hacking the creative process: the design blitz and other disruptions

PowerPoint Presentation

Hacking the Creative Process: The Design Blitz and other Disruptions #16ntcdesignblitz


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Remember when you were a kid? You didnt have rules about creating. You just got messy. We want to help you get back to that.

Its time to evolve our creative processes in a rapidly changing industry

She says that many people who have achieved breakthrough accomplishments have a common denominator: They also engaged in creative expression, such as writing, painting, performing, or some other arts-related endeavor.

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http://www.fastcompany.com/3037441/how-to-exercise-your-creative-muscle

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juilliard.edu


The challenge

EVE: At its core, design is about problem solving. And while you have designers who are skills in the visual aspect, there is a critical role for stakeholders in the process.

Creative process DOESNT mean just designMarketingCopywritingStory tellingVideo

But the process of creating these visuals can be challanging for a number a reasons. And the world is moving FAST.But the world is changingAnd you have to Find a better way to create the look and feel for your digital channelsIt

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Yeah, butIt will take too longIt costs too much.This is how were always done it.I have to please everyone.And


Its how weve always done it

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Im not creative.


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Im not creative.Bullshit.


You ARE creative even if your story is that youre not.

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It will take too longIt costs too much.This is how weve always done it.I have to please everyone.

Also bullshit.


Dana takes this one8

Disruption > Status quo


No one you admire achieved what they did without shaking things up.

Things are changing fast and how we ve always done it ay soon not even be a choice

Not as stong as adapt or die

But close. 9

Discomfort creates innovation


The greatest discoveries happened when people pushed the limitsBut its not comfy.

Doesnt have to be skydiving uncomfy, but nothing changes if you dont push 10

Prove it? Ok.


We want to help you be one of those people

Want to share with you approaches to creative development that are

StrategicDisruptiveCollaborativeAND uncomfortable

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New challenges require new solutions

But any coach knows that it takes more than looking back to change up your game. Sometimes you need to throw out the rulebook and take chances.

I want to share how we changed the rules at Beaconfire RED (for us AND our clients)

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Freakingnews.com


What is a design blitz? The ultimate mashup: Love child of a Workshop, hackathon and agile sprint

Two day collaborative design/critique/iterate .. ExperienceAt the end of which you have a homepage and critical internal page.

No, not kidding.

Doing this as our de facto design process for 2 yearsSeveral award winning sites

Refined it, adapted it, kicked its ass across web builds and digital marketing projects.

And im here to say: it works it

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Why it works

Comrpesses timeEngages stakeholders differentlyRequires focus and prioritization

How it worksConcept and discvery work donePrep concepts in advance

Day 1 scheduleDay 2 Schedule

Role

And while it may seem like fleshing out the rest of the design under a 16-hour time constraint minimizes the impact of the creative process, the opposite is actually true.

With less available time, everyone must be accountable, prioritize, and articulate the rationale for their choices.

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To be very clear, the Design Blitz is neither design by committee nor creativity on demand.

The creative team does a great deal of prep ahead of timeboth visual and strategicin order to start the two-day process with several design directions that meet a clients goals.

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We come in with at least two design concepts.

Not fully fleshed out

Enough to see a direction

And then we discuss, select and iterate.

Everyone gets involved

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Getty Images/Library Of Congress


Collaboration, not commitees

Value of stakeholder input BUT you need to drive the car from a strategic POV

Understand the project & client deeply AND communiction is key

ASA quote The vendor would have had to successfully done its background work and gain insights from meetings to correctly "read" the organization, its needs and what it wants to accomplish with the redesign.18

animalwall.xyz


Collaboration, not committeesRole of the core team and stakeholder group

all major decision-makers must be physically present in the office for the entire two days of the Blitz; the primary internal organizational decision-making must be clearly established and decision-making power must reside in a small group of stakeholders which includes the CEO and senior level staff in addition to tech staff; an internal consensus must have been accepted organization-wide prior to the Blitz that the decisions of this small group will be final and will override any competing feedback from outside the group; the organization must be ready for the design options/directions proposed in the Blitz process.

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Paramount Pictures


The power of critique20

http://extraspecialpeople.org/


Turning clients into evangelists

Skin in the gameUnderstand all the choices

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American Express


Eating our own dogfood Bf red

I know youre thinking, Sure, that all sounds great, but you have no idea how hard it is to change old processes within an organization. So we decided to find out.

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As planning began for the Beaconfire RedEngine website redesign over the summer, we initially considered squeezing design work in between our client projects. Were web experts! We do this every day for other people! Piece of cake!

But thinking about how successful the Design Blitz has been for our clients (and remembering the pitfalls of our past redesigns), we saw this as an opportunity to really walk our own talk. We broke up staff (including our CEO) into Project team and Client, followed all the same rules, and dove in headfirst.

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We did the workshops.

We did the concept document.

We did the mood board.

We did the wireframes.

We also did what we tell our clients NEVER to do. A new brand and website at the same time.

And saw it from YOUR point of view and OMG. Sorry!

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Beaconfire-red.comBEFORE


What we learned from doing this ourselves

Its hard to be the clientIts hard to change old habitsIts hard to

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BLITZEDBeaconfire-red.com


But we learned more about our voice and brand than we even expected to.

Seeing both sides of the Design Blitz really cemented how powerful this creative process is and its potential to change how weve always done it.

Even for people who dont think they can.

Best thing we ever did.

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Go Blitz YourselfDetermine goals, audiences and prioritiesReally understand your brandBe clear on what success looks likeBuild teams strategicallyProvide open, honest & constructive critiqueCommit to itEnjoy it


To be honest, the Design Blitz may not be the right choice for every project.

It requires comfort with risk and offers the promise of immense reward.

But for the clients who have taken this leap with us, outcomes have been overwhelmingly positive: better use of time and money, better interpersonal relationships, and honest-to-gosh better design.

The takeaway? Never underestimate the combination of strategic thinking, open communication, expert creative leadership, and a ticking clock.

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Dana Collins: My story20+ Years in Music Industry7 in International Marketing13 as an Artist ManagerBut am I living a purposeful life?

Im off to save the world.

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Disruptive creativity

Content! Content! Content!About the idea, not the budget. The currency of creativity!With the internet, brands dont need 3rd party distribution.Old SpiceGeicoDove

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Old Spice


Old Spice The Man Your Man Could Smell Like Launched on-line during SuperBowl weekend

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Geico


When DVRs introduced, how do you create ads people wont skip over?Geico Unskippable Ad

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vs


Dove Campaign For Real Beauty vs. Victorias Secret Love Your BodyIn direct contrast to how beauty products had been sold for decades.

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Breaking the rules best friends

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Owns no vehicles



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Owns no vehicles

Creates no content



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Owns no vehicles

Creates no content

Has no inventory



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Purritos! Local campaign that went nationalTime, People, GMA, Yahoo.com, etc100M Impressions


Purritos! Local campaign that went nationalTime, People, GMA, Yahoo.com, etc.100M Impressions

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Humane Society of Utah Photo Booth

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Sophie Gamand Flower PowerPartners: Second Chance Rescue, Sean Casey Animal Rescue, and Animal Haven

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Working cats

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Working cats

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Turn Your Luck Around

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juilliard.edu


Unexpected imagry

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Add notes

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Purritos Truck (Launching 2016)What if?Market adoptions like a food truck

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legacyrecordings.com


Open up creativity.50

Three QuestionsWhy?What if?Why not?


Creativity is a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.The Three Questions Exercise

Why?What if?Why not?

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First hand knowledgeLast Friday NightTeenage DreamThe One That Got AwayNot Like The Movies


Why do the names of colors have to be boring?Why is polish only sold in drug stores and department chains?What if we had names that were fun, romantic & mysterious?None of the competitors sell adventure & intrigue, why not?By thinking differently O.P.I. became the worlds largest professional nail care outfit.

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SubstituteCombineAdaptModify / Minimize / MagnifyPut to other usesEliminateReverse / Rearrange


Developed by Robert F. Eberle, an educational administrator in Edwardsville, IL

Initially for teachers & children as young as pre-schoolers

Evolved into a system used by educators, designers, businesses & more




http://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html


Brian Eno & Peter Schmidts Oblique Strategieshttp://stoney.sb.org/eno/oblique.html

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Get InspiredBrainsparker appJosh Linkner Disciplined DreamingMichael Michalko Thinker ToysCreativeThinking.netCreativeMornings.comCreativeThinkingHub.comAbout a thousand Ted Talks


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flightjournal.com


Im sure youre all like WOAH 59


Not just a talent. Its a skill. And you need to work it.60

flickr.com/photos/quinnanya


FLEX IT

Be confident.Be purposeful.Be authentic. And you ARE creative. Get messy

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flavorwire.com


Steal great ideas

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