Work that works

A few years back, there was an outbreak of manifestoes (or is it manifesti?). I'm not sure what the collective noun is for manifestoes, but I'll go for a manifest of manifestoes. They were everywhere, from boardroom walls to your TV screen.

But, like every fad, manifestoes were popular for a reason. They are a nifty, shorthand (usually) way of reminding you what you're about. I have recently found a great example for Planners on the Canalside View Blog. It's a few years old now, but just as relevant for Planners old and new as it was then.

The first point is the best one. Stimulate work that works. I say it's the best one as, years ago, this was our single-minded proposition for Planning at Saatchis. Note that it's about stimulation, not inspiration. There is a difference.

The other 23 points (OK, a bit much, but I always knew Planners did more work than anyone else in the agency!) are mostly good, with some gems and one or two duds (or, rather, generalisations):

Give a sh*t about the work
Create the conditions for great work
Be brave
Go beyond the brief
Speak with authority
Make research your friend
Be multi-faceted
Be a source of clarity (hooray!)
Speak the truth
Define the problem
Embrace iteration
Offer solutions, not just strategies
Shape behaviour
Deal in the specific
Cultivate many relationships
Work through conversation
Beware of Case Studies
See people not consumers (hooray!)
Balance the new and the old
Be interesting
Make something
Work comfortably in public
Have fun

Not much to it, is there?