Last time, you may have read that our senior designer Auburn Leigh has been promoted to an Associate at Quatrefoil. Auburn brings two decades of design experience with her, and she shares some insightful tips for making your design process smoother and more productive.
- Don’t shy away from hard conversations. Auburn emphasizes the importance of museums initiating challenging dialogues, both with their audiences and within their teams. By questioning past assumptions and delving into difficult topics, museums can foster deeper engagement and understanding. The trick here is bringing in community members and multiple perspectives to ensure that you’re seeing all facets of an issue and addressing them equally.
- Embrace non-linear creativity: The creative process is not like following a recipe. Auburn embraces a non-linear approach, where ideas may be sparked by impromptu conversations, pictures in a social feed, webinars and conferences, or anything in between. While maintaining a schedule is crucial, flexibility allows for exploration and the possibility of refining previous approaches.
- Get the team together: Auburn smartly reflects, “Don’t stand in your own way.” Recognize the significance of a balanced and collaborative crew. She stresses the value of being a team player, fostering a supportive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. If you come to a moment where people are rigidly standing in their corners, address that reality and try to reconvene again later with all of the challenges clearly laid on the table. See if you can work toward the larger goal of a shared vision.