Creativity and Innovation There is a microscopically fine line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth, so what the hell - leap Cynthia Heimel

CBI 2002 UK Innovation Survey Internal a general failure to prioritise innovation; the failure to use people-centred initiatives e.g. ideas training, suggestion schemes; the lack of an innovation ‘champion’ at Board level; the widespread failure to engage in ‘foresight’ activities; failure to maximise returns on investment in un-used ideas; poor management of the innovation process including ideas management and process review

NIEC NI Innovation Survey NI weakest region NI 11th of 12 UK comparator regions re expenditure 11% of expenditure was for grants (4.7% UK) Top 10 companies – 59% of research and development spend Little of university research and development on NI industry

Creativity “The habit of continually doing things in new ways to make a positive difference to our working lives”

Innovation Insight + Ideas Impact = Innovation

Definitions of Creativity Creativity - Bringing into existence an idea that is new to you Innovation - The practical application of creative ideas Creative thinking - An innate talent that you were born with and a set of skills that can be learned, developed and used in daily problem-solving. Creative people - Those people who do not suppress their innate creativity and who their creative ability in various aspects of life.  

How we Think? Reductionist Rivers of thought Look for similarities We become socialised Perceptions Our brain hard wired against creativity Rivers of thought Need expansionist thoughts Need lateral thinking to trick our brains Stimulus

Creativity Nature or Nurture

Ten Pattern Breaking Ideas Change your route to work Read something different Meet new people Get out of your normal environment Ask family (especially children) to help solve a problem Take more time and always generate options before choosing Take time out in a refreshing environment Take a walk – ‘get out more’ – to see and think Listen to music (what is no.1?) Reinvent your job role and style at least once a year.

Creativity Assess creativity Build a culture of creativity Illustrate that it is being led and is acceptable behaviour Reward it Train people in it

The 4P’s of Creativity Positivity Playfulness Passion Persistence

Creative Icons Identify a creative icon Why are they creative? How does this relate to you? Why?

Barriers to Creativity About human behaviour Attitude Skills Structure Environment Behaviours

Creativity Enablers Freshness Greenhousing Realness Momentum Signalling Courage

Freshness Four River-Jumping Techniques Re-expression – finding an alternative way of describing or experiencing the issue Related worlds – finding an alternative but similar issue or benefit in another field Revolution – identifying, then deliberately challenging the rules and assumptions – using “what if ?” scenarios e.g. what if we did nothing or what if we halved or doubled the budget Random links – using a deliberate connection with a random item – must be random and you must find a connection

Greenhousing Young ideas easy to destroy – not rapid fire emergency room Need SUN Suspend judgement Understand Nurture Avoid RAIN React Assume INsist

Realness Stop talking How can I make it real for an audience A revolution in the way we behave Loop the loop – Dyson – over 5,000 prototypes Encourage imperfection Share the realness Show me What I hear, I forget What I see, I remember What I do, I know.

Momentum The management of energy Unrelenting energy and excitement Contagious – but so is inertia Less meetings – more action Seek alignment of others Create a short term crises Just say no

Signalling A behaviour with three distinct stages Tune In, Choose to Act and Propose a response Brush-offs are not good Tell others how you want them to react Navigate between the world of business and creativity Give people space

Courage Bravery Expose yourself to potential judgement Rabbit in the headlights.

What Hinders Ideas Generation? Looking for the right answer Approaching problem solving as a “serious” business Avoiding making mistakes as far as possible Pushing yourself even when tired to keep working on a problem Asking advise only from “experts” Dismissing all “silly” ideas

What Hinders Ideas Generation? Telling your ideas only to people who will agree with or support them Keeping quiet when you don’t understand something Following the motto “If it isn’t broken, it doesn’t need mending” Not having a system of recording ideas that come to you

What Helps Ideas Generation? Looking for lots of possible right answers Having fun with problem solving and “play” with ideas Accepting mistakes as a natural by-product of the creative process Taking deliberate breaks when you put the problem on the back burner Getting information from a variety of sources

What Helps Ideas Generation? Using your sense of humour as a rich source of possibilities Encouraging feedback from a variety of sources including a “Devils advocate” Asking “stupid” questions Continually looking for ways to improve all products, services and systems Keeping an “ideas note-book” to record all good ideas

Creative Problem-Solving Generating Ideas Brainstorming Assessing Ideas Prioritising the ideas and then building on them

Analysis of Cause and Effect Ishikawa ‘fishbone diagram’ Five Why’s Mind mapping DO IT Define the problem Open mind and apply creative techniques Identify best solution Transform

Finding a Solution Random word Bridging ideas