Creating a successful benchmarking process in retouching requires careful planning and execution. At its basis, benchmarking in retouching requires you to identify the metrics you want to track and assess your current image editing workflow. From there, you can take the benchmarking findings into account to devise an action plan and track your progress continuously.
Below is a step-by-step guide to help you establish and master the process, helping level up your image editing standards:
Step 1: Define Clear Quality Standards
Start benchmarking in retouching by defining clear quality standards, i.e., setting measurable criteria for varied aspects of retouching, such as:
- Colour correction
- Sharpness and clarity
- Lighting adjustments
- Retouching limits, and more.
Step 2: Document Your Current Image Retouching Workflow
You will need a baseline for benchmarking and analysing your image retouching process. So, it’s advisable to document your existing image retouching workflow or have your business metrics on hand to easily compare them against the set quality standards.
Step 3: Select Benchmark Images
Once you are done defining your image retouching quality standards, the next step requires you to choose benchmark images. These will be the images that represent the desired level of quality and consistency you want to achieve for your future retouching projects. Your benchmark images can cover a range of retouching tasks, like portrait retouching, product editing, fashion shoots, etc. Also, consider including image examples demonstrating the ideal balance of sharpness, colour, and detail enhancement.
See to it the benchmark images you selected can serve as visual guides that your team members can reference during the editing process.
Step 4: Train Your Team
Remember that your team should be on the same page to achieve the established benchmarks. So, training your team to understand and adhere to the set quality standards. Walk them through the benchmark images and explain the quality standards and workflow.
Step 5: Measure Performance
Have you started working towards achieving the established benchmarks in retouching? Note that your benchmarking process doesn’t end here. You should also measure your teams and refine retouching workflow’s performance and outcomes regularly by conducting quality checks, gathering client feedback, or tracking project time and efficiency.
Step 6: Refine and Improve
As you complete your image retouching projects and measure their outcomes, you might feel the need to improve your benchmarks and workflows. It will help you to regularly update your benchmark images, quality standards, and workflow guide to ensure they remain relevant and reflect the latest techniques and technologies in retouching.
