Design agencies strive towards excellence in their work, often viewing awards and prizes as the ultimate evidence of exceptional and meticulously crafted design. Several design agencies have been recognized with such accolades, and the design process serves as the cornerstone in the creation of these award-winning designs and artifacts. This leads us to the question of what key elements can be found within their design process that yield exceptional, award-winning outcomes. This study aims to uncover the central key elements contributing to success in design processes across diverse design agencies. By investigating the planning, execution and management of these processes, it seeks to gain deeper understanding of how these interconnected elements affect the outcome of the final design product. We conducted semi-structured interviews with media producers from prominent and award-winning agencies to gain insights for the study, followed by a thematic analysis of the obtained results. We found that the definition of success in the design process is multifaceted, with two perspectives emphasizing awards or client satisfaction. Key factors for success include communication and experience, forming the pillars of a successful design process, essential for achieving high-quality results.