1 March, 2006
How did I get here?
Starting Again
Imagine that you could start something in your life all over again. I actually did it. But 'why?'
My company, Town Group, started life shortly after I left the Royal College of Art. Despite the economic ups and downs, it survived, prospered and grew. I put the company’s success down to the skill and creativity of our designers, to our ability to adapt to clients' changing demands and a willingness to turn our hands to virtually any task.
So what was wrong with that?
When I stopped to take stock, I realised that something had disappeared. We were not being asked foremost for ideas any more. We were being asked to focus on the finished product. We created beautiful pieces of work that met and exceeded the clients’ expectations, but where was the thinking? Where had the problem solving gone?
It wasn’t until I listened to a presentation from Professor Richard Buchanan (Carnegie Mellon University) that the answer to my questions became apparent. For decades creative problem solvers had been slowly sliding down the food chain. In his view, the cycle in the fortunes of creative people had now turned.
I was relieved that events had not been a reflection on my business. Nigel Bogle (a titan of our industry with his agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty) expressed a similar view when he said he was keen to go back to the days when advertising agencies supplied their clients with business ideas as well as marketing, just as we did.
The good news
The creative community, Professor Buchanan believed, was refocusing on skills and creative thinking to find solutions to business-related problems. Once again we were experiencing a time where designers were being asked for their opinions and thoughts about problems, rather than being solely concerned with producing a visually pleasing finished product.
On reflection
Thinking back, I could see a pattern of events coming into focus. I thought about technology and its effect on the creative world and remembered how as designers, we were able to move almost effortlessly from design work to technical illustration, typesetting, reprographics, digital photography and multi-media. Then to full text handling and pre-press reprographics. The rapid development in hardware and software made all this possible. We could do so much more without really even having to think about it.
Creativity
Baroness Susan Greenfield made an important point that chimes with mine at the 2003 World Creative Forum. 'Creativity is at risk from being undermined for the sake of efficiency, comfort and scientific progress.'
More and more people are obtaining the means to become designers, animators, sound engineers or even film directors. The resources are all there and as American academic Richard Florida states, '...virtually everyone can have access to them. The resource or skill that only a few people possess, however, is creativity, and alongside that a creative desire.’
Back at the beginning
So, where am I now? Back at the centre of problem solving. The manner in which creative people are able to communicate knowledge is a huge strength. Words, pictures, images and models are all tools that designers can employ to communicate on different levels and only they can put them together effectively.
Richard Florida has coined the term 'the rise of the creative class,' and more specifically he notes that creativity is increasingly becoming the driving force in every segment of industrial and business life. This adds to the rising tide of evidence for a turn in the cycle for designers. Furthermore, Professor Buchanan has added that there has been an overwhelming desire for the business world to look to design for insight, theory, context and ideas.
October 4, 2009
There has been a renaissance in the creative world; good thinking and good design are once again much valued and the disciplines of design research are being applied to a wider set of challenges. It may surprise you to learn that this has not always been the case.
October 4, 2009
There are a number of places you can find out more about my career. This link takes you to a short Flash presentation which shows how my design career has evolved into a consultancy role which allows me to continue to help clients with their problems.
October 4, 2009
Each Case History is a précis of projects undertaken by Town Group and marketing managers will find the scenarios familiar. If you have a particular situation which requires some outside help, or would like to know more about a particular project then please contact me for further information.
October 4, 2009
Synesthesia is a unique sensory phenomenon
People who are affected by it, experience the blending or interaction of two or more of their senses – touch, taste, hearing, smell and vision. I have a type of synesthesia and use it to come up with new ideas and connections.
October 4, 2009
Here is a list of other places on the web where we can meet.
October 4, 2009
one2six creative ltd is a design company specialising in book design and lifestyle publishing under the direction of Maggie Town. It is also the umbrella company and legal entity under which I conduct my business activities.
October 4, 2009 Actions speak louder than words
No one will argue with the fact that Britain is a great place for creative talent or that we let others exploit it to reap the rewards. We have scored some spectacular own-goals in this area and I want to do something about it.
October 4, 2009
The design business has changed dramatically since I started work and this history illustrates those changes through a portfolio of work and commentary.