Finding Creative Confidence
One of my biggest concerns of taking the Digital Making Course is my ability to be creative. There is so much fuss around the world about needing to be innovative; about how we should be changing the world. However, I never truly believed that I have the ability to leave such an impact through a creative idea. This lack of confidence caused me to feel nervous about the course. Yes, I wanted to learn about the overall process of designing a product. Yes, I wanted to learn how to use computer-aided design (CAD) software. Yes, I wanted to learn how to use a 3D printer and successfully be able to print an object. But I wanted to do more. With the help of the mentors, the professor, and the fellow students, I wanted to design a product that will bring a positive impact on someone else’s life. Yet, how am I supposed to do that when I do not even believe in my ability to do so?
Thankfully, the course began with learning about different mindsets necessary to be a successful designer, one of which was “Creative Confidence.” The concept of this mindset is that a designer needs to believe in oneself’s ability to have big ideas and act on them. Throughout the journey of designing, there will be many ambiguity and failure, but that doesn’t mean I should give up. I just need to continue to explore different ideas and learn from the failures. It may be easier said than done, but learning about such mindsets allowed me to be less nervous and be more excited about the journey.
Finding Inspiration
With my upgraded mindsets, I was eager to meet the mentors and learn about their stories. I was ready to be inspired. The meeting began with Adam, who showed the class around the Disability Resources & Educational Services (DRES) facility.
It was amazing to see the training equipment that is used, a timeline of racing wheelchairs showing the evolution hanging from the ceiling, and a workshop where innovative ideas to help the athletes come to a reality. Along the tour, we were introduced to Ariel, who shared her story of 3D printing the wheelchair racing gloves and distributing them around the world at a more affordable price for the customers. Afterward, we were introduced to Ryan, Jenna, and Ron, who openly shared about their experiences with wheelchairs, prosthetic legs, and meeting others with similar experiences.
Even before meeting them, I knew that I would gain inspiration from them. But they surpassed my expectations. I wasn’t aware how much of an inspiration they would provide. I felt that every single experience that they shared were valuable, leaving me frantically taking notes throughout the whole session. One of the most important points that were brought up during the conversation was the problem of affordability. It is mostly not the technology or the idea that is lacking in today’s word, but it is more so that these innovative products are not really affordable right now to the majority of the people who they are created for.
From the conversation, I was able to immediately come up with several ideas that I would like to explore down the road. Not only did it raise my eagerness to dive into the project, but it also raised my confidence. Unlike my worry before, I was already developing multiple ideas, demonstrating that I am more creative than I think.
The conversation also changed my perspective about innovation. It’s not about changing the world. Rather, it’s about improving someone else’s world. Even if it makes a difference in a few people’s lives, that is completely fine. As long as you design for the people and create an idea or a product for them to improve an aspect of their lives, you are an innovator. After all, isn’t that what human-centered design is all about?
I too was feeling anxious about the assignment and class. It is hard to come up with ideas for others and it’s harder to embrace the ambiguity that comes along with the process. I am glad that you were able to find inspiration from the group interview. This class will be a special learning experience for all of us.
Hi Matthew!
After reading your reflection of our class on week 2, I found your perspective to be particularly interesting and find the two of us to share many similar viewpoints on this course. I know that as an accounting student, I do not use the creative and innovative part of my skillset as much as students in other majors. So, I had the same concerns as you did when I signed up for the course. However, by the time we reached the second week of the course, I too found my concerns to be address and I am now excited to get my hands on designing and creating a functional project. It is encouraging to know that our ideas do not have to be big and even a small idea that would can improve someone’s life experience greatly.
Hey Matthew,
There is an awesome book called “Creative Confidence” by Tom and David Kelley, the founders of IDEO. (If you don’t know what IDEO is, look them up! They’re basically the world’s biggest Industrial Design firm). I read Creative Confidence my sophomore year, which was my first year in the ID major. Even though I am a very outwardly creative person (hence why I chose ID as a major over science or math, haha), sometimes feeling a lack of confidence creatively is something that affects everyone — even the people who find themselves in creative fields or areas of study. I suggest that everyone reads the book at some point because it really brings you back to the moments in life where you had self-doubt about your abilities and shows you that those were just moments and they don’t define you. Everyone is born creative. Some people lose sight of it along the way, but it’s a part of everyone. I think this course will be very exciting for you, and others who may be nervous as well, for you to rediscover that sense in yourself. As a designer, I’m equally excited to see it come alive in others and help wherever I can.
I really like your vision of designing a product that can improve someone else’s life. I think this is extremely important in human-centered design thinking. With this vision, I think you would gain confidence during the course. We are not born with knowing everything prior to learning. I think as we go through this course, with an end goal in mind, we could actually learn a lot of useful techniques that can help us achieve our end goal. I am excited about the subsequent classes in this course too.
Hi Matthew! I loved your post, as I find myself relating to my lack of creative confidence as well as my desire “to improve someone else’s world”. Creative confidence is incredibly challenging, but I hope to become familiar with failure over this course and learn from these mistakes to become a better more educated version of myself. I am a strong believer that one does not have to change the world in order to make a difference, and your eloquently put statement made me smile. It is nice to hear that other people are also looking to make a difference in any way possible.