Demystifying “the process” in the Creative Process

The task to create innovative and effective concepts can be pretty daunting. Now, it’s one thing to look at a great concept, and point to why it’s so successful. But coming up with your own great ideas is an entirely different prospect. So where do you start? Let’s say it’s Monday morning, and we wake up to find we’re working with a client with little to no time or budget. In that instant, we’ll appreciate how beneficial it is for both client and creative to have a predefined process to develop our project. The concept building process we’ll focus on in these lessons, has several components that can be used either together or pulled apart and used individually.

So, I’ve grown fond of using the phrase

Creativity is spiritual formation.

Related: Practice to Become a Management Master

What Tools are out there to Aid the Creative Process?

See yourself as an artist and discover renewable ways to create good work for the sake of others. The strategy begins first, by establishing foundational concepts through identifying the core values of a project. Then, we’ll create a content explosion through the free association process, identifying related content on an exponential scale. Next, we’ll assemble note-sketched descriptives, setting the stage for all possibilities. Then, we’ll pull back the curtain and bring our vision to life through rough sketching, exploring multiple iterations. Finally, we’ll examine our strongest concept contenders and explore a range of variations.

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Learn To Make Your Best Work And Become Who You Are In The Process with Mind Maps

Create a mind map by placing a word or image in the center of a blank page, then go through and write any ideas you have and connect them to the center image. There are a variety of different resources I use to boost the creative process:

• Read a New Book: New York Times Bestseller List , Goodreads
• Browse the Web: StumbleUpon, BuzzFeed, Reddit, LifeHacker
• Stay Up to Date on the Latest News: CNN, Google News, BBC News
• Meet People with Similar Interests, or Try New Things: Meetup
• Learn a New Hobby or Skill: DiscoverAHobby, Skillshare,
• DIY or Learn to Make Something: Instructables, CraftZine
• Find Cool Products: Wanelo, Fancy, Fab, Incredible Things
• Learn About the World: HowStuffWorks, TED
• Focus on Self Improvement: ZenHabits, PositivityBlog, The Happiness Project, MindTools
• Go Back to School: iTunes U, Academic Earth, Khan Academy
• View Unique Art: DeviantArt

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While these processes may appear somewhat formulaic, the more they’re practiced, the more they’ll become second nature. Incorporating a creative process or method gives the designer two things. First, it gives the creative a greater range of alternatives to select from. Secondly, it legitimizes the concepting process, allowing your creative to retrace the path they took from start to finish.

Recommended Book: Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers

When have you found it ineffective or detrimental to a creative process to collaborate with other people?

Being able to retrace the route functions as one of the best resources a creative has in defending their concept, or as I like to say educating your client. This often times is the distinct difference in being able to convince a client that your concept is the absolute best approach. Versus having your idea tossed aside, and the job going to someone else. Ultimately, one of the most important things a creative can do is produce as many different ideas as possible.

 

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Having a wide array of choices available is very often the difference between delivering a good concept as opposed to a great concept.

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