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As I mentioned, I have found that the research process can help
stimulate creative ideas. I believe that arguably one of the best ways
to stimulate creative ideas is to immerse yourself in the learning
process. While
you are digging into the research, your subconscious mind goes to work
and ideas will usually start to flow. It is very important to get these
ideas on paper no matter how insignificant they might seem at the time.
Oftentimes, these ideas will end up in the final creative work, or at
least stimulate other ideas down the road. You never know when an idea
that seems pretty small at the time may lead to what, in advertising,
we call the “Big Idea.”
Speaking
of ideas, there is an old American Indian legend that basically says
that nobody really comes up with ideas -- that the ideas are already
out there (in the air) and it is up to the artist to “catch” them.
Indeed, creative artists will often say that they didn’t feel like they
created their work themselves -- that another force (a "higher power")
was providing the ideas and that they only felt like they were an
instrument for getting the ideas on paper. I have often felt the same
way and the research process often facilitates this “nirvana.”
On
a similar note, according to the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes,
King Solomon concluded that “there is nothing new under the sun.” I
believe that this ancient wisdom is still quite true today. Creativity
can indeed be a matter of taking existing ideas and combining them in
new and interesting ways. [One technique is to think of two relevant
but unrelated ideas and consider how you might combine them into one.]
One of the first things I learned in commercial art school is to keep a
"swatch file" of reference material for use in designing new material.
When you see work that "strikes a chord," it is a good idea to file it
away for future reference and "inspiration."
Getting back to the strategic planning process -- after the research
is completed, a concise overview of the findings is written. This is
called the “situation analysis” or “management overview.” It is
basically a quick-read -- a few pages -- to enable the client to get a
quick overview of the situation. If the client has any questions, the
more lengthy research findings section which provides footnoted support
for the findings, can help provide the answers. It provides documented
support for the arguments in the overview.
Creative work can be very subjective.
But, when you develop your creative ideas from a systematic approach,
you will have facts to support your arguments. By following the
strategic planning process, you are building a strong case for your
decisions and providing strong support for your "Big Idea."