Applying your creative process to strategy design
And some prompts to create your own process blueprint
From imagining new futures, to problem solving how we might get there - business and strategy design is an innately creative process. Creative folks are also natural systems thinkers and possibility seekers, which makes them brilliant strategists. But we often think about our creative work and building our businesses as two very distinctive things that need different approches. Why not apply your own creative process to the process of strategy design? I’m sharing some refelections and prompts here on how you might do that.
Working with so many extraordinary creatives across many disciplines, I often have the privilege of observing their creative process first hand in the workshop, studio or rehearsal room. It’s something I’m deeply grateful for and one of the many reasons I love my work so much. It’s also really useful to have this insight as context when I’m doing strategy work with an artist, creator or cultural organisation. This might take the shape of some scenario planning, exploring options to tackle a sticky strategic challenge/opportunity such as a loss of funding, or designing a more sustainable business model.
Strategy development isn’t a linear process and understanding how work is made, what cycles of creativity are at play and what processes are dominant can be so revelatory. For one thing, it helps me to think about what approaches we might take and where we might start - the ‘beginning’ doesn’t look the same to everyone.
I might work with
a designer-maker who creates through the making process. As masters of their craft, they might begin with a concept and a desire to push the boundaries of their chosen material. They arrive at a finished piece through an iterative process of problem-solving and prototyping.
a theatre company that makes devised work, where the script and performance is created through a collaborative process that draws on the real-life experiences, ideas and responses of the artists involved. Often a physical, experimental, and playful process, this way of working also hones an ability to hold a high degree of ambiguity and uncertainty until the final work emerges.
a youth music development agency that has clarity about the impact they seek to make and design their programmes through a process of co-creation with the young people they serve. They might have a democratic culture, value listening and diverse perspectives, and develop work over long periods of time.
Each and every one of these creative processes is a treasure trove of tools, approaches, frameworks and expertise to draw upon and apply to the strategy design process. That’s not to say that more traditional tools aren’t helpful - there’s a always value in a good old SWOT analysis! But it’s important to remember that these traditional frameworks have all been imagined by someone else, for a specific context, industry or moment in time. On their own, they may not be the best facilitators for creatives. In my experience, working with, and not against, the inherent strengths in our own creative process(es) always reap better results.
So next time you embark on some strategy or planning, don’t leave your creativity at the door. Value your own creative process(es) and consider how you might apply it to the creation of your business as well as your work. You can even think about combining elements of your process with traditional tools and forge a process blueprint that works for you - a toolbox of tried and tested approaches for different phases of the strategy process. Here are some question prompts to get you started?
How would you describe your creative process(es)?
What are the key characteristics and elements?
How and where might they serve you in shaping your business vision, setting goals, or making strategic decisions?
How might you create you own unique process blueprint for strategy design, using these and other elements?