Visual and Creative Thinking

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Visual and Creative Thinking What we learned from Peter Pan and Willy Wonka Kelsey Ruger, Pop Labs


There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be free if you truly wish to be. Willy Wonka


creativity: \cre路a路tiv路i路ty\ n. the ability to use imagination to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods.


visual thinking: \vis路u路al thin路king\ adj. the practice of using pictures to solve problems, think through issues, and communicate clearly.


Life in the fast lane: In an increasingly fast paced world we don’t make time for creative activities.


Keeping up with the competition: It’s getting harder to innovate, produce new ideas and communicate at this pace.


What About Creativity? This can be overwhelming for many professionals because many of the “standard� we put in place actually limit creative ability and competitiveness.


Wake-up latent childhood abilities As children our world is dominated by stories, pictures and imagination


Visual and creative thinking techniques can help reawaken natural visual and creative skills in adults


nurturing creative and visual thinking in your organization • Learning and removing the myths that prevent creativity • Start using visual and creative thinking


First - You Don’t Have To Be An Artist Visual thinking and creativity aren’t really about drawing. Drawing isn’t what makes it a creative activity.


The Myths of Innovation Scott Burken - 2007


The Myths of Creativity


MYTH 1: creativity always comes from an epiphany


MYTH 2: there is always a clear path to creativity


MYTH 3: creativity is the result of the lone innovator


MYTH 4: creativity always results in greatness

well great ideas anyway...


MYTH 5: I’m not creative


MYTH 6: being creative is a waste of time


MYTH 7: creativity is not for adults or people with serious careers.


A Beautiful Mind Understanding Why These Myths Exist


Beliefs are powerful: The beliefs we have about how the world works often have very emotional origins. These emotions can change how we make decisions, form habits and develop skills.


our need for consistency is stronger than just about any other intrinsic need we have. People will behave in a manner that is consistent with their previously existing self-concept, even when this behavior is unrewarding to them otherwise. Prescott Leaky


Do you have any sacred cows? Sometimes an idea loses it’s meaning over time, but isn’t abandoned because of the investment in it’s past. These ideals are often so immune to criticism that those who challenge them are ignored or marginalized.


How do you overcome the power of the creative myths?

File Number: 4471239


Are you smarter than a 5th grader?


The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense.� Pablo Picaso


The difference between Peter and the boys at this time was that he knew it was make-believe, while to them make-believe and true were exactly the same thing.


Overcoming the Myths of Creativity


Visual Thinking: Using images to solve problems and communicate


• 80% of the brain is dedicated to visual processing • Visual processing is not new, it’s part of our history • Written language originated from drawing and sketching


Tips for starting visual thinking


Visual Thinking Tip 1: Create an environment for creativity


Visual Thinking Tip 2: Start the habit of drawing


Visual Thinking Tip 3: Create a personal visual library

Text Text

From “Mapping Inner Space”

by Nancy Margulies, Nusa Maal, and Margaret J. Wheatley


From “Mapping Inner Space�

by Nancy Margulies, Nusa Maal, and Margaret J. Wheatley

Visual Thinking Tip 4: Create a personal metaphor library


Visual Thinking Tip 5: Take creative and visual thinking breaks


Visual Thinking Tip 6: Practice Creativity


Visual Thinking Tip 7: Read more fiction literature


Visual Thinking Tip 8: Start a visual thinking school

• Schedule it - Set aside dedicated time • Be holistic - It’s not just drawing, not just brainstorming • Set objectives - What do you intend to learn


Getting Started: A Basic Visual Thinking Toolkit • Vertical Lines • Horizontal Lines • Circles • Spirals • Wavy Lines • Jagged Lines • Star (success)

• Diamond (Decision) • Spiral (Change in Direction) • Circle (harmony) • Direction (arrow) • Straight • Triangle (Relationship)



Kelsey Ruger kruger@poplabs.com www.poplabs.com www.themoleskin.com


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