Creativity & Innovation - Week 3

Creativity + InnovationKevin Popović, B.A., M.S.

© Kevin Popović, SDSU Creativity + Innovation

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Session 1.3

• Welcome• Roll, Admin• Play A Game• Quiz• The Eureka Hunt

© Kevin Popović, SDSU Entrepreneurship + Technology + Innovation

• C.R.A.P.• Idea Evaluation• Quiz• Design Thinking• Assignment

Draw A FaceA Game of Understanding


The New Yorker


The Eureka Hunt

The Eureka Hunt

• Wag Dodge at Mann Gulch• There is something inherently mysterious

about moments of insight • Archimedes• Isaac Newton• You



The Eureka Hunt

• Analysis vs. Inspiration• Analysis• Inspiration• C.R.A.P.• More Games


Creative Remote Association Problems


Playing with C.R.A.P.

The Eureka Hunt

• The insight process is a delicate balancing act• At first, the (left) brain allocates resources for

a single problem• Once the brain is focused, the cortex needs to

relax in order to seek out more remote associations in the right hemisphere, which will provide insight


The Eureka Hunt

• The relaxation phase is critical• Take a warm shower• Wake up early• The insight process is an act of cognitive

deliberation—the brain must be focused on the task at hand—transformed by accidental, serendipitous connections


Class Discussion, Share What Works


How Do You Find Ideas?

The Eureka Hunt

• Letting the mind wander• Unconscious work• Immerse yourself in the problem until you hit

an impasse• Find a way to distract yourself• The answer will arrive when you least expect• Feynman at Pacers


The Eureka Hunt

• You’ve got to know when to step back• Caffeine, Adderall, and Ritalin, oh my!• 20% of scientists and researchers regularly took

prescription drugs to “enhance concentration”• Makes insight less likely, sharpening the spotlight

of attention and discouraging mental rambles• Just relax


Harvard Business Review


Design Thinking

Design Thinking

• A a methodology that imbues the full spectrum of innovation activities with a human-centered design ethos.

• Innovation is powered by a thorough understanding, through direct observation, of what people want and need in their lives and what they like or dislike about the way particular products are made, packaged, marketed, sold, and supported.


Design Thinking

• Thinking like a designer can transform the way you develop products, services, processes and strategy.

• Thomas Edison created the light bulb.• He developed an industry around a product.• Real genius is in the ability to conceive a fully-

developed marketplace, not just a device.


Design Thinking

A discipline that uses the designer’s sensibility and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically feasible and what a viable business strategy can convert into customer value and market opportunity.


Design Thinking Personality

• Empathy• Integrative Thinking• Optimism• Experimentalism• Collaboration


Design Thinking Process

1. Inspiration2. Ideation3. Implementation



Design Thinking Applied


• Begin at the beginning.

• Take a human-centered approach.

• Try early and often.• Seek outside help.

• Blend big and small projects.

• Budget and pace for innovation.

• Find talent any way you can.

• Design for the cycle.

Let me know how I’m doing – so far.


Rate The Professor

Assignment


• Read Chapter 4 of Creativity, Inc.• Read, “What’s Stifling the Creativity at

CoolBurst?”• Prepare for Quiz on Reading

Leadership & Management

Creativity & Innovation - Week 3