Week 2 Research Task: Thinking Like a Studio
Your personal research tasks are for deeper critical reflection and demonstration of your thinking and working processes.
These are the research tasks for this week, please share your findings on the ideas wall and on your blog:
- Research some of the core operational aspects of a design studio or freelance business.
- Research how to map out a hypothetical resourcing model for a new business which utilises your unique design expertise.
This has really helped me shift my thinking from “just make something fun” to “how would this run as a real thing?” Which is important for making the project feel hireable, not just creative.
1. Core Operational Aspects of a Design Studio / Freelance Business
I looked into how creative businesses actually run—especially studios like Studio Moross, ustwo, and Lovers, which we studied recently. Here are a few things I noticed:
- Time management is key. Studios often juggle multiple projects at once. They plan work in phases (design, feedback, production, delivery), and some use tools like Trello, Notion, or Slack to stay organised. Luckily I use all of these in my work life anyway so this is something i have a good understanding off.
- Client relationships matter. Good communication and clear expectations keep projects running smoothly. A lot of freelancers rely on repeat business or referrals, which shows how important it is to make a strong impression early.
- Being small is an advantage. Smaller teams or solo designers often have more freedom to experiment, work flexibly, and stay true to their creative voice. Which is great because i will be a small business (in this project), so I could use this to my advantage.
- Collaboration is often project-based. Studios like Lovers pull in specialists only when needed, rather than hiring full-time. In theory, if i were to actually create a pop up stand in real life (my project idea) that's close to how I’d want to work, i would probably bring in people for specific skills (like printing or building a pop-up stand), while keeping creative control myself. Working with others on design is something I've never really had a chance to do which is a shame.
2. My Hypothetical Resourcing Model
To imagine how Surviving the Underground could function as a real mini-business, I mapped out a rough resourcing model based on what I’d actually need.
Human Resources
Me – Creative director, designer, writer, and animator.
Optional collaborators:
- Voiceover artist - (for motion ad), I'm imagining a voice like the Jet2Holidays advert, or David Attenborough for comedic affect.
- Musician - An alternative option to the voiceover, could create an advertisement musical piece top help people remember / notice the advert.
- Printer - I would need one of these for the zine.