How can everyone on your team contribute to the creative process?

One of the common tendencies in the process is for the creative team to silo itself off from the rest of the company. Seeking out input from outside departments for info like audience insights, product knowledge, or industry intel, will give the creative team that much more to work with. With the added info, the team can often see the full picture and it's amazing how many times you then discover the problem isn't actually "123", it's really "XYZ". Knowing this, the team will more likely create ideas and solutions with an effective impact.

To harness the full creative potential of your team, involve everyone in defining the problem or challenge you're trying to address. Encourage open communication and diverse perspectives to identify the problem accurately. This will enable you to develop tailored solutions that address your organisation's unique needs and foster a collaborative work environment.

The creative lead needs to resource a team with specific responsibilities and duties in mind before a project is briefed. The first two days of the ideation process are critical. At the beginning, the creative lead needs to create a safe space where the team can openly discuss the creative problem. During the initial phase, the team lead should mostly listen and then introduce new perspectives and insights, if needed. There should never be a meeting that ends without next steps outlining who is responsible for what.

Como todos da sua equipe podem contribuir para o processo criativo? Um bom networking entre os envolvidos é sensacional, mas convenhamos, abordar e praticar o n?o julgamento pode turbinar a cabe?a colorida que tem o pessoal da arte! ;) #n?ojulgamento

Encourage everyone in the team to share their thoughts on the problem. For example, in a project like creating an ad, the designer can talk about how it looks, the writer can focus on what it says, and the analyst can bring in data. This way, each person contributes their unique ideas, making the creative process better. Keep communication open and have regular discussions to make sure everyone's input is considered.

For me, brainstorming is the most fun part of the process. I employ the "no-bad-ideas" strategy, and definitely embody that concept. You'd think I was in a bad idea competition some times! However, the bad, outrageous ideas need to get cleared from the head and can lead to good ideas. Some comment about doing something ridiculous gets a laugh, but can then trigger an idea in someone else's head. This leads to big ideas and out of the box solutions.

The heart of the creative storm is the exhilarating realm of brainstorming. I'm all in on the "no-bad-ideas" mantra—so much so that you might mistake me for a contestant in a bad idea competition at times! The brilliance lies in the chaos; those outrageous ideas play a crucial role. Clearing the clutter from our minds often paves the way for hidden gems of brilliance. A ridiculous comment that draws laughter can be the spark that ignites a trailblazing idea in someone else's mind. It's in these moments of playful exploration that big ideas and out-of-the-box solutions find their roots. Let the brainstorming adventure continue, for in the dance of creativity, even the wildest ideas hold the potential to shape extraordinary outcomes.

To unlock the maximum potential of your team's creativity, it's essential to engage everyone in defining the problem or challenge you're addressing. By promoting open and honest communication and welcoming diverse perspectives, you can accurately identify the problem and create tailored solutions that cater to the unique requirements of your organisation. This will not only lead to a more effective problem-solving approach but also foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork.

Everyone should feel free to share their thoughts and ideas. Create regular meetings or digital platforms where team members can suggest and discuss new concepts. Encourage open communication and value each person's input. For instance, have a monthly meeting where team members share and build upon ideas to improve processes. This promotes a creative and collaborative atmosphere.

Desde mi experiencia, la creación de un espacio diario o semanal donde cada equipo puede aportar desde sus áreas resulta fundamental en cualquier proceso de desarrollo o evolución del producto. Establecer esta plataforma de confianza y transparencia no solo fomenta la participación activa, sino que también genera un sentido de integración, haciendo que cada miembro se sienta parte esencial del proyecto.

Encouraging everyone on your team to contribute to the creative process is key to generating a large number of ideas. Once you have a pool of ideas to work with, it's important to evaluate and select the most promising ones. This is where you can use various tools such as the feasibility-viability-desirability model, the impact-effort matrix, or the Kano model to assess the ideas and rank them. The goal is to harness your team's creativity to come up with innovative ideas while keeping in mind the needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders.

En este contexto, es crucial considerar la viabilidad, el tiempo de desarrollo y los costos del proyecto. Aunque algunas ideas pueden ser muy interesantes, su ejecución puede ser imposible debido a restricciones de tiempo. Aquí, el Product Owner desempe?a un papel vital al evaluar prioridades y comunicarlas al equipo para ajustar las soluciones de manera efectiva.

The creative process is amazing because we all see things differently. Allowing everyone to give their thoughts can take one idea and make it something completely different but better. There's no right or wrong when someone is giving their opinion so creating an environment that welcomes the critique is important.

In the critical phase of idea evaluation, authority rests with a select few—those seasoned in the nuanced art of discerning which ideas should flourish and which must be set aside. This stage demands uncompromising judgment and a firm hand. Employing rigorous frameworks like the feasibility-viability-desirability model, the impact-effort matrix, or the Kano model is essential to sift through the creative abundance. The objective is unyielding: to refine the chaos of creativity into viable, impactful solutions that align with customer and stakeholder expectations, without concession.

I recommend a set of typical questions to evaluate ideas: 1) Is it on brand, on brief and on strategy? 2) Is it based on a human truth? 3) Is this the best version of itself or is there a better version of it? 4) Is it feasible with current technology, timeline and budget? 5) Does it pass a simple gut check? i.e. does it look, walk and quack like a good idea or a bad idea. Only a minority of ideas will pass all these filters and come out the other side as fully fleshed ideas ready to be executed. But that's a feature, not a bug. That shows you've sufficiently stress-tested your ideas and the ones that survived will make you proud!

Everyone on the team can help create things by sharing their ideas. We use simple models or examples of our ideas (prototypes) to see how they might work. Then, we test these models to learn what works well and what needs improvement. For instance, if we're designing a website, team members can draw quick sketches of how they think it should look. We then show these sketches to people to see if they find it easy to use. Everyone's thoughts and efforts help make the final product better.

Despite the widespread acclaim for the stages of prototyping and testing, I remain skeptical of their necessity. To me, this phase, often hailed as the crucible for refining ideas, feels like an unnecessary detour. I see it as a stage where the raw energy of creativity is subjected to the cold, often unforgiving, realities of practical application. My perspective is grounded in a belief that certain ideas possess an intrinsic value and potential that transcends the need for empirical validation. This skepticism isn't born from a disregard for data or user feedback, but rather from a conviction in the power of intuition and the visionary's foresight.

En mi opinión, hay un concepto básico pero a menudo subestimado: COMUNICAR. Compartir información de manera clara y sencilla con todos los equipos involucrados es fundamental. Esto no solo asegura que todos se sientan parte del proyecto, sino que también permite conocer las acciones realizadas, decisiones tomadas y próximos pasos. Sin una comunicación efectiva, el equipo se desorienta, impidiendo el desarrollo del sentimiento de pertenencia y responsabilidad.

As the orchestration of creativity reaches its crescendo, the final act unfolds in the implementation and communication of our solutions. This is the stage where the brilliance of our team illuminates the spotlight, captivating customers and stakeholders alike. Every member of our team is a craftsman, contributing their expertise to shape and mold our solutions into tangible realities. From the development of cutting-edge products to the refinement of services, our implementation process is a testament to precision, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

I firmly believe that communication is as vital as the idea itself, particularly in securing widespread adoption from the outset. The culmination of the creative process lies not just in implementing solutions but in effectively communicating them to customers and stakeholders. This final step is a showcase of our team's innovation, where every member plays a crucial role, from product development to crafting the marketing narrative and executing the presentation. It's through this concerted effort in implementation and communication that we can truly manifest our team's excellence and impact.

Stay open and curious. Meet more people who look, think and act different than the types of people in your close circles. The point is to find common ground. Watch the shows and movies you think could be stupid, because someone loves them. You need to understand why. And if you’re a leader, encourage your teams to do the same.

There is indeed a tedency to be separated from the rest of the company if you’re a creative. Don’t fall into that trap. Be curious and know the company well, the roles, the procedures, the goals, the struggles, numbers of yearly revenue and loss if possible. When someone (even non-executive) has the full picture of the company they’re working for in mind, only then they are capable to bring their most creative and also applicable ideas on the table.

The creative journey extends far beyond the successful implementation and communication of solutions—it's an ongoing cycle of learning and improvement. In this dynamic phase, engaging our team becomes paramount. Each member holds a key to unlocking insights, whether through data analysis, result evaluation, or problem-solving. Together, we cultivate a culture of creativity and innovation by embracing the continuous process of learning and refining our solutions.

All creatives are different and have value. Just because someone seems a bit quirky or might not understand a concept today, doesn’t mean they don’t have potential to understand it tomorrow. As a leader your role is not to judge, dismiss or demean—it’s to invite conversation and uncover how to help any team member at whatever part of their journey.

In leading creative teams, I recognize that while creativity is universal, the ability to tap into it varies. Some individuals are more analytically inclined, and as a manager, it's my role to identify those who can dive deep into the imaginative realm. That's why in brainstorming sessions, I establish a clear rule: saying "no" or "it's not possible" is never an option. This policy cultivates an atmosphere where every idea, no matter how unconventional, is given room to breathe and grow, leading to a richer, more diverse set of solutions.

The power of collaboration is often overlooked and taken for granted. For me, the main focus is to establish a culture that relies on equal footing for everyone in the team. Creativity is role and department-agnostic. Throughout my journey, I have gotten great campaign ideas from designers, writers, and even HR teams that have not been related to the brand. The way to do this is to - 1) Emphasis on the freedom and openness to listen to everyone, no matter what team they belong 2) Brainstorm in true capacity with a no-idea-is-a-stupid-idea approach. Make transparency and communication the focus 3) When you hear silver bullet ideas, ensure you give them a way to correct them. Just deciding it won't work won't cut it anymore.