Something as small as a creative director taking a day of sick leave in the middle of a project, or a client requesting additional changes at the last minute, could cause a big headache for the project manager and team working on the project.
Agencies appreciate effective project management as it ensures structure and efficiency. It instills trust and allows for a calm, guided atmosphere for the team to excel.
Without it, it's impossible to stick to a timeline (while delivering a job within a client's budget) and keeping both the agency's and the client's team happy with the end result.
However, changes are a given with any project, but large agencies often struggle when it comes to implementing agile, robust project management processes. They have a big ship to turn which can be slow and rigid.
Like any business, agencies have a ton to manage and organise on a daily basis. There are multiple projects on the go that are varying in size, complexity and budget, which means the success of a project is heavily dependent on an agency's ability to effectively manage them.
So, when you also throw agility into that mix, things can become quite disruptive — which is why you need to be prepared for change and have the right attitude towards it, along with the right people to manage it.
Approaching project management in this agile manner does not come without its challenges. And so, managing expectations (internally and externally), as well as good communication and time management skills, are key factors to work into your process.