Diagnose the Pain Points of Your Creative Workflow

Creatives are often told to “get their head out of the clouds” — but that’s exactly where their superpower lies. Daydreaming gives our thoughts time to sink into the unconscious mind, leading to novel solutions when we least expect it. We spend between 25–50% of our waking hours daydreaming, so it’s a good thing our brains are so productive.

But when deadlines are looming, we can’t always wait for inspiration to strike. That’s where the creative workflow comes in — a tried-and-true process honed by countless artists before us. It’s not perfect, but once you identify its pain points, you can fix them.

Stage One: Discovery & Ideation

This phase is all about collecting inspiration, letting ideas simmer, and shaping the direction of the project.

Pain Point: Unclear Project Requirements

Creativity thrives in structure. If a brief is vague, ideas stall. A strong brief should outline:

• Company and project background
• Objectives and metrics
• Target audience
• Deliverables and deadlines
• Competition
• Tone, style, and message

Identify what’s missing, then get clarity from the client before diving in.

Pain Point: Creative Block

Stress, burnout, perfectionism — creative blocks have many causes. Try:

• Stepping away for a walk or a less demanding task
• Working on another project
• Free-writing or sketching every idea, no matter how bad

Remember: in ideation, even “bad” ideas can lead to great ones.

Stage Two: Creation

Here’s where concepts take shape.

Pain Point: It Doesn’t Match the Vision

Designs rarely match the exact mental image — and that’s okay. Adjust layout, colors, or copy placement to find a better fit. Sometimes, the changes lead to a stronger design than you imagined.

Pain Point: Not Enough Time

When deadlines loom:

• Get the idea on the page quickly, ignoring perfection at first
• Refine afterward
• Plan capacity in advance to avoid overcommitment

Stage Three: Review & Approval

The most common bottleneck in creative workflows — and often the most frustrating.

Pain Point: Unusable Feedback

Reviewers may not know how to give actionable feedback. Combat this with:

• Contextual commenting tied to exact locations on a proof
• Markup tools for clarity
• Photo or link attachments for examples

Pain Point: Endless Review Cycles

Reduce review fatigue by:

• Defining reviewer roles and deadlines
• Setting automated reminders
• Using an “approve with changes” option so minor tweaks don’t reset the process

Stage Four: Launch & Publication

The finish line — but not without potential last-minute issues.

Pain Point: Low-Quality Printing

Poor print quality can undermine the entire project. To avoid it:

• Use high-resolution, CMYK files in the correct format
• Build relationships with trusted printers for consistent results

Solve Your Workflow Pain Points with Ashore

Every stage of the creative workflow comes with challenges. Ashore was built by creatives, for creatives, to solve them. Our platform helps you:

• Manage capacity
• Keep teams aligned
• Streamline review and approval from start to finish

Sign up for free and take control of your creative process.