(Read Igor’s Post Here)
I am a champion for developers; I am.
I believe that it takes a uniquely analytical, massively over-sized brain to be able to devote your life’s work to writing beautiful code. And, I thought for a second that I could be that. I was going to earn my MCTS at a development bootcamp, and I was going to develop the shit out of everything I could get my hands on, for the rest of my life.
And then, I found creative technology.
I was working for a small development company, coding web apps and designing interfaces for the Department of Defense. I had zero experience in application development when I started working for that company. Zero. Zilch. None. I had been hired as a designer (+HTML/CSS, JavaScript). But on my third day of work, my ex-army commando of a boss slapped Beginning ASP.NET in C# on my desk and told me to learn it.
So, I did.
I worked with dynamo coders. Ninjas in their areas of expertise. Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists. Microsoft Certified IT Professionals. Microsoft Certified Database Administrators. And they helped me, 1) to stop calling C# “c-pound,” and 2) to understand the ins & outs of object-oriented programming. When it all finally clicked, I felt as though the world had opened up for me. Like I could build anything given the time and resources. And it was in that moment that I became a creative technologist.
So, what exactly is a creative technologist?
A creative technologist is a generalist. Someone with, yes, a background in development. Someone who can code. Someone who makes cool shit. But also someone who understands and participates in concept development. Someone who can look at a branding problem with an eye for invention. Someone, not married to a cert or a specific language or technology, that can translate ideas to technophiles and technophobes alike.
You need creative technologists, AND hardcore developers who are SPECIALISTS in their areas of expertise.
I will never be the world’s best coder. Though (::brushes shoulders off::), I’m lean & mean with front-end dev (I look at the source code of my friends’ websites like a rapper looks for jokes about your mom). But when it comes to the execution of complex development systems, you want an MCTS, or a SCJP or an AcronymAcronymAcronym. You want the guy who lives and breathes that language or technology. A creative technologist is the go-between. We’re obsessed with what’s new. Hackers who can frankenstein anything together in any language out there. But, our code is not going to be as eloquent as the code of a hardcore developer.
When Igor Clark says, “Creative Coder” I hear “Computer Science Degree”. And, I’m sorry, but not all computer scientists can perform effectively in a creative technologist role. Creative technology is a true hybrid between left-brain and right-brain thinking, and it’s rare to find someone balanced in both who WANTS to dig their nose deep into hardcore code. My best friends are developers. And when we jam on an idea, it is magic. They’ve spent their years developing complex web apps and software programs. And I earned my Master of Science in creativity.
We are not the same animal. And any agency who approaches us as such will get it wrong.
I love the fact you wrote this. My only exception is with your description of creative technologist as generalist. To me they (and you) are creatives, who can connect people to technology. In the same way an architect must understand people, spaces, engineering and beauty to come up with a object of desire a good creative technologist understands people, story, UX and programming to come up with objects of desire and wonder.
I agree completely Marc.
But as dev goes, CTs are code generalists. We know enough about development, at a base-level, to explore creative opportunities in an array of technologies (from Processing to PHP). So, while you probably wouldn’t want to look at our code to see how eloquently/efficiently we build something out in C#, you’d want to look at the creative idea, its logic as it pertains to technology, structure & user experience design.
I like where you took the argument. I posted a response in the comments of the original, and went a little farther out. I argue that the term Creative Technologist should not be solely owned by “developers”. I believe there exists an evil twin CT to Igor’s “creative developer” view. I’de love your thoughts on my position.
Loved it, Ed.
Isn’t it kinda like asking Frank Gehry to learn how to weld?
Or like asking a pilot to build their aircraft.
Yes; I know how my machine works & functions … I know how to make it sing.
But, do you really want me building your airplanes? Hell, no.