What Is The Creative Catalyst?

The Creative Catalyst is a monthly design community call focused on sparking creativity, sharing inspiration, and improving design practice. It's more than just a meeting — it's a space for designers across different teams and levels to come together, share ideas, and stay up-to-date with the latest trends inside and outside BT.

The purpose of the call is simple: inspire creativity, improve design practice, and ensure that every designer has access to the latest insights and resources. But it wasn’t always this streamlined.

The Journey to Building the Community

Identifying the Need

When I started at BT, I quickly realized that there were a lot of talented designers in the company, but they weren’t connecting as much as they could be. While people were already sharing their work, the interactions felt limited. I saw an opportunity to create a community where designers could learn from each other and stay engaged with the latest industry trends.

Learning from My Mentor

Inspiration struck when I looked at a community call that had been set up by my previous manager, called The Pulse. It was and still is a weekly product community call where both internal and external speakers share their insights. The call was a huge success, and seeing how this weekly event was run sparked a sense of possibility in me. I realised I could do something similar for the design team, but with my own spin.

The problem was, I wanted to showcase design leadership, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. My first attempt was to create a smaller, intimate call with just 8-10 designers, focusing on discussing design trends. While the discussions were great, I quickly realised the format wasn't scalable. 

Redefining the Vision

After reflecting on this, I decided to shift my approach. I thought, What if I could take this call beyond just talking about design trends? What if it could be a space to foster genuine creativity, share inspiration, and help designers build their confidence in their presentation skills and develop their craft? This led me to rebrand the call and introduce a monthly format.

The inception of the Creative Catalyst 🧪

I reached out to some of my trusted networks for guidance and even consulted GenAI to brainstorm ideas. With new insights in hand, I rebranded the call as The Creative Catalyst 🧪. This was a call dedicated to inspiring designers, sharing inspirational work, and diving deep into design practices.

The change worked! The new format and fresh branding started to gain traction. Initially, we had around 20-30 attendees each month. But the true turning point came when I invited my first external guest speaker, David Fisher — a network I had kept in touch with since my university days. The event was a massive success, with over 65 attendees tuning in.

Scaling and Sustaining the Success

The success of the Creative Catalyst didn’t stop there. Word spread, and soon, even our design director was attending the call. I was regularly reaching out to my network to find great speakers, and more and more designers were joining the call.

Today, I even have a handbook to help train others on how to host these calls, ensuring that the community continues to thrive. The Creative Catalyst has become a must-attend event for designers at BT, and it’s become a cornerstone of our design culture.

Key Takeaways for Anyone Looking to Build a Design Community Call

1. Start Small, But Think Big

Don’t be afraid to start with a small group of people. I started with just 8-10 designers, but I always kept the big picture in mind. It’s important to stay adaptable as you grow and iterate on your ideas.

2. Branding and Promotion Matter

At first, I didn’t know how to promote the call, which led to low traction. Once I rebranded the call and added a more professional approach to scheduling and outreach, the response increased significantly.

3. Consistency is Key

In order to maintain interest, it’s crucial to have a set schedule for these calls. I now have a recurring monthly cadence, which gives everyone something to look forward to. Regularity and predictability keep people engaged and make them more likely to join.

4. Make It Casual and Accessible

The Creative Catalyst isn’t about long, formal presentations. It’s about creating a laid-back, welcoming space where everyone can contribute. As a host, I make sure to set the tone, so attendees feel comfortable sharing their ideas and insights.

5. Invest Time in Networking

Whether it’s reaching out to external speakers or connecting with other designers in your organization, investing time in networking is essential. The success of the Creative Catalyst was driven in part by my strong professional network and my willingness to reach out and engage with new people.

6. Delegate and Scale

As the event grew, I realized I couldn’t do everything myself. I created a handbook for others to follow and even started training other designers to host the calls. This helped scale the community without overwhelming me.

How You Can Create a Design Community in Your Organisation

If you're inspired by my experience and want to create your own community call, here are some steps to follow:

Pre-Event Actions:

• Book Speakers Early: It's best to secure speakers at least two months in advance.

• Get the Details: Ask your speakers for their job title, team name, and the topic they’ll discuss.

• Promote the Call: Make sure you’re reaching out to your internal network and using all your communication channels (Slack, Teams, email) to promote the event.

Event Day:

• Set the Tone: When hosting, introduce the purpose of the call and ensure that it’s relaxed and inspiring.

• Segment the Call: Use a mix of inspiration and practice-based slots to keep it engaging.

Post-Event Actions:

• Follow Up: Thank the speakers, summarize key takeaways, and let everyone know when the next call is.