The Creativity in Public Sector Survey assessed the opinions and perspectives of public sector creative employees across a variety of topics, including workplace environment, private sector competition and mobile investment. Conducted by Edelman Intelligence, it polled 175 public sector employees at the local/municipal, state/provincial and federal levels in the U.S. and Canada working in creative communications, design and program management.

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Adobe
Creativity in the Public Sector

2. 2
Methodology
WHO HOW MANY HOW WHEN
Public sector
creative employees
in the U.S. and
Canada
N=175
(N=150 in U.S., and
N=25 in Canada)
Online and phone
(N=76 online, and
N=100 phone)
September 15 -
October 12, 2015

3. 3ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Key Insights
• Creative communications and design that are grounded in data have become vital for government in today’s digital world–
making government employees more effective and efficient and also enabling the government to better serve its
constituents
o Ninety-four percent of public sector employees see data and analytics as vital to the creative process.
o Public sector employees (89 percent) say that creative communications and design helps them achieve their mission.
• Mobile is changing the face of creativity and design, but public sector employees have yet to fully utilize its potential.
o Only half are using mobile for collaboration and the ability to create content and capture inspiration anywhere.
o Mobile is being used by less than a third as a digital portfolio or as a device to present creative concepts.
• Public sector employees who work in the creative space see a gap between government’s potential and reality when it
comes to creativity.
o Ninety-four percent of public sector employees say that government should be as creative as business, yet only 46 percent say
government currently is as creative as business.
o Eighty-six percent of public sector employees say creative communications is indispensable to a successful government
workplace.
• Creative communications and design are undervalued by government and will continue to be if public sector creativity does
not become a priority for senior management and a workplace culture shift occurs.
o Seventy-three percent of public sector employees say creativity is undervalued in government entities.
o One of the most significant barriers to creativity in the public sector is the slow approval process, according to public sector
employees.
• Government’s inability to provide training and the tools needed to foster a creative environment leaves employees falling
short of their creative potential.
o According to public sector employees, the top three most significant barriers to fostering a creative environment is the slow
approval process, access to the right technology, and security concerns.

4. 4ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Creative communications and design that are grounded
in data insights have become vital for government in
today’s digital world
94%
91%
91%
89%
86%
Use of consumer data and analytics is vital to the
creative process
The creative industry has changed more in the last 5
years compared to the previous 50 years
Creative communications and design is critical in
today’s digital world
Creative communications and design is becoming
more important in government departments and
entities
Creative communications and design is
indispensable to successful government workplaces
Q1: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
Creative Communications & Design in the Public Sector
Strongly Agree
32%
43%
49%
34%
28%
% total agree

5. 5ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Creative communications not only makes the public
sector more efficient, but it also enables the government
to better serve
89%
89%
89%
89%
89%
88%
87%
Communicate more effectively
Work more efficiently
Are better able to achieve their mission
Provide better services and tools for citizens
Are better able to serve constituents
Are better able to connect with people
Are better able to attract and retain top talent
Q2: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
Benefits of Creative Communications & Design
Strongly Agree
48%
43%
34%
36%
36%
43%
40%
% total agree

6. 6ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Public sector employees believe government
should be as creative as business, but they
believe it currently falls short of expectations
Q1: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
GOVERNMENT IS
AS CREATIVE AS
BUSINESS
46%
AGREE
GOVERNMENT
SHOULD BE AS
CREATIVE AS
BUSINESS
94%
AGREE
Public vs. Private Sector Creativity
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Disagree

7. 7ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
The gold standard of creativity are technology companies
– Google, Apple – but NASA is the most creative federal
agency
Q4: When you think about highly creative government departments, entities or properties (e.g., publications, mobile apps, etc.), what or who comes to mind?
Q6: When you think about highly creative private sector companies that government departments or entities should be emulating, what companies come to mind?
Highly Creative Private Sector CompaniesHighly Creative Public Sector Entities

8. 8ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
High quality image content is seen as the top driver of
creativity in the public sector
32%
29%
27%
26%
24%
22%
20%
19%
Use high quality imagery in communications
Are creative in how they reach the public
Have a well-designed website
Communications work well across multiple devices
Have creative campaign ideas
Use social media effectively
Release visually compelling communications
Have adopted mobile technologies
Q5: What, specifically, makes these government departments and entities stand out as highly creative?
Drivers of Being Seen as Highly Creative in Public Sector

9. 9ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
51%
49%
42%
39%
31%
27%
15%
I'm using mobile to collaborate
I can create content anywhere
I can capture inspiration in the
moment and on the go
My work is now accessible to a
broader audience
I'm using mobile as a digital portfolio
I'm using mobile devices to present
creative concepts
It has created more output mediums
which makes my job harder
Mobile is changing the face of design by fostering
increased collaboration, the ability to create content
anywhere, and the capacity to capture inspiration at a
moments notice
Q1: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
Q3: How have mobile devices changed your creative process?
95%
Impact of Mobile on Creative Process
Believe mobile is
transforming the face
of creativity and design
Mobile & Creativity
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Disagree

10. 10ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
14%
19%
26%
76%
60%
Less valued No change More valued
The value of creative professionals in government is
increasing, but creativity is still undervalued in
government
Q7: Thinking about the government entities in general, would you say creativity is highly valued or undervalued?
Q8: Are creative professionals in government agencies more or less valued compared to 5 years ago, or has it not changed?
Q9: In the next 3 years, how, if at all do you see the future of creative professionals in government entities changing?
How the Creative Role is Changing
73%
Believe creativity is
undervalued in
government entities
Value of Creativity in Public Sector
Compared to 5 years ago…
In the next 3 years…
14%
15%

11. 11ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
There is room for increased creativity in government as
most public sector employees are not realizing their full
creative potential
Q1: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
Q10: Using a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 is “not at all creative” and 5 is “highly creative”, how would you rate the government department or entity where currently you work? (TOP 2 BOX, ”5”, “4”)
Q11/12: Do you feel you/your colleagues are living up to your/their creative potential in your current job?
Impact of Creativity on Public Sector Job Satisfaction
47% don’t feel
they are living up to
their creative
potential
41% would consider leaving their current job for one that allowed more creativity
57% don’t rate their
own government
department/entity as
highly creative
57% don’t feel
their colleagues
are living up to
their creative
potential

12. 12ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Creative public sector employees believe lengthy
approval processes stifle their creativity
Q1: How much you agree or disagree with each? (TOP 2 BOX, “STRONGLY AGREE”, “SOMEWHAT AGREE”)
GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES ARE
UNDER
PRESSURE TO BE
PRODUCTIVE
RATHER THAN
CREATIVE
53%
AGREE
LENGTHY
APPROVAL
PROCESSES
STIFLE
CREATIVITY
70%
AGREE
Barriers to Public Sector Creativity
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Disagree

13. 13ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Public sector creativity is limited by little to no access to
training, the right software and technology
Q13: Using a 1 to 5 scale where “1” means the item is not currently a barrier to creativity in government and “5” means it is a significant barrier, please rate each item based on your own experiences. (MEAN RATING)
1 Slow approval processes
2 Don’t have access to the right software or technology
3 Security concerns
4 Not a priority for senior management
5 Don’t have the right staff
Most Significant Barriers to Public Sector Creativity
6 Little or no access to training
7 Risk averse workplace culture
8 Not enough time
9 Limited budgets

14. 14ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Public sector employees focus on process to foster
creativity in government
D14: Finally, what advice do you have for government departments and entities as they seek to foster creative communications and design?
Advice for Fostering Creativity
Leverage Technology Invest in Training Staff Encourage and Reward
Creativity

15. 15ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
77%
81%
77%
Public sector creatives in Canada tend to feel the effects
of red tape on their creative process more than their U.S.
counterparts
94%
68%
49%
The creative industry has
changed more in the last 5
years compared to the previous
50 years
Lengthy approval processes in
government entities stifles
creative communications and
design
Government employees are
under pressure to be productive
rather than creative
Differences in Creative Communications Between U.S. and Canada
∆ Between U.S. and
Canada
-17%
+13%
+28%

16. 16ADOBE | CREATIVITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
CATEGORY SUBCATEGORY %
Gender
Male 61%
Female 39%
Country
United States 85%
Canada 15%
Age
18 to 34 29%
35 to 44 41%
45 to 54 18%
55 to 64 10%
65+ 1%
Job Level
Administration/Executive 7%
Director 13%
Supervisor 20%
Program manager 16%
Specialist 27%
Project manager 15%
Demographics
Sample was designed to be representative of U.S. registered voters based on data from
Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the Bureau of the Census
CATEGORY SUBCATEGORY %
Type of Government
Entity
Local/Municipal 18%
State/Provincial 44%
Federal 32%
Defense 5%
Contractor 1%
Type of Role
Communications 43%
Design 34%
Program management 24%
Design Software
Usage
User 70%
Manager/Influencer 11%
Years in Public Sector
Role
Less than 2 years 18%
3-5 years 35%
6+ years 48%
Private Sector
Experience
Yes 53%
No 47%