The document summarizes the evolution of CSU's Creative Consultancy Services (CCS) department from March 2014 to present. It outlines how CCS has shifted from operating as siloed print shop to a collaborative, design-thinking organization. Key changes include adopting new team roles focused on design and production, taking a team-based approach, and prioritizing strategic projects. The goal is to infuse more creativity into projects from the start and better utilize the skills of the team.

1. CSU Department of External Relations
Evolving CCS March 2014

2. The following presentation was given in March 2014,
a little more than a month after my start date at CSU.

3. –The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive
Advantage Roger L Martin; Harvard Business Press
“We rely far too exclusively on analytical thinking,
which merely refines current knowledge, producing
small improvements to the status quo. To innovate
and win, companies need design thinking.”

4. CCS is evolving to meet the challenge.
Print shop
Siloed
At the end of a process
Vendor-Client relationship
Success: hours billed
Commodity
Creative consultancy
Collaborative
Infuse design-thinking from the start
A partnership
Success: value created
Value-added organization
IS NOTIS

5. We Believe: Creativity is the greatest competitive advantage.
Our Purpose: Infuse creativity into the DNA of Colorado State University.
We are Colorado State University’s creative consultancy.
We are a cross-disciplinary team that provides value across all stages – from
strategy to execution – developing channel agnostic ideas that are rooted in the
university’s values and purpose.
We take a human-centered, design-based approach to solve CSU’s marketing
challenges through creativity and innovation.

6. Our values define who we are,
what we do, and how we do it.

7. Exercise
Pragmatic Optimism
Believe that all things are possible.
Give all you can to turn them into
reality.

8. Embrace Ambiguity
Get comfortable with discomfort. Don’t
become too reliant on established
processes; invent new ways of
tackling problems.

9. Be Resourceful
Maximize all of the available tools and
resources we have at our disposal. Be
on the lookout for opportunities we might
not yet recognize or fully leverage.

10. Work Together
The most powerful asset we have is
each other. Success will be measured by
how we help each other succeed.

11. Take Ownership
Use your best judgement in all
situations. And if you encounter a
problem, work to find a solution.

12. We must take a few necessary steps
to accelerate our evolution.

13. 1. Roles and Responsibilities
Newly defined roles that allow us to do more of what we do best.

14. Producer Creative
Production
Designer
Delivers holistic design
solutions and creative
ideas that solve marketing
problems, often engaging
clients in the creation of
the work.
Makes things happen by
creating estimates, finding
vendor partners, and
managing timelines. Helps
team shepherd projects
from start to completion.
Works in concert with
creatives and producers
by taking initial designs
and serializing them,
turning them into working
mechanicals and working
with vendors.

15. Why Do This?
• Encourages designer-coordinators to evolve into well-rounded channel
agnostic creative thinkers.
• Coordinator role evolves from managing client relationships to managing
what’s best for the project/brand.
• Designers become better aligned to their strengths, becoming specialists who
focus on efficiency and quality.
• Creativity infused from the start of projects, rather than at the end of a process.

16. 2. Team-Based Approach
Breaking down silos, collaborating and supporting one another.

17. Challenges in our Current Structure
• Designer-coordinators have less time for design and ideation
• We aren’t capturing full value for our services
• Coordinators cannot always find the right creative fit for their project
• Designers aren’t always sure who to go to for direction/clarification
• We’ve become a very siloed organization

18. CREATIVE PRODUCER
DESIGNER/PRODUC
TION
INTERNS SUPPORT STAFF

19. Why Do This?
• Teammates support each other, empowering one another to do what
they do best.
• Relationships rest with teams, not sole individuals
• Creates more time and opportunity for Creatives to do what they
specialize in – design and creative ideas
• Producers get a lead creative who is always engaged in their projects –
ensuring greater consistency of work
• Production designer not faced with client facing responsibilities: such as
selling ideas or designing concepts from scratch

20. 3. More of What Matters
Creating more time and attention for higher profile projects.

21. How do we create more focus?
• Evolve graphic standards for
today’s communications
environment. Including lots of
templates and self-service
options.
• Establish project milestones, firm
timelines, and well-defined SOWs.
• More robust project
management and time
recording.

22. Addition Roadmap
Immediately:
• Student Design Interns
• Student Proofreaders/Copywriters
• Migrate the team over to the Macintosh platform
Near Term:
• Additional Creatives/Designers
• Producer
• Adopt an office floor plan that encourages teamwork and collaboration
Long Term:
• Traffic, Copy
• Move to a location on campus that’s near the rest of DER

23. HOW DID WE DO?
03.14 - 10.16

24. Lauren&
Cameron&
Lindsay&
Adam&
Sherri&
Ashley&
Billy&
Juliana&
Michaela&
Savannah&
Tyler&
Traffic Coordinator…
New teammates.
Teammates in new roles.

25. New Processes and Tools

26. Events and Retreats

27. Office Culture

28. January 16, 2015

32. (Jan 1 - Dec
31)
0 1000 2000 3000 4000
2014
2015
2016
Started Closed
(Jan 1 - Dec
31)
(Jan 1 - Oct 10)
1550
1858 1696
1366 1802
Productivity Snapshot
1604

33. New Visual Style Guide

34. SAS Rebrand
College Identities
Admissions Campaign
New Main Page
Advancement Campaign Brand Campaign ESBA Rebrand
Unit Identifier System
Magazine Redesigns
New Photography Opportunities

35. 1. The work is a by-product of the culture. Focus on the culture. Good work
will follow.
2. Get into a reasonable amount of trouble. Bureaucracies are built to
perpetuate the status quo. Trouble = Change.
3. Align people to their strengths. Strive to put people in a spot where they
can succeed.
4. Trust your team. Empower people to use their best judgement in all
situations. They can always ask for help when they’re stuck.
5. Provide floors, not ceilings. Give everyone an opportunity to thrive. Let
them take their work as far as they’re willing to go. If hierarchy keeps
people from reaching their potential, it’s time to tear it down.