Why this artefact was Included
Developing the competency of creative thinking was not a straight forward or clear path for me. So I decided to complete a short course to form a foundation for my understanding of creative thinking from which I can identify areas to develop or learn more about to become a competent creative thinker.
WEEK 1: Introduction to the Principles of Creativity
Mother and father of innovation:
This topic was about understanding the phrase "Necessity is the Mother of Invention” and therefore that the father of invention is opportunity which presents the need for an invention. When there is a problem, creative ideas are needed to solve them. This course is about creativity, whether you have a problem, requirement, or issue that you need to tackle, or some wonderful opportunity and you want lots of creative ideas. We will be exploring the fundamentals of creativity and the series of creativity tools. Enabling you to build a toolbox of skills that you can roll out whenever there's a need or opportunity to tackle. By understanding the fundamentals of creativity, one is able to bring together a toolbox of skills and be more creative and effective in both one’s work, personal or everyday life.
Discussion Prompt: What is Creativity to You?
Discussion Prompt: Definitions of Creativity
Levels of Creativity
1. Brilliance
2. Personal creativity
3. Paradigm/Domain creativity
4. Forced/ Industrial creativity
Creativity is the ability to imagine or invent something new of value. The value may be personal societal, financial or some combination of these. Creativity is not the ability to create something out of nothing, but the ability to generate new ideas by combining, changing and reapplying existing ideas. Some creative ideas are astonishing an brilliant while other are simple and practical that no one seems to have thought of yet.
Usually, people link the term creativity only with transformational or major breakthrough ideas. However, creativity exists on at least two levels; a lower and a higher level, with each level representing a different type of creative problem solving. For example Big c vs little c or Eminent vs everyday creativity.
Lower level creativity is often referred to as small "c" creativity, whereas the higher level is referred to as big "C" creativity. These levels account for modest, everyday changes, through to grand paradigm-shifts.
Creativity can also be categorized as P&H which refers to Psychological creativity or Historical creativity. These levels account for an idea that has occurred to an individual for the first time, versus the first time an idea has ever occurred in the history of the human race.
Discussion Prompt: Small "c" creativity
Discussion Prompt: Big "C" Creativity
Creative Environments
In order for people to come up with novel ideas there needs to be a limited amount of stress that they experience. A stress response can, through the release of endorphins, prevent people from being able to think about new ideas. So we need to create a low stress environment, to encourage creative thinking.
Physical and mental environments need to be considered. This can be achieved by protecting participants from the consequences of considering new ideas. Reassurance should be given that if a new idea is followed, then the whole group will provide support. And will try and solve any problems that arise. Generating high trust is essential.
Discussion prompt: When are you Creative?
Creative Environment - Part 2
Relaxation aids production and realisation of ideas. When you are relaxed your subconscious is highly active. This aides communication between your consciousness and subconscious. And hence the production and realizations of ideas.
It has been said that the parents of an invention are "Necessity" and "Opportunity". There is a necessity for intervention and change in almost every sector. In order to tackle these challenges or opportunities, creativity can be used as the tool for transformation. You can tackle more challenges around you when given the right tools to invent the solution.
WEEK 2: Creativity Tools
In Week 1 of the Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success course we learned about the different ways that creativity can be defined and expressed. In Week 2 we learned that there are multiple ways that creativity can be unlocked. These different ways are called creativity tools. Creativity tools help us to think creatively in order generate innovative ideas, approaches or solutions.
Creative tools
Creative tools are a way to increase our ability to come up with creative ideas. Many creativity tools exist examples are boundary shifting, various types of brainstorming, and checklists. Creativity tools can enhance fluency, flexibility, and originality. Fluency is quality of the ideas. Flexibility is how different the ideas are from each other. Originality is how unique the ideas are. Creativity tools do not come up with the idea for you but instead help in the process of generating innovative ideas. These tools can be used at any step of the creative thinking process but are mainly oriented around problem exploration, idea generation, and concept evaluation. Creativity tools mainly assist by ensuring that the problem can be understood in relatively simple terms, and thus is used in the short-term memory of the creative thinking process. It helps to filter out the ideas so that the long-term memory creativity thinking process can be more efficient as well as allow for the short-term memory to continue the generative process and thereby retention of key information.
Top 6 Brainstorming Techniques
Knowledge Check: Creativity Tools (Week 1 and Week 2 Quiz)
Brainstorming Tools
Flip Chart
Involves introducing topic and writing all ideas on a white sheet of paper. Then choosing one or two from the compiled list which can be discussed in detail as a group.
The following steps are a reminder of the Flip Chart brainstorming process:
During preparation, ensure that the brief defines the problems and that people, pens and drawing surface are available
Organize the group so that all can see the display medium
Remind participants of the brief
Invite solutions for a period of time (no criticism allowed)
Record ideas
End the session when the frequency of ideas has reduced and energy levels of the group have dropped
Review or reinvigorate for another session
Re-review the material to see if additional ideas are inspired by (for instance, a combination of two of the suggestions)
The disadvantage of the flipchart method is that it is a one-sided approach and there is only one facilitator which writes down the ideas.
Post-it
Post-its were born for brainstorming. They are a great size to focus and record a single idea. As Post-its can be peeled off a surface and re-applied several times, the ideas can then be rearranged and ordered into groups of similar ideas. The approach encourages a group to come together and generate ideas simultaneously.
Here’s a summary of the steps involved in a typical Post-it session.
Define the brief
Distribute the brief to the participants in advance of the session
Remind the participants of the brief
Allow participants to record ideas for 10-20 min
Review the ideas generated individually or inspire additional ideas
Allow for a further idea-generation session to take place
Review the ideas generated collectively by asking participants to share their favorite ideas
Invite the group to categorize the ideas by rearranging the post its
Alphabet Brainstorming
In an Alphabet brainstorming session, participants are invited to work through the alphabet letter by letter. With one set parameter, the letter itself, it inspires a wide range of ideas. It also encourages the creative use of the letter to form a sentence or phrase, rather than an idea that is one or two words.
The session should always be concluded by reviewing the ideas generated. If necessary, this can be immediately followed by exploring opportunities to combine ideas and seeing whether any of the suggestions provoke additional avenues for exploration.
Here's a summary of the steps involved in a typical alphabet brainstorming session.
Define the brief
Distribute the brief to the participants in advance of the session
Remind the participants of the brief Record suggested ideas start with the letter A
Continue with each letter of the alphabet sequentially
Review the ideas generated collectively by asking participants to comment on their favourite ideas.
E-tivity: Try Alphabet Brainstorming!
Brainwriting
Grid Brainstorming
Discussion Prompt: Application of Grid Brainstorming
Knowledge Check: Grid Brainstorming
WEEK 3: Thinking Styles
In week three we learned the different thinking styles that can be helpful in creativity. We learned about the principles and applications of the different types of thinking styles, How they can be applied at an individual level, group, professional and personal situations so that this competency can be developed in a way that is beneficial in all areas of life.
The Value of Diversity
Diversity is an essential ingredient to creativity. When we experience a new culture we learn new ways of approaching and doing things, diversifying our thinking. So if we are looking to generate more creative ideas to a problem, one way we can achieve this is to diversify our thinking.
When we bring a group of people together from various backgrounds, we generate a broader scope of knowledge to extract information from and build ideas upon, injecting diversity into our thinking.
The same way that successful people utilise various ways to become successful, there are various ways of thinking to become a creative thinker.
Principles of various thinking styles
Different Thinking Styles in Practice
Practice Assignment: Taking an Evidence Based Approach
Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check: Thinking Styles
Design Thinking
Peer-graded Assignment: Thinking Styles in Practice
Different Thinking Styles in Practice
Discussion Prompt: Share your Creativity Style
WEEK 4: Morphological Analysis
In the previous weeks, you have been experimenting with a range of creativity tools which will allow you to diversify your approach to thinking. To further strengthen your ideation skills, in this week we will introduce Morphological Analysis; an idea-generating tool that approaches problems from lots of different angles whilst provoking many new ways of creative thinking.
Introduction to Morphological Analysis
Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in our own ways of thinking when trying to solve a problem. We tend to stick to what we know, and for this reason sometimes we miss out on a novel solution. Utilizing a wide range of creativity tools in idea generation can push you out of your comfort zone and generate ideas that would not normally spring to mind.
Principles of Morphological Analysis
Knowledge Check: Morphological Analysis
Peer-graded Assignment: Application of Morphological Analysis
Morphological Analysis - Plot Line
At this point in the course, you will have seen how MA can be applied as a way to redesign complex mechanical systems. However, the tool isn't limited to this kind of problem. MA can be used in fields from songwriting to business strategy.
Here, we'll be using MA to construct a movie plot line.
Can be a value in considering alterative ideas.
Value needs to be given to the subsystems, in this case the plot line
Peer-graded Assignment: Plot Line Challenge
WEEK 5: TRIZ -Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
In week 5, the course continued to enhance my fluency, flexibility and originality of idea generation by introducing me to another creativity tool called the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). It will particularly focused on application of TRIZ and the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix and how it can be used in problem, both at an individual and in group level.
Introduction
This week you will be introduced to TRIZ which is a technology-based, systematic methodology that aims to overcome "psychological inertia" and generate a large range of solution concepts. With the use of a contradiction matrix, it provides a framework and toolbox for systematic, inventive problem solving.
Introduction to TRIZ and its Tools
Short Cut to Experience
TRIZ: Principles and Description
Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check: TRIZ Principles and Parameters
Contradiction Matrix
Practice Assignment: Application of TRIZ - 1
Practice Assignment: Application of TRIZ - 2
Discussion Prompt: Share Your Inventive Principles from Application of Triz - 2
WEEK 6: SCAMPER
The final creativity tool in the course and it is important in generation of ideas and improvement of the existing ones; SCAMPER. I became familiar with the concepts of SCAMPER and gained proficiency in its application in various unusual, personal or professional situations, whilst inspired related ideas.
Introduction to SCAMPER
SCAMPER is a memorable acronym where each letter reminds us of a word or phrase to provoke and inspire related ideas.
SCAMPER stands for:
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Magnify/ Minify/ Modify
Put to other uses
Eliminate
Reverse/ Rearrange
SCAMPER can be applied to most domains, be it different fields of work or everyday issues where it is almost applied intrinsically.
Discussion Prompt: Application of SCAMPER to the Ocean Plastic Crisis
Creative Problem Solving using SCAMPER
SCAMPER and use of different Thinking Styles
The tools learnt in this course on creativity are versatile and can be combined to guide and enhance an idea generation session.
In week 3 you learnt about a range of different thinking styles that can be applied to tackle a problem or opportunity from differing perspectives.
One of the types of thinking introduced in Unit 3 was design thinking. A facet of design thinking is to focus on the needs of the user or stakeholder. This can involve putting yourself in the place of the user and attempting to see the need from their perspective. This principle of empathising with the user can be applied when you are using each of the SCAMPER provocations. For example, you can put yourself in the shoes of the user for a product or service and consider what can you substitute, what can you combine, what can you adapt and so on, with a view to generate more user focussed solutions.
On the next page, the following assessment will test your understanding on the principles and application of SCAMPER.
Have a go at completing the following multiple choice, text input and checkboxes questions, to reinforce the key concepts that you have learned so far.
Graded Assignment: Knowledge Check: SCAMPER
Discussion Prompt: Using Scamper to Improve Wellbeing
WEEK 7: Using the Tools In Combination
The last week of this short course ends with asking us to use the tools learned in combinations and apply them in contexts and scenarios that are also related to our own discipline or context. This aims to help reinforce the concepts that have been learnt so far and enable us to use the creativity tools freely in problem solving and idea generation.
Creative Problem Solving
We are introduced to a creative problem solving technique that utilises both divergent and convergent thinking.
The Double Diamond Model
Circle Brainstorming Steps
E-tivity: B-Link
Graded Assignment: Knowledge-Check: Overview of Creative Thinking Techniques
COURSE COMPLETED!
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