In Search of the Perfect Brainstorm: An Update of Collaborative Ideation
Imaginary scenario: you have been invited to a meeting to explore new approaches to a wicked problem. Loudmouth Number 1 describes his solution. Loudmouth Number 2 vehemently disagrees. A heated argument ensues. Some people take sides. Others remain silent. There are bruised egos. You are not the only one who feels frustrated. All that time just one single idea has been considered. Have you ever experienced such a meeting? Have you ever wondered why brainstorming came to be? Brainstorming Today: Why It Needs an Update These days the noun “brainstorming” and the verb “to brainstorm” are used (and misused) extensively and in many different ways. Our working definition in this article is that brainstorming is a “process to enable purposeful, [...]
How Mind Mapping Boosts Your Creativity
Everyone has the power to be creative, but how can you bring your innovative thoughts to life? Discover how Mind Mapping can unlock your creative potential in this article.
Five Innovation Practices for Building & Managing an Innovation Program
There is no “one size fits all” formula for innovation management success. Demystifying innovation takes experiments and practices. In this article, we'll explore five tactics to use in order to develop and manage a successful innovation program.
Adopt and Adapt Ideas to Drive Innovation
What do Clarence Birdseye, Alexander Graham Bell and George de Mestral have in common? As Paul Sloane explains, it has to do with a unique way of looking at the world around them with a creative eye.
Look for the solution within the problem
Two prisoners dug a tunnel from their cell 80 feet to escape from prison. Where did they hide the dirt? This is one of the examples used by Roni Horowitz of the consultancy group SIT to show the advantages of a method called Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT). The answer is that they hid the dirt in the tunnel. The prisoners stole nylon sacks from the prison bakery and each day they dug the tunnel and put the dirt into the sacks. At cell inspection times they pushed all the dirt bags back into the tunnel and tidied the cell. When the prisoners escaped the guards found a cell full of bags of dirt and an empty tunnel. It is a [...]
Creativity in reverse: a new way to use TRIZ
Much of creativity is focused on solving problems or creating new solutions to replace or improve upon what already exists. But sometimes the problem we
Spontaneous Versus Solution-Oriented Creativity
Creativity can come in two forms: spontaneous creativity and solution oriented creativity. Here are some tips on how your organization can benefit from both types, from Jeffrey Baumgartner.
Need breakthrough innovation? Resist the temptation to ‘build a better mousetrap’
product development in many industries. Moreover, the percentage of ideas that make it from lab to consumer is low. One factor that affects the probability of success is how innovators look at a given development challenge or problem.
A Process for Innovation Planning
All too often, hastily planned brainstorming sessions bring up a lot of good ideas that somehow never get used, while the boring kinds of ideas you are trying to get away from seem to be used again and again. One reason for this is the lack of an innovation plan, according to Jeffrey Baumgartner.
Brainstorming strategy: Don’t settle for the first idea
When looking for solutions to problems, we humans have an unfortunate tendency to embrace the first solution that comes to mind. That can be counterproductive, but it can also blind us to more creative, effective and ultimately more profitable solutions, according to Jeffrey Baumgartner.
When Brainstorming, Don’t Give in to Limited Thinking
When we are trying to dream up ideas for a particular problem, we have a tendency to look at the limitations and focus our ideation on ideas that meet the demands of our limitations. In short, we only consider ideas that come within the “good ideas” portion of our realm of ideas. Ideas that do not make it into the good ideas realm are often rejected immediately.
Imagination: The Number One Tool for Innovation and Creativity
Imagination is not a word you hear much about in business. Few companies, outside electronic game producers, would describe themselves as imaginative. That is a shame and a mistake. Imagination is the number one tool for creativity and innovation.
Creative thinking technique: Lotus Blossom
A creative-thinking technique that will help you expand your thinking beyond your usual paths of thinking is Lotus Blossom. According to author Michael Michalko, Lotus Blossom helps you to organize your thinking around significant themes, helping you to explore a number of alternate possibilities and ideas.
Innovation strategy: Does your new product idea really solve a customer problem?
Whether you're inventing teabags or nail polish, innovations that solve actual problems make more common sense to consumers than "bright ideas" that "assume" a problem.
What is TRIZ and How can it be used in Problem Solving or Brainstorming?
TRIZ is a problem solving and brainstorming technique that has been growing in popularity, especially among design engineers. What is TRIZ, and why is it such a powerful tool for product development and other business applications?
How to creatively meet customer needs – and grow your business in the process
According to the late self-help expert Earl Nightingale, every business in operation today, not matter how large or small, began as an idea in the mind of one person. One of the best ways to grow your business is to identify unmet customer needs
Think horizontally and vertically to solve your next creative challenge
The next time you're faced with a challenge that requires a creative solution, why not try exploring both "horizontal" and "vertical" approaches?
Photography: the Art of ‘Seeing’
There are a number of elements that contribute to creative photography, and which have metaphorical equivalents in the world of creative problem solving. Learn how to 'see' more effectively in both realms!
Tips for Personal Brainstorming
Everyone has problems and challenges that need solving; they're an inevitable part of living. What many people don't realize, however, is that most of them can be overcome using a simple, focused program of personal brainstorming. Here's how...
Attitudes of creative people: A descriptive sketch of the creative person
What traits and attitudes makes a person creative? Earl Nightingale sheds some light on the subject.
‘Creativity is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.’ What does that mean?
We've all heard this popular expression about the creative 'spark' or the 'a-ha!' experience. But how does it work in real life?
Take time for ‘think time’
In today's fast-paced world, few of us take quiet time for creative thinking and problem solving. But we should!
Got a Problem? Take a ‘Walk’ Around It
Visualization - the powerful technique used by the world's best athletes to condition their subconscious minds for peak performance - is also a potent problem-solving tool. Here's a simple four-step visualization technique that can help you solve nearly any problem you may face.