What is the creative process?

It’s a tough question to answer.

But let’s try to answer it anyway—visually! Check out Dubberly Design Office’s new concept map, A Model of the Creative Process:

Here’s DDO’s brief description of the concept map and poster:

The creative process is not just iterative; it’s also recursive. It plays out “in the large” and “in the small”—in defining the broadest goals and concepts and refining the smallest details. It branches like a tree, and each choice has ramifications, which may not be known in advance. Recursion also suggests a procedure that “calls” or includes itself. Many engineers define the design process as a recursive function: discover > define > design > develop > deploy

For a closer look, head on over to the site and download the PDF.

Designers and collaborators on the project include:

• Hugh Dubberly
• Jack Chung
• Shelley Evenson
• Paul Pangaro

Note: I also work at DDO!