Separate Design from Production

This is the first of a series of contributions by Billy Raygun - www.billyraygun.com

Controlling cost is becoming a business imperative more now than ever before. Exhibit managers are stretched to the max with rising costs and a lack of new ideas. Under the current industry business model as we know it, it doesn’t surprise me prices increase and quality and ideas suffer.  We’re at a time where new ideas are the most critical success factor a business can have. As Einstein said, “You can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that created it”. If you really want to reduce or control costs, you need to change the way you’re currently doing business. 

[more after the break]

The exhibit industry business model is changing more now than ever. Top designers are leaving staff positions to freelance and skilled carpenters are opening non-union shops to build exhibits. The days of the one-stop-shop is dying slowly as a result of high overhead and prices needed to support that overhead.  As an exhibit manager the separation of design and production is your life boat. It will require you to change how you do business and work with multiple vendors, but done properly can have huge rewards.

First, partner with a designer. There are very simple tools you can use to synchronize your team, designer and builder to know exactly what to expect as a creative strategy and justify your investment in design with upper management. Negotiate and contract a cost for design; perhaps a flat rate? As you work directly with your designer revise your design according to the strategy until it’s perfected and approved

Submit the design out to bid to three different,  shops and compare each estimate. Because you worked directly with the designer, you’re extremely well educated on your design and will spot any differences in price and why, when you receive each bid. 

Example:

Builder A = $30,000.00

Builder B = $50,000.00

Builder C = $25,000.00

If each builder bid on the same design and priced it with the exact same materials specified by the designer, why is there such a price difference? With an apples-to-apples comparison, you’ll be able answer that question.  When you have three different designs, from three different builders, you have three times the amount of work.  More importantly, there is no way to determine who offers the best price because each design concept is different.

If you don’t think this model works consider the following. Graphic designers don’t print your graphics. Architects don’t build the buildings…

Are Billy Raygun's ideas novel?  Do they present challenges to others in the industry?  What do you think?