In the business world, we often talk about innovation as a technical, process-driven activity. It’s about creating new products, services, or business models to gain market share or solve problems. At the same time, we tend to place artistic creativity in a completely different category—a world of intuition, inspiration, and passion. But what happens if we take a closer look?
It turns out that the creative process in art and business is much more similar than we might think.
Incubation and Procrastination: Part of the Process
Both artists and innovators know that sometimes it takes time for ideas to mature. Incubation is a phase where you let problems and solutions simmer in the background, without actively working on them. During this time, ideas that initially seem unfinished can suddenly emerge in a new form—often while you’re doing something completely different.
Procrastination, which many see as inefficiency, is actually part of this process. An artist might stare at a blank canvas for hours before inspiration strikes, just as a product developer might feel stuck on how to improve a service. But it’s during these breaks that the brain has time to rewire and make new connections.
The Goal: A Vision to Work Towards
All great creative projects start with a goal. For an artist, it might be the vision of a masterpiece—a painting, a sculpture, or a song. For an innovation leader, it might be a new product that revolutionizes an industry or solves a concrete problem for customers.
The difference? It’s mostly about language. Where artists talk about creating something beautiful or emotionally engaging, companies talk about customer value, user experience, and competitiveness. But in both cases, it’s the goal that drives the process forward and provides energy when the going gets tough.
Tools and Methods: Creating with Frames
Artists have their tools—brushes, paints, instruments—and their techniques. The same is true for innovation: tools like brainstorming, design thinking, and agile methodologies are the business world’s equivalent of an artist’s palette.
These frameworks can seem limiting, but they also provide structure to the creative process. An artist’s palette limits the colors, but it also challenges the artist to create with what’s available. Similarly, a product developer can use constraints—budget, time, or resources—as a catalyst for innovation.
Frustration and Inspiration: The Drivers of Creativity
There’s a myth that creativity is all about inspiration, but anyone who’s created something great knows that frustration is just as important a part of the process. An artist can tear their hair out over a failed sketch, just as an innovator can struggle with a technical problem or a no from management.
But it’s often in these moments of frustration that the solution begins to take shape. When an artist returns to their canvas with renewed energy or an innovator suddenly sees a new path forward, it’s as if all the frustration is transformed into fuel.
Individual Work and the Power of the Group
Many artists begin their work alone—sketching, experimenting, and delving into their ideas. But the art world is also full of inspiration from others. Picasso was inspired by African sculptures, the Beatles borrowed elements from Indian music, and modern dance is a mosaic of different movement languages.
Similarly, innovation balances individual work with the power of the group. The individual innovator may come up with the first idea, but it’s often the team that develops it, challenges it, and builds on it. Like an orchestra where each musician contributes to the whole, the team becomes the creative engine of a company.
Reaching the Goal: Creation Must Be Complete
Both art and innovation require reaching the goal. No one appreciates a half-finished painting or a product that never launches. This means deadlines, hard work, and sometimes having to make tough decisions about when something is “good enough.”
For an artist, it might be about putting down the brush and accepting that the work is finished. For an innovator, it might be about taking a prototype to market even though it’s not perfect. Perfection is not the goal—it’s the result and its impact that count.
Some differences: Business goals and the role of the audience
While there are many similarities, there are some differences. Corporate innovation is often more goal-driven and influenced by economic factors, while artistic creativity can be more free and personal. In addition, the audience is different: an artist often creates for a subjective interpretation, while a corporate innovator must meet the concrete needs of a customer.
The method: Likening business processes to artistic creativity
A well-known method for fostering creativity is to create analogies—to see something complex in terms of something familiar. What happens if we start thinking of innovation as art?
- Prototypes as sketches: Just as an artist starts by sketching, companies can see their first iterations as just that – sketches that lead to something bigger.
- Tools and Technologies as brushes: Instead of seeing tools as limiting, they can be seen as opportunities to create variety.
- The end product as a masterpiece: Can your company create something that not only solves problems, but also inspires?
By borrowing from artistic creativity, business processes can become not only more efficient but also more inspiring and human.
So … welcome to add color to your company’s innovation journey – the brush is yours!
