Why We Focus on Process, Not Just Outcomes
A deep dive into the value of reflection, creative documentation, and resilience.
At TICE, we’re often asked why our projects place such strong emphasis on process. After all, the final piece, a song, a short film, a fashion collection, or a photography series, is usually what gets shared, showcased, and celebrated. But for us, it’s what happens along the way that really matters.
The Power of the Process Book
Every TICE project includes the creation of a process book. Think of it as a creative diary meets portfolio: a space for students to document their journey from the first spark of an idea through research, experiments, challenges, pivots, and final reflections.
This isn’t busywork. It’s a method grounded in three core values:
Reflection: Looking back at each stage allows students to see how their ideas developed, what worked, and what didn’t.
Creative Documentation: By capturing moodboards, experiments, notes, and feedback, students create a record of their creativity that they can share with universities, future employers, or simply revisit years later.
Resilience: Process books prove that stumbling blocks are part of creativity. They show the messy middle, the problem-solving, and the persistence behind a polished outcome.
Why It Matters Beyond School
In the creative industries, employers and universities don’t just want to see a finished product. They want to understand how someone thinks, adapts, and innovates. A sketch, a storyboard, a scrapped idea, these are as valuable as the final piece, because they reveal the designer, musician, or filmmaker behind the work.
Our mentors, many of whom are practising creatives, will tell you the same: when applying for jobs or pitching to clients, process is often the deal-breaker.
Building Creative Confidence
By the end of a TICE project, the process book is often just as celebrated as the final outcome. Students surprise themselves by seeing how far they’ve come. They begin to understand that creativity isn’t about a flash of genius, it’s about curiosity, persistence, and being open to change.
And that’s why we’ll always champion process over product. Because the skills learned along the way, such as reflection, documentation, and resilience, last far longer than a single outcome.
What’s next?
In 2025–26, every TICE project will continue to centre on process. Whether it’s Witherwill (illustration), Kintentional Collage (fashion), Echoes of Our Heritage (music), or Wish You Were Here (photography), students will leave with not only a creative outcome but a process book that tells their full story.