ROCK Stars?

What Can Creative Leaders

Learn from

Originally presented at RE:Design UXD Conference 2013

Hi. I’m @nanotim....and I’m very grateful to be here with you, today.

TIM RICHARDS EVP, STRATEGY AT

I do this.

And, sometimes, I do this.

The role of a Creative Leaderis quickly evolving.

As the world evolves, so must we.We will need new skills.

Modern companies need us to leadin service design, UX, brand, and product.

Sometimes, all at the same time :)

We Will Learn 3 Things......like 3 chords. It just works.

Chapter 1(Kick Out) The Jams

It’s Loud on Stage. We need a way to communicate.It’s not an assembly line anymore. It’s much more like a band, today.

We’re not in an assembly lineanymore.

Work is much more like a bandtoday.

You can’t often rely on stage sound.We need to share a language.

It’s Loud on Stage. We need a way to communicate.It’s not an assembly line anymore. It’s much more like a band, today.

It might be tempting to do it allyourself :)

Prototyping, journey designtools, and collaborative processes are great for iterative design,for instance.

Chapter 2This is Happening Right Now

So, what part to I play in this band?

?

Some roles have leadershipimplied in the charter.

Creative leadership needs tobring the show.

Do it like Rock Stars do.Iteratively. Hours of practice. Play it 1000 times.

:)

Your constant practice pays offwhen you can focus on communicating with your team...not delivering information.

The product must evolve early.We can save ourselves from our selves :)

Creating alignment iterativelykeeps the hard work happening in the room - creating momentum.

Like experiences we design,your teams’ experiences with you are your real product.

This Will Test Your Working Knowledge of Communication

You May Need to LearnHow to Method Act

This wasn’t a Beatles record.This was a Sgt. Pepper’s record.

Some of our favorite productsevolved drastically - and continue to.

Chapter 3Simple Works

The practicality of communicationwill force us to be masters of simplicity.

We don’t design materials. Or aesthetic. Or communication.We are designing behavior. And action.

Make it easy to understand.“Consumers don’t go to the meetings.”

liner notes :)

?

3

Simplicity in Communication. Def Leppard + the Riff.Arenas Changed Everything

How Did Rock Adapt?

Designing behavior meansour insights might be more important than our designs.

Insights help us understandthe challenge space.

Def’s Insight? Rock is too self-serving.

We must ask toughquestions about whypeople will engage.

Search for modelsto help us understandinfluences on behavior.

Example: Design A Co-Creation Virus

Identify a powerful and accessible truth.

Tell a story. Demonstrate an archetype.Show how it works.

Provide an invitation. Offer a return on attention and effort.Clear benefits of Co-creation.

+ + =

What is your brand purpose - beyond your category?

What physical and emotional needs drive people into this category?

Offer communication and service worth paying for.Find “white space” in market.

Example: Useful Advertising

The next generation ofproducts and marketingare services.

That’s it :)Rockstars have taught us to be better creative leaders.

Take Away 1: Learn How to JamUse tools and processes as a shared language for improvisation in collaboration.

Take Away 2: Work It Out TogetherSave yourself from the first versions of the idea. Separate insight from execution, and iterate on the product intensely.

Take Away 3: Practice. Practice.Learn the core elements of your work cold by constantly telling the story, evolving it, and focusing on emoting the vision and listening.

Take Away 4: SimplifyConsumers don’t go to the meetings. We can’t expect people to work to understand our product or message.

Take Away 5: Develop Tasty LicksWork your experiences, strategy and rationale down to bumper sticker-style handles - so people can sing along :).

Now, you must go rock.

TIM RICHARDS EVP, STRATEGY

Would love to know your thoughts.Don’t hesitate to reach out :)

@nanotimhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/nanotim