Anyone who has attended an unproductive brainstorming session will agree that ground rules are important. However, the notion of rules seems contrary to creativity. This is why I developed “the unrules” for my own sessions; they combine common sense and humour. When managed by a good...
A challenge with group brainstorming in the workplace is switching gears from the “Do this! Do that!” of daily tasks to the “Hmmm, what if?” of creative thinking. Without a proper BrainStretch, group members may try to brainstorm from a tactical mindset (logic, practicality and...
We mix’n'match everyday – these pants with this shirt make an outfit; peanut butter and banana makes a sandwich; this single friend and the guy next door make a cute couple. We rarely call it a creative technique. However, matching up things – either similar or dissimilar – is a quick way to...
Generating ideas by applying a random concept to the problem at hand (“crossbreeding”) is a well-publicized technique because, historically, it happens “accidentally” under the heading of “Eureka!” A few classic examples…
3M scientist Arthur Fry invents the post-it...
Mind mapping is not a new tool. Once upon a time it was a simple tool that could be scribbled quickly. Then came the websites and the software – and now mind mapping is a bit intimidating to the average user.
I’ve simplified things with the exercise I provide below (a pdf). A Mind Map is a simple...
I send out a warm thank you to all the fantastic people I met at the Women in Leadership and Business Conference where I was asked to speak by organizer and visionary Ildi Wiley. With a talk and a book both titled ”Creative Conversations – a way for leaders and teams to create breakthrough ideas,” I...
Posted by
Inge on Feb 15, 2011 in
Free Stuff,
Innovation,
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Download instructions (a one-page pdf) for building a Challenge Statement. If you want your ideas to break through and be implemented, it’s essential that you take the time to focus before you brainstorm. This step, called “define the challenge”, is STEP ONE of B.I.5 – Breakthrough Ideas...
This creativity tool is inspired by the virtual tour offered on house/apartment hunting websites – 360 degree photographs of a space that invite you to imagine what it might feel like to live in the space.
Virtual Tour works in a similar way: you start by imagining the experience most integral to your...
The subconscious is the holding place for unborn ideas; the trick is to release them. Sometimes ideas are buried in wishes; thoughts that we might normally discard as being too unrealistic for any “real” problem-solving effort. Wish List invites you to let go of the bonds of “what is”...
Posted by
Inge on Jul 10, 2010 in
Free Stuff,
Innovation,
News |
1 comment
We’re a celebrity-obsessed culture; star gazing is a habit. It is also the starting point of a creativity tool that invites you to connect random things – in this case, famous people, books, movies, trends, etc. – with your challenge in order to trigger ideas.
With the internet, television,...
Metaphors and analogies deepen our understanding of a concept by linking it to something similar in another paradigm. For example, “Floats like a butterfly, stings like bee” conveys the grace and power of boxer Mohammed Ali by linking his movements to those of familiar insects. This act of...
Many improv classes start with Clap Focus ; it’s a well-known game that serves many purposes. It teaches eye contact, connects every person with a name and stimulates group collaboration. It is particularly useful when group members have just met or haven’t seen each other in a while (e.g.,...
Do you want your ideas to break through and be implemented? If yes, start by downloading a one-page pdf summarizing B.I.5 – Breakthrough Ideas in 5 Steps (a Creative Expeditions process). For more tips on this topic, browse the Innovation category.
I have facilitated many clients through the various steps...
Does your team’s communication drive action on your team’s projects? If you need help with this, download a one-page pdf summarizing ABCaP – Action-oriented communication (a Creative Expeditions process). ABCaP is geared for PPT presentations but applies to all team interactions e.g. e-mails, phone...
Who is Inge Christensen?