When Having Ideas is Not Enough!
Many individuals have ideas, even great ones. However, realizing these ideas is not always easy, even with the necessary resources. Why is that? This essay explores the bridge between an idea and its realization. It aims to consider the reasons why some creatives can successfully deliver their creations, such as movies, music, video games, products, companies, and more, while others struggle.
To analyze the situation, let’s consider the three main pillars of the creative process: articulating the vision, planning for work, and evaluating the results.
1 — Vision Articulation
The creative person has a vision and a grand idea to create something. In this case, I will consider examples from the game development industry. For instance, someone might dream of creating an action-adventure game set in ancient Rome.The vision needs to be defined very well and in as much detail as possible. The vision resides mostly in the subconscious part of the creator’s brain, which doesn’t rely on language and definitions. The first step is to try to articulate the vision as clearly as possible. This is necessary for the creator to better understand it and also for anyone else who will be joining the team in the future.
How well can creatives articulate their visions? Well, it varies. Some are extremely skilled, while others may struggle. This can pose a challenge during the creation process. If you deviate from the initial path, you may end up uncertain of where you’ll ultimately arrive.
An example of vision articulation in the game industry is when a creator prepares a well-defined game pitch. This pitch effectively describes the core features of the game and includes various references to illustrate the grand idea. Sometimes, the creator may need to create small prototypes to better define the idea. Not all ideas can be easily explained with words. Any form of non-verbal communication medium can be used during the initial phase of the creation process, known as vision articulation. Another term often used in design jargon to refer to this same process is “problem definition”.
Assuming the main idea is properly defined, there are other potential issues that can arise during the creation process. Next, it is important to break down the work that needs to be done.
2 — Work Breakdown, Prioritization and Allocation
To bring the envisioned idea to life, several tasks need to be completed. If a game has been described in the previous section, the following areas of expertise are required: programming, art, and game design. Defining the specific work required to create the imagined product is a crucial step in the process. However, there are potential challenges that can arise during this stage. One common issue is not having a clear understanding of the tasks that need to be accomplished. It requires a certain level of specialized knowledge and creativity to define the necessary steps. Experienced creators may have a good grasp of this part of the creation process, while others may struggle with it.
For the action-adventure game set in ancient Rome, there are several requirements in terms of rendering technology, level structure, and animation techniques to achieve the desired results. Answering these basic questions is crucial at this stage to ensure a successful realization of the game’s vision. While the vision may be well-articulated, it is common for creators to encounter challenges in determining the necessary steps to bring that vision to life. This represents the second challenge in the creation process.
Another term for work breakdown is a “solution.” A solution refers to the steps that need to be taken to solve a problem.
Even when the idea is well-defined and the solution is devised, there may still be roadblocks that hinder progress, such as conflicting priorities.
Prioritizing
In a world without the constraint of time, a solution could be implemented in any order. However, since we live in a world where time is a factor, the order in which work is done can greatly impact the success of a creation. It is often crucial to prioritize the development of core features in order to allow sufficient time for evaluation and potential adjustments. Additionally, the order of work can affect the efficiency of other team members and determine whether they will face dependencies that may hinder their progress. These dependencies can result in prolonged creation times and increased project costs, ultimately leading to project failure.
When the creator prioritizes the work that needs to be done, they have completed the most important step in planning.
The idea has been defined, the solution has been devised, and priorities have been set. Can we expect a fantastic high-quality creation now? Not yet. The next challenge is the people who will be assisting in turning the vision into a reality.
Allocation
Who should do what? The creator needs to make decisions about the individuals who can assist in the creation process. This requires knowledge about their skills, values, and knowledge. Incorrectly assigning tasks to people can lead to various problems in the future and present a significant challenge during the creation process. Is it necessary for the creator to understand people well? Yes, absolutely. We don’t live in an abstract world, and our teammates are not soulless robots. They are human beings with all the remarkable capabilities and problems that come with being human. Understanding these aspects about team members is just as important as all the previous steps.
When creating an action-adventure game, assigning the combat mechanics implementation to a programmer who is passionate about it can significantly boost motivation and ultimately improve the quality of execution.
Can taking care of all of the above guarantee a smooth creation process? Well, not quite. The creation process can’t be a one-way street; it happens in iterations. Like the work of any artist, the output needs to be constantly evaluated and then iterated on again.
3 — Evaluation
The creator needs to check the implemented solution and validate it to ensure that it effectively solves the original problem. Various nuances in the implementation can cause the execution result to not meet the original requirements. Therefore, it is essential for the creator to be able to assess the quality of the execution and provide detailed feedback for the next iteration.
Similar to the first step of the creation process, which is vision articulation, accurately defining what needs to be modified in the implemented solution is vital for the work to progress and align with the original idea.
This last step is very similar to the first step of the creation process. The same activities can be followed until the creator is satisfied with the quality or the team runs out of time. Unfortunately, the second part of the previous sentence is the prevalent case mostly.
The Essential Skillset of the Creator
Based on the above, creators cannot rely solely on a vague idea in their mind. They also need to possess various other skills to ensure the idea is executed properly. However, it is common to come across creators who may lack some of these skills. For instance, a game director who struggles to effectively breakdown the work or a lead designer who has difficulty understanding the requirements of their teammates. Surprisingly, these individuals may have still been involved in successful creations. How is that possible? This is where the Creation Coach comes into play.
The Creation Coach
This person plays a supporting role that complements the creators by providing skills that they may lack. They can take on various roles within the team, such as producers, directors, or project leads. While their official title may differ, their responsibilities remain clear: supporting the creators in areas where they need assistance with their creative skills. The creation coach is specifically tasked with ensuring that the creative process is carried out effectively.
The creation coaches collaborate closely with creative individuals to ensure that they can bring their ideas to life. In the real world, there are numerous examples of individuals who have had a significant impact on creatives and assisted them in implementing their ideas. However, they are not commonly referred to as creative coaches. I am aiming to emphasize the significance of these individuals’ activities, as I believe they are highly important but often go unnoticed. Perhaps a new name could help bring attention to this role.
In future discussions, I will focus on exploring this role further and discussing how the creation coach can support the creator and contribute to the realization of their ideas.
Do you know any creation coaches?