{"id":946,"date":"2018-08-04T14:31:10","date_gmt":"2018-08-04T21:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=946"},"modified":"2019-10-29T12:21:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T19:21:19","slug":"the-pheromonal-element-to-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=946","title":{"rendered":"The Pheromonal Element to Collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

CIS:E.1234-1962<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2026Just coming up for air after an intense few weeks directing a team from an already Big<\/b> and currently Burgeoning<\/b> and Evolving<\/b>, Iconoclastic Global Agency<\/b> on a Secret<\/b>, Massive Creative Project<\/b> for a Big Entertainment Company<\/b> the name of which<\/b> I can\u2019t reveal or\u2026well\u2026you know. <\/span><\/p>\n

Each individual on our Team of Ten was hand-picked for this project, and very few of us had ever met one another until immediately prior to the launch of the process. Yet, from our fortnight of collaboration came some of the most powerfully compelling, (realistic and physically possible) original<\/i> creative concepts of which any of us have had the privileged experience of being a part for quite some time.<\/span><\/p>\n

The atmosphere throughout the entire arc was high-energy; full of engagement, respect, acknowledgement and enthusiasm as Ideas were born, shared, augmented and articulated. <\/span><\/p>\n

Approaching showtime, as passionate as were each of us for this far-greater-than-the-sum-of-parts Whole Experience; we were trepidatious as to how this would all be received by The Client. <\/span><\/p>\n

This Client is as discerning and rare to impress as they come; setting standards across the industries in which we work. The overriding goal when presenting was to at least meet<\/i> expectation, with perhaps an elusive dream of surpassing them\u2026though no delusion. <\/span><\/p>\n

As we worked, as our project took magnificent shape, we began to fully appreciate what we had and became proud and excited by our own work. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat If\u2026\u201d this really blows-away the client?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, L\u2019s and G\u2019s. We did. Met and exceeded\u2026 <\/span><\/p>\n

How did this happen? In a word: Charrette<\/b>. <\/span><\/p>\n

What the heck is a Charrette? <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Born of the architectural communities of France in the 19th century; a \u201ccharrette\u201d was actually the physical cart in which the work of architectural students was collected on the day of an exhibition. In the mid 1900\u2019s, the word came to label an extended, working meeting in which all stakeholders to something gather to resolve conflicts and map solutions. <\/span><\/p>\n

In the Theme Park industry – and in it\u2019s most pure form – the charrette has become a multi-day meeting (generally 2 days, though sometimes more) of a disparately-backgrounded, differently-experienced and differently-focused group of professionals, artists, producers and stakeholders – sometimes augmented with peripheral professions or members representing audience demographics – gathered to envision possibility without boundaries for a park, land, experience, resort, destination or Experience Phenomenon of any type. <\/span><\/p>\n

Done before the application of budget and time to a given project, this \u201cblue-sky\u201d session can uncover and open vast possibilities previously unimagined as differing points of view, likes and dislikes, personal histories and visions are gathered and mixed in this \u201cpheromonal crucible\u201d of minds and imaginations.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Ah! There\u2019s that word; \u201cpheromonal.\u201d What\u2019s that even mean?) <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ll get to that.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first charrette of my career in these industries was run by the well-known Phil Hettema.<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0Thus, the standard was set for me with this first encounter of the process. That was 20 years ago, at the beginning of a project – now fully realized – that is now ranked as one of the best theme parks in the world. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, that\u2019s my model of how it\u2019s done.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though, it is an expensive process; involving fees, travel, meals, room nights – generally at an \u201coff-site\u201d location in order to prevent or at least minimize distraction and keep focus on the project\u2026in the name of thoroughness and vast freedom of imaginations, sure, but this also serves to deliver the best ROI. <\/span><\/p>\n

(I mean, if you\u2019re bringin\u2019 in the pro\u2019s, you want all of their minds and all that attention for which you\u2019re payin\u2019. Amirite?)<\/span><\/p>\n

This charrette thing virtually never happens in an Agency. Time and Money usually stand right in the way. <\/span><\/p>\n

In Agencies and Corporations, this process has effectively been pared-down and is labeled a \u201cBrainstorm:\u201d a couple of hours to a day in a conference room, banging out ideas under an immediate-ish deadline. Not ineffective, certainly, and definitely far better than not<\/i> doing it, at all; this creative forum differs from the charrette in that<\/span><\/p>\n