Talking to creatives can be challenging. I know, because I am one.  

At best, creative discussions build on ideas, energize teams and cement goals.  At worst, they meander through meaningless concepts, sometimes dragging them painfully towards pointless executions.

Why does this happen?  Well, sometimes people are just a pain, and creatives are no exception.  But the vast majority of the time it has to do with differences in the way creatives think, and the guidance they need to be able to do their jobs well.

Here, then, is a short survival guide to the creative process.

Don’t Tell Me You Need a Bridge, Show Me The Canyon

The above statement has been credited to Giuseppe Delena, and it’s my all-time favorite quick guide to design thinking.

Design is all about solving problems.  The more specific you can get with the problem, the better a designer will be at getting you a solution.  If you aren’t certain about your goal then the first step to take with a creative team is goal hunting. 

If the problem you provide is that you need a web site, it’s not likely that you’re going to be satisfied with what you get in the end.  Nobody wants a web site.  They want what a web site will do for them.  It’s your expectations for the result that begin to define the project, providing designers with the initial direction they need. 

You don’t need a bridge, you need a way to cross a canyon.

Constrain the Process

What comes out of limitless time and money?  At best, mediocrity.

All creative needs to operate in an environment of constraint.  Constraint on time, on budget, on technical or on market.  The more limits that can be defined the more focused the process, and the more innovative the outcome.  Sure, you can (and should) brainstorm up ideas in the beginning, but you need to be able to evaluate them against something.  

Don’t give a designer the world, give them a challenge.

Oh. The Humanity.

In media production we design experiences.  Experiences meant to be had by human beings.  That means that the emotional content of the experience can’t be ignored, and I’d suggest that it’s actually the most important ingredient in the creative soup.  Your brand is the feeling that your customers have about your company and your products, and the effectiveness of your media plays a big part in that framing that relationship.  Every point of contact between a customer and your company is an opportunity to build a relationship and develop your brand, and the first point of contact is usually some form of media.

When people bump into your brand, how do you want them to feel about it?  

You Can’t Finish What You Don’t Start

You have to provide time to properly develop a concept before you execute.  The creative development at the start of a project is easily the most important stage.  Not only does it save time during production, but if done well it can save you money down the road in reduced promotion costs and post-launch tweaking.  Get chintzy on this part and you risk a creative death spiral later.

The Value is in the Outcome, Not the Time it Took to Get There

Remember that you are paying for a solution to a problem, and the value you assign to a project should be equal to that solution.  Whether it’s a conversion rate for a web site, views for a video, or better communication of a brand, what you’re after is what the media will provide.  

 

Understanding the value of that outcome allows the designer to be a partner who is working with you to achieve your goals, rather than hired labor racking up billing hours.