Creativity and Innovation – Dec 2003

Creativity and Innovation Online

E-consultancy

December 2003

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Creativity and Innovation – Dec 2003

Table of Contents

Table of Contents............................................................................. .........2

1. Introduction.......................................................................... .................2
2. How do you define ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’?...................................2
3. How do you stimulate creativity and innovation?..................................2
4. Examples.............................................................................. ................4
5. Resources............................................................................................ .4

1. Introduction
This document is based on the ‘Creativity and Innovation’ roundtable event that E-consultancy held on
25th November 2003. Details of the event and attendees are at http://www.e-
consultancy.com/about/roundtables/26/creativity-innovation-online.html.

At E-consultancy roundtables, leading experts and practitioners in the topic debate the issues, trends
and resources most relevant to them. The contents of this document come straight from those closest
to the topic.

This document, along with the issues, trends and resources for numerous other topics and sectors, is
available via the web site at http://www.e-consultancy.com/knowledge/whitepapers/. Access to this
content and other premium content is for subscribers only. If you have any questions on this briefing
please e-mail info@e-consultancy.com or call +44 (0)20 7071 8612.

The ‘Creativity and Innovation’ roundtable looked at how digital companies can inspire their workforce
to be creative, as well as talking more broadly about the definitions of ‘creative’ and ‘innovation’.

2. How do you define ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’?

Broadly speaking, roundtable attendees were happy to agree that “creativity” can be defined as insight
into how things can be done differently or better. Innovation is when creative concepts are developed
into real world applications or products and make a tangible difference. Creativity can morph into
innovation and vice versa.

• A good real world example is streaming video. This would have begun life as a creative idea
before companies such as Emblaze and Forbidden Technologies used their technological
innovation to develop functional streaming video platforms. The medium has now moved
beyond technology developers and the innovation phase, back towards creativity, only this
time it is content owners that are using their creative skills to engage end users.

3. How do you stimulate creativity and innovation?

The following ideas were suggested at the roundtable:

1) Listen
First and foremost, web companies should listen to their customers - it is extremely
empowering to understand what customers do and don’t want. The web is a very powerful
means of soliciting customer feedback to help companies make changes and innovations.
NTL’s purchase of renegade customer complaints website www.nthellworld.com is a good

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Creativity and Innovation – Dec 2003

example of this (although the site has since been shut down ‘pending a review’). Forums are
another easy way of stimulating, monitoring and responding to customer issues. Listen,
respond, act.
• AOL introduced a ‘report junk mail’ tool to help identify and cut down on the amount of
spam delivered to inboxes, by improving its filtering systems. User feedback
determines what is and isn’t spam.
• ISPs such as BT Yahoo and MSN react to negative user feedback about pop-ups by
launching ‘pop-up killer’ tools
(www.mediaweek.co.uk/ThisWeek.News.View.aspx?ContentID=10914).

2) Usability
Following on from the first point, focus groups and user testing sessions are another key way
of finding out where there is room for improvement. Note that usability only focuses on existing
platforms and while an extensive user testing session can help improve the platform
significantly, it might not identify what is missing from a website to set it apart from the
competition. Use feedback as the starting point for a brainstorming session to dream up and
develop new ideas.
• Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has an archive of columns at www.useit.com/alertbox/ - a
great start for newcomers to the field and inspirational for those familiar with usability.
If you think usability stifles creativity, start here: www.useit.com/alertbox/990822.html.

3) Brainstorming sessions
These are a useful way of generating new business strategies and boosting morale by
making employees feel that their ideas are valued. These events need a leader/recorder, a
definition on topics to be explored and an open-minded approach. Change your
environment to help stimulate the team. Set up workshops with business units to address
issues and come up with new solutions.
• Check out www.brainstorming.co.uk/tutorials/preparingforbrainstorming.html for some
tips on running a brainstorming session.
• One major company said it regularly spends one or two days thrashing out new ideas
in brainstorming sessions. Out of 50 ideas proposed, it implemented 30.
• Software tools can help with concept mapping, such as: www.paramind.net and
www.ideacue.com.

4) Education
Senior managers do not always understand the technology. They also want to understand
how the web best fits in with other digital channels, such as mobile and interactive TV, as well
as traditional offline media. Managers need educating about digital methods and techniques.
How can you make this happen?
• Run internal workshops to educate staff and managers about digital media and its
potential.
• Layout and Visual Clarity: Not a Matter of Taste – an article which explains why web
design should be based on the facts, rather than the whims of marketing managers
www.clickz.com/sales/traffic/article.php/3092801.

5) Understand how people interact with technology

Get to know how consumers use technology. Watch kids use digital gadgets and toys – they
provide a glimpse into the future, demonstrating how people will interact with digital media.
Moreover, watch the world around you and find ways of making people’s lives easier. What
motivates people? What excites people? Find out and use it to your advantage. Real life
examples:
• Orange’s ‘Future Home’ provides a range of materials aimed at helping children learn
about technology -
www.orange.co.uk/about/community/future_home_downloads.html.
• Intel appointed a senior researcher to ride buses and watch people use their mobile
phones and PDAs - www.eetuk.com/bus/news/mr/OEG20011206S0039.

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• Consumers’ reactions to voice technology -

www.speechtechmag.com/issues/8_1/cover/1591-1.html.

6) Keep it fun
The web should keep users entertained and informed – there are a number of tips and tricks
to keep users engaged and encourage interaction with technology.
• Microsoft launched a range of ‘Creativity Fun Packs’ to help XP users get to grips with
new technology, including digital photography, blogging and home movies -
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/experiences/create.
• Use multiple channels to develop interaction / understand the strengths of web vs
mobile vs DiTV. A good overview can be read here
www.guardian.co.uk/internetnews/story/0,7369,812946,00.html.
• Tell your design team that you intend to nominate websites for awards to inspire them
- www.maestroawards.com/EN_home.shtml.

7) Environment
Simple changes to the workplace can stimulate employees, making them more capable of
creative thought. How?
• Buy and use a round table.
• ‘Hotdesking’ – let the team change where they sit in the office whenever they want.
• Recruit outsiders. Shake up the team by bringing in unusual people for work
experience.
• Employ graduates for brainstorming sessions – www.freshminds.co.uk.

4. Examples
We asked roundtable attendees to give us their favourite examples of online creativity and innovation
and the following were cited:

• Comparison shopping site Epinions uses customer ratings/recommendations to help others

with their choice of purchase. Comparison shopping information site - www.epinions.com.

• Time magazine’s invention of the year is Apple’s iTunes music store –

www.apple.com/itunes/overview.html.

• Children block-building maestros create a website that perfectly reflects its brand, replete with
chess game - www.lego.com.

• Using the power of broadband to harness a community (3D dating, chat, avatars ad streaming
media) – www.bigtime.tv/index.cfm.

• For those times when you only remember a sliver of information about something –
www.google.com.

• A Big Brother-style game to promote Ship of Fools: The Magazine of Christian Unrest -
http://ship-of-fools.com/theark/.

• 60m individuals own and look after their ‘virtual pets’ at www.neopets.com.

• Yahoo launches £30,000 competition to lure agencies towards the web - www.e-
consultancy.com/newsfeatures/153352/yahoo-dangles-30-000-ad-lure.html.

5. Resources
Where should you go to find out more about creativity and innovation online? Try the following:

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• The Interactive Advertising Bureau (www.iabuk.net) runs a monthly competition to showcase

the best in interactive creative artwork - http://www.creativeshowcase.net/en/1/home.mxs

• 'What is Web Design?' by Nico Macdonald (published by RotoVision, 2003). An essential

guide for anyone commissioning or managing design for the web, as well as for designers new
to the field. Considers how theory can be put into practice through a well-considered process,
and concludes with 10 detailed and extensively illustrated case studies -
www.whatiswebdesign.com

• D&AD – an industry body with a focus on creativity and good design. Runs industry and
student awards - www.dandad.org

• How to capture and map creative thought - www.directedcreativity.com/pages/Heuristics.html.

• Tips on cultivating creativity in the workplace -

www.profitguide.com/howto/article.jsp?content=934

• A range of creativity links -

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/Resources/www.htm

• Genius research, century by century - http://innovation.im-

boot.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=36

• Everything from creativity puzzles to the science of innovation -

http://hua.umf.maine.edu/creativity/creativitylinks.html

• www.creativematch.co.uk – a ‘websource’ for contacts, news and jobs for the UK creative
industry and their clients. More creative matchmaking action can be found at
www.creativebrief.co.uk

• What makes a brand supercool? www.thebrandcouncil.org

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