Augment Creative Workflow Management With Approval Software

If you already have a perfectly effective creative workflow management process that helps you juggle design, development, deliverables, and deadlines without breaking a sweat — this article probably isn’t for you.

If you’re like the rest of us, constantly looking for ways to better manage projects and collaborate with your team, welcome to the club.

The Reality of Creative Workflow Chaos

Any part of a project — from the kickoff meeting to final approval — can derail if everyone involved isn’t clear on:

• Project details
• Objectives
• Requirements
• Feedback
• Timelines

That’s a lot to manage. Some teams are still stuck using email threads and spreadsheets, while others have embraced SaaS tools to streamline workflows.

So, here’s the big question: Is your current system actually working? And maybe more importantly — is it doing everything you need it to do?

Creative Workflow Management: The Bare Bones

At its core, creative workflow management is about tracking every step of your process from concept to launch. It’s a standard practice in:

• Design firms
• Marketing and ad agencies
• Print shops
• Digital agencies
• Any organization producing creative deliverables

The Four Core Phases

Most creative projects move through these broad phases:

1. Ideation

Kick things off with a meeting to:

• Set goals
• Define metrics for success
• Outline team roles and responsibilities
• Identify deliverables and deadlines

This phase may also include research into design approaches, competitors, and market trends.

2. Creation

Create a collaborative environment that encourages brainstorming and idea sharing. Keep feedback channels open — both within your team and with clients — so designs evolve in the right direction.

3. Review & Approval

This is the make-or-break stage. No matter how good your design is, it won’t move forward without sign-off.

• Start with internal review to get all stakeholders aligned
• Use a structured approval process with clear workflow stages
• Avoid email for revisions — it scatters feedback and creates confusion
• Guard against scope creep to protect timelines and budgets

4. Launch

The big moment — releasing your design into the world, whether it’s print, video, or digital. After launch, review your process, note what worked, and identify areas to improve next time.

Breathing New Life Into Your Process with Creative Approval Software

The right tools can make every phase more efficient. Here’s how:

Protect Project Scope

Keep your objectives and parameters in check by tracking deadlines and activities on a central platform everyone can access.

Chart Your Workflows

Map out your process — versions, approvals, feedback, responsibilities, and revision cycles — so nothing falls through the cracks.

Dictate How Approval Happens

Decide who reviews deliverables, when they do it, and in what order. Whether you want simultaneous reviews or staged approvals, software makes it easy to control the process.

Track Activity to Measure Productivity

Centralize all project activity in one place. This creates a clear timeline and lets you quickly assess progress.

Get Your Life Back With Ashore

A clear creative workflow process gives you control over:

• Project development
• Design revisions
• Deliverable reviews
• Deadlines

While you can manage workflows without software, you’ll be far more effective with it. That’s why we built Ashore — to organize reviews, streamline feedback, and get approvals faster.

With Ashore, you get:

• Automated workflows
• Automatic reminders
• Version stacking
• Contextual commenting
• Proof timelines
• Tagging
• Customizable proof preferences

Built for flexibility, Ashore adapts to your creative process.

Sign up for free and move your workflows onto a single, powerful platform that keeps projects on track and your sanity intact.