Innovation & creativity as drivers for design (HOW Design Conference)

Andy Stefanovich, in charge of “What’s Next” at Play in Richmond, VA, in my opinion started the HOW design conference this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. He challenged everyone to ask, “What are you thinking about?” This is a question everyone should be asking themselves and those around them – it’s a unique and powerful method to develop inspiration into creativity in an effort to develop innovation.

Andy’s point rang true to me, and by the applause of the audience, most everyone else as well. My fiancé often questions my blank stare into space with, “what are you thinking about?” She often ignores my response, primarily because she is a non-creative. My response is typically, “I wonder if the logo in the menu would work with an orange color scheme” or “That tagline doesn’t make much sense – I would have written it like this …” Andy’s point is that the world is our inspiration; he challenges us to “look at more stuff” and then “think about it harder.” He proclaims, “Creativity is about seeing stuff!” – We must be able to emphasis with everyone. We must open ourselves to inspiration – it is everywhere we look and it influences everything we do as designers; innovation is dependent on it.

Andy stated that he works with five (5) “M’s” to drive innovation: mood, mindset, mechanisms, measurement and motivation. An organizations attempt to drive innovation can be evaluated through these five elements. Mood is dependent on the atmosphere and openness to creativity. Innovation will starve in an environment closed to creativity. Mindset is about the people around the organization. How do they approach their work and embrace innovation? Mechanisms focus on the devices each organization uses; what technologies are available? How can these devices be better utilized or embraced to let innovation flourish? Measurement is an item often over-looked – be sure to establish a measurement of success for innovation. Don’t limit yourself to a quantitative approach; look for the qualitative aspects as well. Motivation is more about self-awareness – ask yourself, “What are you doing to lead innovation and creativity?” Obvious more than anything else, but needless to say; if you want to drive innovation and creativity, you need to step-up and lead the charge.

When driving the force to create or instill innovation, often-times designers feel the weight of the world – it’s as if we are striving to change the world. Andy suggests that each designer do at least three things when trying to “change the world”: give context, inspire people and provide vision. You want to let people see beyond what really is – help people see, feel and dream the innovation.

Andy warned the audience of an important and often overlooked fact of innovation; in his words, “one degree” can be the difference between brilliance and disaster. Imagine a beautiful mid-December morning. Looking out the window you see a perfect coat of white snow and hear the joyful bliss of Christmas music on the radio. You start to think about Christmas present, family, food and perhaps even snowman making later that evening. Now imagine that same mid-December morning just one degree warmer. From 32 degrees to 31, that snow becomes unstable and turns to slush. The radio focuses more on weather advisories and traffic notifications than Christmas carols. You now start to think more about the long-lines and money you don’t have for Christmas presents, the family you want to avoid for the holidays, the weight you will most likely gain as well as how the weather and traffic of the day ahead is likely to deter any activities you had planned. Innovation is a powerful and fragile thing – be careful with how you create it and maintain it – there is just one degree between brilliance and disaster.

Andy finished his presentation with several closing thoughts:

• Don’t let someone create your creative point of view
• Look for people who are interesting and interested – find those who take your breathe away! Talk to them and get inspired!
• Don’t be a creative director, be a creative catalyst
• Have a personal board of directors. Take those colleagues you admire and respect out to dinner once a month in exchange for regular access to their opinions
• Create an “Undo-List”. Find what’s antiquated, dated and getting in your way – then strive to remove it

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