Many people assume creativity is something that people have to be born with; an innate talent that is awakened on its own. For a long while, creativity was something that was only linked to those who are involved in artistic endeavors, such as painting and writing, but the actual scope of creativity grew to mature proportions that include many new forms of creative thinking.
It took a while but the world realized that creativity isn’t something that can be easily held in a box and be defined according to old-fashioned concepts. To help you understand how it’s possible to manage the creative process in a business structure, we’ve created a simple guide that should provide you with enough information to help you get started.
Incorporating Software
Modern technology allowed the streamlining of the creative process in such an efficient manner. Many managers are unaware of the benefits of using Digital Asset Management (DAM) software to push the creative process further. So, what is Digital Asset Management software? Basically, it enables users to easily handle brand logos, product management, media, and other forms of content. It will allow you to increase the level of communication between your creatives and ensure that the work is constantly and easily accessible to the right departments.
Implement Challenges and Lucrative Targets
If there is one thing common between creatives of any type, it’s their appreciation of a true challenge. The feeling of conquering a difficult task or project is a true morale-booster for creatives in the business sector as well. Accomplishments to them aren’t necessarily tied to monetary compensation. Even though it’s still a part of it, they genuinely want to do their best because they’ll be showcasing their talent and skill. Keeping your creatives intellectually engaged in what they do best is the best way to ensure the streamlining of the creative process in your business structure.
Avoid Bureaucracy
If there is one thing creatives in this industry hate more than anything, it’s bureaucratic obstructionism. You’ll notice that they disdain almost any work that doesn’t offer a challenge nor require a fair amount of thinking. In all fairness, it’s hard to disagree with them when you look at it from their perspective; working on artistic and design-related projects removes a big portion of the conventional 9-5 effect, making it even more difficult to accept it later on. Whether you’re offering them a technological, logistical, or even social challenge, try not to riddle them with a myriad of bureaucratic obstacles that can only hinder their creative process and, therefore, your overall process.
Communication
One of the issues that a lot of creative process managers try to resolve as soon as possible is establishing a clear and proper line of communication. This is a unique problem that’s often exclusive to those who work in the creative department because of their autonomy. It’s not really that rare for them to forget or even intentionally ignore timelines and some requirements. While that can sometimes bring in good results, it can still get you as a manager in some hectic problems, which is why ensuring that they are constantly well-informed of the business roadmap and time-bound requirements. Communication is the essence of proper coordination between creative and other departments in the same business structure.
Quality Assurance
This may be a hard conversation depending on the type of creatives you’re talking to. Since the creative team are artists, it’s hard to convey that the work being created is not really created for the sake of art in and of itself, but rather the benefit of the business. Understandably, creatives are a bit more reluctant at first when it comes to accepting that their creative projects aren’t solely for them. It’s important for you as a creative process manager to balance the quality of work that the business needs and the number of alterations that you have your creatives work on. Avoid accepting subpar work or ones that don’t meet the business standards for the sake of avoiding artistic clashes.
Allow Room for Inspiration
Unlike many systematic operations, the creative operation has a few extra requirements that need to be provided if you’re going to expect high-quality work. Naturally, coming up with good ideas is a process that can’t be done on-demand without giving it the time it needs; predictable schedules need to be maintained and be made flexible. You’ll want to give your creatives enough room to find the time to become inspired to come up with good new ideas. If it’s possible, provide your team with as much time and resources as your department can handle but avoid stressing it on average. It’s not uncommon for creative departments in many companies to devise inspirational plans that include brainstorming, coaching, and research capabilities.
Adequate Brief
The creative team is problem solvers by nature, which means that you’ll be presenting them with business problems that should be resolved within a reasonable timeframe. Providing them with a complete and whole brief that can ensure that they are well aware of all the sides of a problem or project is essential to come up with actual solutions. It’s hard to blame creatives for not coming up with what you want them to come up with if you don’t put their perspectives in the right frame. You will also need to ensure proper communication methods that allow you and them to react quickly to any needed changes.
Establish Trust
One of the few mistakes that many creative managers fall into making is not leaving room for trust between them and their team. It’s easy to decide with an iron-fist the budget, time schedule, and even the output, but this shouldn’t be done when it comes to the creative process itself. It’s important to accept that the creative team can see things that you may not have an eye for if you don’t have experience as a creative yourself. Allow them room to innovate by showing them that you trust their style and art.
It’s believed that a company’s most important resource is not capital, raw sources, or market position, but its creative process that gives birth to new possibilities that allow a company to reach new plateaus. A creative business process in a company may have relatively more rules than its conventional counterpart because it requires the careful balance of a company’s culture, brand, business plans, and others with creative and artistic notions.
