1. Professor John Canny Spring 2006
CS 160: Lecture 2
Professor John Canny
Spring 2006
11/23/2018

2. The Psychology of Creativity
Conformity: the enemy of creativity
Organizations encourage conformity: IBM blue suits, Disney etc.
part of “corporate identity”.
Note: IBM research and many other research labs reject their corporation’s mainstream culture.
11/23/2018

3. The Psychology of Creativity
Pressure to conform affects judgment and perception:
The emperor’s new clothes
MCarthyism: if you’re not one of us, you’re on of them…
People in the minority will adopt majority opinion and even manufacture their own explanation of it.
11/23/2018

4. Enhancing Creativity Thinking outside the box (literally):
Draw a series of 4 straight lines through all the points below, without lifting pen from paper:
11/23/2018

5. Why is this hard
Even without being told, we adopt expectations about what the solution should look like.
Based on conventions, and also what we believe the questioner expects.
11/23/2018

6. Creativity and Groups
Since groups create pressure to conform, they often hamper creativity.
This is called “groupthink”.
Groups are usually less creative than the individuals.
increases participation and reduces the effect of groupthink.
This contradicts our best experiences of group work.
What is missing?
11/23/2018

7. Creativity and Dissent
Authentic dissenters – people who really disagree with the group – can enhance group creativity.
Their opinion needn’t be right – but they can free the group from stagnant thinking.
The originality of the minority stimulates the majority.
11/23/2018

8. Dissent and authenticity
The benefits of dissent are weakened if either:
The dissent is not real, but is enacted: such as by a deliberate “devil’s advocate” in the group. (The devil’s advocate can actually stifle dissent, because the majority know their opinion is manufactured.)
The group does not encourage dissent. Polite or pro-forma acceptance is not enough.
11/23/2018

9. Brainstorming Based on IDEO’s principles
world’s best known Design firm.
11/23/2018

10. Brainstorming Rules Sharpen the Focus Playful Rules Number your Ideas
Build and Jump
The Space Remembers
Stretch Your Mental Muscles
Get Physical
11/23/2018

11. Sharpen the Focus
Posing the right problem is critical – neither too narrow, nor too fuzzy
Not “bicycle cup-holders” but “helping cyclists to drink coffee without accidents”.
Focus outward (on the user’s needs) not on the company’s strengths.
11/23/2018

12. Playful Rules Rules constrain choice and inhibit exploration.
Making the rules playful or ironical can shape the discussion without limiting it.
Examples: “encourage wild ideas,” “be visual,” “go for quantity.”
11/23/2018

13. Number your ideas Obvious but very useful
Helps keep track of them when the brainstormer is successful (and a hundred or more ideas are in play).
Allows ideas to take on an identity of their own.
11/23/2018

14. Build and Jump* Build to keep momentum on an idea:
“shock absorbers are a great idea; what are other ways to reduce coffee spillage on bumps?”
Jump to regain momentum when a theme tapers out:
“OK, but what about hands-free solutions?”
11/23/2018

15. Concept Refinement
Premature idea rejection is a serious barrier to good design.
One of the biggest differentiators between good designers and great ones is the latter’s ability to successfully develop unusual ideas.
This requires a strong instinct to be able to distinguish fatal vs. minor flaws in an idea.
11/23/2018

16. The Space Remembers
Covering whiteboards or papering walls with text is extremely useful in group work.
It’s a very effective form of external (RAM!) memory for group members.
Even better, its shared RAM. It’s a way for group members to share understanding.
11/23/2018

17. Stretch your Mental Muscles
Warmups: word games, puzzles
Get immersed in the domain: go visit the toy shop, or the bicycle shop, phone shop etc…
Bring some examples of the technology to the brainstomer.
11/23/2018

18. Get Physical Do as well as talk. Sketching. Making models. Acting out.
11/23/2018

19. Ways to kill a brainstormer
The boss gets to speak first
Everybody gets a turn
Experts only
Do it offsite
No silly stuff
Write down everything
11/23/2018

20. Brainstorming With practice, a group can brainstorm very well.
When starting out however, an experienced facilitator is critical.
Let’s try it!
11/23/2018

21. Topic – your project
11/23/2018

22. Doing it on your own
You can apply similar methods on your own, there just wont be as many opinions to include.
Do remember to:
Write down the problem first, not the solution
Sharpen the focus
Number ideas
Build and jump
11/23/2018

23. Summary Conformity vs. creativity Groupthink vs. dissent
IDEO’s Brainstorming rules
11/23/2018