Creativity in process

Nearly all notable figures across creative fields have commented publicly on the process of creating. Quotes from industry leaders are reiterated in support of our most current inventive efforts, reminding us to continue continuing – the clock-in call for those employed in emerging technologies. And with good reason – from the construction of the first primitive hand tools to the development of the reaction engine, creativity steers human innovation.

For most designers and engineers, no matter their professional medium, the experience of forging something novel touches most earthly interactions; from mundane, everyday tasks to thought-provoking technological developments, the desire to create is present, if not compulsory. Even with this air of predictability, the concept of a creative process is somewhat perplexing, with the exercise of creativity being necessarily multifaceted and predominantly intangible, and process asserting structure. And as with most behaviors guiding professional outputs, replicability is ideal.

Creativity is not exempt.

So how does an individual or organization identify and hone a creative process that routinely provides a desired outcome? I’ve found companies that choose to foster the creative nature of its employees see improved expression and creative output across the organization.Side projects often allow people to test a variety of mediums and themes without a significant investment, outside effort and time.

Ultimately, creativity is an investment. One upon which many successful technology-centric companies have capitalized. Steve Jobs asserted creators are such because they are “able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things,” and we couldn’t agree more. As we’ve discovered at corvus and columba, the desire to create is multiplicative, with one project inspiring another; when you invite and cultivate creativity among employees, you inspire the drive to “synthesize new things” – you invest in the company.

Drawn from Corvus & Columba, On the Industry