Creativity in times of crisis
REPORT
By Adriana Cibelli
International Correspondent
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Being this is my first note, I would like to take a line with due thanks. First of all, I want to thank Mr. David Pells for having kindly accepted my collaboration in this publication. And also, to thank my friend, colleague and predecessor in this space, Cecilia Boggi, for having invited me to continue her impeccable work. I will do my best not to disappoint all that trust!!
This new reality of confinement and social isolation, in the current COVID-19 crisis, has challenged us all, and in all aspects of our lives.
I think that for all those people whose work is based on a team, the challenge has been even greater, facing them with the need of finding new ways to connect with each other that could supply direct, face-to-face relationships.
All of them were faced with the urgent need of being much more creative and innovative.
But many were absolutely disruptive and took the solutions one step further, surprising us all and delighting us with new ways of sharing, even at the distance.
As in any crisis, in this particular one of the Coronavirus, there are also opportunities and in this short time of confinement, I have seen many creative projects managed in such an effective way, that prompted me to count them in these reports, as proof that managing with proper practices can lead to wonderful results.
This is the case of Alejandra Arbat, Innovation Leader of a company of the private sector in Argentina and nowadays also owner of the new venture called Bar OnLine, who along with her coworker, Franco Tirabasso (Innovation Catalyst of the same organization and now her partner in Bar OnLine), felt that they had to put together a relaxed activity to reconnect with their work team, since before the isolation they shared moments of talk and relaxation, but they could no longer do so.
Having that need as a starting point and under the premise that “creativity is generating ideas from things that already exist”, they created an original experience.
They had as an essential condition that this team meeting could not be simply a video call and that it should allow them to recreate an experience similar to the one they had in their after offices every week. Once the need was raised, they began to generate ideas and the winner was to build an online bar that could provide, just like in real life, freedom to move in different groups, deal with various topics of conversation simultaneously, and have the possibility of leaving a talk and joining another without leaving the bar.
With tools they knew and had at their fingertips, they put together the prototype of an online bar to offer a different proposal.
This initial version of the virtual bar consisted of a space for access and welcome, from which everyone could go to any of the available rooms, according to the theme that was most attractive to them.
More…
To read entire report, click here
How to cite this report: Cibelli, A. (2020). Creativity in times of crisis: July 2020 Project Management Update from Argentina, PM World Journal, Vol. IX, Issue VII, July. Available online at: https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/pmwj95-Jul2020-Cibelli-Argentina-Report.pdf
About the Author
Adriana Cibelli
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Adriana Cibelli, PMP is Director of activePMO, a Project Management and Leadership consulting services and training firm in Argentina.
Adriana has a degree in Electronic Engineering from Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a post degree in Design of Intelligent Buildings, from the same university and has managed projects for more than 20 years. She is a professor and director of Project Management and Leadership programs in some important Universities of Argentina and an International speaker. Adriana holds the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential, is certified as Scrum Master (CSM) from Scrum Alliance, PMO-CP from PMO Global Alliance, and an SDI Certified Facilitator from Personal Strengths©.
Mrs. Cibelli is member and volunteer of PMI, has been Professional Development VP of the Board of Directors of PMI Buenos Aires and is the former Governance & Policies VP in the same chapter. Elected President in 2019, Adriana will become President of the PMI Buenos Aires Chapter on January 1st, 2021. She is currently working as a coordinator for the C.A.P.A. committee with the goal of integrating efforts and sharing resources between Argentinian PMI Chapters.
Adriana serves as an international correspondent for the PM World Journal in Argentina since February 2020. She can be contacted at adriana@activepmo.com and www.activepmo.com.
