Creativity and idea generation

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Ideas.

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Ideas.

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Activity!

“Wicked Problems in Design Thinking,” Richard Buchanan

• Write down as many ways to use a paperclip as possible in 60 seconds.

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Ideas? Creativity!

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Creativity is hip

• “As computers take over more and more of the work that humans shouldn't be doing in the first place ... there's going to be nothing left for human beings to do but the more creative types of endeavor.”

- Isaac Asimov, 1988

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Creativity is hip

• “As computers take over more and more of the work that humans shouldn't be doing in the first place ... there's going to be nothing left for human beings to do but the more creative types of endeavor.”

- Isaac Asimov, 1988

- Newsweek, “The Creativity Crisis”

• Creativity is the top “leadership competency” of the future

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Creativity is hip

http://youtu.be/1CwUuU6C4phttp://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_31/b3945401.htm!

• “As computers take over more and more of the work that humans shouldn't be doing in the first place ... there's going to be nothing left for human beings to do but the more creative types of endeavor.”

- Isaac Asimov, 1988

- Newsweek, “The Creativity Crisis”

- Businessweek, “The Creative Economy”

• Creativity is the top “leadership competency” of the future

• We’re living in a “creativity economy: It’s about creativity, imagination, and above all, innovation.”

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What is creativity?

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What is creativity?

• The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of work.

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Creativity in the brain

Novel connections between unrelated words (Mashal et al 2007), “Aha!” Experience (Jung-Beeman 2004)

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Creativity in the brain

Novel connections between unrelated words (Mashal et al 2007), “Aha!” Experience (Jung-Beeman 2004)

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Creativity in the brain

Novel connections between unrelated words (Mashal et al 2007), “Aha!” Experience (Jung-Beeman 2004)

• Anterior Superior Temporal Sulcus (ASTS)Understanding via insight

• Posterior Superior Temporal Sulcus (PSTS)Connections between unrelated words

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Creativity in the brain

http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/29056/Scientists-Search-for-Source-of-Creativity

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Creativity in the brain

http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/29056/Scientists-Search-for-Source-of-Creativity

• Visuo-spatial stimuli

• Emotional expression

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Creativity in the brain

http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/29056/Scientists-Search-for-Source-of-Creativity

• Visuo-spatial stimuli

• Emotional expression

• Language comprehension

• Detail

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Creativity in the brain

http://news.usc.edu/#!/article/29056/Scientists-Search-for-Source-of-Creativity

• Visuo-spatial stimuli

• Emotional expression

• Language comprehension

• Detail

“When you’re being creative, the right hemisphere calls for help from the left half of your noggin.”

- Aziz-Zadeh

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How can we be creative?

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Creativity candy: Dopamine!

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Creativity candy: Dopamine!

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Creativity candy: Dopamine!

• Sugar!

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Creativity candy: Dopamine!

• Sugar!• Play!

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Creativity candy: Dopamine!

• Sugar!• Play!• Humor!

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Activity!

“Wicked Problems in Design Thinking,” Richard Buchanan

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Activity!

“Wicked Problems in Design Thinking,” Richard Buchanan

• Improvisational theatre: Story Spine

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Activity!

“Wicked Problems in Design Thinking,” Richard Buchanan

• Improvisational theatre: Story Spine• Once upon a time ...

• And every day ...• And every day ...• And then one day ...• And because of that ...• And because of that ...• And ever since that day ...

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TECHNIQUES

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Techniques: What we’re aiming for

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one we have.”

- Emile Chartier, French Philosopher, metaphysics, 1868-1951

"The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas."

- Linus Pauling

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Techniques

Brainstorming

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Techniques

Brainstorming

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Techniques

BrainstormingMind-mapping

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Techniques

BrainstormingMind-mapping

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Activity!

• Create a mind map of ways to keep organized

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Techniques

BrainstormingMind-mappingCrossing associations

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Activity!

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Activity!

• Let’s cross your organization methods with...

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Activity!

• Let’s cross your organization methods with...• Cars

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Activity!

• Let’s cross your organization methods with...• Cars• Phones

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Activity!

• Let’s cross your organization methods with...• Cars• Phones• Treadmills

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STRATEGIES

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Strategies

• Understand the problem holistically

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Strategies

• Understand the problem holistically• Look for the next right answer•

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Strategy: Look for the next right answer

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Strategy: Look for the next right answer

• Disruptive innovation: create a larger audience

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Strategy: Look for the next right answer

• Disruptive innovation: create a larger audience• Provocation: “What if a mop were not the best way to wash floors?”

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Strategies

• Understand the problem holistically• Look for the next right answer• Look from multiple viewpoints•

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Strategy: Look from multiple viewpoints

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Strategy: Look from multiple viewpoints

• Six hats

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Strategy: Look from multiple viewpoints

• Six hats• Create a group with diverse backgrounds

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Strategy: Look from multiple viewpoints

• Six hats• Create a group with diverse backgrounds• Build upon others’ ideas

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Activity!

• Yes, and....

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Strategies

• Understand the problem holistically• Look for the next right answer• Look from multiple viewpoints• Challenge assumptions•

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Strategy: Challenge assumptions

• Ask questions: “What if chairs were meant for standing?”

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Strategies

• Understand the problem holistically• Look for the next right answer• Look from multiple viewpoints• Challenge assumptions• Most importantly: defer judgement! suspend it!

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Strategy: Suspend judgement!

• “That’s just like, your opinion, man.”

- The Dude, The Big Lebowski

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Strategy: Suspend judgement!

• “That’s just like, your opinion, man.”

- The Dude, The Big Lebowski

• All ideas are valuable

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Strategy: Suspend judgement!

• “That’s just like, your opinion, man.”

- The Dude, The Big Lebowski

• All ideas are valuable• Build upon ideas

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Strategy: Suspend judgement!

• “That’s just like, your opinion, man.”

- The Dude, The Big Lebowski

• All ideas are valuable• Build upon ideas• Evaluation comes later

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What’s next: Define the solution

“Wicked Problems in Design Thinking,” Richard Buchanan

• Feasibility estimates• Market and customer estimates• Sketch models• Idea selection

• Sorting• Pugh charts

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