The document discusses lessons that creative leaders can learn from rock stars. It outlines three key things to learn: (1) Work is collaborative like a band where shared tools and iterative processes allow for improvisation; (2) Products must evolve early through constant practice and separating insights from execution; (3) Communication must be simple and focus on behaviors rather than designs by distilling experiences into memorable messages. The overall message is that creative leaders should approach their work like rock stars through collaboration, iteration, and simplicity.

1. ROCK Stars?
What Can
Creative
Leaders
Learnfrom
Originally presented at RE:Design UXD Conference 2013

2. Hi. I’m @nanotim.
...and I’m very grateful to be here
with you, today.
TIMRICHARDSEVP,STRATEGYAT

3. I do this.

4. And, sometimes, I do this.

5. The role of a Creative Leader
is quickly evolving.

6. As the world evolves, so must we.
We will need new skills.

7. Modern companies need us to lead
in service design, UX, brand, and
product.

8. Sometimes, all at the same time :)

9. We Will Learn 3 Things...
...like 3 chords. It just works.

10. Chapter 1
(Kick Out) The Jams

11. We’re not in an assembly line
anymore.

12. Work is much more like a band
today.
You can’t often rely on stage sound.
We need to share a language.

16. It might be tempting to do it all
yourself :)

24. Prototyping, journey design
tools, and collaborative processes
are great for iterative design,
for instance.

25. Chapter 2
This is Happening Right Now

26. So, what part to I play in this
band?
?

28. Some roles have leadership
implied in the charter.

29. Creative leadership needs to
bring the show.

30. Do it like Rock Stars do.
Iteratively. Hours of practice. Play
it 1000 times.
:)

32. Your constant practice pays off
when you can focus on
communicating with your
team...not delivering information.

35. The product must evolve early.
We can save ourselves from our
selves :)

42. Creating alignment iteratively
keeps the hard work happening in
the room - creating momentum.

43. Like experiences we design,
your teams’ experiences with you
are your real product.

44. This Will Test Your Working
Knowledge of Communication

45. You May Need to Learn
How to Method Act

46. This wasn’t a Beatles record.
This was a Sgt. Pepper’s record.

47. Some of our favorite products
evolved drastically - and
continue to.

48. Chapter 3
Simple Works

49. The practicality of communication
will force us to be masters of
simplicity.

51. We don’t design materials.
Or aesthetic. Or communication.
We are designing behavior.
And action.

52. Make it easy to understand.
“Consumers don’t go to the
meetings.”
?

53. 3
Simplicity in Communication. Def Leppard
+ the Riff.Arenas Changed Everything
How Did Rock Adapt?

55. Designing behavior means
our insights might be more
important than our designs.

56. Insights help us understand
the challenge space.
Def’s Insight?
Rock is too self-serving.

57. We must ask tough
questions about why
people will engage.

58. Search for models
to help us understand
influences on behavior.

59. Example: Design A Co-Creation
Virus
Identify a
powerful and
accessible truth.
Tell a story.
Demonstrate an
archetype.
Show how it
works.
Provide an
invitation. Offer
a return on
attention and
effort.
Clear benefits of
Co-creation.
+ + =

61. What is your
brand purpose -
beyond your
category?
What physical
and emotional
needs drive
people into this
category?
Offer
communication
and service
worth paying for.
Find “white
space” in
market.
Example: Useful Advertising

62. The next generation of
products and marketing
are services.

63. That’s it :)
Rockstars have taught us to be
better creative leaders.

64. Take Away 1: Learn How to Jam
Use tools and processes as a
shared language for improvisation
in collaboration.

65. Take Away 2: Work It Out Together
Save yourself from the first
versions of the idea. Separate
insight from execution, and iterate
on the product intensely.

66. Take Away 3: Practice. Practice.
Learn the core elements of your
work cold by constantly telling the
story, evolving it, and focusing on
emoting the vision and listening.

67. Take Away 4: Simplify
Consumers don’t go to the
meetings. We can’t expect
people to work to understand our
product or message.

68. Take Away 5: Develop Tasty Licks
Work your experiences, strategy
and rationale down to bumper
sticker-style handles - so people
can sing along :).

69. Now, you must go rock.

71. TIMRICHARDSEVP,STRATEGY
Would love to know your thoughts.
Don’t hesitate to reach out :)
@nanotim
http://www.linkedin.com/in/nanotim