By Linda Gupton For communications professionals charged with the task of creating the content and design for branding or other strategic initiatives, it’s easy sometimes to develop an “us” versus “them” mindset when it comes to the creative process. Whether you’re a writer, photographer, creative director or graphic designer, there’s likely been a number of…
Author Archives: mindfire
When Is A Project “Good Enough?” Part 2
By Linda Gupton In last month’s issue of MindFire, we asked two communications colleagues who work on the corporate/business side of the fence to answer the question: “Have you worked with designers, writers or other creative providers where there was a tension or difference of opinion about when a project is ‘good enough’? How do…
Book: The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezzi
By Charles Gupton Because I believe that storytelling is central to all communication, I am always on the lookout for resources that broaden my awareness of how stories are being shaped and how their use is shaping our lives. In her book, “The Idea Writers,” Teressa Iezzi explores the challenges copywriters face in today’s market….
The Need to Change
By Charles Gupton When I started the MindFire initiative over a year ago, my intent was to build a community interested in bridging the chasm of misunderstanding that I believe separates many of the professionals who work in the various fields of communication. Communications professionals are increasingly subdivided into a vast array of specialized fields…
When is a Project “Good Enough?”
By Linda Gupton As communications professionals, we’ve all faced the dilemma of deciding when a project is “good enough.” Making the call on when to halt the process of tweaking and perfecting a creative idea and accepting that it’s time to “ship” can often be the source of great tension between “creative types” and “suits.”…
Book: “Do You Matter? How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company” by Robert Brunner and Stewart Emery
By Charles Gupton What do you want people to feel when they come into contact with your company? Because your brand is a living organism in the minds of your customers, you need to design the kinds of scenarios they should be feeling every time they experience you. The authors of “Do You Matter?” trot…
Bonfire Social
November 5th, 2011 The fall MindFire Bonfire event is scheduled for Saturday, November 5th at the home of Charles and Linda. The weather date, if we need to postpone, will be the following Saturday, Nov. 12th. Details will follow in a separate email invitation. You may register for the event at Eventbrite now, if you’d…
Maintaining Your Commitments
by Charles Gupton I love my garden. When the spring soil warms to the point we can begin to plant, I can barely contain my desire to get transplants and seeds of every description in the ground -tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, carrots, onions, peas, potatoes, corn – the list goes on. But in my early…
A Better Way to Brainstorm
by Laura Hamlyn Most people share a mistrust of brainstorming meetings. They feel contrived, high pressure and hollow, without context. Add strangers to the mix and we worry if we’ll work well as a team. And if you’re in mixed company, too often the creative people feel pressure to come up with the best…
Checklist for Success
by Eric Harris Doctors are intelligent, highly-trained specialists – yet they understand that the knowledge base in their fields strains the limits of human infallibility, especially in an increasingly complex and distracting world. So, doctors (and nurses) make effective use of a simple, proven tool: the checklist. Short checklists have had a significant, often profound,…
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