  
>I'm a combination project manager, IA and web strategist.
>
>Upsides of this structure: it's efficient and the project benefits  
>from a unified direction. Downsides: it is a lot to ask of one person  
>and more voices in the strategy phase could help (although there are  
>usually plenty of voices :)).
>
>I'm most curious if people feel there is an emerging standard  
>structure for how interactive projects are handled and what the  
>"standard" roles are. I also wonder if there's a better title for our  
>"Producer" role. We've talked about Web Strategist and Interactive Lead.
>
>Thanks,
>Mark Green
>________________________________________________________________
>Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)!
>To post to this list ....... discuss at ixda.org
>List Guidelines ............ http://listguide.ixda.org/
>List Help .................. http://listhelp.ixda.org/
>(Un)Subscription Options ... http://subscription-options.ixda.org/
>Announcements List ......... http://subscribe-announce.ixda.org/
>Questions .................. lists at ixda.org
>Home ....................... http://ixda.org/
>Resource Library ........... http://resources.ixda.org
>
>