Creativity COSC 109 Computers & Creativity

Introduction  Definitions of Creativity  Questions about Creativity  Creative Thinking Techniques  Relationship with Computers

Definitions for Creativity  Originality, expression and imagination  Innovative  Ability to create novel and useful ideas or solutions to everyday problems

Questions about Creativity  Are we all creative?  Which contributes most to creativity, nature or nurture?  How can we increase our levels of creativity?  Is the computer a tool or a medium in which we express creativity? 

Creative Thinking Techniques  Ask Questions  Six Thinking Hats  Brainstorming  Storyboarding

Ask Questions  Why?  Six Universal Questions –What? –Where? –When? –Why? –Who? –How?

Six Thinking Hats  Technique to increase creative thinking developed by Edward de Bono  Hats represent directions to think –White –White- Facts, figures and info –Red- Intuition & feelings –Black- Judgement & caution –Yellow- Positive elements –Green- Creative possibilities –Blue- Overview & processing –

Six Thinking Hats  Book Information  Title : “Six Thinking Hats”  Author : Edward de Bono  Publisher: Little, Brown and Company  Year Published: 1985

Brainstorming  Recording ALL solution ideas without judgment or ridicule  Open environment for exploration of any thought or idea prior to application of constraints  Creates a chain reaction of ideas

Storyboarding  Developed by Walt Disney & his staff 1928  Popular management tool  Spreading out thoughts and ideas of others on a wall for evaluation and ease of use  Interconnections of ideas becomes obvious  Parts/units become part of an overall “story”

Final Thoughts TRUE Creativity and Innovation consists of SEEING what everyone else has seen THINKING what no one else has thought, and DOING what no one else has dared! –Invention is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration (Thomas Alva Edison)