Tools and exercises to increase creativity
We must all be encouraged to think beyond the constraints of the present, to visualise and articulate solutions rather than concentrating on whether or not a problem can be solved . If everyone can be educated in the techniques of creative thinking then it becomes part of the way that we start to look at issues, encouraging it as the normal process of analysis.
There are many techniques that are used to encourage creative thinking, ranging from informal and creative games to structured programs. It is a disappointing reality that many people are aware of these tools and yet do not use them as part of the decisionmaking process or for the exploration of new ideas. Unfortunately, they see them as abstract tools and have not incorporated the underlying philosophy of the tools into their business processes.
This section looks very briefly at a couple of techniques that can be used to facilitate the process. There are a number of references provided at the end of this chapter for further investigation.
Brainstorming is probably one of the most common of the creative tools. It is based on the principle of free and associative thinking: explore as many facets of an issue as possible, then seek synergies and formulate a set of outcomes . Even this relatively straightforward tool may not achieve its full potential however, as a result of prejudice, argument and a general lack of willingness to participate fully in the process. As a result, creativity suffers. Altering these attitudes is critical to an organisation s ability to harness its imaginative horsepower.
Creativity thinkers like Edward de Bono have provided a wonderful array of tools and ideas aimed at enhancing the use of imagination in organisations. One technique that exemplifies the importance of allowing the growth of ideas and analysis from a range of perspectives is the Six Thinking Hats . [ 6] Although there may be some problem in carrying six coloured hats with you at all times, simply adding six coloured squares to your favourite whiteboard or adding six triggers to an agenda item may be enough to stimulate wider discussion. The technique allows participants to concentrate on one aspect of an issue at a time, free of any constraints and argument until all aspects have been considered . This enables the examination of the complete space surrounding an issue before any components are discarded.
Robert van Oech has developed a tool consisting of 62 cards each with a different creative strategy. Called the Creative WhackPack , [ 7] the deck is divided into four suits (Explorer, Artist, Judge and Warrior), each representing a different role. The Explorer discovers the resources to be used to create new ideas, the Artist transforms those resources into new ideas, the Judge evaluates the idea and decides what to do with it, and the Warrior implements the idea. The cards are designed to give the user a ˜whack to counter habitual thought patterns and act as stimuli for different creative strategies.
Scenario planning
Perhaps one of the most fascinating and powerful tools used to promote imaginative and creative thinking is that of ˜scenario planning . This tool requires a little more preparation than others, but it can provide an unparalleled depth of vision and understanding of an issue. Scenario planning requires all the participants to be creative, to use their imagination and to be able to understand the dynamics of interrelated issues. Typically, the process involves speculation regarding the interplay and impact of a number of driving forces. The technique involves the generation of stories based on information ”some of this will be predictable but other parts not. Each set of conditions defines a scenario that can be examined.
Scenarios are developed through a process of identifying the primary driving forces at work in the present. These forces fall roughly into four areas: social, economic, political and technological. For example, if we were interested in setting a new strategic product direction for an organisation, we could generate a set of scenarios for the social context that we envisage may exist in the market in ten years time. One scenario might explore society developing to a point where all households are fundamentally physically isolated yet interconnected via communications technologies. An alternative might be that the ubiquity of communications has brought a social arrangement with a much- reduced degree of individuality and a greater sense of extended community. Each of these visions offers opportunities to construct a different future and imagine what life would be like.
Some of the drivers that we identify will be predetermined, or at least completely beyond our control. This will reduce the list of driving forces to those that have some degree of uncertainty.
The next step is to identify the critical uncertainties, those that will become the key focus of our scenario. Initially all the uncertainties may appear unique, but generally they can be bundled together to produce an axis of uncertainty. If we can reduce our entire list to two such axes, we can generate four different but plausible quadrants, as shown in Figure 3.1 (next page).
Figure 3.1: The isolation of the two most important independent driving forces of ˜ individualism and ˜intervention produce four extreme quadrants that provide the limits to our scenarios. For instance, the top left scenario would be defined by a strong free-market environment coupled with a community that is focused on individual achievement and satisfaction. The bottom right scenario combines a highly regulatory government policy regime with a strong sense of advancing the community at the expense of individual freedoms.
For this example, one axis could be the level of individuality in society and the second could relate to government controls.
Four limiting scenarios or imagined visions of the future are formed based on a combination of the uncertainties and the dynamics of our driving forces. In this case, we would develop scenarios based on a high or low sense of individualism and a high or low degree of government intervention.
The process of developing these scenarios allows us to work backwards from these pictures of the future to predict the trends that would lead to such outcomes. With this insight we can identify which environmental conditions need to be monitored to prevent this situation arising or, alternatively, ensure the outcome we desire if the scenario can ever be achieved.
Scenario planning is possibly the ultimate creative game in that it helps us understand the uncertainties and what they might mean, and allows us to rehearse our response to the possible futures ”and to help us spot them as they unfold. But we don t always need to use the tool for such dramatic and far reaching analysis. It is a tool that allows us the possibility of exploring issues unhampered by what is ˜logical . [ 8]
