5 ways to overcome creative block

We’ve all been there. You’re working on a project; ideas are flowing, and you’ve created a raft of original designs. But gradually, the design solutions slow down until the process grinds to a halt.

Creative jobs are a lot of fun, but it can be extremely difficult to be creative on cue. Much like writer’s block, a designer can come up against a creative block at any time. Whether you’re generating new concepts, or engineering for mass manufacture; the answers might just not come to you.

Getting stuck during the design development process can make you question if you enjoy what you do, if you’re right for the project or even if you are in the right career. Don’t panic, we’re here to help.

Here’s 5 ways to climb out of your product design rut and push past that creative block…

Take a break

Get up, go somewhere else and do something completely different. Whatever it takes to get the project out of your mind completely. Crucially however, you must plan in a time to come back to your work! Hopefully when you return you will attack it with a fresh mind and may see things differently.

Rewind

There’s a reason why you have a detailed design brief, why you do a research stage, why you create user personas, why you collate mood boards, why you analyse competitors and why you sketch rafts of concepts. Take a fresh look over the work which has got you to where you are – chances are it may lead you somewhere different this time around.

Change your perspective

You’ve spent most of the design process attacking this problem from the perspective of a designer, so try to get into the mindset of someone else. Put yourself into the shoes of other stakeholders such as the end user, the client, the vendor, the marketing team, even the competition.

Collaborate

Some designers feel like this is admitting defeat, but don’t be a hero; all the best designs are collaborative. Getting your colleagues’ and peers’ opinions can be invaluable. Other designers aren’t trapped by the same prerequisites as you, because they aren’t as close to the project. They are literally outside of the box. However, because of this their ideas may seem a little ridiculous! Always remember that no idea is a bad idea and try to understand their thinking – it might be helpful.

Keep going!

This final point isn’t really a solution, it’s more like reassurance. If you’ve tried all the tips above and you still haven’t got back into your groove, then just stick at it. It’s painful and frustrating, but it is at this time that the best ideas can be found.

Hopefully with these 5 top tips, you’ll be back in the design flow in no time. However, if you’re still stuck then why not come in and join us for a creative session?