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Simple creativity

9.30.2009 | Blog

“Technical skill is mastery of complexity, while creativity is mastery of simplicity.” – Erik Christopher Zeeman

Half of the battle of creativity is drilling down to the simple.  Sometimes I find that some projects are just too complex. There are times when I just cannot seem to get my brain wrapped around all of the details?  Have you ever been there?

Maybe our projects have become too complex.  Real creativity comes when we get simple.

When we rely on the complex, we tether ourselves to needing the talent with the technical skill required for said complexity.  Sometimes simple creativity might accomplish the same goal with fewer resources.

Here are a couple of questions to ask to find simplicity:

- What is the purpose of the project? I know this sounds like it should be a given, but seriously what is the purpose.  Many times if we will be as complex as it takes to accomplish the purpose but not a bit more we will find simplicity as well.

- If we did not do this project could we still accomplish the purpose? How is that for simple?  Maybe the most simple thing you can do is not do it.

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Lowcountry Bloggers » Wise Words around the LowCountry » Blog Archive
9.30.2009

[...] Shawn Wood: Half of the battle of creativity is drilling down to the simple.  Sometimes I find that some projects are just too complex. There are times when I just cannot seem to get my brain wrapped around all of the details?  Have you ever been there? [...]

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