The Creative ProcessKarin Cloutier

creativityKNOWLEDGE

Why is the Creative Process important?

MBAs Kindergartens

• 20 pieces of spaghetti

• One yard of tape• One yard of string• One marshmallow

Tallest freestanding structure

Holds the marshmallow on top

The Challenge!

Exercise

Solution

Stage Step Purpose

CLARIFY Explore the vision Identify the goal, wish or challenge

Gather Data Describe and generate data to understand the challenge

Formulate challenges

Sharpen awareness of the challenge and create challenge questions that invite solutions

IDEATE Explore Ideas Generate ideas that answer the challenge questions

DEVELOP Formulate Solutions To move from ideas to solutions. Evaluate strengthen, and select solutions for best “fit”

IMPLEMENT Formulate a Plan Explore acceptance and identify resources and actions that will support implementation of the selected solutions(s).

Creative Problem Solving Process

Creative Thinkingdivergent thinking

u Many possibilitiesu Varied possibilitiesu Unusual/original possibilitiesu Details to expand or enrich

possibilities

Critical Thinkingconvergent thinking

uOrganizing and analyzing possibilitiesuRefining and developing promising

possibilitiesuRanking or prioritizing optionsuChoosing or deciding on certain

options

Putting them togethercreative + critical thinking = …

uCreative thinking generates optionsuCritical thinking focuses the options

Creativity is Influenced by…

u Fluency u The ability to generate a great number of ideas

u Flexibilityu The skill that allows us to produce a variety of ideas

u Originalityu The talent to think of unusual ideas

u Elaborationu The process of filling in all the details

u Evaluationu The process that allows us to select, test, and revise ideas

The criteria for ”creative”what appraisers are looking for

u Novelty – newness, originality, transformational (forces a shift)

u Resolution – adequate, appropriate, logical, useful, valuable

u Elaboration/Synthesis – attractive, complex, elegant, expressive, organic, well-crafted

Thinking Toolkit…

Generating

u Brainstorming

u Brain writing

u ABC Storming

u Post-it Storming

u Stop & Go Brainstorming

u Attribute Listing

u Morphological Matrix

u SCAMPER

Focusing

u Hits & Hot Spots

u ALoU

u Paired Comparison Analysis

u Sequencing: SML

u Evaluation Matrix

Rules of Brainstorming

1 – Withhold Judgement of Ideasu Allow students to conceptualize

freely

u All ideas are good!

2 – Encourage WILD Ideasu Encourage team members to be

imaginative

u Try to make each other laugh

3 - Quantity Countsu Encourage team to push

u Never accept that the best idea is among the first

4 - Piggyback on the ideas of otheru Encourage team members to use

SCAMPER method to put a new twist on ideas already given

BrainWriting1.Team sits around a table

2.Everyone get s sheet of paper, pencil and a challenge state to brainstorm

3.Give the team 3 minutes to write down 3 ideas

4.After 3 minutes have each team member pass their paper to the left

5.Repeat steps 3 & 4. Repeat until each person has their original sheet back. Best with shy

team members

ABC Storming

Have team members list attributes for any topic to generate unusual ideas by asking team to list an attribute for each letter of the alphabet.

Challenge Statement: List as many attributes of World War II

A- allies

B- bombers

C- concertation camps

D – deportation

…

Post-It Storming

1. Give the team the challenge statement

2. Everyone writes ideas on Post-it notes – one idea per note

3. Collect all notes and see if there are any that can be combined.

Benefits:

This can be used to help the team generate and group ideas.

Stop & Go Brainstorming

1. Team generates ideas for 3-5 minutes as a group, calling out ideas as they occur (brainstorming)

2. After the first period expires, team members silently consider new ideas for 3-5 minutes writing them on paper.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as many times as necessary.

Benefits:

Allows spontaneous and deliberate thinkers to process ideas and contribute equally

Attribute Listingu Helps look at new possibilities for an object, task or creationu Identifies main attributes of an elementu Helps explore ways to change, modify, improve or enhance the

element

Usesu When there is more than one option but none seem “just right”u When one part of the element needs modification or changeu Makes complex multi-step tasks more manageableu Helps make modifications in a systematic manner retaining essential

qualities yet stretches in a new directionu Improves existing element by enhancing an individual feature

Attribute Listing

Attribute Listing – DI exampleHow can we improve or enhance our vehicle?

Attribute Possible Changes

Steering Wheel • Cover in same fabric as costume• Make unusual shape

Wheels • Decorate the spokes• Design hubcaps that go with our theme

Seat • Make it recline• Include seat warmers

Interior • Include a stereo system• Include cup holders

Outside of Vehicle • Pain on team logo• Add racing stripes

Morphological Matrix

Usesu A large number of options are needed quicklyu When a change or improvement is neededu To explore new combinations of the characteristics of an

existing item or situationu To improve an existing “thing” by changing its individual

features

Stepsu State what you want to changeu List different characteristic of the item or situation as

columns on a worksheetu Identify options of each elementu Make combinations to create new items or situations

DI Sampleu Statement: We need to develop a unique storyline for our skit

u List the attributes of a story across the columns

u Fill in each column with possibilities

u Randomly pick one possibility for each attribute

u Combine the possibilities to create your story

Character Prop Setting Situation

Store Clerk Baseball Bat In a house Going out on a date

Horse Hat On a boat Scrubbing floor

Young Woman Coin In a doctor’s office Speeding in a car

Football Player Plate On a tv show Missing a flight

Bicycle Lamp In a store At family reunion

Toy Doll Chair In a restaurant Taking a test

A bicycle was feeling kind of flat because of his lost hat. He spent so long looking for his hat that he missed his flight. He went to the doctor’s office for help and the doctor told him he was just TOO TIRED.

SCAMPER TechniqueS Substitute What could we substitute

What could you do/use insteadWhat would work as well or better?

C Combine What could you combine?What might work well together?What could be brought together?

A Adapt What could be adjusted to suit purpose?How could you make it fit?

M Modify (magnify or minify) Can it be bigger, greater, stronger, faster?Can it be smaller, lighter, slower?

P Put to other uses How else can this be used?What are some ways you can use this?Can you find a different purpose for this?

E Eliminate What could you take away?What could you do without?

R Reverse Can you change the parts, layout or sequence?What if you looked at it from under, over, through or backwards?

A-Lo-U

A Advantages

Lo Limitations and How to Overcome Them

U Unique Features(wouldn’t it be nice if….?)

ALoU – DI SampleOption to Examine: Having the set be “giant” and the characters small

Advantages Limitations How to Overcome Unique Features

Allows for a lot of creative ideas

How could we create GIANT sized objects?

We could learn to make things to scale

We could learn a lot about proportions and scale

Would be visually interesting

How do we move large props

Use lightweight materials like cardboard or foam

Learn to look at ordinary things in new ways

Would be unlikely another team does it

How can we get them to the tournament

We could build the props in several pieces to be assemble on site

The appraisers would be impressed with our creative approach

Would be fun making small things huge

How many props would we need?

We could be very selective

We would be forced to be very creative in the materials

Paired Comparison Analysis

Uses:

u When you need to rank a few attractive options

u To avoid voting

u When the group has difficulty in selecting the most appealing option

Possible Application:

u Selecting a theme to use for the performance

u Deciding the best type of glue to use on our structure

u Deciding which character will be the comedian

u Determining which vehicle is most likely to complete all tasks

u Deciding which genre to use for the skit

Paired Comparison- DI SampleChallenge

What materials should we use to make our clown costume unique?

List the options to be compared:

A – Rainbow colored featured suit C – Duct Tape suite

B – Inflated balloon costume D – Paper mache suite

1. Look at all possible pairs, each team member underlines the choice they prefer AND ranks using the scale to the right.

2. Determine how many points each option generated to determine the most attractive option.

Total Scores: A=14, B=12, C=10, D=10

3= This was easily my first choice

2= This was my second choice

1= This was my third choice

A/B (6) A/C(6) A/D(2)

B/C(2) B/D(4)

C/D(4)

Hits & Hot SpotsHelps generate lots of ideas and then combine ideas and group similar ideas helping to narrow the number of options

How to:u Use brainstorming to generate lots of ideas and put each on a sticky note

u Options for the materials to use in costumes

u Look for sticky notes that are the same or similar and group them in clustersu Velvet, cotton & fleece (soft things)

u Mirror, beads, coins, prisms (shiny things)

u Thread, ribbon, wire, tape, velcro (connectors)

u Each team member is allowed three “hits”

u Team members put “hits” on ideas they find most interesting or intriguing

u Items with the most “hits” are then addressed as preferred options

Evaluation MatrixTool involves deliberate efforts to evaluate, weigh or choose options against a number of specific criteria.

Uses:u Offers a structured approach to evaluating options against criteria

u When you need to weigh the value of a moderate number of options

u When you need accurate, detailed examination or scrutiny of many possibilities

u When you need to evaluate options fairly but rigorously

u When you want to group options into ones to be developed now, held for further study, modifying or rejected.

Evaluation Matrix – DI Example

Skills Cost Time Materials Creative Use Hold Reject

Hover maybe maybe no maybe yes x

Leaky Boat yes yes yes yes maybe x

Sea Today See Tomorrow

yes yes yes yes yes x

Gilligan’s Island

yes yes yes yes no x

Wishy Washy

maybe maybe maybe maybe yes x

Under, Around & Over

yes yes yes yes yes x

Sequencing SMLHelps organize tasks along a timeline according to when the task is due

Uses:u When you need a plan of action

u To decide what order tasks should be completed

u To decide when tasks should be completed

u To decide who is responsible for the tasks completion

u To give a clear written time line that identifies team expectations

Possible Application:u Deciding what needs to be done and in what time frame and sequence tasks need to

happen

u Determining “ownership” and responsibility for each task

u Helping to prevent tasks from being delayed and/or forgotten

Sequencing SML Sample WorksheetTo organize our team during the 4 weeks before the tournament

Task Short – this week Medium-In 2 weeks

Long-last 2 weeks Who

Finish Building:TreeStreet LampHouse Front

xx

x

TimSusanAmy & John

Rehearse Skit x x x All

Tournament Forms x Sarah

Assemble Tool Kit x Carol

Finish Costumes:PolicemanDog

xx

JohnAmy

How to be more creative

u Your brain is more creative when it’s tired

u Exercise can improve creativity

u Ambient noise levels are best for creativity

u Nothing is original – creativity is all about making connections and changing things up!

u Constraints can be beneficial to creativity

Questions?

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Presentation Link(s)

Creative ThinkingGenerating Ideas

u Everyone can do itu Generating options gives us a broad pool of

choices from which to choose our best possible solution(s) to challenges or tasks.

Critical ThinkingFocusing

uCritical thinking is not criticizinguCritical thinking helps us to move

forward, it makes the next step(s) clear

uFocusing helps us reach our best solution or goal