An art director is a very universal role, therefore their daily responsibilities can change based on the industry they work in. You find art directors almost everywhere in both print and digital from marketing agencies to television to film and theatre to tech companies to Fortune 500s and many more.
While this role may look quite different depending on where they work, we’ll give you an overall sense of what an art director’s purpose should be in any industry. An art director is most often a managerial position where they oversee a team of designers and artists who produce graphics content for the web, television, ads, video games and a lot more.
What is an Interaction Developer do, typically?
Art directors determine the overall style and tone of a project and work to ensure that vision is brought to life. Their daily responsibilities include:
- Presenting designs to clients for approval
- Deciding which design elements to use
- Managing design workflows and collaborating with design staff to ensure projects are delivered on time and are of the utmost quality
- Reviewing and approving designs and other types of graphics created by design staff
- Communicating with clients and/or senior management to develop an aesthetic that reflects the goals of a campaign or project
An Art Director is not:
A Creative Director
A creative director is more of a business role whereas an art director is a design role. While both of these roles require the ability to effectively manage projects, a creative director will be more business goal-oriented and perhaps even manage the art director.
A graphic designer
A graphic designer is more of a junior to a mid-level role and will typically be managed by an art director. The graphic designer is responsible for creating the graphic materials that the art director oversees.
Important metrics for an Art Director
1. Project costs
Costs like time spent on specific tasks, the prices other vendors charge for the same work and the end cost versus the estimated cost are important for knowing how to improve workflows and efficiency.
2. Time on project
Looking at the amount of time it takes for a project to reach completion from the initial idea to the final product for various projects helps inform future projects so the art director can then prioritize accordingly.
3. Client satisfaction ratings
This is more particular to an agency, but satisfaction ratings could even be used in a large company with customers. This would typically be executed through a survey where customers/clients give specific feedback on design elements so design teams can use that information to improve future projects.
