Creative Professionals: Where is your career headed?

At the start of every year, everyone comes out with a bunch of predictions. If I had a crystal ball I’d probably jump on the bandwagon too. Luckily, I’m as mystified as many of you are as to the future for those toiling in creative ventures. This article is a Scott Belsky mash-up … a collection of thoughts and opinions on the future for creative professionals. Scott is the CEO and founder of the Behance Network – a online creative showcase that works to bring commerce, creativity and community together for those in the creative field so his opinion is one that I value. What are your thoughts?

Over to you, Scott.

At the start of every year, it’s fun to think about what’s next. However, for the creative professional community, considering the future is not just a casual exercise. It’s a necessity. The creative industries are rapidly changing, as is the way we manage our own creative careers.
Do you rely on the web for inspiration, feedback, or any other part of your creative process? Do you rely on online networks or websites as a source of new customers, clients, or collaborations? Are you involved in the worlds of advertising, design, fine art, or any other industry that ultimately relies on matching the right creative talent with the best opportunities?

If you answered yes, get ready.

Thoughts on the Road Ahead for Creative Professionals

In recent years, I believe that technology has been a little reckless with creative professionals. In many ways, technology has (shockingly) been obstructing productive creative careers. Crowdsourcing spec contests, the lack of proper attribution for most creative talent displayed online, and inefficient services for career management – just to name a few.

We believe that technology and the latest shifts in creative industries will ultimately empower creative professionals.

Here are some of our predictions (and hopes) for the creative professional community in the near future [and full disclaimer: our inherent bias is that we think about this full-time and are developing Behance with these thoughts in mind!]:

The Era of “Distributed Creative Production” Is Upon Us
The advertising agency of the future will consist of account managers, administrative staff, and a tiny leadership team that provides creative direction. The creative production itself will be distributed to individuals and small teams around the globe who are at the top of their game. The same applies to corporate marketing departments and other creative firms.

In the past, resources for finding and managing top talent were extremely limited. Now, the rise of online networks, as well as project management and collaboration tools is empowering creative professionals and ushering in a new era of independence.
In the past, resources for finding and managing top talent were extremely limited.

Recently, I sat on a panel for NY Advertising Week called “The Shortage of Digital Talent.” My fellow panelists – all senior folks from large agencies – sought to explain what they saw as a “shortage of creative talent” in the digital space. I was the only one with the opposite perspective. There is remarkable talent emerging from all corners of the globe. But, I explained, “the only problem is that this talent doesn’t need to work for you anymore.”

In the new era of “distributed creative production,” top talent will be able to work on their own terms. The companies (and clients) that welcome this future will benefit from better creative output.

The opportunity to tap the power of the crowd has spawned a whole regime of companies that promise to break down barriers and unlock the potential of the masses. But beneath this recent trend lie major fundamental flaws.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not another whining diatribe against the perils of crowdsourcing. But without new business models and core principles that leverage these forces in a way that empowers its participants, the opportunity is likely to implode. Those involved need to innovate and start harnessing the crowd in more mutually beneficial (and thus sustainable) ways.

The Problem With The Crowd
Crowdsourcing is driven by powerful online communities and an increased willingness from companies to engage talent from beyond the confines of their own offices. For creative talent in remote regions of the world, the prospect of a flat world full of opportunities is invigorating. Simply by joining an online community, it is easy to be found and engaged in projects. For the large companies that to date employed vast departments of highly paid, talented experts, the option to reduce overhead and still engage top talent wherever it may be can improve output and the bottom line.

So what’s the problem?

The forces that enable crowdsourcing are being used to get thousands of people to do work for free, with a chance of getting paid only if their work is selected for use. This is fine for hobbyists or friendly competitions offering a token prize. But in a business context, it doesn’t pay for either party.

In our research at Behance, we’ve found that many creative professionals avoid these types of contests because they’re too busy with commissioned work. When they do engage, they feel unfulfilled (if not exploited) afterwards—and they seldom participate again. Likewise, companies have also reported mixed sentiments. Inundated with options—mostly unprofessional in quality —they were ultimately left unsure of the worth of the exercise.

Build A Better Way
The crowd should be used in more controlled and informed ways. I firmly believe that the forces powering this phenomenon will revolutionize many industries, and I see a day when creative agencies and Fortune 500 marketing departments extend their entire creative production and idea generation to the crowd. But they need to do so in a way that empowers the participants and yields a satisfactory outcome for all.

In the future, Crowdsourcing (As We Know It) Will Be Rendered Obsolete
The good news is that people are starting to catch on. Top talent now avoids these crowdsourcing programs. New, more sustainable models are beginning to take hold. Quirky has revolutionized crowdsourced product design by ensuring that every contributor gets paid. Our team at Behance is also experimenting with new models for “sourcing” groups of top talent and guaranteeing payment for contributions. Regardless of what new models emerge, the old and destructive form of crowdsourcing will become obsolete as we have more options and develop better judgment.

The “Credible Mass” Will Determine Quality
The future of “distributed creative production” starts with finding great talent wherever it may be. Relying on personal networks and headhunters won’t cut it. We will need a way for the best talent to rise to the top based on merit.
The future of ‘distributed creative production’ starts with finding great talent wherever it may be.

The greatest challenge we will face is how to measure the quality of talent. The solution will be community curation. Aided by tools like Digg, Facebook’s “Like” button, and the “Appreciate” feature on Behance.net, communities are starting to curate themselves. Anything from articles to pieces of art can now be sorted based on consensus.

But the insights of the critical mass aren’t enough. For example, when evaluating the quality of a photograph, the opinions of 1,000 photographers should matter more than that of 1,000,000 random people. This is the difference between a “critical mass” and a “credible mass.” The “credible mass” will enable creative professionals around the globe to get new opportunities based on the quality of their work.

A New Genre of Advertising Will Educate Us
With brands in the hands of the people, a new genre of advertising will arise that is more authentic and borderline educational. Companies will tap their expertise as a way to win over the “credible mass.” For example, GE knows a lot about the future of energy and jet engines, Pepsi knows a lot about marketing and beverages, the New York Times knows a lot about journalism.

While you would likely skip over any commercials from these brands, you might be interested in their perspectives in areas where your interests intersect. Maybe you want to learn about GE’s smart grid from the scientists behind it? Perhaps you would enjoy a behind-the-scenes perspective on how a newspaper is assembled every single day from the New York Times? Great things happen when companies leverage their expertise for public interest. It also makes for powerful advertising.

The corporate marketing departments are not going to make the leap, but the creative minds in advertising agencies – and more likely the production companies that actually do the work – will start to experiment with a new form of advertising that will serve its viewer in profound ways. With the rise of online video and the role your friends play in curating the content you consume, advertising needs to step it up a notch.

The Static Portfolio Will Be Replaced by the Connected Portfolio
Not too long ago, creative professionals across industries relied solely on their “book” – a physical portfolio that was sent around to headhunters and prospective clients whenever an opportunity presented itself. These books were expensive, heavy, and instantly outdated from the moment they were sent. They also accumulated a lot of dust.

Over the last decade, most creative professionals transformed their portfolio book into a website. These static websites could be updated at any time and seemed much more efficient than the book approach. Personal portfolio websites proved effective, but only for those that visit them. Like the old-school portfolio books, you still need to invite people to view your site – whether by email or a link on your business card. Now, with the rise of social networks and professional networks, it is easier to spread the links to your portfolio and hope that the right person clicks.
Not too long ago, creative professionals across industries relied solely on their ‘book.’

I believe that the next step in this evolution will be the “connected portfolio,” a set of projects that live not only within your own personal portfolio site but also on other galleries and networks around the web. Your “connected portfolio” will act as both a personal portfolio website as well as a powerful dissemination tool that showcases your work wherever you want it – always keeping your work properly attributed and under your control. Such a system would boost efficiency and transform the portfolio from a static website into a tool for self-promotion and new leads.

Some of these predictions are more lofty than others. Some focus on smaller, technical details, while others contemplate broader, industry-wide changes. Regardless, they are all in our hands. We make ideas materialize on our screens and with our hands, and then we are the first adopters. As creative professionals, we are extremely fortunate to have such a direct influence over our own future.

Wishing you an imaginative and productive 2011.

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What Do You Think?

What key changes – big or small – do you see on the horizon for creative professionals?