Disney, in the creative process, exhibited three major different types of thinking. These manners in which he looked at things affected his personality to the extent that he would be classified as three different people as he went along. These were: the Dreamer, the Realist, and the Critic.
The beneficial aspect of this way in which he organized himself during the creative process is that he applied these three aspects directly into the workplace. In the artistic production process, he divided groups into three rooms. These rooms, similar to his various personalities, were divided by function. For instance, Room 1 was where all the ideas for a project were allowed to be explored and submitted. The story's details would take shape in this room, and would later be sent to another room.
In the second phase would be the process of coordination and sequencing of ideas to actually form the story and the characters. Here was where the storyboard was used ( a Disney invention, interestingly enough). The third room was where the project underwent a critical inspection, where the whole team could comment with "no holds barred", as it was not an individual being criticized but the project itself. If the project made it past the third room then it would be expanded and production could begin.
Disney allowed his personality to greatly affect his company and this is one great part of the reason for its success.
Sources:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/47425719/Strategies-of-Genius-Vol-I-Walt-Disney
http://www.wiredportfolio.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/DisneyPaper.pdf
I think this really shows how much of an innovator Walt Disney was. It's pretty incredible how he could have developed this completely unique process to developing a movie or cartoon. I think the institutional design of the story board and the "three personalities" must have had a tremendous impact on the finished results. If not for this process I would imagine that we would not be so enthralled with the Disney name.
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