Sydney: A crash course in creative thinking
We are living in times of uncertainty — budgets are being slashed, consumers are changing and competition is coming from places we least expect. And it’s tough to get great ideas out into the world when we’re already bombarded by billions of messages.

How do we innovate in times like these?
Creative Problem Solving offers a customer-centric framework to define a real-world problem, co-create solutions and pitch a concept.
In this one-day workshop you will build your problem-solving toolkit and learn how to approach ideas in new ways. You will be taught to apply sound principles to design your own innovative, effective, and impactful solutions.
Your idea might be for a startup, an app, a new business, or product. Either way, you’re about to invest a whole lot of time and effort and this course will help you qualify the problem before you jump to an expensive solution.
Your teacher for the day will be Suzanne Boccalatte, an awarding winning design director and communication specialist who has worked for over 25 years placing design at the core of business strategy.
This course is for you if...
Have a business issue you wish to solve
Are struggling to get buy-in or funding for an idea
Run a not-for-profit, arts or social organisation or a start-up and want to solve issues from your markets’ perspective
Struggle to understand what your customers want and need
Have identified a problem in your organisation but don’t know what to do next
PLEASE NOTE: A course preparation document will be provided ahead of class.
Prior design knowledge is not required, just enthusiasm to work on problems in a collaborative creative setting.
Course description
Your idea might be for a startup, a campaign, a website, a new business, or your brand might need a refresh, but what are the issues you’re trying to solve? Have you considered your markets and if they care? Have you thought through an approach? You could spend a great deal of resources (and enthusiasm)—but what if nobody wants it? Have you a plan to test it? Why risk guessing a solution?
Topics on the day include:
What kinds of issues have you or your markets been experiencing?
What are the key priorities to success? How do you know?
What would the ‘solution’ allow you to do that you can’t do now?
What’s the pay off? How do you measure success?
If it’s created such a big problem for you what has stopped you from addressing it before now?
You will leave this Masterclass with the bones of a creative framework and implementation strategy.
Tutor profile
Suzanne Boccalatte is a designer, writer and business advisor. Her mission is using design to bring together people, business and culture. Suzanne has been Director of design consultancy Boccalatte for over 25 years and has a Bachelor of Visual Arts (First Class Hons), University of Sydney, qualifications in Communications Management (UTS) and Copywriting. Her passion for culture and creativity has led to her producing a series of books and events—including Trunk, an award-winning compendium with contributions from a global community of writers and designers. She has appeared on TV and radio, lectured at universities and sat on judging and advisory panels. In 2012 she was appointed to the NSW Government’s Creative Industries Taskforce—the industry-led body set up to develop strategies to drive growth and innovation in the creative industries. She sits on Supported Studio Network Advisory Board for people with a disability and presented a keynote address at Arts Hub Conference 2015, on how business needs to articulate brand to thrive in a changing world. She was a mentor in the Semi Permanent X Telstra Innovation Lab and Telstra’s Imaginarium 2015.
Book now
Link to eventbrite page
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/a-crash-course-in-creative-thinking-sydney-march-22-tickets-29841890899
Details
Date: March 22
Times: 10.30am-5.30pm
Location: Guardian Offices, Level 2, 19 Foster Street, Surry Hills
Price: $299
Event capacity: 20
Dress code: There is no dress code for Masterclasses. Please wear whatever you feel comfortable in
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 7 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.