When I was a kid, I preferred taking classes at the local art center to running around outside. Each summer, when the list of classes came out, I carefully went through the flier and circled each workshop that I wanted to take — my only limit (most of the time) being the constraints of not being able to be in two places at once. Too bad I didn’t know any of Hermione’s tricks back then!
via GIPHY
Between this, and my massive collection of art supplies, I was often put into the box of being the stereotypical “artsy” kid. To be honest, I really didn’t mind, and those art classes eventually lead into attending college to gain my graphic design degree. As an adult, one thing that I’ve noticed when I tell someone what I majored in is that I often get one particular response:
“I could never do that! I’m not creative at all.”
This statement always makes me laugh. Not at the person, but at the general inaccuracy of this statement. When people think about creativity, there’s an assumption that to hold that personality trait you must be artistic, and that’s simply not true. Creativity extends beyond design, or art, but is the basis for thinking about what we do on a daily basis.
News Flash: You Don’t Have to Be An Artist to Be Creative
Have you taken a look at our staff page lately? Of our 29 associates, only three are designers. However, I wouldn’t characterize anyone at Webspec as a “non-creative” person. Each department is creative in their own way.
Designers might be the most obviously creative in the office; they design all day every day. From illustrations and logos to full website designs, they are always thinking about the best way to visually achieve our clients’ goals.
Think web developers are all logic? Think again. Developers also use creative processes when they develop a website. Although the solution may be crafted in lines of code that look like Greek to many of us, they are building solutions that require innovative thought to overcome problems presented by things like browsers and plugins.
The content and search engine optimization (SEO) teams brainstorm ways to ensure that our clients’ various content needs are met. They have to tell the clients’ stories, enticing readers with relevant, easy to understand information, while also making sure that information is read by Google in the most SEO-friendly manner. This means thinking outside of the box to solve two very different problems at once.
Project managers might be the biggest creative problem solvers of all. While juggling the needs of the client, they must also help different departments manage schedules and deadlines from the start of the project to its launch.
If Creativity Isn’t Art … What Is It?
At the end of the day, the act of being creative is the ability to think through a problem in different, unconventional ways. It’s taking the time to look at an issue that needs to be solved and saying, “What are some different ways I can approach this?” Creativity can involve a vast variety of mediums and be applied to numerous situations. All you need is to take the time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the most creative solutions often aren’t the first ones that comes to mind.
Are You Looking for Creativity to Jump-Start 2016?
January is International Creativity Month, and to celebrate, we’re hosting 31 Days of Creativity on Instagram. If you’re looking for some creative inspiration — no matter what field you work in — follow us to see a new quote on creativity each day. The quotes have been selected to help challenge your way of thinking about creativity, and help provide some “food for thought” on the subject.
If you’d like to join in the fun, post using the hashtag #31daysofcreativity to provide some inspiration for your followers, as well!
What’s your favorite quote on creativity?
