creative thinking framework

Creative Thinking FrameworksCreative Thinking Frameworks

Takao Umehara | Design [email protected]

Today, you will learn

4 creative thinking frameworks (tools)

that you can start using today!

AgendaNo. Title Tools

10 min Icebreaker New Business Ideas

20 min Rules of Brainstorming 8 Rules of Brainstorming

30 min Power of Reframing Questions Reframing tips and 5 Whys

15 min Divergent Thinking Idea Expansion Sheet and SCAMPER +

15 min Power of Opposite and Exaggeration

Opposite & Exaggeration framework

10 min Q & A

Icebreaker (2 min)

● What can a cup (or cups) used for ?List up as many as different ways to use a cup. What possibility does it have? What way would you be able to use? List at least ten ideas, but challenge as much as you can!

(individual work)

Brainstorming.Did you know there are rules for it?

Rules on BrainstormingTOOL #01

1: Set a great topic

Broad enough to be interesting, something you can really chew on, but narrow enough that you can focus and dig in.

Rules on Brainstorming

2: One conversation at a time

When different conversations are going on within a team, no one can focus.


3: Go for quantity!

Set seemingly impossible goal such as “Come up with 500 flavors for ice cream. This help participants to challenge their thinking. Quantity matters.


4. Build on the ideas of others

Always start your conversation with ‘Yes, and.’ Add or change something to build ideas on others’. It should be like a dance rhythm: “Idea, build, build, build, jump!” “Idea, build, build, build, jump!”


● Make a pair, decide person 1 and 2● Person 1 will plan a party, Person 2 has to say

“No” to everything and give reason why.

quick exercise 01 (30 sec)

● Switch roles● Person 2 will plan a party● Person 1 has to say “Yes, and”.

Build ideas on your partner’s idea.● Continue building on ideas of each other

quick exercise 01-2 (30 sec)

● Make group of 3. (or max 6) ● Generate ideas for usage of cups

with Idea Building Sheets. Spend 1 min for each turn.

quick exercise 02 (6 min)

5. One idea per sheet

Use markers and write down your idea on post-it notes with maximum one sentence. Usually few words is sufficient to express your idea.


6. Encourage wild ideas

You need to go beyond normal. Don’t be afraid of limitation. Challenge to think freely. Accept to play to have fun, to be silly, to exaggerate or to impractical.


7. Be visual

Capture people’s thinking on whiteboard or wall so that people can think visually.

Express your idea visually. Sketch, even you are not an artist or a designer.


sketching for non designers

power of visual thinking

8. Defer judgement

There are no bad ideas at this point. There will be plenty of time to judge ideas later. Separate idea generation from judgement time.


Great ideas come from a great topic to solve.

What are problems in this name tag?

You are at the business conference. You don’t know anyone and you will introduce yourself.

Only way to start your conversation is name tags.


Reframing ProblemsTOOL #02

Look at the problem in much more creative way.


Redesign Name Tag


Redesign Name Tag Design a new introduction Device

Slow ElevatorYou are the owner of an office building. However, your tenants complain about the elevator in the building: it is old and slow, and people often have to wait a long time before it arrives. Several tenants are threatening to leave unless you fix the problem.

quick exercise 03

quick exercise 03

Reframing : Slow Elevator

Elevator is too slow

Elevator is too slowMake it faster

● Speed up algorithm● New Elevator

quick exercise 03




People hate waiting

quick exercise 03


quick exercise 03




People hate waitingMake the feel shorter● Hand sanitizer● Music, TV




Too many people need the lift at the

same time

quick exercise 03






same time

Space out the arrivals● Flexible commuting● Change lunch breaks

quick exercise 03


quick exercise 03


So, how can I reframe problems?

The simple process of asking "why" questions provides an incredibly useful tool for expanding the landscape of solutions for a problem.

Being able to look at situations using different frames is critically important when tackling all types of challenges.

Tina Seelig, Professor at Stanford University.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1672354/how-reframing-a-problem-unlocks-innovation



Look at situations in different point of view

Answer = Use filters.

Cup exercise:You were randomlyusing filters.

example of filters:

functionality attributeselements

Let’s try using these 3 filters to describe a car

functionalityelements attributes

Describe a car

elements

functionality

attributes

elements

functionality

attributes

Describe a car

Use filters intentionally.

You can even makeyour own filters.

physical abilitydemographics animals

emotion contexts5 senses

alien culturetime

Let’s try one more filterfor cup exercise.

contexts

art class

science lab

writing letter

music class

outer space

homeless

farm

home party

cooking


People hate waiting


same time

How did we use filter for the Elevator exercise?


People hate waiting


same time


functionality


People hate waiting


same time


functionality

emotion / perception


People hate waiting


same time


functionality

emotion / perception

time of the day

Let’s go back to redesigning a name tag

Make a pair.Interview 5 min each and share what you like and dislike about the name tag. Go deep to find core issues and values of your partner. Use Empathy Map Framework.


(group work)

Reframe problems with 5 WHYS framework.

Remember, use as many as filters that you can think of.


(individual work)

Some tools to help you switching point of view

The simple process of asking "why" questions provides an incredibly useful tool for expanding the landscape of solutions for a problem.

Now I know what I want to solve, how can I come up with lots of ideas?

Divergent ThinkingTOOL #03 #04

TOOL #03

Honeycomb Idea Expansion Sheet

Brainstorm solutions by using HoneyComb Idea expansion sheet


(individual work)

TOOL #04

Idea Trigger: SCAMPER +

Continue your thinking by using SCAMPER +


(individual work)

Getting mind blowing wild ideas sounds good by theory, but how do you really push through to get really far out ideas?

Power of Opposites & ExaggeratedTOOL #04

● Start unpacking all of your assumptions


● Start unpacking all of your assumption● Next, come up with exaggeration version


● Start unpacking all of your assumption● Next, come up with exaggeration version● Lastly, come up with opposites points.


● Start unpacking all of your assumption● Next, come up with exaggeration version● Lastly, come up with opposites points● Each team leader, pick one point each from

each column, and come up with a new restaurant concept

Each team leader, pick one point each from each column, and come up with a new restaurant concept


(group work / 4)

Power of Opposites & Exaggeratedexamples

Assumptionslarge tent trick by animals cheap ticket souvenir many performanceslousy music 1 clown popcorn muscular guyshoop


Exaggerated Opposites

Assumptionslarge tent trick by animals cheap ticket souvenir many performanceslousy music 1 clown popcorn muscular guyshoop


Exaggeratedcovers entire citydone all by animalsthey pay customersthey give treasureshundreds of performancemusic make people crazytons of clownpopcorn meal courseironman suit guyshuge hoop

Oppositesno large tentno trick by animalsexpensive ticketno souvenirone performancesophisticated musicno clownno popcornno muscular guyno hoop

Assumptionslarge tent trick by animals cheap ticket souvenir many performanceslousy music 1 clown popcorn muscular guyshoopfor children


Exaggeratedcovers entire citydone all by animalsthey pay customersthey give treasureshundreds of performancemusic make people crazytons of clownpopcorn meal courseironman suit guyshuge hoopfor infant baby

Oppositesno tentno trick by animalsexpensive ticketno souvenirone performancesophisticated musicno clownno popcornno muscular guyno hoopfor adults


Oppositesno large tentno trick by animalsexpensive ticketno souvenirone performancesophisticated musicno clownno popcornno muscular guyno hoopfor adults

Rules of Brainstorming

Summary: Tools we learned today



Reframing Tool



Divergent Thinking Tools

Reframing Tool



Divergent Thinking Tools

Power of Exaggeration and Opposite

Reframing Tool

Questions?