Post-it-war done right

A creative workshop needs post-its. No brainstorming session without post-its. They have shaped companies for decades and have not disappeared despite digitalization. Alongside a flipchart, these colorful pieces of paper are part of the basic equipment for any creative process within a company. They are suitable for writing down spontaneous. ideas, stick them on a wall and then organize them according to priority, for example. Post-it notes can be easily moved and rearranged. This promotes the thought process, as studies show. 

Post-its stylized as art 

Because Post-it notes are available in abundance in many companies, another form of their use emerged in Paris ten years ago. Instead of jotting down ideas on them at workshops, the so-called "Post-it-war" emerged in Paris. Office windows were suddenly adorned with colorful works of art, some of which were very elaborately staged and stretched over dozens of meters. The eye-catchers were a clear expression against boredom in the workplace. The result was a real movement that spread to hundreds of Parisian companies.

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Instead of using the yellow, green or orange pieces of paper as reminder notes on the desk, they were used for huge works of art. They depicted heroes from Super Mario or even Asterix and Obelix. They were inspired by pop art. Starting as a competition between computer manufacturer Ubisoft and PNP Paribas Bank, the movement spread throughout Paris within a few weeks. The Post-it creations not only helped to boost morale, but also encouraged contact between employees.

Still indispensable for a workshop

However, the Post-it war also raised the question of the purpose of sticky notepads. The world-famous product from the American company 3M was originally intended to keep things tidy in everyday working life. The "misuse" for huge art motifs, which led to an immense demand for Post-its, cast doubt on the actual use of the sticky notes. However, there are still reasons why Post-its can be useful for a creative process within the company:

Offline and physical

Missing wifi connections or non-functioning projectors in meeting rooms - who hasn't experienced this? Sticky notes can be used anywhere, don't need electricity and can be attached easily and offline.  

Ready for immediate use

Post-its can be rearranged and moved several times if they are handled with some care. Anyone can use them immediately and intuitively without training and give free rein to their ideas. 

Always and everywhere present

There are now digital whiteboards, such as those from Lucidspark, which provide a virtual image of Post-its. However, the problem with such "digital" sticky notes is that they disappear in a cloud or on a laptop memory. A visible structure with sticky notes and individual handwriting, on the other hand, remains present and sticks in people's minds.

Fun, games and excitement

The colorful objects are touchable and therefore tangible. The haptic experience is fun and connects teams in a way that a digital tool can hardly achieve. A brainstorming session, for example, is immediately and directly visible. The board is actively perceived by the participants and can be worked on in a way that software cannot achieve.

Visibility is required

With a collection of post-its on a wall, the individual words are no longer visible from a certain distance. However, the participants still want their ideas, notes and words to be noticed. That's why they instinctively choose few words for their idea and focus on the essentials. 

Flexibility promotes thought processes

Structures, relationships, tasks, processes and departments can be easily depicted with Post-its and reimagined again and again. Thanks to the different sizes and colors, Post-its can be used to create a wide range of variations and shapes.

Visualization is clear

Defining new processes and procedures is an abstract matter for many people. Post-its can be used to visualize and represent them, triggering other areas of our thought process.

Recording can be done digitally

Once the participants in a workshop have "let off steam" with Post-its for the first time, there is usually someone who takes a photo of the whole thing on their smartphone to document it. However, there are now digital recording tools for this process that automatically capture the handwritten notes on the pieces of paper. These ideas can then be incorporated into the creative process.

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