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