Creative thinking

What is creativity?

1. Use glue instead of staples.2. Use insect repellent to kill flies.3. Replace screens with glass and an air conditioner.4. Use a softer frame.5. Kill flies with UV lights.6. Clamp the screens into the frame.7. Eliminate the window and use a camera and a

monitor to view the outside.8. Lure insects away from the window with food or

pheromones.

You frequently encounter a problem that staples used in attaching fly-screens do not penetrate the timber frame well. Suggest two or three creative alternative approaches, bearing in mind what the ultimate objective is. We need to move beyond engineering solutions.

From CE 203, Fall 2005, exam 1

Constraints

Techniques

• Brainstorming

• Concept fan

• Lateral thinking

• Parallel thinking/six hats

• Et cetera

} Edward de Bono

Brainstorming

Goal:

Cardinal rule:

1. Have fun.2. Think radically.3. Violate the constraints.4. Work quickly.5. Do not dwell on any idea.6. Work off of ideas of others.7. Stay focused on the problem.8. Write down the ideas.9. Use a random noun to “seed” when stuck.

Tips:

Exercise

Concept fan

1. Place the problem in a circle.

2. Fan out with possible solutions.

3. If needed, step back for a broader view.

4. Generate solutions to the broader problem.

5. Repeat steps 3-5.

Example

Clean waterat local beach

Extend outfalls

Filter sea water

Patrol beach litter

Control pollution entering sea

Contain trash dumped at sea

Reduce pollution from ships

Improve WQ

Control ag & industrial pollution

Impose large fines

Imprison polluters

Inspire public outrage

Improve sewage treatment

Monitor river WQ

Ban solid discharge

Allow free dumping at ports

Monitor

Eliminate it

Reduce return to beaches

Make polluting unprofitable

From mindtools.com

Lateral thinking“Approaching problems indirectly at diverse angles instead of concentrating on one approach at length”

Problem: Muhammad won't come to the mountain.

1. The mountain must come to Muhammad (the classic answer).

2. Use a video conference. 3. Use an intermediary. 4. Ask him what he wants to come to the mountain5. See if he'll accept a free timeshare slot in a holiday

home, which just happens to be on the mountain. 6. Wait until he changes his mind. 7. Cut your losses and tackle a different problem.

From wikipedia.org

Exercise

From wikipedia.org

Lateral thinking puzzles

1. A carrot, a pile of pebbles, and a pipe lying together in the middle of a field.

2. Joe, wearing a mask and carrying an empty sack, leaves his house. An hour later he returns with a full sack. He goes into a room and turns out the lights

3. A man walks into a bar and asks for a drink. The bartender pulls out a gun and points it at him. The man says, "Thank you," and walks out

4. Mr. Browning is glad the car ran out of gas. 5. A man ate some food that was not poisoned, yet

nevertheless caused him to die. 6. A man leaves a motel room, goes to his car, honks the

horn, and returns.

From rinkworks.com