- Words
- It's Nice That
- Illustrations
- Rui Pu
- —
- Date
- 30 April 2025
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Which creative archetype are you?
Not all creative brains are wired the same. Our latest quiz, developed with Air, identifies four creative archetypes to help you better understand your workflow, maybe even embrace it, and learn how to adapt it to work smarter.
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Air automates how you collect, approve, and share content. We call this Creative Ops. Learn more at air.inc/airitout
Whether you’re the person who colour-codes their folders or the one who saves everything to “finalfinal2_v4_ACTUALLYfinal”, your workflow says a lot about you. However you work — part habit, part instinct, part survival strategy — you’re not alone.
We asked you to share your workflow woes in our recent Air It Out Hotline survey, and one thing became clear: creative workflow is as personal as it is unpredictable. Some thrive in the mess, others live by structure. Some swear by the power of collaboration, while others keep a tight grip on every pixel. From these patterns, we’ve partnered with Air to help you understand your working style – so you can adapt, improve, and complement it, without reinventing yourself.
So… where do you land in all of this? To find out, take our creative archetype quiz.
The Creatively Chaotic
Your best work happens in spontaneous bursts — but your lack of structure is one ‘delete folder’ away from catastrophe.
Your superpower:
Creative instinct. You work fast, think big, and chase ideas like butterflies.
Your struggle:
File-naming disasters. Missed deadlines. Desktop entropy.
“I recreated ten designs the day of delivery because my files were deleted during a sync.” — Air It Out Hotline submission
You’re not alone:
More than a third of our respondents said their biggest blocker was “file chaos”. That rogue folder marked “DO NOT USE (ACTUALLY FINAL)”? A shared experience.
How to work smarter (without changing who you are):
- Automate file-saving and backups — you’ll forget, and that’s okay.
- Use smart search to find what you misnamed in a rush.
- Build a light-touch system that keeps pace with your creativity.
How Air can help:
Real-time sync, version control, and search that finds “aaaaaaah.psd” even if you don’t remember saving it.
Rui Pu for It’s Nice That (Copyright © It’s Nice That)
The Precision Engineer
You believe everything should have its place. And while your system is a thing of beauty, not everyone else is on board.
Your superpower:
Structure. You bring logic and calm to the creative chaos.
Your struggle:
Perfectionism. Slowdowns. A touch of “if you want it done right…”
“If a file isn’t named properly, does it even exist?”
“Searching for files takes me 20 minutes every time. I’m this close to renaming everything myself.” — Air It Out Hotline submission
You’re not alone:
48.4 per cent of people told us finding files takes way too long. You’ve seen it. You’ve fought it. And you’re probably still waiting for the team to use your folder template.
How to work smarter (without slowing down):
- Use tools that respect your structure (and don’t break it).
- Let automation handle the repetitive bits.
- Build shared protocols that are realistically adoptable.
How Air can help:
Asset organisation with visible version history, collaborative naming conventions, and structured feedback built in.
Rui Pu for It’s Nice That (Copyright © It’s Nice That)
The Collaborative Conductor
You live for the group chat. You’re on three calls before lunch. You bring the vibes. But your workflow? Slightly held together by sticky notes and willpower.
Your superpower:
People. You keep the energy high and the project moving.
Your struggle:
Constant pings. Too many meetings. Herding cats.
“We spend so much time aligning that we forget to actually do the work.”
“My whole job is trying to stop things falling between the cracks.”— Air It Out Hotline submission
You’re not alone:
40.7 per cent of creatives said collating and actioning feedback is what slows them down most. Sound familiar?
How to work smarter (without losing the magic):
- Centralise feedback so nothing gets lost in the mix.
- Cap approval rounds — seriously.
- Use async where possible to protect your focus time.
How Air can help:
Everything — assets, versions, comments — all in one place, with team-friendly approval flows that work across time zones.
Rui Pu for It’s Nice That (Copyright © It’s Nice That)
The Lone Wolf Innovator
You want space. You want clarity. You want people to stop asking, “Can we hop on a quick call?”
Your superpower:
Focus. You go deep. You make magic alone.
Your struggle:
Communication. Distractions. Being forced into collaborative workshops.
“Please, no more meetings with 12 people talking at once.”
“I wish people would trust me to get it done without check-ins.” — Air It Out Hotline submission
You’re not alone:
A huge chunk of their community-cited meetings and real-time collab are the biggest derailers to your process.
How to work smarter (without over communicating):
- Set clear expectations and boundaries up front.
- Use async tools to share progress without getting dragged into chats.
- Make space for the deep work you’re best at.
How Air can help:
Share feedback, track versions, and collaborate — without needing a single call. Just peace, focus, and clean file trails.
Rui Pu for It’s Nice That (Copyright © It’s Nice That)
Actually useful advice (no matter your type)
Whether you’re thriving in chaos or craving more control, here are four quick ways to make your workflow suck less:
- Name your files like you mean it
Even a basic “Project_Client_Date” setup can save hours. - Centralise feedback
No more trawling email threads or decoding Slack DMs. - Limit revisions
Set a cap. Communicate it. Stick to it. - Automate the admin
If you’re still re-uploading and re-saving things manually… stop.
Ready to find your type?
Take the quiz. See which archetype you are. Share it (or send it to the colleague who really needs to). And if you’re ready to tame your process without giving up your personality, the Air It Out Hotline is open.
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Illustrations: Rui Pu for It’s Nice That (Copyright © It’s Nice That)
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