Module 3: Creativity Tools Lecture

Introduction

• Focus on creativity tools and techniques.
• Emphasis on making thoughts visible.
• Historical context: Renaissance period influences.

Historical Context and Techniques

• Renaissance Era (14th-16th Century):
  • Emergence of parallel languages using drawings, diagrams, and graphs.
  • Artists like Leonardo da Vinci used visual means to convey knowledge.
  • Diagrams used for capturing information, formulating, and solving problems.

Examples from the Renaissance

• Leonardo da Vinci:
  • Created drawings such as the "aerial screw" (ancestor of the helicopter) and the Vitruvian Man (proportions of the human body).
  • Demonstrated that drawings can express complex ideas not easily conveyed through language.

Modern Creativity Tools

• Mind Maps:
  • A visual brainstorming tool starting from a central theme.
  • Helps to map thoughts and show relationships between ideas.
  • Non-linear; associations are infinite, exploring different avenues around a central theme.

Mind Map Example

• Central Theme: Yellow
  • Associations include "bus," "banana," and "sun."
  • Further expanded into related concepts and ideas.
• Central Theme: Iced Tea
  • Associations include "ice," "summer," "refreshing."

Guidelines for Creating Mind Maps

• Begin with a central theme; expand to 3-6 levels.
• Utilize keywords rather than sentences.
• Explore linkages and associations to discover new insights.

Exercise: Creating a Mind Map

• Task: Develop a mind map around the word "Mouse."
• Explore initial ideas and expand to two levels.

Case Study: Pablo Picasso

• Approach to Creativity:
  • Immersion in the subject before starting creative work.
  • Example of filming Picasso painting in five minutes to challenge his creativity.
  • Emphasized the evolution of ideas through continuous exploration.

Process of Creative Thinking

• Technique by Graham Wallas:
  • Preparation: Gathering information and understanding the context.
  • Incubation: Letting ideas organize subconsciously.
  • Intimation and Illumination: Emerging and developing creative solutions.

Visual Brainstorming Techniques

• Use drawings, Legos, or play-doh for 3D representation.
• Visual tools aid in communication and understanding.
• Incremental improvement and adaptation.

Recommended Reading

• Book: "Cracking Creativity" by Michael Michalko for further exploration of techniques.

Conclusion

• Emphasized the importance of visualization in creative problem-solving.
• Encouraged experimentation with multiple tools and methods.