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With5 guidelines for corporate presentations

Module

Creative Thinking

1
A Necessary Condition to the
Development of Critical and
Creative Thinking is:

A Questioning
Mind
 If I find 10,000 ways something wont work, I havent
failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt
discarded is just one more step forward.
Thomas Edison

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 Theoretical Assumptions
The creative process involves a set of mental operations;
These mental operations can be described;
The creative process is a natural process;
People possess preferences for different mental
operations (i.e., cognitive styles); and
Therefore, people possess different preferences for the
mental operations associated with creative problem
solving.

9-4
 Previous Approaches to
Creativity Definition
Earliest definitions of creativity focus on the creative
process.

John Watsons definition is perhaps remarkable

How the new comes into being: One natural
question often raised is : How do we ever get new
verbal creations such as a poem or a brilliant essay?
The answer is that we get them by manipulating
words, shifting them about until a new pattern is hit
upon.
 THEORIES OF CREATIVITY -
GRACE
Creativity is something of a mystery, drawing
forth images of wonderful insights, imaginative
efforts, illumination and intuitions that come from
nowhere.
It seems the work of magic.
The idea of genius may add force to this notion
since creative artists, musicians, etc. seemed to be
endowed with superhuman potential.
Creativity in this sense is seen as a divine gift.
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 THEORIES OF CREATIVITY -
ACCIDENT
This is the opposite of it being a divine gift.
It rises by chance.
Holders of this view offer various types of
accidental discoveries such as those of
immunisation arising from an interruption in
work, radioactivity from the wrong hypothesis,
and the smallpox vaccination from observation.
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THEORIES OF CREATIVITY -
ASSOCIATION
The most popular theory
Suggests applying procedures from one
area to another
Underlies the justification for many
divergent thinking techniques such as
lateral thinking and brainstorming

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 THEORIES OF CREATIVITY -
COGNITIVE
Creativity is a normal human activity
It uses cognitive processes like recognition,
reasoning and understanding

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Three general questions
should be answered

What are we talking about?

How can we study it?
How does it work?
 Creative Techniques

Generating lots of ideas

Combining existing ideas in different ways for
new purposes
Seeing the same thing but thinking of
something different
Selecting unique and useful ideas and
solutions to everyday challenges

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 Improving Creativity
Creativity can be divided into two phases of
thinking.
Divergent thinking
Convergent thinking
Convergent Thinkinga form of thinking in which ideas come
together to form a solution.

Divergent Thinkinga form of thinking in which many different

aspects of an idea are explored.
DIVERGENT AND CONVERGENT THINKING

Divergent Convergent
Thinking Thinking
 Divergent Thinking
The goal of divergent thinking is to generate many
different solutions to a problem in a short period
of time.

Divergent thinking typically occurs in a

spontaneous, free-flowing manner, such that the
ideas are generated in a random, unorganized
fashion.
Following divergent thinking, the ideas and
information will be organized using convergent
 Divergent Tools

Brainstorming
Mind mapping
Pluses, Potentials, & Concerns
Forced Connections
Words
Pictures
Analogies

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Divergent Thinking Guidelines
Rule Out Judgment (Suspend Evaluation)

Seek Quantity (Quantity Breeds Quality)

Build on Options (Mental Hitch-hiking)

Seek Novel Associations (Freewheel)

9-16
 Improving Creativity
Practical Tips
The following are some mental flexibility exercises
that should help you improve your creativity. These
are adapted from Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin
(1999).
1. Use your nondominant hand for brushing teeth, writing,
using the remote.
2. Vary your usual routine.
3. Take a different way to work or class.
4. Seek out social stimulation, especially with people you
dont already know.
 Improving Creativity
Practical Tips
The following . . . (continued)
5. Put your watch on the other wrist.
6. Turn pictures on your desk upside down.
7. Randomly move your wastebaskets, stapler, penholder,
etc.
8. Shop at different stores.
9. Vary your usual route through the grocery store.
10. Look at magazines written for the opposite sex.
 Convergent Thinking
The goal of convergent thinking is to eliminate all
but one solution to a problem.
Convergent thinking is what you have been
primarily taught through most of your educational
process.
The problem with convergent thinking is the same as
eliminating neural pathways (see creative thinking
power point).
What if there is a flaw in that one solution, or if you find a
circumstance where that one solution is rendered unworkable?
Convergent Tools

Hits & Clusters

Card Sort
Rank Order
Evaluation Matrix

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 Total

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Interviewee A
5 2 3 1 F

Interviewee B 10
1 5 1 3 F

Interviewee C 12
5 2 1 4 M

Interviewee D 11
1 3 5 2 F
Criteria (1-5)
1 = Lowest desirability
3 = Moderate
5 = High desirability
Evaluation Matrix 21
Ask: Will itdoes itmeet the criteria.
HOW IS THIS THING

LIKE THIS THING?

Visually and functionally?
Whats the connection between hands and the
ocean?
The analogy can
be intellectual
or visual.
 Seeing things in new ways
Human beings as a
species tend to be
fairly self centered
and vain.
We see ourselves
everywhere
Ever see the face of Jesus in a
potato chip?
 The ICEDIP Model

Inspiration There is no correct order to the process.

Clarification Each stage has its own mind-set.

Evaluation
All Areas of Learning can contribute to aspects of
Distillation the creative process.
Incubation
Non-creative Areas of Learning or subjects can
Perspiration explicitly teach dispositions.

ICEDIP Model created by Geoff Petty

Not all stages will apply in every Area of
Learning/subject.
PMB 2007
 ICEDIP Mind-Sets
INSPIRATION
Deeply engrossed, fearless, free
Researching and generating a large number of ideas.
Being uninhibited, spontaneous, experimental and
intuitive. If most of the ideas are workable, you did
not take enough risks!
EVALUATION
Self-critical, positive, willing to learn
Considering how the work can be improved. Building
on strengths, identifying weaknesses and viewing
them as opportunities for improvement. Not seeing
criticism as a threat.
INCUBATION
Unhurried, trusting, flexible
Leaving the work alone for a while, pondering it
occasionally (keeping it on the surface of your mind),
giving the subconscious time to work on it
PMB 2007
CLARIFICATION
Clear-minded, unhurried, questioning
Clarifying the purpose and keeping a sense of direction.
Focusing on how the finished work will look.
Clarification is a process, not an event! It is done at
frequent intervals.
DISTILLATION
Strategic, reflective
Deciding what ideas to work on. Selecting best ideas or
combining them into even better ones. Thinking about
where the ideas can take you.
PERSPIRATION
Enthusiastic, positive, persistent
Generating a number of drafts, separated with
clarification and evaluation phases. Creative people
often do not accept a first draft, but go over and over
a piece until it is to their liking.