collaboration
Creatives, rejoice. Based on the recent U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey, Uncle Sam has acknowledged your talents as paramount in the workplace. Tasked with completing these surveys, I am familiar with the typical “sections” of questions like company information, owner characteristics, research activities, goods, services, and business processes and technology. But wait, there it was, Section F (for finally). SECTION F: DESIGN AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY The following questions ask about the role that design plays in...
June 2022
Never Lose Sight of Your End Goal
There are times when I find solace tinkering with design and copy details in my role as a creative director. I find that precision sows a mindful state. While paying great attention to details is essential, there is something equally practical to consider during every phase of a project: the end goal. Author and marketer Seth Godin aptly offered an example of moving beyond project details in a recent blog post by stating: “I’m pretty...
March 2022
Tell Me Where Your Images Are From
I recently had the honor of being a judge for a national design competition. Each design submission I reviewed in my assigned category included an array of elements such as imagery, font usage, color palettes, headlines and body copy, and the graphic design that pulled it all together. I found one tiny but crucial thing missing … something can be set in a font as small as 7-point … and something that can be a...
February 2022
Taking Control by Using a Proven Process
A young professional friend, Jen, works in a large enterprise. Jen told me how an interim manager from an unassociated department requested major rework done on a 60-page standard document that her team had submitted for approval. This request left the team stunned as the requirement seemed ill-considered. Jen admits she and her team came away from the meeting not fully understanding what the revisions for the document should be. A panicky feeling fell over...
January 2022
Managing Deadlines
Creating successful content marketing takes creativity and skill, and it takes adhering to an established production schedule so that deliverables are timely. A production schedule lays out the workflow for team members by directing them how and when to work on a project, motivating everyone through deadlines. In whatever way you meet a deadline—either by completing your task a few days ahead of plan, or up against it thriving on eleventh-hour adrenalin—you also have to...
November 2021
A Look Back on Some Favorite 2021 Images
Since nobody would allow me to bend the wires to create sad and happy human profiles on their $10M+ quantum computer, I had to turn to a manipulated photography solution. The “profile” wires and end caps were purchased at a hardware store, bent and photographed. That image was then integrated with a stock photograph of a real quantum computer and colorized to matchy-match the other wires. Are you watching the Peacock channel’s hit Yellowstone? (Truthfully,...
October 2021
Moving Ideas Forward Using Creative Practices
“Creativity is the magical human act of doing something that might not work. If you know it’s going to work, then it’s management.” —Seth Godin A tattered official notice from the local fire department tacked to a wall stated a maximum capacity of 130 people were allowed in the darkish restaurant. Included in that headcount would be the few waitstaff bustling by tables filled with strangers seated elbow-to-elbow, and the musicians readying to entertain us. Established...
September 2021
Finding a Path Forward … Quickly
Beyond the worry, fear and suffering caused by the pandemic, people have managed to remarkably change directions in their personal and professional lives, demonstrating great resiliency. Take a step back from the flurry of pandemic-time workplace changes to notice how your coworkers are able to quickly set aside best-laid plans when current products or services aren’t meeting the needs of the market. Pre-pandemic, a change of direction would likely be identified and resolved at a slower...
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