Activities of Directed Creativity Cycle

1. Activities of Directed Creativity Cycle Analysis II. Imagination I. Preparation Observation Generation Creativity Cycle Living with it Harvesting Implementation Enhancement Evaluation IV. Action III. Development

2. Creative Element

3. How the Mind Works • Some people claim not to be interested in the logic of creativity and are impatient to get on with the practical techniques. This is a mistake, because you will not use the tools effectively unless you know what lies behind the design of the tool. • Edward de Bono

4. Thought Process Possible Choices All past sensations Mental Habits Mental Habits All past thoughts Opposite Choices Moment-to-moment thoughts

5. Perception Registering Recognizing Encoding Memory Storing Retrieving Associating Mechanics of the Mind Higher-Order Thinking Algorithms Heuristics Expertise • Judgement/Choice • Preferences • Beliefs • Satisfying • Action taking The World; Reality

6. Activities of Directed Creativity Cycle Analysis II. Imagination I. Preparation Observation Generation Creativity Cycle Living with it Harvesting Implementation Enhancement Evaluation IV. Action III. Development

7. Sir Issac Newton

9. Attention • To What? • Elements in the current reality • Features, attributes, and categories • Assumptions, patterns, and paradigms • Metaphors and analogies • What works and does not work • Anything you don’t normally pay attention to

11. Escape • From What? Or to What? • Current mental patterns • Time and place • Early judgement • Barriers and rules • Your past experiences

12. Assumptions Obvious things before us Paradigms in our industry Limits of technology The way its done Logic & reasonableness Time & space Usual method/direction AEM Model: Escaping from - “A one-man university of the arts”

13. Movement • In What Sense? • In time or place • To another point of view • Free association • Building on ideas

16. Activities of Directed Creativity Cycle Analysis II. Imagination I. Preparation Observation Generation Creativity Cycle Living with it Harvesting Implementation Enhancement Evaluation IV. Action III. Development

17. “A Commitment to Test Knowledge through Experience, Persistence, and a Willingness to Learn from Mistakes.”

19. Commitment to Test Knowledge • Leonardo’s (1452-1519) practical orientation, penetrating intelligence, curiosity, and independent spirit lead him to question much of the accepted theory and dogma of his time... “A one-man university of the arts”

20. Commitment to Test Knowledge • Leonardo’s (1452-1519) willingness to reject imitation, question authority, and think for himself would be remarkable in any age... “A one-man university of the arts”

21. Commitment to Test Knowledge • Leonardo (1452-1519) knew that learning from experience also meant learning from mistakes... “A one-man university of the arts”

22. Commitment to Test Knowledge • Leonardo (1452-1519) realized that one challenges the world view by first challenging one’s own view, cautioning that “the greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions.” “A one-man university of the arts”

23. Commitment to Test Knowledge • Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) represented the ideal of the "Renaissance man"—the person who fulfilled human potential in many spheres of endeavor. Leonardo was a sculptor, painter, architect, musician, engineer, and scientist. "Iron rusts from disuse;" he wrote, "stagnant water loses its purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind." “A one-man university of the arts”

24. as· sump· tionn. • 1. The act of taking to or upon oneself: assumption of an obligation. 2. The act of taking over: assumption of command. 3. The act of taking for granted: assumption of a false theory. 4. Something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition: a valid assumption. 5. Presumption; arrogance. • 6. Logic. A minor premise.

25. Challenging Assumptions • Questions force you to expand your perspective and invite you to walk on the edge of chaos. • Questions are a natural fertilizer, feeding the mind with new ideas.

26. Challenge Assumptions:Ask Dumb Questions • What happens if I pour rubber into my waffle iron? Bill Bowerman (inventor of Nike Shoes) • Why can’t there be a reliable ovenight mail service? Fred Smith (founder of Federal Express) • Why can’t we see in three dimensions what is inside the human body without cutting it open? Godfrey Hounsfield (inventor of the CAT scan)

27. Assumption Busting • List assumptions • List all the assumptions, especially the obvious ones that you would not consider challenging... • Challenge assumptions • Test each assumption. Ask under what conditions it would not be true.. • You will start to make assumptions as you challenge some assumptions, simply add these to the list, and challenge them later. • Find several ways in which you can force the assumption to be true. • This is the opposite way of challenging the assumption from 2. • Retrieved from "http://www.mycoted.com/Assumption_Busting"

28. Problem Reversal • From "What a Great Idea" by Charles Thompson. • The world is full of opposites. Of course, any attribute, concept or idea is meaningless without its opposite. Lao-tzu wrote Tao-te Ching which stresses the need for the successful leader to see opposites all around: • The wise leader knows how to be creative. In order to lead, the leader learns to follow. In order to prosper, the leader learns to live simply. In both cases, it is the interaction that is creative. • All behavior consists of opposites... Learn to see things backwards, inside out, and upside down.

29. Problem Reversal The method: • State your problem in reverse. Change a positive statement into a negative one. • Try to define what something is not. • Figure out what everybody else is not doing. • Use the "What If" Compass • Change the direction or location of your perspective • Flip-flop results • Turn defeat into victory or victory into defeat

30. Problem Reversal 1. Make the statement negative For example, if you are dealing with Customer Service issues, list all the ways you could make customer service bad. You will be pleasantly surprised at some of the ideas you will come up with. 2. Doing What Everybody Else Doesn't For example, Apple Computer did what IBM didn't, Japan made small, fuel-efficient cars. 3. The "What-If Compass" The author has a list of pairs of opposing actions which can be applied to the problem. Just ask yourself "What if I ... " and plug in each one of the opposites. A small sample:- Stretch it/Shrink It… Freeze it/Melt it… Personalize it/De-personalize it… 4. Change the direction or location of your perspective Physical change of perspective, Manage by Walking around, or doing something different. 5. Flip-flop results If you want to increase sales, think about decreasing them. What would you have to do? 6. Turn defeat into victory or victory into defeat If something turns out bad, think about the positive aspects of the situation. If I lost all of the files off this computer, what good would come out of it? Maybe I would spend more time with my family?! Who knows!

32. Where are the facts? • Don’t fret if you don’t have all the facts. People tend to incorrectly assume that the more data one has, the better the chance they’ll come up with a sound idea. We are taught to value knowledge over thinking. “We need people who are comfortable with change and are able to improvise.” Abraham Malslow

33. Considering Change: • A preoccupation with resource scarcity, the assumption of a "limited pie" to be divided among all comers, is another example of an economics-based approach to thinking about the choices diversity presents. The point is not that scarcity does not exist, but rather that the assumption of scarcity limits our creativity and sense of possibility, and ill positions us for the redefinition of goods and resources that such choices require.

34. Considering Change: • Psychologists tell us that when we are considering change, we can target three levels: our beliefs, our feelings, and our actions. They will further explain that the most difficult target is the first, and that the most feasible approach to change is through actions (or behavior), where changes will in turn affect our feelings and finally our beliefs. Therefore, we have targeted reasoning behaviors, our cognitive strategies—not the thoughts and beliefs themselves but rather the way we put them together. By changing our thinking habits (and consequently the conclusions we act upon), we can begin to have an impact on feelings and beliefs.

35. Taking the Challenge