Details and perfection
Perth 10th August 2011
Attention to details is always important, in every aspect of life. But perfectionism can be killing if you pursue details to too much of an extent. Time is our major commodity as a lighting designer and there are times where you perhaps may need to content yourself with only 80-90% of the target as a 100% target achievement may simply put the end result beyond reach of a satisfactory completion time. We do not always have the luxury of time (generally our clients always want things yesterday!).
I come to this subject today through two different ways. First I was hammered repeatedly by one of my clients regarding the detailing on the invoice I had sent. Amounts and wordings had to be exactly identical to the contract, this is a Chinese client :). Then the addressee had to be exactly the correct company name and person as spelled out in the contract, not the one to whom the invoice is actually sent. I did 5 (!) revisions before we finally had the invoice done the way it will pass through the hoops of the chinese financial banking system. I have to admit it is an international money transfer of a considrable amount so the client wants to make sure they only have to submit once and not be sent back and forth. This is our first payment so I guess it will be smoother at the next payment (fingers crossed).
The second trigger about detailing is in regards to an eleaborate time work schedule that we have put together to log in with the client our scope of delivrables over the duration of the project. Our contract spells out specific durations for the delivery of work, but as we obviously depend on input from the rest of the project team (approval process from the client included) it needs to be spelled out in detail to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings further down the line. The schedule we produced is not perfect but certainly close to what can be expected at this point in time.
In Light Watch today an example of one of the most simple (and cheap) lighting concepts ever created the folding paper globe lamp. Not even sure what the official name is! I don’t think there is any copyright left on this concept as every Tom Dick and Harry, Ikea included sells this lamp in various formats. Details? Perfect?
Light Watch 139: The paper globe lamp
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