DEFINING THE CRAFT OF CREATIVE CONTENT DESIGN

From Dramaturgy to Content Management

Designing your thoughts maybe seem to be an empty sentence, nothing more than a conceptual plan without any concrete outcomes to be. But today, sharing and constructing your thoughts in collaborative processes to frame agreements to start working seems an inspiring opportunity to re-think existing human organizations in any scale to improve, innovate adjust or re-direct our actions to build a sustainable community. Also it can help organizing your personal thoughts in a creative and visual way to make sense of a subject. The methodology of design thinking has inspired me the past year. By learning this method it changed my perspective on project design and management massively. I take you into my experience. But first, a short introduction to the history of the idea:




Many artists work from a single idea to make it into a successful project of any kind, in any form and implementing many perspectives on life, society and our own behavior. One core quality of the artistic process towards production is that it delivers unexpected, highly analyzed, conceptually designed products based on authentic principles and socially engaged co-creators. 


Artistic strategies can help building strong branding storylines. Creative work methods open up existing behavioral habits to increase the learning potential of a professional community. All these opportunities can be conceptualized into concrete plans with regard to the timing of a situation and personal needs.

Thus, the artistic making process contains many treasures that could benefit (learning) communities and society, not only the production of artworks. As many other existing beautiful initiatives by artists to make their practice accessible for different disciplines and sectors,  I am convinced the dramaturgic perspective can contribute to a new design by the broad approach, strategies and principles of the profession. That is why I urge to offer my dramaturgic, educational expertise to design and develop projects for organizational change, educational programs  or an ‘art-proof’ identity. But what does this mean? Below some dramaturgy-based skills and methods translated to the creative practice of content design. 

1. Creative Methods & Strategies

Dramaturgy is a relatively new profession in art history that guards, analyzes and develops these working frames for or with artists in the theatre and performance sector. Depending on the collaborative contract with artists, the dramaturge takes responsibility in facilitating, consulting and conserving ideas that are created in the research and rehearsal period. 

These tasks request dramaturges to adjust flexible to any occurring situation, empathize with involved people and contribute to internal communication lines: All to predict or visualize the future potential of that single idea into creative methods & strategiesContent design or management also demands a high level of collaboration and you facilitate the production process along the way withut any prescribed prediction of what it will turn out to be. 

2. Analytical & Reflective Methods

Dramaturgy also offers multiple perspectives on performative roles, within society or organizations. By analytical methods dramaturges are trained to dissect a working process or situation instantly. As a dramaturge you need to be able to zoom in or to overview a process in order to bring people forward to their set goals. Focus on learning development of people is crucial here. In content management you need to be able to oversee the process while it is happening, you guard the original concept plan for branding or copywriting and you need to act by constant reflection to improve products. 

3. Coaching & Facilitating Techniques

Dramaturges recognize and are highly trained in existing behavioral or intellectual patterns of people that limits the learning curve. So whether an artwork, an educational program or organizational structure needs to be (re-) created, In content design you need to be able to shift in craft and act flexible and playful towards any kind of ideas. 

This demands a high level of self reflection, understanding how you create and where your strength lay. the same can be said for analyzing group dynamics in collaborative processes. And as the lead content manager you have to inspire and motivate the different people involved based on their professional expertise and personality. Most of the professionals are working individually from time to time, which can be compared with artistic careers as well. In contemporary society with changing work perspectives and high speed developments the craft of collaborating together becomes more important. 

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