How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity

In 2008, the Harvard Business Review published an article by Ed Catmull that dove into the ways Pixar stimulates creativity. More importantly, it shines light on the importance of collaboration within the creative sector, not only between numerous individuals but also between numerous disciplines. The best creations are formed when we ignore our tendencies to avoid risk and effectively combine our ideas with those of the people around us.

The article gives a thorough run through of the creation of Toy Story 2 and how important it was for them to curate the correct environment for creative teams to work in. Between this discussion and Pixar’s operating principles, I recognised how essential it is to overcome inhibitions, get new perspectives and feel supported during such a process. For creative individuals to thrive they must be willing to communicate and ask for help, taking a step back and understanding where they may have fallen short in their ideas. A great way to do this it to keep up to date with the innovations and ideas being formed around you, taking in the perspectives of others and allowing for free-flowing communication throughout a working community. Ed Catmull perfectly explains these above points and the ways that Pixar has created such a successful community.

Catmull, E. (2008) 'How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity' In: Harvard Business review 86 (9) pp.65–72.