Something for the Weekend - Grin and Bear It

Innovation is quickly becoming another Holy Grail of business, something that everyone wants to tap into, but few can reach. I strongly believe that creativity lies in everyone and that simple environmental changes can really help to make creativity a daily event rather than the specialist realm of the few. Geoff Butler kindly shared a story with me last week, it goes a little like this…

In the wilds of Canada during heavy winters or ice storms, thick ice builds up on power lines to the extent that the lines snap under the weight - costing the power companies dearly every winter. Clearing the ice manually is expensive and dangerous. A brainstorming group was formed. The first engineer, having had a few run ins with bears, suggested that getting them to climb the telegraph poles would create enough vibration to shake the ice loose. Another engineer suggested that to get the bears to perform such a feat would require some meat or honey to be placed at the top of the poles. And to get the bear food to the top they proposed using helicopters to drop it from above.

And that’s when the solution was born, they realised that the helicopter at low altitude would create enough down draft to break the ice off the lines and that both the bears and the food would be redundant.

I can't trace the validity of the story (although there are some references out there connecting the story to Pacific Power & Light) but I understand that is actually the solution employed today saving huge repair costs each year and keeping employees (and bears!) safe.

There are lots of lessons about creativity in the story but the one that particularly stands out is about creating an environment were 'non-linear' thinking is encouraged. Trusting that a tangent can be explored as part of a group to get to a fully formed idea. A true belief that there are no bad ideas, rather than assessing feasibility in the same breath as generating an idea.

A fun idea to play with if nothing else…

Something for the Weekend - You don't have to be mad…

Just a quick quote this week...

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

- Albert Einstein

Thankfully, that makes a lot of sense(!)… As much as industries are calling for (in fact need) innovation to take competitive advantage, there appears to be a reluctance to accept it's inherently risky alter ego...disruption. Surely, asking for innovation without disruption will just lead to doing the same thing as before… only on iPads.

If we need to innovate, we need to accept disruption.

Something for the Weekend - The Back of the Napkin

The European Business Analysis Conference was great. Lots of inspirational material, which I'll no doubt share over the next few months.

But I thought that I would start with the most fun thing! Penny Pullan gave a fantastic presentation on the role of the BA in Creativity, Engagement and Clarity - one of the many aspects covered was techniques for drawing.

Those of you who've worked with me closely will know two things about me; firstly that I'm a visual thinker - I simply can't resist filling an empty whiteboard. And secondly, that both my handwriting and drawing could do with some work - a sometimes messy combination!

The old cliche that a picture paints a thousand words is very true and I think it's an important tool for our roles in group facilitation to be able to bring concepts to life as clearly as possible. Two things that might help;

• Penny recommend a book (which I've ordered today), it's called The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures (Dan Roam).
• She's also collaborated with artist Venessa Randle and offering some free material at http://www.graphicsmadeeasy.co.uk/

Simple tips to make your white boarding easier, clearer and more impressive.

Sources and Credit
Penny of course - http://www.makingprojectswork.co.uk/

Penny and Vanessa's work at http://www.graphicsmadeeasy.co.uk/
European Business Analysis Conference http://www.irmuk.co.uk/ba2010/

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 - Anti-Theft Lunch Bag

A light hearted (though not very attractive!) one this week.

If you've ever had your sandwich stolen from the fridge at work you'll be familiar with the long standing issue of lunch pilfering! Anti-theft lunch bags are a new product to help combat that. By simulating mould on the bag, it deters would be thieves, and keeps your food safe!

Of course there are flaws - for instance, someone might throw your 'mouldy' sandwich out or you might actually be put off eating it yourself! However, the level of simplicity and creativity are impressive - a useful reminder that the best solutions are often the simplest and least expected.

PS. Sorry if you're having your lunch whilst reading!

Sources & Credits
FreshBump