SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Creability The Science and Practice of team Creativity
Prof. Dr. Martin J. Eppler www.creability.ch
© =mcminstitute
CREABILITY The Science and Practice of
Team Creativity
Martin J. Eppler, PhD Chair of Communications Management
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland SFU, June 15th 2015
www.creability.ch www.sketchingatwork.com
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Why you should care…
Source: IBM CEO Studies n= 1500-1700 CEOs
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Agenda
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Ban the Brainstorm!
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Study Example (Diehl & Stroebe 1987)
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Why Brainstorming is problematic
1. Production Blocking
2. Premature Contamination
3. Dominance of Extroverts & Free Riding
4. Lacking Idea Improvement
5. Lack of Stimuli
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Perceived Finishedness (PF) Dyadic Brainwriting Experiment
22 Factorial Experiment
Input 2: Typeface
Daniel typeface
Arial typeface
Input 1: Icon
Unfinished PF level 1 PF level 2
Finished
PF level 3 PF level 4
SFU Creability
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Perceived Finishedness (PF) Experiment: Results => Keep it Provisional
Icon PF Mean number of ideas with detail added s.d. n (dyads) t df Sig.
Low 1.68 .94
22 2.34 35 .025*
High .93 .96 15
Mean number of ideas with detail added correlates with mean feasibility of idea (r = .37, p <.05).
Icon PF Mean creativity (3-15) s.d. n (dyads) t df Sig.
Low 8.94 .52 22 3.276 35 .002**
High 8.33 .60 15
Icon PF
Typeface
PF
Mean creativity (3-15)
s.d. n (dyads) F df Sig.
Low Low 8.89 .52 11 3.623 3 .023*
Low High 8.99 .54 11
High Low 8.42 .67 8
High High 8.23 .53 7
SFU Creability Page 10
Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Creativity- Lost in the maze
SFU Creability Page 11
Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
A Framework for Creativity at Work (see www.creability.ch)
1. Seize the opportunity
2. Create great ideas
3. Get it right!
Sweet Spot Flip-flop
Principles
Phases
Tools
Clarify
Challenge
Change
Combine
Check
Prepare Produce Polish
Empathy Map
Perpectives Paper clip
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Creability principles
Clarify: clarify the issue and its drivers => facts
Challenge: question your basic assumptions => doubts
Change: switch your view on the issue => perspectives
Combine: connect your best ideas => compilations
Check: test your ideas & get feedback => prototypes
SFU Creability Page 13
Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Overview: 30 kicks for creativity
SFU Creability Page 14
Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Perspectives Diagram
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Empathy Map Template
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Sweet spot creativity in the exclusivity zone
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Association bandit
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Flip Flop Method
1) Invert the problem (how to make it worse).
2) Generate destructive ideas individually.
3) Share the destructive ideas.
4) Identify things you need to stop.
5) Flip flop ideas to get solutions.
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Constructive Feedback to improve Ideas: PPCO
Positive
Potential
Concern
Overcome
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Prof. Martin J. Eppler / =mcminstitute / HSG
Conclusion
Switch into creative mode more often.
Warm up first.
Ban the brainstorm.
Switch perspectives (competitors, customers).
Visualize your ideas provisionally and improve
them collaboratively.
Polish your ideas.