Creativity at work Torino September 25 2007 Han van der Meer

Creativity at work

Torino September 25 2007

Han van der Meer

Basic skills

1. Gathering and interpreting data

2. Writing reports

3. 1 : 1 conversation (interviewing, consulting)

4. Presenting (to a group)

5. Facilitating interactive session

CPS is multi usable

• Product development• Process development• Market research• Long Range planning• Business Planning• Technology transfer

Content

1.

2. Techniques for divergent stages

3. Creative person

4. Techniques for convergent stages

5. Setting up a session

FoundationsFoundations

present situation

desired situation

problem

problem solving

Basic model

Open and closed problems

Open Closed Solution

unpredictable Solution predictable

Exploring process Purposeful process

Correctness ofsolution cannot beverified

Correctness ofsolution can beverified

Dependent of personsolving the problem

Independent ofperson solving theproblem

Open problems

Starting with:

How to …?

In what ways might we …?

Wouldn’t it be nice if …?

Open questions

now

dream

Free after Robert Fritz “Creating” 1991

in what ways

might wehow

to

wouldn’t it be nice if

Natural process

idea

solutions

Idea solution

• Separate stages

• Different rules for each stage

The creative process

preparation

incubation

illumination

verificationWallas (1926)

CPS (Creative Problem Solving) model

fact finding

solution finding

problem finding

idea finding

Osborn (1953)

Buffalo, New York

divergent option generation

convergent option selection

acceptance finding

Osborne Parnes model

NIH

NOT INVENTED HERE

Fact fin

din

g

Accep

tance fin

din

g

Adjusted model

Free after Geschka 2004

Co

nten

t find

ing

divergent

convergent

Basic model content finding

divergent

convergent

task

result

- focus on task

- generate options

- select options

- share results

- decide on next step

Parallel and/or serial

X

X

Content

Techniques for divergent stagesTechniques for divergent stages

1. Foundations

2.

3. Creative person



Basic model

Fact fin

din

g

Accep

tance fin

din

g

Co

nten

t find

ing

divergent

convergent

Golden rules of diverging

• Defer judgement

• Strive for quantity

• Seek combinations

• Freewheel

divergent

convergent

YES, BUT

Defer judgement

YES, AND


divergent

convergent

• Defer judgement



• Freewheel

FRUITS

Generate in 1 minute as much

Extended effort

•Everyday

•Common

•Expected

•Unusual

•Silly

•Little apparent usefulness

•Novel combined with useful

1st wave 2nd wave 3rd wave

Time

En

erg

y

Source: Parnes, 1968

Goal of diverging

as

many

original

ideas as possible

divergent

convergent


divergent

convergent

• Defer judgement



• Freewheel

Three main categories

• Associative methods

• Methods based on confrontation

• Systematic methods

divergent

convergent

Associative methodsAssociative methods•

• Methods based on creative confrontation


divergent

convergent


Associative methods

• Basic principleEvery person has different associations and associations chains

Interaction will lead to chain reactions within a group

Associative methods

• Basic rules- Quantity breeds quality- Stepping stones- Defer judgement

• Important techniques- Brainstorming (Osborne)- Brainwriting

(Brainwriting with Post-Its™; 6-3-5; Brainwriting Pool)

Brainstorm rules

1. Freewheel

2. Seek combinations

3. Defer judgement

4. Strive for quantity

(repetition allowed)

How to improve a bath tub

Classical brainstorm

• What helped / was useful

• What hindered / was disturbing

Make Your Responses...

Guidelines for using Post-its

• Readable - Write them clearly, legibly and large enough to be seen

• Concise - Keep them brief, use “telegraphic” form

• Specific - Share the essence, one option per Post-it


•


divergent

convergent


Methods based on creative confrontationMethods based on creative confrontation

Methods based on creative confrontation

• Basic principleForce an ‘AHA-experience’ through conscious alienation from the problem (excursion) and relating the strange elements to the problem (force fit)

problem as given

problem in other

field

solutions for other

field

new solutions

forced fitexcursion

Methods based on creative confrontation

• Basic rulesEstrange from the familiar (excursion) familiarise the strange elements (forced fit)

Important techniques

• Random stimulus

• Hidden presumptions

• SCAMPER

• Focus points from analyses

• Guided Fantasy

• TRIZ

S ubstitute

C ombine

A dapt

M odify Magnify Minify

P ut to other uses

E liminate

R earange, Reverse

Brainstorm Enhancers: SCAMPER


• Methods based on creative confrontation

•

divergent

convergent


Systematic MethodsSystematic Methods

Systematic methods

Basic principleEvery problem consists of sub-problems and is part of a larger problem

Basic rules• Systematic exploration, arrangement and clustering

of elements of the problem• Systematic exploration of relations between the

problem and other problems or of relations within a problem

Systematic methods

Important techniques

• Progressive abstraction (or Ladder of Abstraction)• Morphology

Progressive abstraction

Basic principle

Regard a problem as a derivative of a

problem of a higher level of abstraction

WHY

HOW

Butter mountain

Cheap surplus butter Sell to Russia

Too much milk

Too many cows

Too many farmers

Cheese Dried milkSchool milk

Stop bonus Export

Stop bonus ?

Example progressive abstraction

Why else? Why? Why else?

How else? How? How else?

NEW STATEMENT: NEW STATEMENT: NEW STATEMENT:

NEW STATEMENT: NEW STATEMENT:NEW STATEMENT:

INITIAL STATEMENT

NEW STATEMENT: NEW STATEMENT: NEW STATEMENT:

NEW STATEMENT:NEW STATEMENT:NEW STATEMENT:

HOW?HOW ELSE? HOW ELSE?

HOW?HOW ELSE? HOW ELSE?

WHY?WHY ELSE? WHY ELSE?

WHY?WHY ELSE? WHY ELSE?

Ladder of Abstraction

Morphology

Especially appropriate for complex

technical problems

Basic principles• Divide the problem into parts

(dimensions)• Find alternative solutions for the main

dimensions• Find total solutions by combining

Example: packaging of fruit juice

Example Morphological box

Dimension Alternatives

Material

Form

Opening

Outside coating

Glass

Rectangle

Screw top

Printed

Tin

Triangle

Puncture

Plastic

Paraffined cardboard

Bag

Tear open

Aluminium

Solution: Tetrapack

How to pack fruit juice

Example Morphological box

Dimension Alternatives

Material

Form

Opening

Outside coating

Glass

Rectangle

Screw top

Printed

Tin

Triangle

Puncture

Plastic

Paraffined cardboard

Bag

Tear open

Aluminium

Solution: ?

How to pack fruit juice

Content

1. Foundations


3.

4. Tecnniques for convergent stages


Creative personCreative person

Product

Process

Person

Pressure

4 P’s of Creativity

KAI

Style issue: Paradigm

K(irton) A(daption) I(nnovation) Inventory

high

level

styleA I

low

• As sound, conforming, safe, predictable, inflexible, wedded to the system, intolerant of ambiguity.

• Tend to accept the problems as defined with any generally agreed constraints.

• Prefer to generate a few novel, creative, relevant and acceptable solutions.

• Prefer well-established, structured situations.

• Essential for the ongoing functions

High adaptor is seen as:

• Glamorous, exciting, unsound, impractical, risky, abrasive, threatening the established system and creating dissonance.

• Reject the generally accepted perception of problems and redefine them.

• Produce numerous ideas, some of which may not appear relevant.

• Prefer less structured situations.

• Essential in times of change or crisis

High Innovator is seen as:

A I

A - I and mental models

Content

1. Foundations


3. Creative person

4.


Techniques for convergent stagesTechniques for convergent stages

Convergent stages

divergent

convergent

The ideas mountain

Source: Stevens & Burley, Industrial Research Institute, 2000

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

stage NPD process

Lo

g10 n

um

ber

of

ideas

3000 plain ideas (unwritten)

300 introduced ideas

125 small projects

15 significant developments

8 largest developments4 launches

1 success

Nu

mb

er

of

ide

as

time

1 successful product

3000

15

5

10

introduction

development

evaluation

1e screening

Mortality curve from 3000 to 1

Objective selection toolsN

um

be

r o

f id

ea

s

time

3000

15

5

10

normal- fast selection / cost reduction

- success improvement

want

Nu

mb

er

of

ide

as

time

3000

15

5

10

financial techniques

weighting techniques

argumentative techniques

intuitive techniques

Stages and techniques

1. Use affirmative judgement

2. Have action in mind

3. Consider the “mother” criteria

- Novelty

- Effectivity

- Feasibility

Golden rules of converging

Intuitive techniques

• hits

• clustering

1st screening

intuition, gut feeling

Clustering

• Look for “common” ideas (resemblance)

• Put them in categories (clusters)

• Spontaneous (no lists/theories from books)

• Rest category = Other

• Restate theme (cluster) with attractive title

An Option “Hits” You When It Is ...

Characteristics of a “Hit”

• On target

• Relevant

• Interesting

• Clear

• Intriguing

• Fascinating

• Workable

• “Right on the money”

Or When It ...•“Sparkles” at you

• Feels right

• Solves the problem

• Goes in the right direction

Source: Treffinger 1987

Argumentative techniques

3.1

• itemised response / ALUo

• hurdless (must, should, extra)

evaluation

ALUo

Advantages• • • Limitations• • Unique properties•

Overcoming Limitation• • • •

What Who When

Action Plan

First Step•

Source: Isaksen, Dorval, Treffinger (1994)

Hurdless

Hurdle 1: Pass the Must criteria

Hurdle 2: Pass the Should criteria

Hurdle 1: Pass the Bonus criteria

Weighting techniques

• multicriteria analyse

• success / fail factors

• feasibility study

Newprod

development

Multi criteria analyses

Criterium Value Weight Score

Expectedturnover

1. < f. 0,5 mln.

2. 0,5 – 1

3. 1 – 3

4. 3 – 5

5. > f. 5 mln.

5

Technologicalnewnes

1. > 80% new

2.

3.

4.

5. < 20% new

3

Etc.

Total weighted score

Research Cooper

Theoretical background

Consulting experience

Great number of

questions

Emperical study

• 100 Canadian companies

• 103 success - cases

• 95 fail - cases

48 relevant questions ) Newprod

8 clusters (factors) ) model

Success factors innovation projects

1. Product superiority 37%

2. Project / company fit 22%

3. Market need, size 15%

4. Newness to the firm 11%

5. Organisation strength 9%

6. Competitive 6%

Source: Cooper R.G., 1992; Van der Meer 1996

3.1

Financial techniques

• Return On Investment

• Net Present Value

introduction

Tools

nu

mb

er o

f id

eas

time

hitsclustering

ALUo

Newprod

Net Present Value

Information

Best practise selection

time

Info

rmat

ion

/ i

dea

s

Content

1. Foundations


3. Creative person


5. Setting up a sessionSetting up a session

Setting up a session

1. People

2. Process

3. Techniques, Tools

4. Organisation

5. Materials

Fact fin

din

g

Accep

tance fin

din

g

Co

nten

t find

ing

divergent

convergent

People: 3 basic roles

• Problem ownerProvides the problem;involve in the actual ideageneration session?

• FacilitatorSupervises the process,systematically records allresults and other relevant information

• Resource groupBring in new information/experience;Source of brainpower;Platform for change

Info

rmatio

n fin

din

g

Accep

tance fin

din

g

Co

nten

t find

ing

divergent

convergent

Interactions between 3 roles

Presents initial situation; explains the task

Chooses 1-3 problem statements, assigns priorities and designates reasons as well as emphasis.

Choose 3 - 10 ideas and indicate:

• desires

• weak points

• positive reasons

•next step (action plan)

Problem owner Facilitator

Generate 12-15 problem statements How to…?

1. Generate 50 - n00 idea proposals

2. Select 5 - 20 appealing ideas

Go to next step

Resource Group

Free after Synectics

Facilitator probleem owner

Intake: - Task appraisal - Choice of tools

task

diverging

converging

results

- Explanation background task- Examples off wanted outcomes

- Check on progress- Enough options to consider

- Evaluation of results - Next step

- Check on progress

Process

Form

Storm

Norm

Perform

Helps1. Dissatisfaction with the status quo2. A shared vision of a better state3. Knowledge of practical first steps

Hindrances1. Economic costs of changing2. Psychological costs

Acceptance finding: How to stimulate change

Source: Beckhard, R., Harris, R.T., Organizational Transitions: Managing complex change; Addison-Wesley; 2e druk; Californië; 1987

• Mastering the technique leads to good results; practice and experience is required

• Choice of techniques based on: - stage in process- personal preference

Techniques

Basic design

• Task: Ladder of Abstraction

• Divergent: tools to facilitate the 3 waves

• Convergent: - Hits- Clustering- ALUo

• Preparing action next step

Info

rmatio

n fin

din

g

acceptan

ce find

ing

con

tent fin

din

g

divergent

convergent

Extended effort and techniques

•Brainstorming with Post-its™

• Creative confrontation

•Go with the flow

1st wave 2nd wave 3rd wave

Time

En

erg

y

Source: Parnes, 1968

• Location f.i. leave normal environment

• Devote enough time to preparation and elaboration of the session: 2:1:2

• ‘Warming up’ to build up trust within the group and between group and facilitator

• Devote enough time to the problem definition phase

• Explore logistics

Organisation

• Flipcharts + markers• Post-its / coloured markers• Paper + pens• Coloured stickers• Etc.

Materials

Ideas pay

Ideas nurtured per day

115

18

1

Financial Performance

Nu

mb

er o

f id

eas

Top

ModeratePoor

Source: PriceWaterhouseCoopers 2001

Low High

4 times counter intuitive

1. Role rigidity(problem owner, facilitator, resource group)

2. Separate 4 stages- tasks- divergent- convergent- result / action

3. Divergent stage: more options

4. Convergent stage: affirmative judgement

Additional reading 1

The innovators handbook; problem solving,

communication and teamwork

Vincent Nolan

Sphere Books Limited, 1989

Creativity at Work

Tudor Rickards

Management Library, 1991

Problem solving in Business and Management

Michael J. Hicks

Chapman & Hall, New York, 1991

Lateral ThinkingEdward de BonoWord Lock, 1970

Synetics, the Development of Creative CapacityW.J.J. GordonHarper & Row, New York, 1961

Creating a shared visionMarjory ParkerDialog International, Clarendon Hills, USA, 1990

Adapters and innovatorsMichael Kirton (editor)Routledge, London, 1994


Creative Approaches to Problem SolvingScott G. Isaksen, K. Brian Dorval Donald J. TreffingerKendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2000

40 Principles: TRIZ Keys to Technical Innovation TRIZ Tools, Volume IGenrich Altshuller Technical Innovation Center, Inc., 2001


www.eaci.net

Further information

China Creative Studies Institute

President: Mr. Yuan Zhang – du

665 Ti Yu Hui Road (east)

BeiShiHuan XiLu

200083, SHANGHAI

E-mail: [email protected]

Further information

Documents

Creativity at work Torino September 25 2007 Han van der Meer