Creative Insight as a Service
Project Duration
November 2022 – December 2023
Harnessing creativity to tackle complex challenges.
Keywords
Creative insight, cross-innovation, sustainability, partnerships, creative industries
Summary
How can creativity help organisations navigate an increasingly complex world?
Creative Insight as a Service was designed to address this by developing and piloting a practical method for delivering creative insights to real challenges within organisations, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration in the Baltic Sea Region.
What makes this project unique is its practical, demand-driven approach, where organisations define a specific challenge, and creative professionals are paired to provide insights and fresh perspectives through their artistic and innovative practice. This process was piloted with companies in Sweden, Poland, and Latvia, exploring how creative insights can address complex organisational needs while contributing to sustainable development goals and innovative thinking.
Aligned with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), the project demonstrated how cross-disciplinary collaborations can drive new thinking and co-creation, highlighting the essential role of culture and creativity in fostering resilience and innovation.
The Method
Define: The organisation identifies a theme, challenge, or question needing fresh insight.
Match: A shortlist of creative professionals is prepared, and one is selected for collaboration.
Inquiry: The creative professional researches and explores the topic independently.
Insight Sharing: The creative shares insights in a facilitated session with the organisation for dialogue and further development.
Facilitation: An intermediary ensures smooth collaboration, managing expectations and aligning outcomes with the organisation’s needs.
This structured yet flexible method creates space for artistic freedom while providing organisations with practical insights, demonstrating the value of creativity in organisational and societal innovation.
Objectives
- Develop and test a practical method to deliver creative insights for organisational challenges
- Foster cross-sectoral partnerships between creative professionals and organisations
- Promote creative co-creation as a tool for sustainability and innovation
- Share learnings and methods with wider innovation communities
Key Activities
- Method Development: Designed a structured process for delivering creative insights to organisations on demand
- Pilots: Implemented the method with companies in Sweden, Poland, and Latvia, pairing them with creative professionals to explore real challenges
- Evaluation: Assessed the pilots to refine the method and document its value for both creatives and organisations
- Toolbox Creation: Developed the Cross Innovation Toolbox, providing practical tools for structuring cross-sectoral collaboration
Results
- Piloted a tested method for creative insight delivery within organisations
- Strengthened cross-sectoral partnerships and trust between creative professionals and businesses
- Contributed to sustainability discussions within participating organisations
- Developed the Cross Innovation Toolbox, offering structured tools for other organisations and creatives to replicate the process
🔗 Read and download the Cross Innovation Toolbox