When I was younger, I often think of creativity as
decorating too much on things. It is
putting too much design on what is being adorned. So, when our teacher in elementary or even in high school asked us
to be ‘creative’ with our projects, I tend to ‘design’ my projects with
glitters, feathers, laces, etc.
But, then, I realized, being creative is not about
that. I began to be more attracted to
simpler things, and that for me is more creative. With that, I eventually ‘design’ my projects
in a less elaborative manner.
Now, as we start our class on COM207.3, and when we viewed
the documentary ‘Objectified,’ my idea of creativity become even more
profound. It is now clearer to me that
creativity is not about the decorations.
But, it is about how a thing is designed to perform its function.
Based on the documentary, everything is designed according to use. So, designers should have the 'beat' of their market. They have to design based on how they think their audience may be using their products. With this, they research. They, sometimes, even immersed with their market to feel how their audience may accept their design. It is also mentioned in the documentary to instill emotion in the innovated products for the market to be even more inspired by the products.
This commercial notion of designing marketable products made me relate it to development works. In development works, development practitioner should have a very good idea of how the end-users act, move, decide and even feel. Why? This is to package the 'development message' into which the end-users may use effectively.
Because of this, creativity, for me now, becomes an important concept for me. At first, I just see it as an element that can only spice up or beautify things. Yes, I misinterpreted creativity. Now I understand that it is more of creating something to solve a problem. It is designing, based on problems found in the society to solve a future problem, as mentioned in the documentary.
With this, as a development communication education mentor, I will do my best to enhance my creativity. I always believe that I am not creative. But, I think, it is time for me to think about this. I always take creativity for granted, only to realize that this is an important idea in delivering change to the society. Thanks to the documentary, I even have a clearer view of it. And, I know, it would be clearer as I continue the COM207.3 course. :)
