1. Creativity Techniques
Sampath Wahala
EcoBusiness Management Special Degree Program

2. Divergent & Convergent Creative Thinking Tools

3. Divergent thinking
Is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions.
Many possible solutions are explored in a short amount of time, and unexpected connections are drawn. After the process of divergent thinking has been completed, ideas and information are organized and structured using convergent thinking.

4. Convergent thinking
is a term coined by Joy Paul Guilford as the opposite of divergent thinking. It generally means the ability to give the "correct" answer to standard questions that do not require significant creativity, for instance in most tasks in school and on standardized multiple-choice tests for intelligence.
Convergent thinking is the type of thinking that focuses on coming up with the single, well-established answer to a problem.

5. Map of Convergent Thinking

6. Force Field Analysis
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

7. Force Field Analysis
Write a brief statement of the problem to be solved
Describe what the situation would be like if everything fell apart – absolute catastrophe
Describe what the situation would be like if everything were ideal
With catastrophic at the left and ideal at the right, draw a center line

8. Force Field Analysis contd..
On the range, list the forces that are contributing to make the situation more ideal and those contributing to make it more catastrophic
Strengthen an already positive force
Weaken an already negative force
Add a new positive force

9. Forced Relationships

10. Forced Relationships
This is an idea generating technique that appears in many books about creative thinking and creative thinking or innovation tools.
First Step
choose something totally unrelated to the problem or challenge you or your group are working on.
Second Step
List everything you or your group know about it. (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?…physical, visual, tactile,…all senses, good and bad)

11. Forced Relationships Third Step
List everything you or your group know about your problem or challenge. (WWWWWH…and using all the senses)
Fourth Step
Take items/details/aspects from the first list and FORCE FIT them to features or details from the second list. Your goal is to see if the features from the randomly chosen, unrelated thing/animal sparks ideas for improving, Changing, correcting features of the problem.
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

12. Ex. A traditional example or warm-up for doing this consists of… 1st.
Ask the person or group to write everything they know about a canary (or a bird in their country.
2nd.
Ask the person or group to write everything they know about the chair they are sitting in.
3rd.
Then I ask them to combine (FORCE FIT or make a FORCED Relationship) one item from the canary list with the chair’s list with the goal to improve, change, correct the chair design or to generate ideas for designing the ultimate chair.
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

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16. Idea Grids
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

17. Idea Grids
First Step
With this Creating Tool we first generate 12 to 24 ideas through Brainstorming or any other technique.
Second Step
Then draw a grid made up of as many vertical and horizontal cells as you have ideas.
Third Step
Combine the ideas on the vertical side of the grid with the ideas on the horizontal side one by one and write them into the separate boxes where the two ideas meet.. 6 ideas can Then produce 36 ideas, 12 can produce 24, ,000
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

18. Fourth Step
Read over the ideas you have produced and select the Best to work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

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21. Progressive abstraction
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

22. Progressive abstraction
Shortage of Human Capacity
at Professional Level
Shortage of
Professional Employees
Make an short exercise about one of the projects in the course.
Shortage of Entry Level
Professional Employees
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

23. Interrogatories (5Ws/H)
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

24. Interrogatories (5Ws/H)
Why
How
When
Where
Who
What
Do a short exercise with one of the problems in the course.
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

25. Associations/Images Technique
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

26. Associations/Images Technique
Leader assists group in identifying the problem or opportunity to be expanded
Leader asks participants to select a solution to the problem, phrased in the form of a goal or wish
Leader picks a key concept to the goal/wish statements
Leader asks the group to think of a world that is remote from the world of the problem (leader chooses the remote world)
Leader request to set aside the problem and goal/wish developed and to lists associations and images that characterize the remote world
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

27. Associations/Images Technique
Leader directs the group to relate the list of associations and images of the remote world to the world of the problem
Leader directs group to develop second-generation associations and images from any one of those listed in step 6, extracting key principles and applying them in a more realistic way without diluting the innovation
Group selects and implements appealing ideas developed in step 7
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

28. Wishful thinking
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

29. Wishful thinking Develop a problem statement
Open solution space to all possibilities, i.e. anything is possible
State alternative in terms of a wish or fantasy
Convert each wishful statement to a more practical one
Move on to the normal analytical problem solving approach to develop a solution

30. Analogy/Metaphor technique
EBM 415 Lec 3 Creativity Techniques

31. Analogy/Metaphor technique
Withholding evaluation, generate a list of objects, persons, situations or actions that are similar but unrelated to problem
Select one of the analogies and describe it in detail (avoid any reference to original problem)
Examine items and translate them into statements that apply to the problem
Examine each statement and discuss its application to the problem

32. Techniques to spark great ideas
Great expectations
Be childish
Focus – 80/20 principle
Structure idea sessions
Break patterns
Fresh Perspective
Make it real
Practice

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