community genius: leveraging community to increase your creative powers

Shelly D. Farnham, Ph.D.

Waggle Labs

Ignite, April 29, 2009

Community Genius: Leveraging Community to Increase your Creative Powers

What is Community?

"I define "community" as networks of interpersonal ties that provide sociability, support, information, a sense of belonging, and social identity.”

Barry Wellman (2001).

Seattle Cupcake Society

Community is to Social Capital

as

Love is to Babies

http://www.how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com/image-files/cartoon-babies-3.gif

Community Groups Enable Transitive Relationships

Hey I’m in The Cupcake Society too !

Can I borrow some sugar?

Sure!

And try my

special recipe!

Process of Creativity

novel ideasManifested into reality

Social!Remixed!

Tip 1: Seek Diversity

Tip 2. Seek High Rotation in Weak Ties

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weak_tie

Tip 3: Develop Colleagues/Friends with Good “Flow”

Tip 4: Get a White Board

Tip 5: Play Different Roles

Passive observer Active participant Leader

Tip 6. Play Nice

Reputation spreads like wild-fire

http://www.judiciaryreport.com/images/universal-fire-6.jpg

Tip 7: Hang Out a Lot in Bars

Conversation drives creativity

Tip 8. Give Away Ideas and Knowledge Freely

The Love Cat Way

Be a Love Cat!!

Tip 9. Play the “Yeah, and“ Generative Idea Game

Dudes, lets do something

really geeky!

Yah like with LASERS

Yah and it plays music like a giant

harp!Yah and like

you’re inside a giant brain

playing laser neurons!!!

Yah like a Giant Robot

Brain!!!

Dudes this is going to be sooo cooool

Tip 10. Generate *Many* Ideas, but Pick Only a Few Ideas to Execute

Reality Checks: Skills? Passion? Time? Resources? Venue?

Steve the Robot H.E.Ai.D.

http://dbltht.com/ubergeek/

Tip 11. Have Place

Hangouts where you can do stuff as a group

Tip 12. Have Project Days

Saturday House Art Day Wednesday Night

Project Night

Tip 13. Give up Control

Suggested Groups and Events Dorkbot Seattle Tech Startup Seattle Robotics 911 Media Arts Center BCWA (Burning Man,

Ignition Northwest) Seattle Mind Camp BarCamp Seattle Hackerbot Ignite! Thingamajiggr Frayed Wire

Frayed Wire

July 11th One day event art , technology, community Presentations, workshops, discussions