Managing a DI Team: Facilitating the Creative Process

Describes the learning processes involved in solving a Destination Imagination Challenge Emphasizes the process over the product Provides concrete learning objectives – i.e. “utilize convergent and divergent thinking” All-inclusive view of the benefits of participation in Destination Imagination What is it? Creative Process

An Overview Creative Process

A checklist to be completed A step-by-step, linear process Designed to constrict thinking methods A set of rules that must be followed What it’s not… Creative Process

Becoming aware of a challenge, problem, or opportunity ―Having a healthy state of mind to explore new opportunities ―Having a positive attitude, readiness and alertness ―Fully understanding all the issues or points of the challenge or problem

The Team Members Recognize Will need to maximize their different – Personalities – Ideas – Abilities and Skills – Interests – Learning Styles

Applying thinking skills to develop options ―Employing divergent and convergent thinking ―Using creativity and critical thinking tools to create ideas and select the best ones ―Encouraging intuitive insight and novelty ―Maximizing the ability to work within or outside of structure ―Using your imagination to explore new ideas about solutions

If you think it, share it Don’t evaluate or judge ideas – Your own, or someone else’s Team Manager cannot offer ideas – Interference – Team might have idea on their own, but if TM offers it, the team can’t use it Rules for Idea Generation Sessions Imagine

Divergent thinking – developing possibilities for open-ended questions – Explores multiple solutions – “I wonder if we could…” Convergent thinking – developing solutions to a specific problem – Has an end-goal in mind prior to generating – “How might we…?” Thinking Styles for Idea Generation Imagine

Idea Generation Activities Imagine Brainstorming ABC Brainstorming – Roadmap, p. 160 Beach Ball Brainstorming Mind Spin Mix & Match (Morphological Matrix) – Roadmap, p. 167 SCAMPER

Create a 5x5 grid of blank squares. Label the columns with the following: 1.Hero 2.Villain 3.Conflict 4.Setting 5.Humorous Twist Fill in an idea for each square. Your team will then select at random a different square from each column. You will then use the selected elements to create a story. Mix and Match Idea Generation

Initiating behavior and committing to an option ―Being willing to take risks; go beyond the minimum ―Controlling behavior to manage impulsiveness ―Directing ideas into solutions Using social intelligence ―Understanding and using different problem-solving styles ―Being positive and listening to all team ideas before judging them ―Working together to produce the solution

Simple tools that elicit positive input and help make decisions as a team without hurting feelings Simple activities with effective results Everyone provides input, everyone invests in solution Idea Directing / Focusing Tools Initiate & Collaborate

Idea Directing/Focusing Tools Initiate & Collaborate Objective Ranking Choice Helper/Attribute Listing – Roadmap pg. 186 Strong-Weak-Special (A-L-O-U) Paired Choice – Roadmap, pg. 193

Given a list of ideas, evaluate each idea according to the following elements. 1.Strong – What are the strengths of the idea? 2.Weak – What the weaknesses or challenges to the idea? 3.Special – What makes this idea special? Is it extremely humorous? Does it have an aspect that is truly novel? By doing this, you will foster effective discussion about each idea and help your team evaluate ideas for use in the Challenge Solution. Strong-Weak-Special (was Alo U) Idea Directing

Collaboration is learned by working in a group – Practice Instant Challenges – Communicate frequently – Provide checkpoints for discussion – Allow team members to pursue their passion in creating the solution Learning to Collaborate Initiate & Collaborate

Achieving the best solution ―Assessing the project while it is being done and after it is finished ―Sometimes starting over or admitting failure

Team Members provide constructive feedback Learn to admit failure when necessary Team should set decision points for success – If it doesn’t work by ____, then we will have to re-evaluate our solution Learn when to adjust and when to start again An ongoing process Assess

Does our solution solve the Challenge? Is this still our best idea or option? Is it working? How would someone score this according to the Challenge? Use challenge scoring as rubric to assess work Does it do what the challenge requires? Guiding Questions Assess

Objective – Did it happen? – Yes – full points – No – zero points Subjective – How well did it work? – Was it creative? – Based on the impression of the Appraisers Assess your solution on both types of scored elements, from various viewpoints Types of Scores Assess

Evaluating the results ―Reflecting on the experience, resources and team dynamics ―Celebrating the team’s journey and accomplishments