Innovation and CreativityInnovation and Creativity10 Do’s and Don’ts10 Do’s and Don’ts

Michael M. CirovicMichael M. Cirovic

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• Loosely patterned after Jeffrey Loosely patterned after Jeffrey Baumgartner’s 10 Steps for Boosting Baumgartner’s 10 Steps for Boosting Creativity Creativity – http://www.jpb.com/creative/http://www.jpb.com/creative/

creative.phpcreative.php

Who is Mike CirovicWho is Mike Cirovic

• I am in my 40I am in my 40thth year teaching Electrical year teaching Electrical Engineering at Cal Poly (42Engineering at Cal Poly (42ndnd in teaching) in teaching)

• I am the senior-most faculty at Cal PolyI am the senior-most faculty at Cal Poly• I have written 6 textbooks in EE for I have written 6 textbooks in EE for

Prentice-Hall and subsidiariesPrentice-Hall and subsidiaries• I have won numerous local and national I have won numerous local and national

teaching awards teaching awards • I have served as the department head of I have served as the department head of

EE (2 years) and as chair of EE (preceding EE (2 years) and as chair of EE (preceding 6 years)6 years)

We all want to be more We all want to be more Creative and InnovativeCreative and Innovative

• These 10 Do’ and Don’ts will helpThese 10 Do’ and Don’ts will help

• Make it a list of 100:Make it a list of 100:– As you go through this list, have a notepad As you go through this list, have a notepad

and collect your own thoughts:and collect your own thoughts:•Brainstorm as you read the 10 Do’s and Don’tsBrainstorm as you read the 10 Do’s and Don’ts

•Write down your own enhancements, Write down your own enhancements, variations, …variations, …

– Look at the point being made from another Look at the point being made from another domain to generate additional/new ideas domain to generate additional/new ideas

1. Listen to Music1. Listen to Music

• Music sets the mood!Music sets the mood!

• Choose music that touches your Choose music that touches your feelingsfeelings

• Choose music that evokes a response Choose music that evokes a response from you (be it toe tapping or from you (be it toe tapping or wiggling your hips)wiggling your hips)

• Capture your feelings/thoughts for Capture your feelings/thoughts for laterlater

2. Brainstorm 2. Brainstorm

• Allow your brain to free-wheel and Allow your brain to free-wheel and generate as many ideas as possible generate as many ideas as possible (make certain to capture the ideas (make certain to capture the ideas by writing them down)by writing them down)

• No criticism or idea evaluation No criticism or idea evaluation allowed during brainstormingallowed during brainstorming

• The more ideas the better (even if The more ideas the better (even if most of them really suck)most of them really suck)

3. Write It Down3. Write It Down

• Our brains are so fallible: if we don’t write it Our brains are so fallible: if we don’t write it down we forgetdown we forget

• Be quick, ready: once the brain starts, new Be quick, ready: once the brain starts, new ideas tends to flow quickly and fluidly. Ideas ideas tends to flow quickly and fluidly. Ideas can be so fleeting that unless written down can be so fleeting that unless written down they are lost for ever.they are lost for ever.

• If we have the ideas captured in a notebook, If we have the ideas captured in a notebook, simply reviewing these will generate yet simply reviewing these will generate yet newer ideas and additional ideasnewer ideas and additional ideas

4. Random Look-up4. Random Look-up

• When stuck for ideas, randomly open a When stuck for ideas, randomly open a dictionary or a book and then (with eyes dictionary or a book and then (with eyes close), point to a wordclose), point to a word

• Use the randomly picked word to solve Use the randomly picked word to solve your problem – sometimes the your problem – sometimes the associations are a stretch, but worth associations are a stretch, but worth running throughrunning through

• If no help, select another word, compare If no help, select another word, compare results, ask questions…results, ask questions…

5. Define your Problem 5. Define your Problem

• Write down clearly and succinctly the Write down clearly and succinctly the problem you are trying to solveproblem you are trying to solve

• Read the problem while listening to Read the problem while listening to your special music…your special music…

• Restate the problem in another Restate the problem in another paradigm (translate the words into paradigm (translate the words into an equation, a graph, a table …)an equation, a graph, a table …)

6. Exercise, Walk6. Exercise, Walk

• Simply changing your “status” has Simply changing your “status” has the beneficial effect of opening new the beneficial effect of opening new vistas, new ideasvistas, new ideas

• Physical activity always has the Physical activity always has the effect of stimulating blood flow and effect of stimulating blood flow and always re-invigorates…always re-invigorates…

7. Don't watch TV7. Don't watch TV

• This should be obvious: watching TV This should be obvious: watching TV means you are doing nothing – means you are doing nothing – something to be avoided at all costssomething to be avoided at all costs

• Rarely will you find even a small, Rarely will you find even a small, short piece on TV that helps you with short piece on TV that helps you with your problemyour problem

8. Don't do drugs 8. Don't do drugs

• People on drugs think they are cool People on drugs think they are cool and spewing innovative ideas. They and spewing innovative ideas. They are not!are not!

• The rest of us see them as simply The rest of us see them as simply people on drugs – to be pitiedpeople on drugs – to be pitied

• Ideas born during a drug-induced Ideas born during a drug-induced stupor, rarely survive the daylight stupor, rarely survive the daylight evaluation…evaluation…

9. Read9. Read

• Reading is always good:Reading is always good:– Invigorates the brainInvigorates the brain– Provides us with new/additional factsProvides us with new/additional facts– The more information we have, the The more information we have, the

bigger our reservoir of applicable bigger our reservoir of applicable solutions solutions

10. Exercise your brain10. Exercise your brain

• Yes, the brain is not a muscle – however, it Yes, the brain is not a muscle – however, it needs exercise nonethelessneeds exercise nonetheless

• Play games:Play games:– SudokuSudoku– JumbleJumble– CrosswordsCrosswords– Etc.Etc.

• ArgueArgue– Exchanging points of view with another thinking Exchanging points of view with another thinking

person is the best way for your brain to stay in person is the best way for your brain to stay in shape (never argue over politics, religion or sex)shape (never argue over politics, religion or sex)

HEY, DID YOU HEAR ME???HEY, DID YOU HEAR ME???

• What did you enjoy hearing about?What did you enjoy hearing about?

• What will you do differently because What will you do differently because you heard this talk?you heard this talk?

• What did you find useless?What did you find useless?

• Let’s Argue!!!Let’s Argue!!!

Thanks for ListeningThanks for Listening

MikeMike