Recently, two of our developers Phill and Jon attended this year’s Awwwards Conference in Valencia.
Being the sensacion du jour, AI was going to have a lot of discourse. And for Amigo, we have put ourselves at the forefront of the latest trend of modern technology, so the more information on the topic from industry leaders, the better.
But the underlying current of the Conference was about harnessing creativity through individual and collective, and this goes further than AI. For Phill and Jon, it was a reminder that creativity at its core is messy, iterative, and imperfect—and that’s exactly where the magic happens
Phill has written his key takeaways from some of his favourite talks. They serve as lessons we can thread into our day-to-day.
THROUGH AGENCY
The Conference opened with a rallying cry for smaller, more agile teams. Claudio Guglieri’s, Head of Design at Opal, central thesis was simple. Small, focused teams with shared goals can often outpace and outperform larger, more bureaucratic teams. For him, the key is not to overcomplicate workflows with rigid frameworks because this can often stifle creativity but to find people you can trust. “Say what youʼll do, do what you said, and say what you didˮ was his key lesson to live by.
Jean-François Chainé, Co-founder and Vice-President of Operations at Locomotive, shared lessons he’s learned from keeping his agency intentionally small. In his talk The Future of Small Teams, he spoke about putting people first. That we shouldn’t waste time looking for the perfect client. Instead, focus on finding projects and partners that align with the employee’s values and passions. He argued that great work doesn’t come from chasing big names or high-profile clients, but from finding galvanising subjects. Growth is not just about increasing profits but about ensuring that the people involved in the journey enjoy it—and thatʼs where the magic happens.
Key takeaway: Efficiency and creativity come from simplicity and the collective strength of a small, aligned team. For smaller teams, finding individuals who can wear multiple hats and adapt to changing needs is key. But to truly harness this power, there needs to be shared goals and most importantly, trust.
At Amigo: We are almost flat structured in leadership. It’s helped to advance our more junior employees faster and create a wider pool of creative thought. We have found another key driver in creativity is a range of ethnicities and backgrounds. It’s something we want to push further in the future.
THROUGH AI
It seemed that most speakers had a similar view on how AI would affect the creative sector.
Ryan Zhang, co-founder of Motiff, framed his talk around the four eras of design: From the pixel era to vector design, to the era of collaboration, and now, to the age of AI. This historical perspective offered a lens through which to view AI as simply the next step in design’s evolution, rather than a disruption to fear.
Diego Blanco, founder of Hanzo, opened with the idea that change is the only constant, especially in the fast-paced world of digital design. He spoke about how agencies must adapt or risk becoming obsolete. And Liva Grinberga, Design Director at Code dʼAzure, spoke candidly about the anxiety that often accompanies the introduction of new technologies.
One of Liva Grinberga’s key points was that when designers feel overwhelmed by new tools or technology, they tend to retreat to familiar methods, stifling innovation in the process. Liva urged the audience to shift their mindset, viewing AI not as an adversary but as an ally—one that can handle the tedious, time-consuming tasks, allowing designers to focus on what they do best: creating.
Diego Blanco had a similar idea, that AI can free up the most important commodity, time. Often this is what it takes to stay ahead in the design world. It’s more than keeping up with trends. He stressed that agencies must invest in training their teams to work with AI, ensuring that theyʼre not left behind as the industry evolves.
Three different perspectives, but one main theme. AI is here to stay and agencies need to find a way to harness it, not run from it.
Jonas Lempa echoed this in his talk Building the Future of Product Design. He asked the audience to consider why time is equated with money, urging listeners to rethink their approach to the creative process. The true value is often delivered in the first 30%, but the remaining 70%—the fine-tuning, the polishing—is where the bulk of time (and budget) is spent.
Key takeaway: Use AI to save time. This isn’t about replacing the designer but about offering a tool that can make the design process faster, more efficient, and more versatile—freeing up designers to focus on creative strategy and big-picture thinking.
At Amigo: When we decided to embrace AI, the key was to create a framework that meant we could amplify creativity. Over a nine-month period we invested heavily in R&D on a plan, test and learn approach and spoke internally to create our Augmented CreativityTM framework, which allows us to use AI as a tool on a circa 80% human and 20% AI split. So, as well as elevating decision making, creativity and research, we are amplifying our emotional intelligence. We must remember to use always AI in this way.
THROUGH OURSELVES
Olha Olianishyna spoke about the importance of side projects. The thought here was simple. Side projects offer the freedom to make mistakes and often leads to the most innovative ideas. They are an opportunity to experiment, take risks, and learn. It was a refreshing reminder that some of the most impactful creative work happens when there are no constraints.
Breaking creative boundaries was also discussed by Zhenya Rynzhuk, co-founder of Synchronized,
in her talk"Coloring Outside the Lines.” She argued that consciously or unconsciously, too many creatives fall into the trap replicating whatʼs already been done. Her belief was that standing out in requires not drastic measures and producing something different but subtle shifts in perspective and execution. It was a reminder to intentionally explore new territories in design, art, and creative work. The key is to embrace individuality.
Nathan Riley and Tom Anderson from Unseen Studio took the audience through their agencyʼs journey of trial and error in their talk, "Our (Im)Perfect Process." They were refreshingly transparent about the mistakes they’ve made along the way. One of the most valuable lessons they shared was the importance of being intentional with time and resources. Their story of taking on a massive WebGL project early in their career, which involved over 3,000 hours of work and an investment of £110k, served as a reminder that not all projects result in financial gain—but they can lead to significant growth in other areas.
Key takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of passion projects and constantly look to further create on your own. Often, it’s easy to get caught up in the constraints of client work. But find time to create without restriction and this will translate into your work. And of course, the lifelong message will always stand true. Never be afraid to make mistakes.
At Amigo: We call ourselves a creative agency, so that is what we should be. We have spoken about how AI and the right environment can help foster a range of ideas and diverse thought. And we must continue to have our people as our main driver, encouraging creativity as much as possible.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After two packed days at the Awwwards Conference 2024, one thing became abundantly clear: the future of design is not just about mastering tools, it’s about redefining how we, as creatives, engage with them.
I found myself thinking about finding balance through this constant tension between creativity and automation. The solution for speakers—like Claudio Guglieri and Christine Vallaure—was to focus on the beauty of simplicity, autonomy, and small teams, stressing that humans are still the core of innovation and creativity remains a deeply human experience, shaped by our emotions, culture, and personal experiences.
As we move forward, the key will be to harness AI without letting it strip away the essence of our work.
If there’s one thing I’m taking away from the Awwwards Conference, it’s this: AI is the future, but the future is nothing without the heart and soul that we bring to it.
In a world that’s changing faster than ever, the creatives who thrive will be those who can blend the best of both worlds—using AI to empower their work without ever losing sight of the human touch. Weʼre not just designing for the future; we’re shaping it, one beautifully imperfect, human-driven idea at a time.