This is a deck that I created to help planning directors evaluate talent and help young planners know what skills planning directors were looking for. This deck proposes a list of account planning skills and then assigns point values per year of experience.

1. WHAT IF
ACCOUNT PLANNERS
WERE VIDEO GAME
CHARACTERS?
[REVISED]
By Griffin Farley
Profiling Account Planners for Talent Measurement

2. WHAT IS A GREAT WORK DAY?
Part of the Harvard Business Review
Breakthrough Ideas for 2010 was a
short article about what motivates
workers today. 600 managers were
interviewed and “Recognition for
good work” was their answer. They
were wrong.
Instead progress was the answer that
workers gave when they were asked
the same question. On their best work
days, progress was evident and
celebrated.
How do we measure progress in
account planning?
http://hbr.org/2010/01/the-hbr-list-breakthrough-ideas-for-2010/ar/1 2

3. WHY VIDEO CHARACTERS?
Video Games are really good at
measuring progress, including
popular Facebook games like
Mafia Wars or Farmville.
I set out to dissect the skills that
are important to account planners
in the advertising industry and
create a system of measurement.
Others weighed in (special thanks
to Amber Finlay from Naked) on
the system and it has evolved into
this presentation.
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4. PROPOSED LIST OF PLANNING SKILLS
BRAINSTORMING & COLLABORATION - This skill allows you to lead brainstorms and collaborate with others
PRESENTATION - This skill showcases your prowess in Power Point or Keynote creation and public speaking skills
WRITING - This skill displays your talent in persuasive and informative writing skills
CREATIVE BRIEFINGS - This skill aligns with your oratory and theatrical skills of inspiring creatives during the briefing
CAMPAIGN EVALUATION - This skill has been hardened by copy testing management and campaign reporting
COMMS PLANNING - This skill aligns with your media strategy skills including the digital and mobile channels
CLIENT BUSINESS STRATEGY - This skill is sought by clients that ask for your help managing and running their business
AD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE - This skill is called upon when others ask you about best practices or category examples
RESEARCH FIRM MANAGEMENT - This skill is used when managing and negotiating prices with research firms
PERSONAL MODERATING - This skill is used if you are asked to moderate your own focus groups or ethnography research
PERSONAL DATA ANALYSIS - This skill is used if you are asked to mine through your own mountains of data
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT - This skill is used to invent new products or name new products or services
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5. TALENT EVALUATION POINTS
I’ve played around with various skill point allocations and this is the system that I recommend:
3 skill points per year of experience
4 skill points for all of college or university
2 skill points for a Masters degree or attending an Ad School
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6. ACCOUNT PLANNER STATS
3 skill points per year of experience | +4 points for college | +2 points for a masters or ad school
COLLEGE YEARS 1-3 YEARS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS 10+
BRAINSTORM & COLLABORATION
PRESENTATION
WRITING
CREATIVE BRIEFINGS
CAMPAIGN EVALUATION
COMMS PLANNING
CLIENT BUSINESS STRATEGY
AD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
RESEARCH FIRM MANAGEMENT
PERSONAL MODERATING
PERSONAL DATA ANALYSIS
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
MAX 4 MAX 9 MAX 9 MAX 9 3 PER YEAR
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7. MY ACCOUNT PLANNING STATS
3 skill points per year of experience | +4 points for college | +2 points for a masters or ad school
COLLEGE YEARS 1-3 YEARS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS 10+
BRAINSTORM & COLLABORATION 1 2 1
PRESENTATION 1 2 2 1
WRITING 1 1 1 1
CREATIVE BRIEFINGS 1 1
CAMPAIGN EVALUATION 2 1
COMMS PLANNING 2 1
CLIENT BUSINESS STRATEGY 1 1
AD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE 1 1 1 1 1
RESEARCH FIRM MANAGEMENT 1 2
PERSONAL MODERATING 1 1
PERSONAL DATA ANALYSIS 1 1
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 1
MAX 4 MAX 9 MAX 9 MAX 9 3 PER YEAR
11 years of experience x3 skill points per year is 33 points.
+4 skill points for College and +0 for Masters or Ad School.
Total = 37 skill points
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8. MY SKILL LEVEL CHART
College Years 1-3 Years 4-6 Years 7-9 Years 10+
Brainstorming & Collaboration
Presentation
Writing
Creative Briefings
Campaign Evaluation
Comms Planning
Client Business Strategy
Ad Industry Knowledge
Research Firm Management
Personal Moderating
Personal Data Analysis
New Product Development
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11 years of experience x3 skill points per year is 33 points.
+4 skill points for College and +0 for Masters or Ad School.
Total = 37 skill points
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9. POINTS FOR PERSONAL WINS
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10. PERSONAL WINS & MILESTONES
BRAINSTORMING & COLLABORATION - This skill allows you to lead and participate in brainstorms and collaborate with others
- Have you ever created new workshop / brainstorm exercises? (+1 for each)
PRESENTATION - This skill showcases your prowess in Power Point or Keynote creation and public speaking skills
- Have your designs or charts been lifted and re-used by others? (+2 if yes)
- Have you ever spoken at a conference or on a panel? (+2 for each)
WRITING - This skill displays your talents in persuasive and informative writing skills
- Do you have a blog that you regularly update? (+ 3 points)
- Have you published articles? (+ 4 each)
CREATIVE BRIEFINGS - This skill aligns with your oratory and theatrical skills of inspiring creatives during the briefing
- Have you changed the format of briefings at your agency? (setting, style etc)
- Have others copied your briefing style?
COMMS PLANNING - This skill aligns with your media strategy skills including the digital and mobile channels
- Have you ever generated a channel plan? (+3 points)
- Have you ever briefed a media agency? (+1 points)
- Have you ever allocated budget across channels? (+3 points)
AD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE - This skill is called upon when others ask you about best practices or category examples
- Have you ever been quoted in the press? (+3 points)
- Have you ever judged an awards show? (+3, +4 for Clios and Cannes) Credit to @its_amber
PERSONAL DATA ANALYSIS - This skill is used if you are asked to mine through your own mountains of data
- Have you ever interpreted a business plan? +1
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT - This skill is used to invent new products or name new products or services
- Have you or your briefs ever directly named a product / service ? (+4 points )
- Have you ever generated a product innovation for a brand? ( +4 points)
- Have you ever generated a product innovation for your agency? (diagnostic tools, services, etc) (+ 3 points)
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11. ACCOUNT PLANNER STATS
3 skill points per year of experience | +4 points for college | +2 points for a masters or ad school
COLLEGE YEARS 1-3 YEARS 4-6 YEARS 7-9 YEARS WINS
10+
BRAINSTORM & COLLABORATION
PRESENTATION
WRITING
CREATIVE BRIEFINGS
CAMPAIGN EVALUATION
COMMS PLANNING
CLIENT BUSINESS STRATEGY
AD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
RESEARCH FIRM MANAGEMENT
PERSONAL MODERATING
PERSONAL DATA ANALYSIS
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
MAX 4 MAX 9 MAX 9 MAX 9 3 PER Each Year
YEAR
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