Have you ever faced a tight deadline that felt impossible to meet, yet somehow you managed to pull it off? In early 2024, I found myself in exactly that situation. As the Lead Creative Designer for REVE Chat’s marketing team, I was tasked with creating animations to showcase key features of the new REVE Chat Version 4.0—our biggest product update yet. This version introduced several groundbreaking features, including seamless conversation history access, enhanced dashboards, and consolidated communication channels.
The challenge? Creating four feature videos under extreme time constraints while balancing multiple responsibilities. Here’s how teamwork, quick thinking, and determination helped us meet the deadline.
An Unexpected Deadline Shift
Initially, we planned to launch the product update at a comfortable pace. I scheduled the animations for four critical features into my workflow while handling other ongoing tasks. Each animation was intended to visually communicate the features, making them easy for users to understand and engage with.
However, on the morning of April 23, my supervisor sent me a message on WhatsApp with urgent news: management had decided to launch the product page on April 25, which meant we needed to deliver all four animations by April 24. The sudden shift created intense pressure as we scrambled to adjust our work schedule.
Strategizing and Delegating Tasks
Animation projects are not simple plug-and-play tasks. Each scene must first be prepared in Adobe Illustrator by separating components into layers for animation in After Effects. This process becomes even more complex for animations involving micro-interactions and multiple scenes, such as “Never miss a message again, reply anytime!” which required building additional scenarios.
Recognizing the time constraints, I quickly reached out to my supervisor at 9:30 AM and requested additional support. He assigned three designers to assist in preparing the Illustrator files. I provided clear instructions on how to organize the animation layers and separated tasks among the team. I also assigned one animation to my colleague Oyon, who had experience in animation, to handle the dashboard feature animation, “Make data-driven decisions using an enhanced dashboard.” The remaining three animations were my responsibility because they required detailed product knowledge.
Facing Creative and Logistical Challenges
Delegating tasks came with its own set of challenges. When I create Illustrator files myself, I can visualize the animation as I prepare the layers. Communicating this vision to others required precise instructions and hands-on feedback to ensure the files were animation-ready. Thankfully, a previously organized Illustrator file served as a helpful reference for the team.
By 12:30 PM, the Illustrator files were ready, but the real challenge had just begun. I had only 13 hours left to complete three animations while coordinating with the team and reviewing Oyon’s progress on the dashboard animation. Each animation typically required about four hours, so time was extremely tight.
I started with the simplest animation, “Access conversation history from where you left off,” to save time for the more complex ones. Late that evening, after completing the first animation, I returned home and began creating additional scenes for “Never miss a message again, reply anytime!” Despite exhaustion, I stayed focused on delivering the best possible results.
Overcoming the Final Hurdle
That night, I informed my supervisor that while I was confident about completing three animations, we might have to manage expectations for the fourth one. However, I promised to give it my best effort to meet the deadline. The next morning, I continued working on the animations while reviewing and providing feedback on Oyon’s dashboard animation.
By early afternoon, I completed the second animation and moved on to the final header animation. By 4 PM, I had rendered all three animations and submitted them for review. My supervisor appreciated the effort and quick turnaround. After some minor adjustments suggested by the product team, we successfully delivered all four animations within the deadline.
The Power of Teamwork and Belief
Looking back, this achievement was only possible because of the belief I had in myself and the incredible support of my team. My colleagues worked tirelessly to prepare the files, and their dedication was crucial to meeting the tight deadline. Their collaboration and problem-solving spirit made what initially seemed impossible achievable.
Through this experience, I learned that even the toughest deadlines can be met when teamwork, communication, and perseverance come together. No challenge is insurmountable when you believe in your abilities and have a supportive team by your side.