Something for the Weekend - Applied Imagination

In 1953 Alex Faickney Osborn published a book called 'Applied Imagination'. In it he suggested a technique that proposes that groups could double their creative output through a process called brainstorming… a technique still commonly used (and misused) nearly 60 years later.

It's suggested that a Brainstorming session should generate between 50 - 100 ideas and that made me think about whether I'd actually ever been to a brainstorming session(!)… whether we actually allowed sufficient divergence in our thought processes to get all the good stuff out.

It sometimes feels like people aren’t prepared to share ideas (or even just thoughts) that aren't fully thought though and that a has to be a huge constraint to creativity. It also means that we lose the collaborative edge, and therefore the effectiveness of, brainstorming sessions.

I suppose the other question is whether we just stop at the first suitable idea (the quickest, cheapest, easiest) or whether we're prepared to spend another 20 minutes to carry on? Would that 20 minutes deliver the idea that's truly the best… perhaps the game changer?

In my mind, creativity is always enhanced through teams. And brainstorming, when conducted as intended, is a great first step in harnessing the power of collective ideas. So I thought it might be a good time to share the 5 golden rules which help in creating the best possible environment Click Here

I hope you can put them to use.

Sources and Credits
www.brainstorming.co.uk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming

Something for the Weekend - Million Dollar Chair

As promised last week, I really want to spend some time digging into creativity over the next few weeks. The first example is a guy who's work I've admired for a few years now. Marc Newson is an industrial designer who this year was voted UK GQ Magazines 77th most influential person*. He's also in the record books, in 2006 his Lockheed Lounge chair sold at Sotherby's New York for a whopping $968,000 - the highest price ever paid for furniture by a living designer!

Newson designs across a vast spectrum (from door handles to space ships!) - incredibly diverse but much of his work follows certain themes; cellular structures, space age, organic shapes. Whilst watching the film Objectified** there was one aspect that particularly struck me about his creative process, he surrounds himself with objects and materials that he likes and engages with. These are not necessarily things he needs for his current projects but things he'd like to use some day or that act as sources of inspiration for him.

To me it seems like a deep rooted obsession with the materials he needs to work with, and possibly to take it one step further, actually being 'in tune' with them.

It's doubtful we'll find much useful inspiration in materials for what we do (but you never know), the main thing is having an eye to the outside world...

• Actively recognising experiences that you have with other companies that are particularly strong (or just as importantly, are weak) - try to deconstruct them and think about how they might have gone about creating them? For instance, I love that Apple offer to email you receipts when you buy something in store.
• Study User Interfaces (or components) that are world class or that simply do something complex elegantly. As an example, TheTrainline.com do a great job at displaying ticket types, prices and times on a single matrix.
• Keep abreast of technology breakthroughs - especially consumer end tech.

This isn't about copying and doesn't need to be obsession - it's about creating a world class frame of reference to build upon.


Sources & Credits
* GQ Magazine - 2010 GQ UK's list of 100 most influential people
**Objectified
Check out Marc Newson's work here

Something for the Weekend - Plantable Packaging

I stumbled across a really cool concept early this week - packaging from Pangea Organics with a virtually zero (less production) footprint.

The packaging is made from recycled newspaper (giving a unique shelf impact), impregnated with seeds from medicinal herbs. When you've finished with it you soak it in water for a minute, plant it, and then wait. All the packaging biodegrades and you get some lovely herbs to replace it. I don't know the thought process that went in but I assume it was driven from the fact that any other packaging would have jarred with such a planet friendly, organic product... and then taking it just that one step further!

Creative I'd say. I've been asking myself more and more where creativity comes from and how we harness the same thinking that creates something like plantable packing in our roles.

Faced with the same challenge would we...

• ...recognise that a box is needed? Certainly.
• ...take it further, understand the dimensions, colour, manufacturing efficiency? Very likely.
• ...think about material sources, sustainability, etc? I'd like to think so.
• ...make it plantable?! I don't know about you but I certainly wouldn't.

Whilst creativity may seem to come easier to some than others and I hear people say they are 'not creative', actually I think it's more about how to tap in to it. There are other factors at play and I'd like to spend the next few SFTW's exploring these.

Drop me your thoughts if you like? They'd be most welcome-

Sources & Credits
Buy the products
read more on the packaging

Something for the Weekend - Learning

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

A great quote and a reminder that we must constantly try new approaches and learn new skills and techniques to be best prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow.

So where can we obtain this learning?

• The best source has to be each other - as we, individually, try out new techniques and learn from them we should take the time to share those successes for others to build upon.
• Take the time to seek out the opinions of others. Events held by the IIBA (including September's European Business Analysis Conference) are great opportunities to hear industry experts speak about new developments.
• Simply take a chance on a good idea - if it works great, if not you've learnt something... perhaps a chance to adapt it and try again?
• Don't forget the soft stuff! - I'd say the role of the BA is a three way split been technique, knowledge and soft skills. Spending the time to hone questioning techniques, rapport building, presentation skills and communication will serve us just as well as the more technical disciplines.