You're clashing with designers over your content strategy's visuals. How can you find common ground?

Según mi experiencia, la empatía es una de las habilidades blandas más importantes porque la considero base de todas las demás. Ciertamente, quien no puede conectar y ponerse en el lugar del otro, aplicar la escucha activa no puede ayudar. La personalización es la clave del éxito de cualquier estrategia.

To find common ground with designers, focus on open communication and collaboration. Clearly explain the goals of the content strategy, while listening to their creative insights. Align on shared objectives, such as audience engagement and brand consistency. Use data and examples to bridge gaps between creative vision and strategic needs, and be flexible in finding a solution that meets both content goals and design aesthetics.

Nothing beats creating an open ground for discussion. As creative strategists, sometimes we might be stubborn in the visual formation process because we have a mental idea of how things should look. But, open discussions might bring out the best form of the visuals.

This really does come down to who has the greater awareness of what people resonate with on the platforms in question. Often, a design team will wants to flex its muscles and showcase absolute perfection on a platform that responds better to selfies and how to guides. Understand the platform and deliver what connects with people, rather than what looks great.

Ask your customers! Honestly, who cares if you & your designers clash? NO ONE. The only person who matters when it comes to your content is your CUSTOMER. So ask them! Share visuals from both you & your designers. Invite your audience to vote via polls on WHICH they like best - then at least you're armed with concrete numbers... which can help you make a data-driven decision as opposed to an ego-driven one! ??

Show them the data! If there's a particular reason you're advocating for a different approach, explain the data driving that decision. Designers are not that different from strategists in that they, too, love making data-driven decisions. Numbers don't lie, and they lead to more confident creative choices. And if the data's not firm, this is why you test. So, come up with a way to turn it into an experiment.

When creatives clash, guardrails are the only thing that bring them to the same page. Here are some non-negotiables for any design team/content team/brand team 1. Standard operating processes for each stage of content release - conceptualisation, design, feedback, packaging, closure & release 2. Pre-decided TATs for each content piece / type of content across channels 3. Clear task bifurcation, too many cooks can confuse the broth's taste for sure. 4. Align with the entire team on brand pillars, business goals & exactly what purpose content solves for business. 5. Build cameraderie within the team to ensure everyone is aware that feedback is given not for the person but for the work that will grow the brand. 6. Regular team check-ins

Use design thinking techniques. These techniques can help you and the design team develop a shared understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and the goals you are trying to achieve.

Absolutely! Defining clear goals is the foundation for any successful content strategy. ??In my work as a brand strategy consultant, I’ve seen how sharing the ‘why’ behind the goals with the design team not only helps them align visually but also ensures the entire project stays on track. When everyone is working toward the same objectives, the results are always more effective.????

As a designer and content creator, if the visuals are not aligned with the message, the dissonance causes failure. Try both approaches and check the stats. Go with adjusting the message to fit the visual AND adjusting the visual to match the message. 80% of the time, the message will win but when the visuals are resonating, it has more brand power. So it is worth testing out. If the disconnect continues, fire your designer - they obviously don't understand the authentic message or the job description.

Over the last years I have been working hand in hand with several graphic designers coming from different countries and professional backgrounds. Some were more creative than others, some were more experienced than others. According to my personal experience, the first step consists in explaining in detail the objectives of the project and the political/social background we work in. In case the graphic designer is an external consultant, it is important to organise an adequate number of exchanges. I strongly advise to launch the project only when the graphic team has a clear perspective and is fully in line with the content management team.

A prática da escuta ativa é essencial para fortalecer a colabora??o entre as equipes de conteúdo e design. Quando ouvimos de maneira atenta e genuína, n?o só acolhemos as preocupa??es dos designers, como também abrimos espa?o para aprender com seus insights sobre o comportamento do usuário e as tendências visuais que podem enriquecer a estratégia de conteúdo. Essa troca construtiva transforma potenciais conflitos em oportunidades de crescimento, resultando em um trabalho mais coeso e orientado a resultados. Colabora??o, afinal, é sobre alinhar diferentes perspectivas para alcan?ar um objetivo comum.

Les divergences d'opinions sont enrichissantes. Pour trouver un terrain d'entente, je propose d'organiser une réunion constructive où chacun pourra exprimer ses idées et ses motivations. En écoutant activement les points de vue de tous et en cherchant des compromis, nous pourrons créer des visuels qui reflètent à la fois notre vision créative et les objectifs de notre stratégie.

For me this step is very important. It is not one way listening. It's has to be both ways. Designer and content in this situation should complement each other. Sometimes when we come from certain function, we feel we know it all and it's a human tendency to pounce on someone who is not from similar practice. It's very natural. Hence, listening to views and perspectives is crucial for collaborative way of working.

Find a middle ground. You could have had a certain visual in your head. However, those visuals may not be practical or bad in the design world. Your vision is subjective but design elements aren't. Try to understand their point of view and find a common ground which will satisfy both sides.

I have created a team and culture where everyone has a voice and we do not take things personal so compromise is easy. Encouraging honest and open communication leads to an environment where you can express your ideas without criticism. There is not I in TEAM and we want everyone’s input. Sometimes the best product comes from the least likely contributor. Remain open minded and surround yourself with talented people who share your enthusiasm and excitement as well as align with your vision.

Naturally, there are moments when we don’t see eye to eye. In those instances, I remind myself that compromise is part of the process. I’m willing to let go of certain elements that aren’t critical to the content’s success, and I focus on what really matters. It’s amazing how often flexibility leads to even better results than I’d originally imagined.

Not every disagreement needs a winner. I often find a middle ground by compromising on elements that maintain the integrity of both content and design. For example, adjusting colour schemes while keeping the design layout intact satisfied both sides.

Parts are as important as a whole when it comes to glueing strategy with the design. There are times when designers and content strategists disagree and that's the time to break the walls down and create parity in thoughts. Designers elevate the content appeal multi-fold. In my experience, we ensured to work on our key visuals (KVs) and consulted it back at the time of being at loggerheads. With a mutual understanding of the goals, message interpretation and the inherent essence of the content, we'd come to a common ground. Established guidelines and open dialogue with empathy and skilful listening go a long way in serving the end user-- the client/customer.

Honestly, designers innately understand how people absorb visual information so you need to trust their insights. It's easier when you move past the image you see in your head (which may be limited by your own biases) and share how you want the prospective customer to feel. Moving into more sensory language helps reach a concensus on colors, size of images and fonts. Remain open to possibilities so you both have a say in how things take shape. That way, you end up with the best of both of you. And that is ideal.

Even after consulting with designers to grasp the aim of the content, there are situations when both parties still disagree. In my prior experiences, integrating both sides to work together to develop answers could be the answer; in my last project, I used co-design to gather ideas from other people and understand it directly by doing rather than just discussing it theoretically. Co-design could also help us value different perspectives, find ignored ideas, and get the final outcome that both sides agree on.

Is it your content- or a client’s content? If you’re clashing over a client’s content, what is the goal - and who is the decision maker? 3 qualified, experienced professionals (client, content writer and designer) can have different but equally expert opinions. But someone has to be the decision maker. And, collaborating to create content through a mutually beneficial relationship between a content writer and a content designer to present to the client is the best possible win-win. And in some cases, one person may have the better concept. If that better concept came from the designer, put aside your ego. Being right isn’t the goal. Creating beautiful content that gets the desired results is the goal.

When exploring joint solutions, consider setting up a cross-functional workshop where content strategists and designers can collaborate in real-time. This hands-on session can involve sketching out ideas, rapid prototyping, or even role-swapping exercises where each team steps into the other’s shoes. This approach not only fosters mutual respect but also sparks creativity by blending diverse perspectives. The shared experience of building something together can break down silos and lead to innovative solutions that perfectly balance content objectives with visual appeal.

A conflict over creative vision can, if handled correctly, be good for the creative team moving forward. If you understand what your counterparts are looking for, you're more likely to deliver something they're happy with and they're more likely to compromise in your favor. If you maintain that open line of communication, those projects after a conflict can move more efficiently and be learned from more easily.

All problems are communication problems. Keeping an open, ongoing dialogue between teams will ensure you are rowing in the same direction. Continuous engagement yields better results than siloing the work and reviewing after it's done.

Feedback isn’t a one-time event—it’s a process. Keep the conversation open, tweak things as you go, and don’t wait until the last minute to check in. Creativity flows better when communication does!

Keep the communication going but make sure the vision is not getting hampered. If they are not coordinating, escalate it to the upper management.