I’ve been at this game for a while now, Modern Climate is turning 12 this summer. One could say that I’ve had plenty of opportunity to learn a few things along the way. Some of the biggest challenges that we face, other than the proverbial ‘creative’ gauntlet, is finding the sweet spot for a true collaborative work environment where we can gain from collective mind power. It’s been said that diversity of thought actually spurs creativity, and I believe in that. Rather than fighting for the dominating idea, true collaboration happens when ideas lift one another to new places leading to undiscovered territory. It’s often hard to travel that path alone.
The road ahead for us lies in the blending of creativity & technology. They must inspire each other and become a seamless process, not a ‘hand-off’. It’s like giving a piece of clay to a potter, the possibilities are endless. I think we’ve done a pretty good job in creating and promoting this work environment through a process that represents technology in the same way we regard creative/art direction and copywriting. It’s about integrating thought and ideas early in the creative process, rather than segmenting in a waterfall approach.
I came across an old photo from 1998 of our first office in the basement of a condo in Chanhassen, MN. It reminded me of the real-time collaboration that was possible because of the openness and accessibility to each other. These qualities were used when designing our new space, and when seen side-by-side the similarities are quite apparent. It’s about keeping things fresh open and moving along a shared path.
