1

Knowledge Generation and Creativity

2

1. Innovation and Creativity.

2. Blocks to Creativity.

3. Idea Generation: Brainstorming.

4. Idea Convergence: Facilitation.

3

Knowledge Brokering Cycle Capturing Good Ideas.

• Brokers (like IDEO) span markets, industries, technologies and geographies in finding ways to integrate ideas.

Keeping Ideas Alive.• We all forget (7 +/-2). IDEO keeps parts, toys, prototypes and

drawings. They b-storm visually as well.

Imagining New Uses for Old Ideas.• Old ideas can provide powerful solutions via analogy. Physical layout

can encourage serendipitous interaction.

Putting Promising Concepts to the Test.• Ideas need to be tested for use and financial return … companies need

processes for rapid prototyping.

4

Lessons from IDEO(23 Minute Segment))

5

Brokering and Innovation Process at IDEO Team Leader – Chosen for facilitation skills…not necessarily technical

excellence. Diverse Skills – Integration of expertise without excessive focus on

one voice (I.e., the boss). Information Gathering – Bringing in info from real experts and

watching people in context. Divergent B-Storming – No judgment on ideas…looking to snowball. Convergent B-Storming – Voting with post its. Getting “Unstuck”

• Sub-Groups and take the best: 1) Shopping, 2) Safety, 3) Checkout and 4)Finding What You Are Looking For.

• Playfulness and physical layout for innovation --- Both things push you to see and think differently.

6

1. Innovation and Creativity.

2. Blocks to Creativity.

3. Idea Generation: Brainstorming.

4. Idea Convergence: Facilitation.

7

Eight Seconds to Remember

A E Q

I Z S

F P B

W N Y

8

C I A

F B I

I R S

S O B

Eight Seconds to Remember

9

How We Think About A Problem Can Rapidly Constrain Options

Carrier – Assumption that can’t convert lost heat into energy.

Novartis – Assumption that getting through the cell membrane impossible.

10

65

41

6

AGE0 Retired85 44

Questions

113

83

11

Laughter

98

32

2

Creativity

Studies Show Our Creative Spark Declines Unless We Exercise Our Ability To See Possibilities!!

15 Uses Of A

Bottlecap

Did Anyone Use The Box?

11

A Problem:Can Ask Yes Or No Questions

Bill and Hillary are lying dead on the floor with glass and

water all around them. How did they die?

There is a woman lying dead in a cabin at the base of a mountain.

How did she die?

12

1 Minute With Someone Beside You: How Many Squares?

How Many People See 16? How Many People See 17?

How Many People See 20? How Many People See 26?

How Many People See 30? How Many People See 35?

13

One Answer: 30!

16 1X1s

1 4X44 3X3s9 2X2s

BUT this is on a computer!!

14

15

16

How to be “curious” first…(How Could It Apply In Your Career?)

Look for second right answers.

Ask, “What would we never do?”

Look backwards through magazines for an idea.

Create an analogy for your challenge.

Ask, “What do I have to be open-minded about to solve this?”

Create an IdeaMap using colored

markers.

View challenge from 2 levels above and 2 levels below.

Pick random word from a dictionary

and use as a hint.

17

1. Innovation and Creativity.

2. Blocks to Creativity.

3. Idea Generation: Brainstorming.

4. Idea Convergence: Facilitation.

18

Open, Focus, Close

The “open” stage invites ideas, explores options, identifies problems, or brainstorms solutions and approaches.

The “focus” stage encourages convergent thinking and allows participants to clarify information, discuss items, and prioritize ideas.

The “close” stage involves reaching consensus and developing action plans.

19

Open, Focus, Close The “open” stage invites

ideas, explores options, identifies problems, or brainstorms solutions and approaches.

But sometimes getting things going can be difficult! What does Michael Douglas do well here? What could go better?

20

Creativity most often happens

when you hold opposite thoughts together.(Coffee and Cold)

21

Three Minutes On Your Own:Consider What You Do For Fun And Learning.

How Could You Combine Them To Make Learning and Classes at McIntire Better?

Lectures Outside

Etc.

22

How We Speak Blocks Creativity…

Be Curious First…In Thought and Language

23

As A Group:Use A Common Visual Reference Point and Generate as Many Ideas as Possible (Nominal Group Technique

(Round Robin) and Then Snowballing)

Lectures Outside

Etc.

24

1. Innovation and Creativity.

2. Blocks to Creativity.

3. Idea Generation: Brainstorming.

4. Idea Convergence: Facilitation.

25

Focus and Close!

Techniques for Focusing:

• N/3 Voting (Where N is the number of possibilities).

• Simple rank order.

• Rating scale (1-Very Unimportant to 5-Very Important).

• Forced Distribution (Ideas put into four categories).

N/3 Voting to get to the best idea…and share with class.

26

Organizational Memory Discussion Questions

Discussion on “Technology is Not Enough.” Come prepared to discuss: What does the article suggest in terms of maximizing learning from an

experience (both in the experience and then embedding learnings back into an organization)?

What forms of memory are important? What strategies do companies employ to fill each kind of memory?

Case discussion on BP Caselette in Chapter 1, Davenport and Prusak. Come prepared to discuss: Why does BP care about managing knowledge? What is the benefit? What are they doing to manage knowledge? How could the organizational memory ideas apply to BP’s knowledge capture

and transfer efforts?