Beyond Results: Embrace the Creative Process

How often do we allow ourselves to be seduced by performance, results, or key figures – the so-called “hard facts” – when assessing impact? This approach can be misleading, especially when evaluating the impact of creativity. This is one of the reasons why the Creative Impact Research Centre Europe (CIRCE) was founded in 2023. It works as a network to drive social change through experimentation and creative methods.

Over six months, 20 young creative professionals from across Europe started creative endeavors¹. Alongside their projects, they were asked to write a process report about their fellowship. These reports focus on the process rather than the outcomes, providing a refreshing contrast to traditional project evaluations. As a process researcher, this is a perfect basis – even if it’s not the only reason it’s worth diving into the reports.

Embrace the process as the actual result

From my previous research², I’ve learned that creatives excel not only in producing innovative outputs but also in employing innovative processes that lead to significant impact. Over the past year, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve as a mentor and researcher in the CIRCE network. In that time, I’ve seen time and time again how the process of creative work is where the true value lies.

In this blog post, I’m privileged to analyze the creative processes of the 20 Fellows, uncovering key practices they used in their projects. It was a pleasure to explore their fruitful contributions and diverse approaches³.

One clear takeaway from analyzing their methods is the high degree of heterogeneity, reflecting the diverse nature of Creative Economies⁴. However, by focusing on the process, three specific practices emerge as particularly influential for generating creative impact⁵: mapping and interacting within plurality, practicing prototyping, and being entrepreneurial.

Mapping and interacting within plurality

A recurring method among the Fellows was identifying and mapping relevant actors. This involved not only mapping but also actively implementing projects through collaborative and collective approaches. Many projects contributed to amplifying voices in debates that had previously been marginalized.

To illustrate, Nina Martin employed a pluralistic framework to map and reflect on various feminist, anticapitalistic, antiracist, and anticolonial thinkers, which enriched her understanding and analysis of urban complexities (Martin 2023: 11). Similarly, among other things, Aiwen Yin analyzed different collectives in China, Taiwan, Europe, and the US (Yin 2023: 13) to explore which values collectives produce in different regions.

Mapping helps us break out of our bubbles and engage in meaningful dialogue, making it a crucial method for addressing blind spots and fostering inclusive conversations.

Practicing prototyping

The Fellows were encouraged to try, test, develop, and place a high value on the design and creative process during their fellowship. Not surprisingly, most of the endeavors that took place can be seen as forms of prototyping.

Dany Garcia-Solano, for example, introduced the Design Picnic – a method to “re-imagining how we express, debate and make decisions in democratic societies” (CIRCE publication 2023: 93). He developed this method iteratively across different workshops and contexts, embodying a strong prototyping practice.

Similarly, Žan Girandon used a “do-it-yourself experimentation … and rapid iteration” (CIRCE publication 2023: 96) approach to material design to improve the ecological sustainability of textile production. His prototyping efforts significantly extended the life cycle of materials such as textile cuttings.

Prototyping involves practices such as opening and closing, sense-making and decision-making, pausing for reflection and recalibration. The Fellows’ willingness to test and iterate demonstrates that prototyping is a powerful way to challenge traditional systems and achieve impact in uncertain contexts⁶.

Being entrepreneurial

This may seem a little unorthodox, as the definition of entrepreneurship is rooted in an economic understanding of the term. However, creatives and artists tend to be highly entrepreneurial, but often do not realize the great value of this in our times of uncertainty.

Therefore, I follow the definition of Berglund and Holmgren, who define entrepreneurship as “a dynamic and social process, where individuals, alone or in co-operation, identify opportunities and do something with them to reshape ideas to practical or aimed activities in social, cultural, or economical contexts” (Berglund & Holmgren 2013: 18).

Applying this definition to the Fellows, we see 20 entrepreneurs in action. For example, Anna Kint’s “Coconuts” initiative provides “an open, positive, energizing setting where exchange is possible, and everyone can contribute from their own capacity, talents, and desires” (Kint 2023: 10). As the initiative is specifically designed for young adults who are vulnerable to psychosis, this fellowship reflects the identification of opportunities for collaboration with social impact.

Fabian Frey, on the other hand, worked within socio-cultural communities, organizing communal lunches and observing subtle interventions to promote community building (CIRCE publication 2023: 92). He went into the midst of transforming ideas into purposeful actions in social and cultural contexts.

Now let us celebrate the process!

Reflecting on the creative processes of the CIRCE Fellows reveals that their true value lies not only in the results, but also in the innovative processes they used. Embracing practices such as mapping within plurality, practicing prototyping, and being entrepreneurial offers a richer understanding of creative impact.

These methods demonstrate that creativity thrives in dynamic, iterative, and collaborative processes. The Fellows‘ diverse approaches underscore that the creative journey can be as transformative as the final product.

As we move forward, let’s celebrate these processes. How can you apply these lessons to your own work? Share your thoughts and experiences. Consider how focusing on the journey, rather than just the outcome, might reshape your approach to creativity and impact.

Acknowledgements

My special thanks to the amazing Fellows of the CIRCE Class of 2023, who have gone through super inspiring processes. The impact of your projects should continue to grow. Thanks to the u-institut in Berlin and the CIRCE team for asking me to analyze these exciting projects.

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1. There are also 20 wonderful projects by Research Fellows, who have taken a research rather than a creative approach during their fellowships. Also highly recommended reading. ↩︎
2. For example: Schwendener & Grand, 2024 ↩︎
3. I used the 20 abstracts of the CIRCE Creative Fellows of 2023 in the final publication “Prototyping Collaboration” and the more detailed reports of 16 Creative Fellows ↩︎
4. I’m following the broad understanding of Creative Economies of the Zurich Centre for Creative Economies of the Zurich University of the Arts: https://www.zhdk.ch/en/zcce ↩︎
5. I’m following the understanding of Creative Impact of CIRCE: https://creativeimpact.eu/en/creative-impact/ ↩︎
6. See also Elsbach & Stigliani, 2018; Houde & Hill, 1997; Huber, 2022 ↩︎