Design Process
June 2, 2009
My life recently, more than ever before, has been centered around documented processes. In my personal life, I’ve been documenting the process by which my improv team creates it’s marketing materials. When do we need to do a photo shoot in order to make it into a poster?) On my documentary film, I’ve been a student of the process by which a film actually gets made. Where in the process does an idea for a film die? Or, how does it make it through the whole process, acutally get released it a the theater, and then thrive (or die again). Yes, process has been a life-long fascination of mine.
There is a process to everything, whether we take the time to see it or not. There are lengthy processes, and very short ones. There are complex processes, and very simple ones. And there are many different forms of creative processes, some of which are very rarely understood.
For a spell, I was a designer at a firm that actually understood it. My creative director, Jim Grosslight, was full of brilliant ideas. He new that ideas came from many different places, and at many different times. He was childlike in his enthusiasm and creativity. I learned a lot from him, and have always been grateful for the chance to work with someone like that. It wasn’t until I left that position that I really appreciated it, though. Isn’t that always the case?
I now understand that the creative process widely misunderstood. In fact, it can be quite scary to some people. And, even if the client and the creative both understand and respect the process, it can still fail. There are other people involved in the actual approval process that can kill a great idea before it has a moment to live and breathe.
Fast Company, one of my favorite publications, recently published an article about a conversation between a designer, Dustin Curtis, and an employee of American Airlines. It’s quite fascinating, but I won’t go into great detail because you should read it all for yourself. (Links are at the end.)
What it revealed to me is very exciting. We are entering, or already in, an age where conversation, knowledge and design are becoming paramount. We are in an age where everyone has a voice, where ideas can be shared and become viral, and movements can gain strength and lead to real change. (Dare I say that we are in an age where people will start to understand and respect the creative process more than ever before in our human history?)
What does all of this mean for clients and creatives? The rules are changing. We must be adaptable, and open minded. We must always play at the height of our intelligence. We must seek to genuinely understand one another, and how our talents can help (or harm) one another.
It’s the client’s responsibility to recognize the approval process before beginning a project with a creative. It’s the creative’s responsibility to be sure to ask the client about the approval process before they get their wheels spinning. Just like a film can die before it ever makes it into the theater, a delightfully brilliant creative idea can die before it every makes it to completion. It’s up to us, working together, to make sure we have a process that helps us all succeed at what we do best.
It takes an incredible amount of focus, drive, transparency, education, honesty and integrity. And it can be exhausting. But, I firmly believe that these are the steps that lead us all to great work–together. We are in a world of possibility. What process enables you to do your best work, and how can you repeat it?
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