Creativity inspires innovation.
In today’s competitive business landscape, it is widely agreed that an innovative mindset is paramount to surviving and prospering in the global economy. Laggards will die.
“Design thinking” is also important. The practice has propelled some of the most successful business stories of the last couple of decades, yet few people understand or appreciate its significance.
With today’s tight education budgets, art and other creative programs are usually the first to go in our schools. MBA programs have the means but don’t teach it. Rather than working together as a society to develop our abilities in this area, we are diminishing the very skills that are essential for sustainable success in a future that is only becoming more competitive.
So nurturing your creative spirit only makes sense. It is pleasurable, fulfilling, and business smart. As a creative director, I use several resources to help fuel my passion; I believe others can benefit from them, too—no matter your profession. To make a mark in today’s world, we should all start thinking of ourselves as working in creative fields.
Following, in no particular order, are some of my go-to online resources for creative inspiration:
1. Big Think
This website features lots of big ideas on science and technology, arts and culture, business and economics, beliefs, the future—you name it.
2. My Modern Met
Great creative juices here—stunning photographs that will take you to new places, amazing art that will challenge your point of view, and wonderful design that will make you see things in a new light.
3. Design Festival
This site discusses everything “design,” including discussions on positive and negative space, typography, color, and the latest, greatest Web themes.
4. Good
So much
good stuff here about design, business, and architecture, not to mention stories on everything from farming to sustainable flip-flops. This site has it all.
5. Branding Magazine
Cool stuff on today’s hot media projects from the hottest brands, such as posters, packaging, interactive, and more.
6. 99U
“
Insights on making ideas happen.” As its slogan says, 99U offers a behind the scenes peek at how creative people and businesses of all types do what they do.
7. Fast Company — Co.CREATE, Co.EXIST, Co.DESIGN
These three sites, all from the magazine
FastCompany, featured a wide variety of interesting post on creativity of all types, including technology and product design.
8. @issue
The tagline for this magazine says, “
The online journal of business and design,” and I’ve been reading the print version for years. The website is an excellent online resource on the ways in which design contributes directly to business success. Interviews with top executives and case histories convincingly bring the message home.
9. Taxi
There are a number of topics on this site that will get ideas bouncing out of your head—food, fashion, art, books, technology, you name it.
10. FontShop
This site will keep you ahead of the curve on the newest typefaces; you’ll appreciate the art of typography in no time.
11. PSFK
PSFK, which carries the tagline “
Inspiring creative business,” offers a fascinating selection of articles on design, media, and technology, and how businesses use them.
12. ARTBoom
There are sections dedicated to architecture, painting, cinema, music, photography, sculpting, and design. What more do you need? Get over to this site now, and share your best finds so the rest of us can enjoy them.
Bonus: The Great Discontent
This site has in-depth features of some of the leading creative thinkers working today. Learn from the best, and be inspired.
What are your favorite online resources for creativity? Please let us know in the comments section below. I know there are plenty of others, and I can’t wait to check out your best finds.
Paul Biedermann is a managing partner of the website 12 Most and creative director/owner of re:DESIGN, specializing in strategic design, branding, social media, and Communications.
Republished with permission, courtesy of 12 Most.