The technologically enhanced, future-facing world that is the realm of the Architechnologist must embrace the creative – innovation is nothing without it.  Creative minds are often tasked with a project whose path is not entirely up to them; the direction is usually given to them in the form of a document called a “brief”. Specifically, the dictionary defines it as: “instructions that explain what a person is supposed to do”. An incredible new documentary named Briefly explores the evolution of the process and emphasizes that telling a creative “what they are supposed to do” is precisely the wrong thing to do.

The combination of an amazing innovator with a brief that provides inspiration is potentially responsible for nearly every important creative idea, marketing campaign, and major design in the world.  The film features Frank Gehry, Yves Behar, David Rockwell, Maira Kalman, John C Jay and John Boiler — all exceptional talents whose creative work in advertising and design is among the most innovative that the world has ever seen.

Renowned brand strategist and Producer/Director of Briefly, Tom Bassett took a few minutes to talk with the Architechnologist before he participated in a panel at TechWeek in New York City on October 3rd. Our discussion spanned from the architectural to the technological and to their dependence on patrons that sponsor the innovations. Bassett’s insights and relationships make it clear that innovators are best inspired by a project, and it’s brief, when the creative process is left open.

Don’t tell me what and how. Talk about why — don’t cut the creative process.

While the film focuses on design and advertising as products, we agreed that any innovation grows from a seed that requires freedom and that an instructional  should be seen as inspiration or we risk curtailing exceptional results. The commentary from Briefly’s collection of thought-leaders is inspirational on it’s own — a glimpse that might help inform and inspire future generations of collaborators to write better briefs and manage the briefing process differently in order to help lead to exceptional creative results.

[button link=”http://bassett.tv/briefly/” size=”large” style=”info” color=”aqua” window=”yes”]Click here for the full film at Bassett.tv[/button]

Of course, most projects will continue to be launched with a brief, but the dream behind Briefly is that we see even more exceptional innovation because ideas are conveyed to creative minds with freedom to inspire without confinement — as creative giants re-shape the way we think about briefs.