Reset. Whenever an event that might alter significantly the course of a project occurs, first stop. Then evaluate the work already done, estimate the impact of the event on the project, and adjust all the necessary elements: deadlines, milestones, people vs tasks, realistic deliverables vs initial goal. Would the impact be 10%, keep going. Anything above that, I'd debrief key stakeholders, to toggle expectations. Would they offer an additional budget, I'd add to the team the best resources available (in-house or outsourced), aiming to deliver the initially projected output. Would the budget stay the same, I'd reset the project planning, aiming to deliver the closest possible MVP to the initially agreed one.

There are often two types of changes. Straight forward edits usually to content that doesn’t impact the overall creative. These are the most straight forward to accomplish in a time crunch. It’s important to focus on accuracy and minimal changes. The second type are edits that impact the overall creative which are more difficult with tight timelines. As the creative who is executing it’s good to let others know when you may need an extra hand to help and additional time. If that’s not an option then possibly brainstorming solutions with others can be helpful. You can then select the best option to execute from the ideas to save time. Always ensure someone is reviewing the changes for accuracy and quality that aligns with the brand.

“Temos pressa? Vamos com calma.” A frase do experiente diretor de arte Joaquim Pecego no início dos anos 80, para um jovem redator, no caso, eu, ressoa verdadeira até hoje. Mudanças e tempo restrito é sempre uma situação desafiadora, mas vivi muitas vezes no universo publicitário. Vamos com a calma possível, alinhando soluções que de adequem às demandas, lidando com a frustração por, eventualmente, não poder entregar o melhor, mais criativo. Mas a vida acontece no mundo real. Vamos entregar o possível.

Keep everyone focused on the bigger picture and that one project in front of them that's critical and why. I maintain a candid relationship with the team and encourage them to bubble up what they need to be successful. Hold post mortems to uncover inefficiencies, improve processes often, clear the roadblocks, ensure last-minute asks are critical to the success, and always provide the context for why and if changes are necessary. We are our work, and the momentary discomfort will soon be forgotten, but you'll remember the quick fix that didn't keep the integrity of your creative chops.