This paper describes recent research conducted at Sheffield Hallam University in which practicing designers reported on their experiences of working in a cross functional team. The survey related these experiences to the designers’ attitudes to their creativity. Two models for creativity are proposed - one based on the romantic stereotype of the creative genius, the other taking creativity to be an attribute posessed by all human beings in some measure, which can be enhanced by personal effort or by training. Identifying features of cross functional teams which are likely to demand certain personal qualities in designers, the paper notes that these are at odds with the qualities of a ‘romantic - type’ creative person. The link between these qualities, and notions of personality as a set of fixed attributes is pointed out. Several theories of personality which describe mechanisms for change in self identity are described. It is noted that the results of the survey suggest that in many cases designers have a pragmatic attitude to their creativity, despite the prevalence of the romantic stereotype for creativity in the literature of both management and education. Principles are suggested for design education, to enable designers to reflexively re-evaluate creativity as a component of their self identity to enhance their performance as teamworkers.
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