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creativity

Creativity is any act, idea, or product that changes an existing


domain, or that transforms an existing domain into a new one...What
counts is whether the novelty he or she produces is accepted for
inclusion in the domain."

Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas,


alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems,
communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.
Characteristics of the creative personality:
Creative individuals have a great deal of energy, but they are also often quiet
and at rest.
Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time.
Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or
responsibility and irresponsibility.
Creative individuals alternate between imagination and fantasy ant one end,
and rooted sense of reality at the other.
Creative people seem to harbor opposite tendencies on the continuum
between extroversion and introversion.
Creative individuals are also remarkable humble and proud at the same time.
Creative individuals to a certain extent escape rigid gender role stereotyping
and have a tendency toward androgyny.
Generally, creative people are thought to be rebellious and independent.
Most creative persons are very passionate about their work, yet they can be
extremely objective about it as well.
The openness and sensitivity of creative individuals often exposes them to
suffering pain yet also a great deal of enjoyment

INNOVATION
The process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that

creates value or for which customers will pay.


To be called an innovation, an idea must be replicable at an economical cost
and must satisfy a specific need. Innovation involves deliberate application of
information, imagination and initiative in deriving greater or different values
from resources, and includes all processes by which new ideas are generated
and converted into useful products. In business, innovation often results
when ideas are applied by the company in order to further satisfy the needs
and expectations of the customers. In a social context, innovation helps
create new methods for alliance creation, joint venturing, flexible work hours,
and creation of buyers' purchasing power.

creative thought
A way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective that
suggests unorthodox solutions (which may look unsettling at first). Creative
thinking can be stimulated both by an unstructured process such as
brainstorming, and by a structured process such as lateral thinking.

The list on the right is a set of key words used by this web site and other
people in the field of brainstorming and creativity. Click through the words in
the list to be given a definition and description for each. The definitions are in
sequential order, so by clicking the list top-down you will better understand
the latter entries.

You will note that many words have more than one definition. This is
intentional because words are used in different ways by different people and
a single definition is often neither helpful nor sufficient. Only by reading all
the definitions will you truly understand the complexities of the words and
what they represent.

concepts of creative thought

Create

To bring into being, to cause to exist, originate, to give rise to, bring about,
produce, to form, to introduce, to invent, to conceive, to compose, to author,
to initiate.

Creative

The ability to create. Imaginative, innovative, artistic. Characterized by being


original or new. Formed by a new process. Having the ability to create.
Designed to stimulate the imagination.

Creativity

The process of being creative. A series of actions which create new ideas,
thoughts and physical objects.

Thinking

The process of thought. To consider, judge or believe. The process of


exercising the mind in order to make a decision. To remember or recollect. To
make the mental choice between options.

Idea

An image of an external object or process formed by the mind. Any product of


intellectual activity. The product of mental activity where the mind
consciously conceives a thought.

Creative Thinking

Specific thought processes which improve the ability to be creative. Being in


an optimal state of mind for generating new ideas. To think deliberately in
ways that improve the likelihood of new thoughts occurring. To maximize the
ability of the brain to think of new ideas. The ability to think of original,
diverse and elaborate ideas. A series of mental actions which produce
changes and developments of thought. The process of exploring multiple
avenues of actions or thoughts.
(Sometimes called divergent thinking because thought patterns and areas of
belief are expanded.)

Lateral Thinking

Similar to Creative Thinking. Also: Seeking to solve problems by unorthodox


or apparently illogical methods. "A set of systematic techniques used for
changing concepts and perceptions and generating new ones", "Exploring
multiple possibilities and approaches instead of pursuing a single approach."
(Edward de Bono, originator of the phrase)

Paradigm

A mindset. A formed opinion. A way of seeing the world. A particular way of


thinking. A fixed pattern or model. Your current viewpoint and process from
which your mind analyzes information.

Problem

A matter difficult to arrange or in which it is difficult to decide the best course


of action.

There are many different definitions or alternative words for the word
"problem".

For our purposes, a problem is defined as a situation where a change must be


made to the current process to bring it back to an acceptable level. A
problem occurs when the standard has gone down compared to a previous
high point or previously agreed standard. Problems are found where
developments are needed within the existing situation in order to return to
the original plan.

If you are trying to raise the standard above an existing or agreed level, then
it is considered to be an opportunity...

Opportunity

An occasion offering a possibility or chance. A combination of favourable


circumstances.

An opportunity occurs when you would like to improve the existing situation
beyond that which currently exists or has existed before. If you are trying to
raise the standard above an existing or known level, then it is considered to
be an opportunity.

Probortunity

Because of the difficulty in determining the difference between a problem


and an opportunity and because there are many negative implications in
using the word "problem", the word probortunity has been created.
Probortunity is the merging of the word "problem" and "opportunity".

A probortunity can take any form: challenge, question, mystery, concern,


problem, puzzle, difficulty or opportunity.

Probortunity is an all-inclusive word to describe something you want to


improve or change for the better.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is the process by which a situation is analyzed and solutions


are formed to solve a probortunity (problem/opportunity - see above) and
when steps are taken to remove or reduce the problem. The current problem
and situation are analyzed, potential solutions are generated and a workable
solution is determined and put into place. Problem solving is the process of
analyzing situations of uncertainty to produce actual improvements or
changes in the situation.

The problem-solving process comprises many different elements that can be


used in varying degrees depending on the probortunity to be solved. Typical
elements are:

Problem definition (part of understanding the problem)


Situation analysis (part of understanding the problem)
Idea generation
Analysis of ideas
Decision making
Determining the next steps to be taken to introduce the solution into the
workplace
Different problems need different uses of these elements and often in
different orders and quantities. The structure of the problem-solving process
can be very different for different probortunities. For example, you may need
to have many tries at the problem definition element to help establish the
real challenge if the opportunity is initially vague.

(Note that problem solving is not the same as decision making. Decision
making is one process of problem solving and is only concerned in deciding
between different existing ideas. Problem solving includes the actual
formation of those ideas. Problem solving can involve varying degrees of the

problem analysis and solution generation elements compared to the decisionmaking part.)

Mind-maps

A method of visually representing ideas and of aiding the brainstorming "free


association" process. A visual method of mapping information to stimulate
the generation and analysis of it. "A method of accessing intelligence,
allowing rapid expansion and exploration of an idea in note form." (Tony
Buzan)

Blamestorming!

Where a group of people gather to discuss what went wrong and who is to
blame for a project's failure. Similar to the brainstorming rules,
blamestorming requires vast flows of wild and exaggerated ideas with an
initial emphasis on quantity rather than quality. It's also legitimate that blame
given by one participant can be built on by others. However, unlike
brainstorming, blamestorming requires total criticism and judgment of ideas,
and an idea's worth is dependent on the management level of the person
giving it.

Boosting Your Creativity Ability

In his well-respected book, "Creativity," Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says that an


effective creative process usually consists of five steps. These are:

Preparation becoming immersed in problems and issues that are interesting


and that arouse curiosity.
Incubation allowing ideas to turn around in your mind without thinking
about them consciously.

Insight experiencing the moment when the problem makes sense, and you
understand the fundamental issue.
Evaluation taking time to make sure that the insight provides sufficient
value to outweigh the various costs involved in implementation.
Elaboration creating a plan to implement the solution, and following
through.
We've mapped these five steps onto the process below. This provides a clear
and practical way for you to think about creativity, and to use it in your
everyday life at work.

1. Finding Problems (Preparation)

Creative people don't sit and allow problems to surface. Instead, they scan
their environment for potential issues, and they see this as time well spent.
Also, they're excited by the opportunity to change things. They aren't
intimidated by change; they embrace it.

To develop your creative skills, you need to adopt a positive attitude towards
change, and take an active role in identifying opportunities and looking for
potential issues. To do this, challenge your business processes using Failure
Modes and Effects Analysis , and look for bottlenecks in these processes.
Carry out SWOT and PEST analyses on a regular basis. Keep up-to-date
with customer experiences and expectations, and try to spot problems from
other people's perspectives.

Also, engage in benchmarking to find out how well others are addressing
similar issues, and look at the issue from a wide range of perspectives. Then,
analyze your findings to ensure that a real problem does exist. This factfinding activity can save you a great deal of time later on, and will help
ensure that you only act on the most relevant problems and issues.

Look first for problems and potential issues that interest you. These are the

things you'll be most motivated to pursue when you're learning to solve


problems creatively. Then, as you become more confident, challenge yourself
to investigate issues that are more complex.

2. Gathering and Reflecting on Information (Incubation)

When you have a potential issue or problem, gather as much information


about it as you can. As part of this, investigate solutions that have been tried
previously (both in your own organization, and in other areas), and identify
ideas that might have surfaced, but were never acted on.

At this stage it's also a good idea to step away from the problem for a while,
and allow new thoughts and ideas to enter your mind. When we concentrate
on one issue for too long there is a tendency to latch onto one or two ideas,
and this can block other good ideas. (One of the benefits of being proactive in
your problem-finding is that you have time to incubate ideas, rather than
being pressurized to find an immediate solution to a problem.)

3. Problem Exploration (Insight)

(Questions 3, 7, 12)

Once you've identified and verified your problem, you can figure out what's
really going on. Often, the initial problem that you identified will turn out to
be a symptom of a deeper problem. Therefore, identifying the root cause of
the problem is extremely important.

When you do this, you'll find that techniques like CATWOE , Drill Down , the
5 Whys , Cause and Effect Analysis , and Root Cause Analysis are all very
effective. While creativity may invoke ideas of spontaneous insight and farout inspiration, the truth is that being creative in the workplace is rooted in a

practical understanding of the situation at hand.

Don't, however, be so practical that you become negative. What often


separates creative people from others is the ability to see past potential
barriers, and believe in their insights. For instance, you could easily dismiss a
great insight by saying, "Oh that could never be the problem!" But, you won't
ever know if something is contributing to a problem unless you allow yourself
to explore the possibility. That's what creative problem exploration is all about
being open to all ideas and possibilities.

4. Generating and Evaluating Ideas (Evaluation)

(Questions 4, 13, 16)

When you have clear insight into the cause of the issue, you can move onto
generating ideas for a solution. Here you want to look for as many ways to
inspire ideas as possible. Brainstorming, Reverse Brainstorming and
Starbursting are popular for this, however these can be undermined by
problems with group dynamics. Techniques like Brainwriting , Round-Robin
Brainstorming and the Charette Procedure can help you circumvent
common problems.

You can also enrich your ideas by using tools like the Six Thinking Hats,
Random Input , the Reframing Matrix and Metaphorical Thinking to look at
problems from different perspectives.

Obviously not all of the ideas you have will be practical or possible. So, as
part of this step in the creativity process, you need to decide which criteria
you'll use to evaluate your ideas. (Without a solid evaluation process, you'll
be prone to choosing a solution that is perhaps too cautious.)

There are a wide range of tools you can use for the evaluation, including:

Risk Analysis : This helps you explore where things could go wrong.
Impact Analysis : This gives you a framework for exploring the full
consequences of your decision.
Force Field Analysis : This helps you explore the pressures for and against
change.
Decision Tree Analysis : This shows you how to evaluate different options
from a financial perspective.
Paired Comparison Analysis : This helps you work out the relative importance
of various factors.
Decision Matrix Analysis : This allows you to weigh many different financial
and non-financial factors.
5. Implementation (Elaboration)

(Questions 1, 8, 10)

A common misconception is that creative people spend all their time thinking
of new and interesting ideas. In fact, truly creative people recognize a good
idea and run with it. A famous Thomas Edison quote supports this: "Creativity
is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."

For this final step, you need to be committed to taking your ideas and making
them happen, and you need to be confident that you can, indeed, propose
innovative ideas and inspire change.

To implement your ideas successfully, develop a solid plan, using action plans
for simple projects, and more formal project management techniques for
larger, more complex projects. You'll also need to be able to sell your idea to
others in your organization. If your idea is likely to affect other people, you'll
want to develop strong change management skills so that the people
around you accept and use the products of your creativity.

Once you bring one idea through to successful implementation, you'll be


motivated and inspired to repeat the process again and again!

Outline Descriptions of the Tools for Preparation

Pausing and Noticing

you can purposefully set out to notice things or just pause when things
happen by chance
explicitly assign a meaning to an episode
don't try too hard
for now, you are just storing up concepts
record your thoughts so you won't forget themback2map
Seeing Other Points of View

read and absorb material from many different field and genres
talk to strangers
listen intently; seek to understand the other person's mental valleys
purposely try to think like someone else
even outrageous role plays can yield creative insights
the purpose of Preparation is mental storage; you do not have to agree with
or use the new knowledge immediately
record your thoughts so you won't forget themback2map
Refocusing a Topic

there is value in exploring several different statements of the topic


pick out key words in your current topic statement, and then randomly pair

them or substitute synonyms to see what creative insights you get (click here
for more explanation and an example)
explore broad restatements of your topic with a purpose hierarchy (click here
for more explanation and an example)
set a time or count limit, and then stop when you reach it
save your notes for later use in the Imagination phaseback2map
Looking Closer and Analyzing

ask: who, what, when, where, why and how; but resist the urge to answer too
quickly
analysis in DirectedCreativity is not about finding the right answers; it is
about asking expansive questions
practice multi-mode thinking (for example, Six Thinking Hats) (click here for
more explanation and an example)
don't overlook the obvious; list what is right in front of you
make a list of assumptions, paradigms, and rules
look for patterns in an industry to spot opportunities for innovation back2map
Searching for Analogies

an analogy does not have to be perfect to be useful


expect to work hard in the Imagination and Development phases generating
creative thoughts from an analogy
when using analogies, focus on the common areas between the proposed
analogy and your topic; don't let the differences excite premature judgment
that rejects the analogy
use literal and imaginative excursions to identify analogies
laughable thoughts often contain the seeds of innovationback2map
Creating New Worlds

the basic idea is to construct a detailed picture of a new world, and then walk
around in it
separate environmental factors into those that you feel are reasonably
predictable and those which are uncertain
create environmental scenarios by holding the predictable factors steady and
randomly modifying the uncertain factors (click here for more explanation
and an example)
you can also create idealized competitors, customers, employees, or
technologies; anything that provides creative escape will help
scenario construction is an art, there is no way to know which scenarios will
generate the most creative ideas; simply go for maximum variety in 2-4
cases
blend your creative and analytical skills (or assemble a team with a good mix)
to generate plausible but imaginative scenariosback2map

Preparing Creative and Critical Thinkers


Donald J. Treffinger
Teachers can help students become 21st-century problem solvers by
introducing them to a broad range of thinking tools.
If you doubt that we live in a world of accelerating change, just consider the
everyday life experiences of millions of children and teenagers today:
They can view live images from every corner of the world and talk with or
exchange video images with other young people who live many time zones
away.
They have more technology in their classrooms (and in many cases, in their

backpacks) than existed in the workplaces of their parents 20 years ago.


They will study subjects that were unknown when their teachers and parents
were students, and they may well enter careers that do not exist today.
In contrast with most of their parents, more of today's young people will
routinely come into contact with other people of diverse backgrounds and
experiences. They will grow up to interact, collaborate, and compete with
others around the globe.
Once upon a time, educators might have said to their students, "If you'll pay
close attention to what I'm going to teach you, you'll learn everything you
need to know for a successful life." It's doubtful that this message was ever
entirely true, but it's certainly not true today. We don't know all the
information that today's students will need or all the answers to the questions
they will face. Indeed, increasingly, we don't even know the questions.
These realities mean that we must empower students to become creative
thinkers, critical thinkers, and problem solverspeople who are continually
learning and who can apply their new knowledge to complex, novel, openended challenges; people who will proceed confidently and competently into
the new horizons of life and work.
In education, we routinely teach students how to use various sets of cognitive
tools to make academic work easier, more efficient, or more productive: for
example, research methods, note-taking strategies, or ways to remember and
organize information. In teaching thinking, we need to give students cognitive
tools and teach them to use these tools systematically to solve real-life
problems and to manage change. These tools apply to two essential
categories: creative thinking and critical thinking.

Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking

What is creative thinking? What is critical thinking? We often view these


terms as opposites that are poles apart and incompatible. We stereotype the
creative thinker as wild and zany, thriving on off-the-wall, impractical ideas;
in contrast, we envision the critical thinker as serious, deep, analytical, and
impersonal. Consider instead a different viewthat these two ways of
thinking are complementary and equally important. They need to work

together in harmony to address perceived dilemmas, paradoxes,


opportunities, challenges, or concerns (Treffinger, Isaksen, & Stead-Dorval,
2006).
Creative thinking involves searching for meaningful new connections by
generating many unusual, original, and varied possibilities, as well as details
that expand or enrich possibilities. Critical thinking, on the other hand,
involves examining possibilities carefully, fairly, and constructivelyfocusing
your thoughts and actions by organizing and analyzing possibilities, refining
and developing the most promising possibilities, ranking or prioritizing
options, and choosing certain options.
Generating many possibilities is not enough by itself to help you solve a
problem. Similarly, if you rely on focusing alone, you may have too few
possibilities from which to choose. Effective problem solvers must think both
creatively and critically, generating options and focusing their thinking.
Both generating and focusing involve learning and applying certain guidelines
(attitudes and habits of mind that support effective thinking) and tools. Let's
first look at the guidelines for generating and focusing, and then consider a
number of specific tools.
Habits of the Mind for Generating Ideas

Individuals or groups use generating tools to produce many, varied, or


unusual possibilities; to develop new and interesting combinations of
possibilities; or to add detail to new possibilities. When using these tools, it is
important to follow four broad guidelines, or ground rules (Treffinger, Isaksen,
& Stead-Dorval, 2006):
Defer judgment. When generating options, productive thinkers separate
generating from judging. They direct their effort and energy to producing
possibilities that can be judged later.
Seek quantity. The more options a person or group generates, the greater
the likelihood that at least some of those possibilities will be intriguing and
potentially useful.
Encourage all possibilities. Even possibilities that seem wild or silly might
serve as a springboard for someone to make an original and powerful new
connection.
Look for combinations. It is often possible to increase the quantity and
quality of options by building on the thinking of others or by seeing new
combinations that may be stronger than any of their parts.

Brainstorming is probably the most widely known generating tool (but often
the most misunderstood and misused tool, too). Many people use the term
brainstorming as a synonym for a general conversation, discussion, or
exchange of views. It is more accurate, however, to view brainstorming as a
specific tool in which a person or a group follows the four guidelines
described above to search for many possible responses to an open-ended
task or question. As illustrated in Figure 1, there are also several other tools
for generating options (Treffinger, Nassab, et al., 2006).
Habits of the Mind for Focusing Ideas

Focusing tools help individuals or groups analyze, organize, refine, develop,


prioritize, evaluate, or select options from the set of possibilities they have at
hand. When using these tools, problem solvers should again follow four broad
guidelines or ground rules (Treffinger, Isaksen, & Stead-Dorval, 2006):
Use affirmative judgment. When focusing their thinking, productive thinkers
examine options carefully but constructively, placing more emphasis on
screening, supporting, or selecting options than on criticizing them.
Be deliberate. Effective focusing takes into consideration the purpose of
focusing. Is it to select a single solution, to rank order or prioritize several
options, to examine ideas carefully with very detailed criteria, to refine or
strengthen options, or to create a sequence of steps or actions? Each of these
purposes might be best served by a specific focusing tool.
Consider novelty. If the stated goal is to find a novel or original solution or
response, then it is important to focus deliberately on that dimension when
evaluating possible solutions, and not simply to fall back on the easiest or
most familiar options within a list.
Stay on course. When focusing, it is important to keep the goals and
purposes of the task clearly in sight and to ensure that you evaluate the
options in relation to their relevance and importance for the goal.

Other examples of applications of the tools in content areas include


Attribute Listing. Understanding the important elements or parts of a topic
being studied (for example, the major attributes of a country or civilization in
social studies, the major elements of a story, or the characteristics of the
main characters in a novel).
Brainstorming. Identifying varied or unusual ways to make people aware of

the importance of voting. Generating many possible math problems that


could be constructed from a given set of data, events, or circumstances.
Listing many ways to promote recycling or conservation.
Evaluation Matrix. Evaluating choices or possible courses of action faced by
people or groups in literature or social studies units (for example, in a film the
students have viewed or a story they have read). Judging and choosing one of
several possible themes, plots, or endings for a story or dramatic scene.
Sequencing: SML. Investigating career preparation (for instance, "If you
want to become a ____, the steps or stages in your preparation should include
"). Understanding and ordering the stages or chronology in an event or
process (for example, the steps in an experiment or the sequence of certain
measurements to be taken on a set of data).
Be deliberate about applying the basic tools in several different content
areas, to help students learn how to transfer their learning about the tools
across contexts. As you work with the tools, be explicit about metacognitive
skills. Ask, "What is the tool? How did you use it? When and why would you
use it in other situations?"

Beware of presenting too much newness at once. When you are working with
new content, start with familiar tools. When you are introducing new tools,
start with familiar content. Don't try to teach all the tools at once.
When students are comfortable with the basic generating and focusing tools,
teachers may guide them in applying these tools through the Creative
Problem Solving framework, a model for attaining clarity about tasks, defining
problems in a constructive way, generating possible solutions, preparing for
action and successful implementation of solutions, and dealing with change.
For more information about the Creative Problem Solving framework, see the
resources at the Center for Creative Learning.
It is also important to engage students in finding and solving real-life
problems or challenges within the classroom, the school, or the community.
Two widely known enrichment programs can provide engaging opportunities
for students to apply creative problem solving.
Preparing Students for a Changing World

By helping students learn and apply the attitudes and practical tools of
effective problem solvers, teachers can enhance student learning in powerful
ways that extend beyond memorization and recall. Even when teachers are
compelled to place great emphasis on basic learning and doing well on
standardized testsindeed, particularly at such timesit remains important
to balance the emphasis between process and content in teaching and
learning. Students who are competent in not only the basics of content areas
but also the basics of productive and creative thinking will be lifelong
learners, knowledge creators, and problem solvers who can live and work
effectively in a world of constant change.

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