Systematic Creativity at an Agency Level. Creativity is the lifeblood of any design agency. Why leave it to chance, luck or flashes of genius? Author: Robert Bau
1. Sssshhh... Don’t Tell the Clients
The Sorry State of Creativity in Design Agencies
»Innovation by Design«
37th PDA Congress in Stockholm
Pan-European Brand Design Association
Robert Bau
12 June 2009
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
2. Systematic Creativity
Creativity is the lifeblood of any design agency.
So why leave it to chance, luck or flashes of genius?
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
3. Robert Bau: Consultant to creative consultancies
Type of clients:
Branding consultancies
Packaging design agencies
Industrial design agencies
Service design agencies
Web/digital/interactive agencies
Architectural firms
Advertising agencies
PR firms
Management & innovation consultancies
Design departments at client companies
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
4. Robert Bau: Consultant to creative consultancies
Type of work:
Audits
Strategies and plans
Services
Processes
Methods and tools
Brand/marketing communications
Training
Mentoring
Workspace design
Etc.
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
5. Robert Bau: Consultant to creative consultancies
My work experience and educational background:
Now: Independent brand, innovation and design strategist
based in London with a wide range of clients all over Europe
Now: Mentor and business coach for startups and SME’s in
the creative industries
Now: Popular lecturer and teacher at leading business and
design schools in Europe
Previously: Client Director at leading consultancies
developing strategies, managing large-scale projects,
and leading multi-disciplinary design teams
MBA Design Management (London), MSc Business
Administration and Economics (Stockholm), Diploma in
Art Direction (roughly equivalent to a BA; Stockholm)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
6. Agency Creativity: Definitions & Boundaries
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
7. Definitions & Boundaries
Creativity is a core competence,
a process and a service...
...and not merely a brainstorming activity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
8. Definitions & Boundaries
External Stakeholder
Agency
Team
Individual
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
9. Definitions & Boundaries
Design is an insight-generating, opportunity-
identifying, problem-solving activity...
...and not merely a »standing-out-on-the-shelf« service
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
10. Definitions & Boundaries
Design is a means to an end
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
11. Definitions & Boundaries
Creativity is the grease
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
12. Definitions & Boundaries
Managing Creativity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
13. Definitions & Boundaries
The act or process of coming up with
Managing Creativity something contextually different
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
14. Definitions & Boundaries
Making sure you know how do it,
who to include, and which tools to use
Making sure you do it
without wasting resources
Making sure you know why you
are doing it in the first place
Managing Creativity
Making sure you tap into
relevant sources of inspiration
Making sure the outcome
seems viable and feasible
Making sure you know how to
convert great ideas into reality
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
15. Definitions & Boundaries
Making sure you nourish
and encourage it properly
Making sure you can do it
even without your best people
Making sure you can do it time and
time again to the same standards
Managing Creativity
Making sure you know how to get
clients to buy (and buy into) your ideas
Making sure you learn from
past successes and failures
Making sure you reward
creative efforts
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
16. Agency Creativity: Myths & Half-Truths
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
17. Myths & Half-Truths
Designers are inherently creative
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
18. Myths & Half-Truths
Only designers can be creative
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
19. Myths & Half-Truths
Creativity should be a solo activity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
20. Myths & Half-Truths
Consumer testing is bad for creativity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
21. Myths & Half-Truths
Creativity needs a director
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
22. Myths & Half-Truths
Creativity cannot be managed
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
23. Agency Creativity: Problems & Challenges
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
24. Problems & Challenges
Designers feel reluctant to
employ creative methods
(hey, they can’t even brainstorm properly)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
25. Problems & Challenges
The physical environment is
often quite discouraging
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
27. Problems & Challenges
Client briefs and agency debriefs are
often unhelpful and uninspiring
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
28. Problems & Challenges
Poor understanding of end-users
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
29. Problems & Challenges
The agency culture is either
too autocratic or too democratic
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
30. Problems & Challenges
Big divide between strategy and design
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
31. Problems & Challenges
Designers do not always see
(or want to see) the big picture
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
32. Problems & Challenges
Limited creative exploration
(in terms of sources and time spent)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
33. Problems & Challenges
Creativity seems confined to a rather
limited part of the design process
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
34. Problems & Challenges
Designers do not want to or know how
to collaborate with non-designers
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
35. Problems & Challenges
Agencies do not know how
to charge properly for creativity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
36. Problems & Challenges
No evaluation, no feedback, no learning,
no knowledge transfer, no nothing
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
37. Agency Creativity:
Suggestions & Recommendations
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
38. Suggestions & Recommendations
Create a systematic process for creativity
and develop a comprehensive tool kit
(and teach people how to use it!)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
40. Suggestions & Recommendations
Creativity – 10 core methods
Brainstorm List & Twist Challenge Unblock Visualise
Change Reverse/ Screen &
Associate Provoke
Perspective Oppose Evaluate
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
41. Suggestions & Recommendations
Creativity – 10 core methods
Associate
Brainstorm Visualise
Screen &
List & Twist
Evaluate
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
42. Suggestions & Recommendations
End-users are a wonderful source of inspiration
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
43. Suggestions & Recommendations
People-Centred Research – 10 core methods
Search & Enact & Deconstruct
Ask & Listen Track & Map
Study Perform & Reveal
Observe & Measure & Empower Demonstrate Cluster &
Probe Calculate & Consult & Validate Humanise
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
44. Suggestions & Recommendations
Apply creative principles and tools to
rethink and reframe problem definitions
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
45. Suggestions & Recommendations
Principles & tools:
Identify and challenge client viewpoints, assumptions,
preconceptions, prejudices, contradictions, etc.
Change perspective – identify stakeholders and investigate
their viewpoints, assumptions, etc.
Identify causes and effects
Generate plenty of alternatives
Tools: 5 Why’s, fishbone diagrams, systems thinking,
deconstruction, OPV, C&S, reversal, reframing,
brainstorming, metaphors & analogies, etc.
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
46. Suggestions & Recommendations
Employ creative tools throughout the entire
development and design process
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
47. Suggestions & Recommendations
Work in multi-disciplinary teams
(and not just designers)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
48. Suggestions & Recommendations
Encourage feedback from insiders and outsiders
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
49. Suggestions & Recommendations
Co-create with clients, end-users, students, etc.
(tap into their creativity)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
52. Suggestions & Recommendations
Reevaluate and redefine the role of the designer
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
53. Suggestions & Recommendations
Expose the agency to new stimuli
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
54. Suggestions & Recommendations
Visualise, prototype and test
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
55. Suggestions & Recommendations
Create stimulating meeting spaces and places
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
57. Suggestions & Recommendations
Store creative approaches, ideas, solutions, etc.
(and make them accessible for everybody)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
58. Suggestions & Recommendations
Evaluate agency creativity
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
59. Suggestions & Recommendations
Inputs Process Outputs Outcomes
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
60. Summing Up
Agency Creativity:
Definitions & Boundaries
Myths & Half-Truths
Problems & Challenges
Suggestions & Recommendations
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
61. How do you nourish creativity in your agency?
Let’s share our best ideas (and best-kept secrets).
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
62. Nourishing Creativity at an Agency level
Methods & tools
Organisational culture
Organisation
Leadership/management
Process(es)
Training/Education
Recruitment
Activities
Environment/Settings
Systems (reward systems, knowledge management systems, trend watching systems, etc.)
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009
63. Thank you and please keep in touch!
Robert Bau
robert.bau@mindyourtablemanners.com
+447887718240
mindyourtablemanners | Robert Bau | PDA | 37th Congress – Innovation by Design | June 2009