Written by Lisa Newhouse, Quintessence
“Creativity is imagination with responsibility (Sae Ra Kung, 2009)”
Where you choose to be creative can have a significant influence on your ability to be creative – or not. With that in mind, can technology-rich environments offer opportunities and tools to encourage creative thinking amongst teams? Before we dive into how and if creativity is enhanced in the context of technology-driven collaboration, let’s define the concept of collaborative creativity.
Collaborative creativity is the process of working with others to accomplish a shared goal in an innovative way.
Why is collaborative creativity important?
Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in our own ways of thinking when trying to solve a problem. We tend to “stick to what we know” and, for this reason, sometimes we miss out on a novel solution. Though there are undoubtedly benefits to individual creativity, working on projects single-handedly limits the amount of feedback received during the creative process and leaves out other perspectives.
It’s no surprise that growing a high-performing creative team needs some essential ingredients. Most importantly, you’ll need a team of multi-talented people who are effective and willing communicators. Next up, a transparent and open workflow with everyone feeling as though they’re part of the same team. Lastly? A relaxed and fun collaborative environment, where people feel supported to give their views and ideas can happen. It explains why open-plan offices and cool creative spaces are available all over the world; they’re places that help people connect, share and create.
Let’s explore the latter point in more detail: environment. Where you choose to be creative can have a significant influence on your ability to be creative – or not. You may have already reached the conclusion that low-stress environments encourage creative thinking, and you’d be right. A mixture of concentration and relaxation aids the communication between your consciousness and subconsciousness, stimulating the production of ideas. In fact, it’s said that most people are creative in one of the “4 B’s” – Beach, Bed, Bath or at the Bar. It’s the concept that we should all “slow down, to speed up” when it comes to getting creative juices flowing.
Where does Interactive Technology fit?
Creativity and innovation are fast becoming a key part of corporate strategies and initiatives. However, though creativity is high on the agenda, workplaces may not be designed to provide a fun and relaxed environment that supports the creative process. A dedicated creative space that houses all the necessary tools and technology is an essential ingredient for creative collaboration, supporting the sharing of ideas by making thinking visible during the creative process. An interactive whiteboard or touchscreen can allow the exploration of solutions in real-time and record them for sharing in future. Video conferencing can also be integrated to allow remote colleagues to attend and contribute to the process as if they were there.
The Conclusion
Touch solutions in collaborative spaces enable creative people to work together, diminishing both boundaries and, in virtual cases, defying distance. Interactive technology keeps teams connected, facilitating brainstorming activities, promoting creative problem-solving processes, and even supporting innovative design.
