Analysis of an Issue
"In any enterprise the process of making or doing something is ultimately more important than the final product."
While there is much to be gained from the creative process in any field, ultimately this experience is almost worthless if it fails to achieve its main goals. No doubt such a process can be used to improve future endeavours, but in the business world, consumers and clients judge concepts and ideas by their final product regardless of the original intention. Therefore, no matter how much one benefits from implementing a particular project or strategy, if the final outcome fails to meet expectations then it is a reflection on a particular flaw in the creative process.
One example that illustrates this point can be found in media. Journalists often struggle to finish stories - especially political and economic stories - because they are unable to reach key sources, or important contacts obstruct their attempts to learn key facts. Despite this difficulty, reporters still manage to produce high quality articles or programs thanks to their skills and ability to extract information in other ways. Thus, the final product is a testament to their ability to work around the inherent roadblocks that cloud their creative process. Ultimately the final product doesn't reflect the hassles they faced trying to get the real story, and readers or viewers don't care what a particular reporter went through in finishing a story, as long as it's worth it.
A second example that backs up the thesis that the final product is more relevent than its process comes from the corporate world. In this sector, the quality of consumer goods and products is guaranteed to make or break a company's reputation and share price. Take, for example, Toyota's troublesome mass recall of 2009-10, which seriously damaged its public image. In this case, the company's final product was a flawed vehicle that endangered consumer lives and in some cases resulted in death. This key fact mattered much more to people and Toyota employees than any particular positive experience gained from the creative process involved in designing and buliding the cars.
In conclusion, as shown in both of the above cases, the final product is what shapes public opinion of a brand, industry or product, and is therefore much more important than the labour and philosophy that went into making it. While one cannot deny the benefits of taking away positive experiences when working on a lengthy and intensive project, if the result is subpar then the creative process itself must be reexamined for any potential drawbacks, as it is responsible for a poor product.
"In any enterprise the process of making or doing something is ultimately more important than the final product."
While there is much to be gained from the creative process in any field, ultimately this experience is almost worthless if it fails to achieve its main goals. No doubt such a process can be used to improve future endeavours, but in the business world, consumers and clients judge concepts and ideas by their final product regardless of the original intention. Therefore, no matter how much one benefits from implementing a particular project or strategy, if the final outcome fails to meet expectations then it is a reflection on a particular flaw in the creative process.
One example that illustrates this point can be found in media. Journalists often struggle to finish stories - especially political and economic stories - because they are unable to reach key sources, or important contacts obstruct their attempts to learn key facts. Despite this difficulty, reporters still manage to produce high quality articles or programs thanks to their skills and ability to extract information in other ways. Thus, the final product is a testament to their ability to work around the inherent roadblocks that cloud their creative process. Ultimately the final product doesn't reflect the hassles they faced trying to get the real story, and readers or viewers don't care what a particular reporter went through in finishing a story, as long as it's worth it.
A second example that backs up the thesis that the final product is more relevent than its process comes from the corporate world. In this sector, the quality of consumer goods and products is guaranteed to make or break a company's reputation and share price. Take, for example, Toyota's troublesome mass recall of 2009-10, which seriously damaged its public image. In this case, the company's final product was a flawed vehicle that endangered consumer lives and in some cases resulted in death. This key fact mattered much more to people and Toyota employees than any particular positive experience gained from the creative process involved in designing and buliding the cars.
In conclusion, as shown in both of the above cases, the final product is what shapes public opinion of a brand, industry or product, and is therefore much more important than the labour and philosophy that went into making it. While one cannot deny the benefits of taking away positive experiences when working on a lengthy and intensive project, if the result is subpar then the creative process itself must be reexamined for any potential drawbacks, as it is responsible for a poor product.
