Design Forum

Our aim

Tap/release creativity within the department

The aim is what we are trying to do

Our aim is in line with one of the Futurama strands –

‘Develop and attract talent’. We said we want to maximise

the talent we have and attract all the new talent we need.

And we also said that we want to make pride part of our

culture through awaydays, Show and Tell, industry

awards, etc.

So, the aim of this forum is to inspire and motivate

designers to up the level of creativity and address some

knowledge gaps in our design offer.

Our objective

The objective is the measurable steps by which we

can judge that our aim is being achieved

The forum’s objective will contribute to the creative

services objective achieving the vision – to become

so good at what we do that clients would be crazy

not to use us. It will also contribute to the achieving

client satisfaction objective by consistently producing

or where appropriate managing high-quality creative

solutions.

The forum’s objective will be assessed through:

– Project reviews during the life of a project

– not accepting below-standard solutions and

ideas at concept presentations even if deadlines

may be compromised.

– Portfolio reviews – to be carried out at

regular intervals with rigour.

– 1-2-1s in which the degree of

involvement, participation and contribution can be

discussed and records kept for PDA marking

purposes.

To innovate and challenge design practices and solutions by participating in, contributing to and putting into practice learnings from the activities

included in the implementation plan

The strategy is the ‘how’ – the rationale for all our actions

which helps create a master plan to guide and explain

our activities.

We will develop a varied, exciting and non-linear

programme, encompassing different features and

techniques that address the design needs in our team.

We’ll explore design from basic principles to unrelated and

unexpected associations that can contribute to embedding

and maintaining enthusiasm, motivation and thinking in our

design team’s culture.

Our strategy

= THINK TANK

TAP INTO EMOTIONS

INSPIRECHALLENGE THE WAY WE WORK

TOOLS FOR THE JOB

– Create an air of hunger– Give people incentives– Money– Find out what people are

interested in– Who are their external

influences?– A need for the best– Change state of mind– Day off– Something to win– Time off work– Preparation time– Chargeability– Bribe– Empowerment

– Show examples of each other’s/our work

– Current projects (two teams together and expose each other’s work)

– Individual projects– Our own personal pieces

of work (own portfolio) (small team of people bring their own work and give brief account)

– Point people in the right direction to be inspired

– Look at different types of design

– Get specialist speakers in– WOW! FACTOR: show

examples– Through debate– Create an award scheme– Gallery visit

– How we do things– Question every aspect of

the job– Run moodboard

workshops– Run creative half hours

on anything we need– Create interesting

brainstorms– Show and Tells– Tell me a story – about

any subject– Photo competition– Mystery tour– Explore design principles– Question the quality– Create a group/personal

book– Compete with external/

internal standards/teams– Generally expose to

unfamiliar– Look at the COI

Challenge to see if we can learn something

– Moving screen– Training– Research techniques– Expose to more books/mags

DiscussionMoodboardsHeadlinesProofreaders’ marksThink fast

Building theatre

Either by using stimulating material to complement people’s thinking or material produced that needs to be developed

Result: presentation skills

Creative expression: cropping images

A problem A challenge

Ideas

NEED ACTIVITY AIM RESULTS

1. To find the wow factor Analyse what makes a piece of work ‘special’

Each person brings in four pieces of (in their view) excellent examples of design

Expose each other to the very best that design has to offer. Take out learnings to improve our individual creativity

A stronger appreciation of design as a whole and to strengthen our personal design ability on a day-to-day level

2. Addressing knowledge gaps

Creative half hours. For example: discussion, moodboards, learning about headlines, proofreading marks, think fast, presentation skills

To help sharpen our practical day-to-day skills

A more efficient creative who thinks quickly but effectively through the creative process

3. Create interesting brainstorms

Brainstorming any subject with a degree of theatre. This could be from what you eat or the stimulus you see. It could be also the environment you are in (e.g. from café to gallery)

Expose creatives to the unfamiliar and to inspire

Lateral thinking

A different point of view

Implementation plan

FLEXIBLE

DIARY

FLEXIBLE

Implementation plan

4. Keeping up to date with trends.

Create a group/personal book

A scrapbook which contains a collection of great examples of communication items, be they design, messaging or format. This will act as a reference book for all

To be aware of current styles and trends, for example visual language, spoken language or culture

5. Learn and share Show and Tell

A presentation to the rest of the group about current and past projects

Help inform other members of the group who may not be exposed to those particular projects. Also to help with presentation skills

6. Introduce best practice Design principles.To explore fundamental/complex design principles via debates, presentations, guest speakers

Reinforce what creatives know about design principles but also to expose them to things they may not know

7. Encourage creative thinking

Expose to unfamiliar. Any activity (within reason) that exposes the designer to something unfamiliar

To get creative thinking from a different perspective. Refresh their thoughts

A more informed creative both visually and culturally

More engaging creative presenters

A better skilled and inspired creative designer

Producing designs from a different or an original angle

NEED ACTIVITY AIM RESULTS

FLEXIBLE

DIARY

DIARY

DIARY

8. Develop analytical skills The mystery tour. It could be a research project which you find out about. This could be set or a subject chosen by the participants. Once completed it is then presented back to the group. It also can be a physical tour

Get creatives to focus into a subject via research and follow the process of discovery, analyse then conclude more effectively

A more considered and focused approach to the start of a job rather than starting with the solution

9. Teamworking skills Take a look at the COI Challenge. A small team is given a problem to solve. Team researches the subject matter, works out a solution within a given time and re-presents to the group

To get people working together who wouldn’t normally. In other words – team building

Creatives work as team members rather than just individuals, sharing the problem as opposed to suffering in silence

10. Encourage creativity Half day gallery visits Expose creatives to the unfamiliar and to inspire

A different point of view

11. Learn and share Team Show and Tells.

Two teams show and tell current work to the rest of the group

Encourage team building and presentation skills

A coherent and professional presentation by a particular team

Implementation plan

NEED ACTIVITY AIM RESULTS

DIARY

FLEXIBLE

DIARY

FLEXIBLE

12. Encourage creativity A dedicated wall/space where individuals can bring in any piece of work that they have done

To inspire each other with work produced past or present

Enthusiasm to produce excellent work

13. Encourage creativity A dedicated wall/space where individuals/creatives can put up their most creatives photos, can be funny, serious or whatever comes naturally to them

To inspire other members of staff to what is possible

Create a competitive edge

Implementation plan

The forum will meet once a month with each SIO running a session a month.

SIOs to identify the sessions in advance in order to design a programme that avoids duplication.

NEED ACTIVITY AIM RESULTS

FLEXIBLE

FLEXIBLE

FOR EVERY JOB/PROJECT

Problem = IDEA SOLUTION RESULT

Task or project formula

– THE STANDARD OF CREATIVITY IN PUBS RAISED

– EACH JOB APPROACHED IN A MORE CREATIVE WAY

– RESEARCH BECOMES AN INTEGRAL TOOL IN OUR SOLUTIONS

– OVERALL BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE

– A MORE INFORMED AND INSPIRED TEAM

Our desired outcome

IDEAL RESULTSResults and ideals

Ideal results