…Where Creativity meets Team Work

…Where Creativity meets Team Work GE 393-Final Project Agnita Pandian

Foreword • The audience will enjoy learning about these key issues since it educates Engineers to prepare for an intense information explosive career • Exploring the nature of creativity present within groups and presenting some nice tools and models helps in understanding collaborative process

Overview • Some traditional definitions of creative process • The creative process in today’s fields, e.g. software environments differs from some of the accepted methodologies because of its collaborative nature • Basic understandings of group creativity are addressed • Model the creative process in team environments • Conclusion that it is unique

Traditional definitions of creativity • A personal attribute: individualist method • The real Essence is when you “surrender” & “destroy judgment” -Michael Ray from “Creativity in Business” • Research focuses on individuals. It tries to unlock the creative potentials of that person

Why do we need Group Creativity? • Information explosion • Growing necessity for specialization, diverse skills and knowledge • Development of innovations - increasingly requires group interaction at different stages of the process • Csikszentmihalyi said that when two domains collide, all the information is beyond the scope of a single person • Life altering inventions of the twentieth century came from groups of people

…Where Creativity meets Team Work • Group Creativity preserves Individual Creativity True • At the end of the day, creativity resides in individuals’ heads

…Where Creativity meets Team Work • Group Creativity preserves Individual Creativity False • When you buy a voice recognition software, you say…. • Ah…this “Company” made a creative product!

E.g. Software Development Collaborative in way that requires multiple people from disconnected fields to think about the same thing Online Airline Reservation System Airline Management, Database Engineers, Internet Guru’s, Computation Scientist Collaborative Work

In Groups, • You’re out of your Isolation • You’re questioned constantly • Forced to explain, be clear • You have to know certain assumptions and what exactly you want to achieve • You have alternatives to select from • Interact with results from others

Models • Delphi Method • Idea Generation-People Proposing their ideas-Voting on those • Mind will initially diverge, but sooner or later it converges to a workable solution • RUP = Rational Unified Process • CVS =

Group Dynamics Creative groups are made, not born, and must be nurtured Group diversity Group decision-making Brainstorming = PINBALL Effect & Classics of Creativity

Group Creativity • Communication skills • Listening skills, listening for connections skills, and presenting skills • Need passion for the job, for innovation, and for the organization

Group Failures • Creative groups must be permitted to take risk and fail forward Processes that can inhibit group creativity • To Engineer is Human – Henry Petroski • Roadblocks cause failures – Conflict Resolution

Managing creativity in a group Managing Management and Psychology • expertise and beginner's mind • creative abrasion and maintaining cohesiveness • freedom and structure • professionalism and play • Group autonomy • Group socialization • Mentoring • Team innovation • Knowledge transfer • Creativity at the level of cultures and societies

Group environment • Full understanding of group creativity cannot be accomplished without adequate attention to the group environment • Creative groups need to emphasize optimism and encourage recognition of serendipity

Summary • Traditional Methods do not apply to new group dynamics • Collaborative work • Group Work takes the center stage today • personal view vs. social view of people in Group • Management

Conclusion • Group Process is getting more and more engraved into our day-to-day life as we push systems to get smarter • There are several issues that need to be addressed within groups to foster creativity • As a result, it can-and must-be taught and managed effectively

…Where Creativity meets Team Work