Consult the Experts

I want to help people become better at making things. Heck, I want to get better at making things. Very often, by improving how we make things we end up making better things that we’re proud to share with the world.

Why should you care what I have to say about making stuff?

I’m a designer, artist, author and musician who is interested in identifying and developing design practices that apply across media, platforms and domains. I’m an Adjunct Professor in the MFA Design and Technology program at Parsons School of Design in New York City, a UI/UX consultant, concept artist, and in the 14 years I was with Large Animal Games I was the Lead Artist or Art Director for over 100 mobile, online, social and PC downloadable games. Four of which, AlphaQUEUE, Rocketbowl, Saints & Sinners Bowling, and Snapshot Adventures have been IGF Finalists.

Since 1989 I’ve been fortunate to work with a range of clients, from the smallest indie shops to some of the world’s biggest brands. I’ve worked as a political cartoonist, comic book illustrator, animator, product designer, web developer, game designer, stunt man, video blogger and author. Past clients have included MTV Networks, Sci-Fi Channel, Tommy Hilfiger, NFL, Nascar, The Gap, Sony Records, RCA Records, Epitaph Records, CNBC, The Ethiopian Commentator, MaMaMedia, The LA Galaxy, the nu-metal band Disturbed, and Nickelodeon.

Do I know everything? Not by a long shot, but I’m always willing to learn something new.

Several years ago I began sharing observations about working in teams and creative development processes in a blog, Tools Not Rules. This came about because I noticed a pattern: immensely talented artists and designers, fresh graduates and seasoned professionals, who lacked essential skills such as talking about their work, interviewing clients to understand their goals, time management and prioritization. I began taking notes and testing strategies for improving the creative process with my team at Large Animal Games and certain tools surfaced as especially useful.

My goal: I wanted each artist working under me to function independently with minimal oversight. I wanted to make myself redundant so I could spend more time making things and less time managing people.

What I’m sharing is not the only way to get things done. It’s how I’ve learned to get things done. The creative process can be deeply personal and I know plenty of makers who are geniuses in their respective fields and they do things differently than I’m suggesting here. I hope you find your own path and your own solutions but if you ever get stuck or want another perspective maybe something I’ve shared can help.

So where do we start? I thought we could get this ball rolling with a call to consult experts. I mean the people around you who can act as a foil for your ideas. Who do you trust with your creative babies? Who can you rely on to give you constructive, useful feedback that supports your goals?

I know you’re probably amazing at whatever it is you do but I’m sure there are areas outside your depth of knowledge — areas where maybe you aren’t so amazing. No problem, that’s why you have experts as friends, colleagues, and mentors. If you have the budget, hire them. If you don’t have a budget, offer an exchange, or buy them dinner and drinks. I’ve picked many brains over a beer.

Consulting experts can get you to solutions faster, shorten your conversations with clients and focus your own ideas. That’s more upside for you if you’re working on a project or flat rate. If you work hourly it means moving to your next project sooner.

I’m consistently surprised how often people are willing to offer free advice or insight around their area of expertise. Don’t abuse this. Show appreciation, give your experts credit when possible and just be gracious. Demonstrate a willingness to give back. The interviews on Tools not Rules are an example of this. Some of the people I’ve interviewed are my friends and colleagues but some of them are people I’ve never met, or barely know, but whose work I admire. For a little bit of their time I try to spread the word about their talent. It’s not much, maybe, but it’s genuine.

I have more ideas than I can keep up with.

I could spend an entire lifetime learning new skills but there wouldn’t be any time left to make the things I want to make. Recently I dipped my toes into the world of programming so I can more effectively prototype my own ideas in Unity. As a programmer I’m a hack so I called in favors from friends to help me with C# when my ambition outpaced my skills. I bought a few dinners, quite a few drinks and saved myself days of frustration.

Is that cheating? Did I bypass an essential learning opportunity? Not from my perspective because now I had functioning code I could monkey with, adjusting variables, and I could spend my time learning how it actually works.

Where do you lack expertise? Now, which of your friends and colleagues have the skills you’re missing? Reach out to them. Don’t worry about being a pain in the butt, you’ll return the favor at some point and that’s cheaper than going to school or learning the hard way.