Projects > Marketing Workflows
Marketing workflows:
An eye for knowledge management, Efficiency, and creation
Background
As THINK Global School’s media and marketing demands continue to grow, the three of us on the Marketing Team faced new challenges in collaborating effectively, considering we are spread across three vastly different time zones. The need for more streamlined workflows and better coordination became acutely evident, especially as we took on additional directions to build out alumni, communications, and community engagement strategies. It was clear that our existing approaches were no longer sufficient, prompting us to rethink our systems for managing projects and sharing resources.
Our approach
In her book Thinking in Systems, Donella Meadows tells us that a system is “an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something.”
To address our challenges, I worked with the team to design a more efficient system using a systems thinking approach, focusing on clear organization and improved accessibility. A key part of this involved transitioning from disparate individual My Drives into a shared drive structure on Google Drive. I spearheaded this transition, guiding the Marketing Team through the process to ensure that files were organized in a way that made sense for our workflow and security needs. While we utilized ChatGPT to help us create a new folder hierarchy, it was important to recognize that it doesn’t necessarily account for our specific needs. I emphasized to the team that, while the new structure can help us think about our processes in fresh ways, it’s essential to regularly review and refine it every few months to ensure it continues to work for us.
To support our new workflow, we have more intentionally integrated Asana for communication and project management, helping us stay organized and connected across our time zones. Asana has become a central hub where tasks, deadlines, and projects related to marketing and community engagement are coordinated, providing transparency and clarity in our daily operations.
Challenges & Solutions
This workflow project has had its share of challenges. Time constraints were a major issue, as certain times of the academic year made it nearly impossible to dedicate resources to restructuring due to high workloads. To navigate this, I focused on making incremental changes during less demanding periods and maintained a flexible timeline to ensure progress could still be made.
Another challenge was ensuring buy-in and understanding from team members, which, fortunately, has been easier than expected. Clear communication about the benefits of the new system, combined with consistent support, helped team members adapt quickly. However, permissions and access privileges were a recurring issue, as I didn’t always have the necessary access to reorganize certain parts of the system. To overcome this, I coached individual team members through the process, empowering them to manage their own sections of the shared drive effectively.
Impact & Reflections - TBA
The project is still in its initial stages, and while we've seen positive changes in organization and collaboration, it’s too early to measure the full impact. Continued adjustments and regular reviews will be essential as we refine our processes to support the growing needs of the organization.
Acknowledgments
Although the project is in development, it’s never too early to give credit to my colleagues. I’d like to thank the Marketing Team for their adaptability and cooperation during this transition. Special thanks go to our IT Director for his technical support and our Director of Operations for implementing new policies and procedures that made the restructuring possible. Their combined efforts were critical in helping us lay the foundation for a more efficient and secure workflow.