Creativity is a Team Sport: Creative Technologists as MVPs

As we spoke over lunch, Daniel sat in one of the corners of our Lagos office, fiddling with his iPhone. “Most people don’t get what we do in the Technology Team,” he said with a smile. “They think it’s all enums and tags, but what we do is far from juggling weird symbols on a screen.”

In a world that demands experiences as beautiful as they are functional, a world where products need to not only look good but also work flawlessly, creative technologists are the unseen hands behind much of the magic we encounter daily. They are the ones turning sketches into reality, breathing life into ideas, and ensuring that every pixel, animation, or interaction has a soul.

Daniel, or A.D., as he is fondly called, is a senior creative technologist at Check, and while many in his life might see him as the “tech bro” - his work, like that of the entire Technology Team, is much more profound.

"Most people think we just take the design and turn it into a working website or app," A.D. continued, pointing at an open laptop where code scrolled endlessly. "But it’s much more than that. We’re part of the design process from the start. Our role is to figure out how far we can push the concept, how we can make it smarter, faster, more engaging. It’s about understanding both the technology and the end user.”

INSTEAD OF JUST RUNNING WITH IT

To understand the role of creative technologists, think of them as master builders. They take the raw materials of imagination—ideas from designers, strategists, or product leads—and shape them into something tangible. But they don’t just build what they’re told; they innovate, iterate, and stretch the boundaries of what’s possible.

“It’s like a relay race,” A.D. explained. “There’s the initial spark of an idea from the designers, and then it gets handed off to us. But instead of just running with it, we look for ways to enhance it. We ask, ‘Can we make this more intuitive? Can we elevate the experience? Is there a way to make this feature more seamless?’ It’s about pushing the baton forward, not just carrying it.”

THE THIRD LEG AND THE HELPING HAND 

In the 2012 Olympic Games, the world witnessed one of the greatest races ever—the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay. It was 36.84 seconds of thrilling entertainment. Team USA seemed poised for victory after the second baton exchange. But Yohan Blake’s remarkable third leg for Team Jamaica turned the tide, setting up Usain Bolt to do what he had done a thousand times: win.

Today, the pace of creativity may not be as fast as 36.84 seconds, but companies are racing to launch products, leverage emerging technologies, and capture markets. Like Blake’s pivotal third leg, creative technologists play their part in the race to build groundbreaking products. Without them, bold ideas remain stuck on the drawing board. They may not be the ones who get the glory at the finish line, but without them, the race might never be won. 

CREATIVITY IS A TEAM SPORT 

Every project comes with its share of roadblocks, and perhaps no one feels that tension more than creative technologists. For every grand idea, there’s a practical question: Can we actually make this work?

It’s a delicate dance between pushing the limits of what technology can do and ensuring that the final product is accessible, usable, and functional for the target audience.

“At Check, we sit at the table from the beginning,” A.D. said, leaning back in his chair. “You can’t be precious about your ideas here. Whether you’re a designer, a strategist, or a technologist, everyone has a say. And that’s the secret sauce.”

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, outstanding creativity doesn’t come from siloed teams working independently. It comes from cross-functional collaboration—where creative minds from different disciplines bring their unique perspectives to the table and solve problems together.

“Creativity is a team sport. Most projects fail because people hand them off like relay batons - like ‘well, I’m done with my part; over to you now’,” A.D. added. “The magic happens when we’re all in it together, figuring it out as we go.”

At Check, this mentality drives every project. Whether it’s creating immersive shopping experiences for global brands, helping businesses expand their digital footprint, or making complex data easy to digest, the creative technologists are at the forefront of innovation. They are the ones who ensure that the creative vision doesn’t just look good, but also works wonderfully in the real world.

TURNING NUMBERS INTO STORIES

One ongoing project that highlights this beautifully is something the rockstars at Check call Project Y (a codename, because we don't know what to call it yet), an interactive tool that helps people understand the real estate market in Africa. “We are working closely with Estate Intel, a leading data intelligence firm," A.D. shared. "Real estate data, in its raw form, is overwhelming. It’s just spreadsheets and charts. But what if we could turn those numbers into a story? What we are building is a dynamic, user-friendly interface that allows users to visualise real estate valuations across cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Accra.”

For the Technology Team, Project Y isn’t just about making data accessible; it’s also about blurring the lines between technology and storytelling, pushing the boundaries of how data can be presented and understood.

Another project in the works is Project Z (we apologise for yet another codename). “We are rethinking how people discover vacation spots. We were tired of the same old search functions, the same boring travel filters. We wanted to create an experience that felt like an adventure itself," A.D. said. “Planning trips for me is about more than just picking a destination. It’s about the experience from the very first click. We had this wild idea: what if we could use AI to personalise the entire journey, from the moment you start thinking about a vacation to the moment you book it?”

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE 

As technology continues to evolve, so too does the role of creative technologists. They’re not just building what’s possible today—they’re rethinking what’s possible tomorrow.

But even as the tools and technologies change, one thing remains constant: the need for creative technologists to balance creativity with practicality, and innovation with feasibility.

So, the next time you think of a design company, don’t just picture the designers sketching away in a corner. Think of the technologists sitting right beside them, collaborating, experimenting, and building the future. Because at the end of the day, creativity is a team sport. And creative technologists are the MVPs who make sure every creative dream crosses the finish line.