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Creative Steps 2.0 - Step by Step Guidelines to Business Idea

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Creative Steps 2.0 is a model of an innovation workshop - a guided step by step approach and the methodology that helps to develop business ideas in the context of international and cross-border collaboration between the main participants involved in the process: companies, students and business experts.

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previous model as documented
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-5897-86-9

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case Sallyannn´s Handmade Bag & Susivilla

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Back in January I had a list of things I wanted to achieve for Sallyann's Handmade Bags in 2016. Amongst the obvious "Increase Sales", "Attend Larger Markets" there was the short sentence..."I need my own fabric".

I take a lot of time to choose the fabrics that I use for my bags. I source them from suppliers across Europe, and pay a great deal of attention to the environmental credentials of the manufacturers. After all, there's no point placing recycled jeans into a fabric outer that has helped to destroy the ecosystem surrounding the factory where it is produced, is there? But the designs have never been mine. Several times I have found fabrics that really work for me, only to have them withdrawn by the manufacturers. Anyone remember the cute camper van fabric that I used to have?

Not having my own designs meant I have to stock up on fabrics in case they are withdrawn. But if I had my own design, then I can get it printed for me when I need it, and none else can possibly have it. But how on earth to go about this? I was asked to leave Art classes at school because I couldn't draw and was a somewhat disruptive element in class. I admit, falling off my stall laughing at a drawing I had done and cracking my head so badly I had to be sent to hospital for an X-ray was never going to endear me to my art teacher. So how how does someone who cannot draw get a design?

So the idea had to go on the back burner, I had to leave it while I worked on the "Increase Sales" and "Attend Larger Markets". And then along came My Creative Edge, an EU funded project to try to develop the creative industries on the northern and Arctic periphery of the European Union. I admit it sounds obscure, but it is an amazing project. I joined in April, having heard about a project they were running to send some creative companies to a festival in northern Sweden. But then I saw they were running a project to work with creative craft companies by linking them with students studying business at the University of Applied Sciences in Lapland and partnering participants with similar companies in Lapland. It was called Creative Steps 2.0.

Creative Steps 2.0 linked me with weaver and textile artist Annika Konttaniemi of Susivilla, which is based in Rovaniemi. As part of the project I explained why I wanted to have my own fabrics, and got talking to Annika through the meetings set up online as part of Creative Steps 2.0. She could see my difficulty. I love the landscapes that surround me, and most days I photograph what I see on my morning walk and post it on my Instagram and Twitter feeds. Almost without fail these are of flowers or the bog lands near my home. Yet I couldn't translate what I loved into a workable design. Annika helped by putting me in touch with Piirre Collective, a group of designers in Rovaniemi, just on the Arctic Circle in Finland. Suddenly I was able to see how I could develop the ideas stuck firmly in my synapses, and begin to draw them out by looking at the work of this talented collective of Finnish designers.

Annika and I met at Urkult Festival last August, and we talked a lot about what we want to do with our businesses. There are similarities between us, particularly in our mutual desire to be environmentally conscious and sensitive with our work. I have discovered since setting up this business on my own that in fact I am never alone, and one of the joys of working in the craft "industry" is that I am surrounded by an array of startlingly talented, creative and friendly people who are happy to share experience, knowledge, contacts and information. This is not cut throat business, it is co-operatrive and inclusive working together. And this willingness to co-operate and help crosses boundaries and borders, which as I have been working on creating this design have been rendered invisible.

So, the fabric has finally been produced. It has felt like gestating an elephant, so long has this taken from the initial thought, to receiving the fabric in the post last Thursday. But here is the roll of fabric - and look - it says "Sallyann's Bags" on the bottom - it really is MY fabric design. For the moment I am calling it Meadow, but this may change. It reflects the amazing colours and scenery I see around me in West Clare as much as the colours and landscape of Lapland, and I love that it pulls the two together. Next thing I need to do is visit Rovaniemi - I'd love to meet face-to-face with the people at Piirre Collective, and to meet again with Annika to see where she weaves her glorious scarves and throws. Inspiration is an amazing thing.

So now I need to get sewing to produce a range of differing styles in the new fabric in time for all the Christmas Craft Markets and Fairs that are fast approaching. I will be launching my new fabric on Saturday 12 November at Chapel Lane Market, with a sneaky preview for those of you who are going to be at the Ennis National School Fashion Show on the evening of Friday 11 November. I hope to have each style of bag that I make in the new fabric, including my new Carolina Bag, which is the largest, and most roomy, and most slouchy, cross body bag I have made to date. More on that bag for another blog post!

As a taster for you all, here is the first bag made from Sallyann's New Fabric, so you can whet your appetite for everything that will be rolling off my production line in the coming days. I'm testing the bag for durability and resistance to everything I throw at a bag - it is my equivalent of the wash and wear tests I used to have to carry out on shirts and dresses I was involved in manufacturing for a well known high street store in another lifetime.

In my next post I'll list all the markets I am due to be attending in the coming weeks, but for now, I can tell you I am in Chapel Lane Market on Saturday 5 November, at the fashion show in Ennis National School on Friday 11 November, launching Sallyann's New Fabric on Saturday 12 November at Chapel Lane Market and will be at the Ballymaloe Christmas Craft Fair in County Cork on 19 & 20 November. Do take the time to come and see the new fabric if you possibly can.

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It's here! Sallyann's New Fabric! - Sallyann's Handmade Bags

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Back in January I had a list of things I wanted to achieve for Sallyann's Handmade Bags in 2016. Amongst the obvious "Increase Sales", "Attend Larger Markets" there was the short sentence..."I need my own fabric". I take a lot of time to choose the fabrics that I use for my bags.

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Lapland UAS, Finland

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and you can find explanation of the way to work

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and you can find explanation of the way to work

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Guidelines offers tools and advices to help to lead a CS2.0 process

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Guidelines offers tools and advices to help to lead a CS2.0 process

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MINI ONLINE GUIDELINES of CREATIVE STEPS 2.0

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MINI ONLINE GUIDELINES of CREATIVE STEPS 2.0

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Creativity and
innovation tools is divided into following categories:

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Creativity and
innovation tools is divided into following categories:

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Icebreaker (teambuilding activity)

Energizers

Ideation and brainstorming methods

Collaboration tools

Analytical and product development tools

You can find tools and methods from CS 2.0 Guidelines Publication.

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Based on the needs of the projects as regards online communication, the following tools has been used:

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Based on the needs of the projects as regards online communication, the following tools has been used:

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Getting to know each other beforehand? → Padlet

Sharing material? → Eliademy

Schedule? → Doodle Poll, Eliademy calender link

Teaching- and coaching sessions? → iLinc, Skype

Joint meetings of all teams? → iLinc

Team meetings? → Skype

Ideation? → Padlet, Coggle

Furthering the work process of the teams?
→ Padlet, Facebook groups,

Preparing presentation material? → Facebook, Prezi, Padlet, Jimdo

Online presentations for clients? → iLinc, Prezi, Padlet, Jimdo

Asking for customer demand? → Google Form

Feedback? → Google Form

Training session & speeches? → Youtube stream, iLinc
Material transfer → WeTransfer

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https://coggle.it/diagram/VyiCb42NPxgdkviY/b3095fdffab75ab59e8085774cc97d1355b9686619420940004c05af7b10b962

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ONLINE TOOLS : A Coggle Diagram about Presentation tools (Thinglink, Powtoon, Prezi, Movenote, Cava and Power Point), Online meeting rooms, Collaboration tools, Virtual boards for IDEATION or PRESENTATION , Inspiration board (Pinterest) and

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https://padlet.com/aarkko/o06u37hlhuut

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Creative Steps 2.0. Process provides a great possibility for multiple networking for all participants. Matchmaking and networking has very important role in the entire process of Creative Steps 2.0 workshop. “Creative participants” of the workshop represent various stakeholders and that way make the workshop more valuable and beneficial for all parties involved.

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CS 2.0 methodology consists of tools, tasks and guided activities by coaches. In order to guide you through the methodology of 1+10 steps of innovation´s, description, you can find from CS 2.0 Guidelines publication, will contain the explanation of main aim of each step, the average duration of the completion of particular step, the tools that have been used during the step (most of them contain detailed description in the Tool Box chapter), expected outcome at the completion of the step, the role of coaches in each step and method of work with detailed explanations of the actual process.

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Main steps

What are must

What can be changed

Expected Outcomes

Pitch

Prototype

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What - Why - How?

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Ideas?

Students

Companies

Experts

Selection process
Communication

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·       Creative Clinic (CC) members -  local business experts who act as advisors

·       Creative Cave Pool (CCP) - group of international business advisors

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Companies representing creative industries

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Creative Teams (CTs) - Students with multidisciplinary and international background

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Creative Steps 2.0 - atmosphere in the workshop 

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Creative Steps 2.0 - atmosphere in the workshop 

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Creative Steps 2.0 - atmosphere in workshop

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Uploaded by Anitra Arkko-Saukkonen on 2016-06-19.

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https://padlet.com/aarkko/f24fnrgv39w1

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Description of Creative Steps 2.0 ready

Clear explanation of CS 2.0 What it is? What are the benefits for students / for companies / for experts

Call for participation in Creative Steps 2.0 workshop

Application and selection of companies: local and international

Application and selection of students

Decide tools, methods and online platforms

Plan implementation process

Make implementation schedule

Book meeting rooms

Contact and agree experts for evaluation (CC and/or CCP)

Organize information session for evaluation experts to introduce their role and task in the workshop.

Confirm participants: students and companies and send a confirmation email with preliminary schedule

Send final detailed schedule to students, companies and experts

Make online platform(s) ready

Make workshop material ready

Create group division

Remind before the workshop about starting meeting and send a link to online meeting room.

Keep communication active and dynamic

Facilitate the process and take the role as a coach

Run Creative Steps 2.0 Workshop with 10 steps

Gather feedback from companies and students

Make conclutions of the workshop

Write short summary report of entire process and results (= coaches´ conclution)

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0.THE FRAMEWORK OF A BUSINESS CASE

I IDENTIFYING THE BUSINESS CASE/S

II ENABLING ONLINE TOOLS

III UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS CASE

IV FORMULATING POTENTIAL BUSINESS IDEA

V IDEA EVALUATION CHECKPOINT

VI ENHANCING BUSINESS EXPERTISE

VII CREATIVE CLINIC

VIII BUSINESS IDEA PROTOTYPING

IX PROVING MARKET DEMAND

X PITCHING

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Boosting Creative Business with Service Design

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Creative Momentum project - Creative Steps 2.0 Co-Design Workshop & Simo Rontti: Agile Service DesignTools for Businesses Lapland UAS / Finland 3.2.2016

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Matching the international companies

Cross-border collaboration & online collaboration

Outcome is actual prototype

Working with innovative method and creative way

Guided approach (10+1 steps or modified steps)

Different participants (companies, students, external experts)

Creative Clinic / Creative Cave Pool (any external expertise to evaluate)

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Encouraging entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial mind set development by boosting creativity and innovativeness for development of innovative business ideas and products and services

Creating a support mechanism for local entrepreneurs to go global and international by enhancing cross-border business-academia collaboration locally and internationally, and enabling the use of modern technology and digital collaboration tools

Enhancing entrepreneurship pedagogies that would better meet the challenges of 21st century´s working life