Creative Process Documentation Template
Project Overview
Project Title: [Project name]
Date Range: [Start date] to [Completion date]
Project Type: [Physical/Digital/Hybrid]
Brief Description: [1-2 sentence summary of what you created]
Initial Concept
Original Idea: [Describe your initial concept or inspiration]
Purpose/Goals: [What you hoped to achieve with this project]
Initial Sketches or Notes: [Describe or reference your earliest visualizations]
Research and Inspiration
Reference Materials: - [List key references, inspirations, or research sources]
Influences: - [Note specific influences on your approach or aesthetic]
Key Insights: - [List important discoveries from your research phase]
Materials and Resources
Materials Used: - [List all materials with specific types/brands if relevant]
Tools Used: - [List all tools and equipment]
Resources Consulted: - [Books, websites, people, or other resources]
Process Documentation
Phase 1: [Name of Phase - e.g., “Concept Development”]
Activities: - [List main activities during this phase]
Key Decisions: - [Note important choices made]
Challenges: - [Describe difficulties encountered]
Solutions: - [How you addressed challenges]
Visual Documentation: - [Describe or reference photos/sketches from this phase]
Phase 2: [Name of Phase - e.g., “Prototyping”]
Activities: - [List main activities during this phase]
Key Decisions: - [Note important choices made]
Challenges: - [Describe difficulties encountered]
Solutions: - [How you addressed challenges]
Visual Documentation: - [Describe or reference photos/sketches from this phase]
Phase 3: [Name of Phase - e.g., “Creation”]
Activities: - [List main activities during this phase]
Key Decisions: - [Note important choices made]
Challenges: - [Describe difficulties encountered]
Solutions: - [How you addressed challenges]
Visual Documentation: - [Describe or reference photos/sketches from this phase]
Phase 4: [Name of Phase - e.g., “Refinement”]
Activities: - [List main activities during this phase]
Key Decisions: - [Note important choices made]
Challenges: - [Describe difficulties encountered]
Solutions: - [How you addressed challenges]
Visual Documentation: - [Describe or reference photos/sketches from this phase]
Final Outcome
Description of Final Project: [Detailed description of the completed work]
How It Meets Original Goals: [Analysis of how the final project fulfills your initial intentions]
Unexpected Outcomes: [Note any surprising or unplanned aspects of the final result]
Visual Documentation: - [Describe or reference photos of the completed project]
Reflection
What Worked Well: - [List aspects of the project that were successful]
What I Would Do Differently: - [Note what you might change in a future iteration]
Key Learnings: - [List important things you learned during this project]
Skills Developed: - [Note specific skills you improved or acquired]
Connection to Future Work: - [How this project might influence your future creative work]
Technical Specifications
Dimensions/Size: [Physical dimensions or digital specifications]
Technical Details: [Any relevant technical information about construction, code, etc.]
Care/Maintenance Notes: [If applicable, how to maintain or care for the project]
Acknowledgments
Assistance Received: - [Note any help or input from others]
Special Thanks: - [Acknowledge significant contributions or support]