Those stories became an important part of the project, because they lightened it up. By the second day, the charette participants start to evaluate the ideas that they've generated to determine whether those ideas support the project's objectives. They create an A list, a B list, and a C list of the ideas that survive. As the SEALs refine the ideas from the charette, the group isn't shy about eliminating the ones that don't seem to be serving the overall theme and objectives. As they mature, they figure out that this is a group effort.
Difference is power.
The best ideas come from a very heterogeneous mix of people, Ault says. All members of the group are comfortable juggling several projects simultaneously, though some of them cycle out of the creative-development group to see a project to completion. It's almost a vacation to be able to work on a project long term, instead of having to hold four or five or six projects in your head at one time. On one project, a SEAL might be producing sketches for a colleague who is serving as art director, but on another project, those roles might be reversed. Free master's degrees.