Cre8ng:

1
Cre8ng Getting to Eureka and Beyond
Dr. Robert Alan Black
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
2
Who Might Be
Creative
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
3
All of US!!!
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
4
Land of Eureka!
Land of Eureka!
5
Being creative is a choice Individuals,
leaders, entire organizations can make the choice.
a daily choice!
6
Getting to Eureka Beyond Overcoming
Blocks 32 Creative Thinking Traits 12 Creative
Thinking Tools 4 Systems Whacky to Real 12
Jumpstarters 6 Ways to set up a Cre8ng
Community
7
Who Are We?
Find the people who can answers yes to these
questions.
Then have them sign their name on one of the
faces. Only one per person.
Same astrological sign
Likes avacados
Is from a town same size as yours
Has never been to Disney World
Has had the most jobs
Has traveled In at least 4 countries
Knows the names of 10 US presidents
Has read a Stephen King novel
Knows who first stepped On the Moon when
Owns An Apple computer
Collects coins or stamps
Liked math in school
8
No More Creative Blocks!
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
9
?
What Causes Your Creative Blocks
10
NO TIME GRIEF DEPRESSION ILLNESS NATURAL RHYTHM
11
SOMETHING'S PERCOLATING BRAIN'S
RECHARGING EXCESSIVE SELF-CRITICISM PERFECTIONISM
12
Creative block?
13
!
What We Can Do w/ Creative Blocks
14
?
What Do You Do w/ Crreative Block
15
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
16
Add one ritual behavior Brainstorm Change
clothes Do one chore Write somewhere else
17
Make a pointless rule (end in vowel) Meditate Qui
t beating yourself up Read Relax
18
Take a walk Taking a break, Talk to a toy,
stuffed animal Try "chunking" Try free-writing
19
Creative Thinking Tools Can help remove
or Eliminate Creative Block
20
Causes
OBSESSING ON ONE PIECE / STORY TOO
HARD EXPECTATIONS FANTASY REALITY LOSING FAITH
IN THE PROCESS THE WELL IS EMPTY STRESS
PANIC BEAT YOURSELF UP SET UNREALISTIC SCHEDULES
NO TIME GRIEF, DEPRESSION, ILLNESS NATURAL
RHYTHM SOMETHING'S PERCOLATING BRAIN'S
RECHARGING EXCESSIVE SELF-CRITICISM PERFECTIONISM
WRITING WHAT YOU SHOULD INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU LOVE
21
Add one ritual behavior Brainstorm Change
clothes Do one chore Do something important
thats very easy Do something out of the
ordinary Get away from the computer Listen to new
music Make a pointless rule (end in
vowel) Meditate Quit beating yourself
up Read Relax Return to writing after a lapse Set
a time, write whatever comes to mind, w/o
stopping Stretch Take a shower
Take a walk Taking a break, Talk to a toy,
stuffed animal Try "chunking" Try
freewriting Watch movies, plays or tv for
inspiration. Work on the title Write a basic plot
outline of the story Write about an experience of
your own Write crap Write five words Write from a
persona Write or type out a complete short story
by one's favorite author Write someplace
new Write the middle
Aides/Cures
22
Adaptable Curious Divergent thinker Energetic Fant
asize, able to Flexible thinker Fluent Future
oriented Humor Idealistic Imaginative
Independent Ingenious Learning,
always Non-conforming Not motivated by
money Observant, highly Open-ended Original -
uniqueness Passionate about their work Perceive
world differently Question asker
See possibilities Self- knowledgeable Self-actuali
zing Self-disciplined Sense of destiny Sensitive S
everely critical of self, their work,
potential of field potential of other
people Specific interests Synthesize correctly
often intuitively Tolerant of ambiguity
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
22
23
32 Traits
Adaptable Curious Divergent thinker Energetic Fant
asize, able to Flexible thinker Fluent Future
oriented Humor Idealistic Imaginative
Independent Ingenious Learning,
always Non-conforming Not motivated by
money Observant, highly Open-ended Original -
uniqueness Passionate about their work Perceive
world differently Question asker
See possibilities Self- knowledgeable Self-actuali
zing Self-disciplined Sense of destiny Sensitive S
everely critical of Specific interests Synthesize
correctly often intuitively Tolerant of
ambiguity
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
24
32 Traits
Adaptable Curious Divergent thinker Energetic Fant
asize, able to Flexible thinker Fluent Future
oriented Humor Idealistic Imaginative
Independent Ingenious Learning,
always Non-conforming Not motivated by
money Observant, highly Open-ended Original -
uniqueness Passionate about their work Perceive
world differently Question asker
See possibilities Self- knowledgeable Self-actuali
zing Self-disciplined Sense of destiny Sensitive S
everely critical of self, their work,
potential of field potential of other
people Specific interests Synthesize correctly
often intuitively Tolerant of ambiguity
28
All born with.
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
25
32 Traits
Adaptable Curious Divergent thinker Energetic Fant
asize, able to Flexible thinker Fluent Future
oriented Humor Idealistic Imaginative
Independent Ingenious Learning,
always Non-conforming Not motivated by
money Observant, highly Open-ended Original -
uniqueness Passionate about their work Perceive
world differently Question asker
See possibilities Self- knowledgeable Self-actuali
zing Self-disciplined Sense of destiny Sensitive S
everely critical of self, their work,
potential of field potential of other
people Specific interests Synthesize correctly
often intuitively Tolerant of ambiguity
All are learnable
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
26
Creative
Thinking Tools
Divergent Convergent
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
27
Using Tools Techniques
28
What? What Else! Why? Why Not!
WWWWWH
29
Forced Obj. Metaphors Excursions Bionics
Classics!
30
Improv Imagination Perspective Non-Human
31
5 Sensing Idea Grids! Excursions? Super Heroes!
32
Cartoons Imaging! Famous Folk Alphabetizing!
33
Brainstorming
Quantity breeds Quality Freewheeling of
ideas Hitchhike/Combine Ideas No Judgement

Divergent Thinking Tool
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
34
Brainwriting
Quantity breeds Quality Freewheeling of
ideas Hitchhike/Combine Ideas No Judgement

Divergent Thinking Tool
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
35
Alphabetizing
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T
U V W X Y Z

Divergent Thinking Tool
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
36
OTHER INDUSTRIES
professions, occupations might view the problem
and possibly solve it.
Too often we allow our experience and expertise
to cloud our visions and thinking.
In order to break out of such traps we can take
time to imagine how other industries, businesses,
Accounting Restaurant Discount Advertising Hotel/M
otel Software Architecture Insurance Sports Automo
tive Interior Design Travel Beekeeping Health/Exer
cise Trucking Call Services Janitorial Vending Den
tistry Legal Undertaking Engineering Real
Estate Yacht Design Forestry Retail/Discount Zoo
Keeping
37
What If We?
Throughout our schooling we are asked WHAT IS
IT?
To expand our creativeness and our creative
skills we need only change the question to WHAT
IF WE? or WHAT ELSE MIGHT IT BE?
stretch it raise the price make it
breakable combine it make it terryifying make it
funny appeal to kids separate it cushion
it Winterize it appeal to seniors make it
fly illuminate it darken it do it backward go
clockwise slow it down magnetize it freeze
it loosen it make it invisible misspell it go
under it put it in pictures sweeten it put it to
music make it weaker
38
English is a Funny Language
The English language is funny and filled with
oddities.
There is no egg in eggplant No ham in
hamburger Apple nor Pine in pineapple English
muffins werent invented in England nor French
Fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while
sweetbreads are not sweet. Quicksand works
slowly, Boxing rings are square Writers writers,
fingers do not fing Grocers dont groce and
hammers dont ham If you get rid of all but one
of your odds and ends Is it an ODD or an
END? What are some you can think of?
39
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. CHECKLISTING S.C.A.M.P.E.R
. is a form of CHECKLIST. A CHECKLLIST is a
prepared list of words, verbs, questions that you
can use that can spark new ideas, change your
thinking or your point of view or even you mood
and the direction your thinking at the moment and
take you into many directions. S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
was created by Bob Eberle, teacher/educational
consultant in the 1970 s to teach the concept of
CHECKLISTING to school children by using a memory
device (acronym) that they could easily remember
when they needed to generate new ideas or
remember existing or past ideas. It is used as
the foundation for Michael Michalkos excellent
Creative Thinking Tools bookTHINKERTOYS. First
Step Write out the word S.C.A.M.P.E.R. vertically
on a piece of paper or on a flip chart/chalkboard
or other surface that the group can see. Second
Step Write out what the 7 letters stand
for. Third Step Then use each of the 7 by asking
questions using these verbs to improve/change/revi
se your challenge or problem to generate
potential ideas and solutions. Fourth Step Read
over the ideas you have produced and select the
best To work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS
to use.
S. substitute C. combine A. adapt, adopt M.
minify, magnify P. put to other uses E.
eliminate R. reverse

Divergent Thinking Tool
40
Forced Relationships This is an idea generating
technique that appears in many books about
creative thinking and creative thinking or
innovation tools. First Step choose something
totally unrelated to the problem or challenge You
or your group are working on. Second Step List
everything you or your group know about it. (Who?
What? When? Where? Why? How? physical, visual,
tactile,all senses, good and bad) Third
Step List everything you or your group know about
your problem or challenge. (WWWWWHand using all
the senses) Fourth Step Take items/details/aspect
s from the first list and FORCE FIT them to
features Or details from the second list. Your
goal is to see if the features from The randomly
chosen, unrelated thing/animal sparks ideas for
improving, Changing, correcting features of the
problem.
Sample
A traditional example or warm-up for doing this
consists of 1st. Ask the person or group to
write everything they know about a canary (or a
bird in their country. 2nd. Ask the person or
group to write everything they know about the
chair they are sitting in. 3rd. Then I ask them
to combine (FORCE FIT or make a FORCED
Relationship) one item from the canary list with
The chairs list with the goal to improve,
change, correct the chair design or to generate
ideas for designing the ultimate chair.


Divergent Thinking Tool
Feathers-Soft chair is hard make seat
soft Yellow chair is ship gray add color
41
Ideas 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Idea Grids First Step With this Cre8ng Tool we
first generate 12 to 24 ideas through
Brainstorming or any other technique. Second
Step Then draw a grid made up of as many vertical
and horizontal Cells as you have ideas. Third
Step Combine the ideas on the vertical side of
the grid With the ideas on the horizontal side
one by one and write them into the separate boxes
where the two ideas meet.. 6 ideas can Then
produce 36 ideas, 12 can produce 24, 100 -
10,000 Fourth Step Read over the ideas you have
produced and select the best To work on to turn
them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.
Sample
Idea 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.


Idea 2
Idea 4
Vertical 2 make the chair out of
wood Horizontal 4 make the color
changeable Ideas might be.cover, removable film
or skin
Divergent Thinking Tool
42
Idea or Morphological Grids This is a
logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be
used to generate large numbers of ideas. 6
columns of 10 examples of each variable can
produce 1,000,000 possible combinations. First
Step Generate list of variables of problem or
story Second Step Generate lists for each of the
variables i.e. heroes cowboy, Rancher,
sheriff, shopkeeper, teacher, minister. Third
Step Number each list for each variable 1 to 2 to
3 to ... Fourth Step Randomly pick one number
for each variable column from 1 to ? Fifth
Step Then write a story using one from each of
the columns
Variables of story
locations
heroines
crimes
heroes
villians
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Sample
Divergent Thinking Tool
43
Wild, Whacky, Weird To Real
44
Easier to take a WILD, WHACKY, WEIRD Idea TAME
IT DOWN Then to make a boring idea EXCITING
45
Useless Inventions
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
46
Useless Inventions
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
47
Useless Inventions?
1. A black highlighter pen 20. Powdered
Water 2. A book on how to read 21. Reusable ice
cubes 3. A dictionary index 22. Seatbelts for
motorbikes 4. A pedal powered wheelchair 23. See
through toilet tissue 5. AC adaptor for solar
calculators 24. Silent alarm clock 6. Battery
powered battery charger 25. Skinless
bananas 7. Braille drivers manual 26. Smooth
sandpaper 8. Do-it-yourself road map 27. Solar
powered flash light 9. Double sided playing
cards 28. Submarine screen doors 10. Ejector
seats for helicopters 29. Waterproof
towel 11. Fireproof matches 30. Toe
implants 12. Fireproof cigarettes 31. Turnip ice
cream 13. Glow in the dark sunglasses 32. Waterme
lon seed sorter 14. Hand powered chain
saw 33. Waterproof sponge 15. Inflatable
anchor 34. Waterproof tea bags 16. Inflatable
dart boards 35. 17. Mechanical pencil
sharpener 36. 18. Non-stick cellotape 37. 19. Z
ero proof alcohol
48
Values 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Value Grids This is a logical/left-brain
convergent tool that can be used to select ideas
to turn into solutions First Step Generate
ideas Second Step Select a workable number of
ideas you or the group like Third Step Generate
a list of values that final solution can be
evaluated with. Fourth Step Examine each idea
one by one for each value. Or Examine each value
one by one comparing the chairs. Fifth Step If
one idea ends up better from the analysis than
one that you or the group have a strong feeling
for then go back and re-evaluate the weak areas
and strengthen or change them.
Sample
Idea A. B. C. D. E.


Idea B
Value 4
Idea B make the chair out of wood Value 4
better aesthetics Wood would make it easier to
tool, the grain will Give a natural beauty to the
chair
Convergent Thinking Tool
49
Sample

• PCP-Pluses/Concerns/Potentials
• Pluses/Concerns/Potentials a convergent thinking
  tool used for analyzing a list or group of ideas
  that have been generated by an individual or a
  group.
• First Step
• Narrow down the number of ideas to a comfortable
• number (3 to 6)
• Second Step
• Then one by one write out 3 lists of thoughts
  about each idea.
• Pluses of the ideas
• Concerns
• Potentials
• Third Step
• Then compare the results.
• Fourth Step
• If one idea falls behind the others yet the group
  seems more excited about it or committed to it,
  then go over each of the concerns and think of
  ways to eliminate or strength them with that
  idea.

Idea 1 Make the chair out of XXX plastic and
apply electrical lighting to it. Pluses -
Plastic will be cheaper Lighting will make it
more useable The plastic will provide more color
options Concerns - We have no experience with
plastic Electrical wiring will add cost It may be
too easily tipped over Potentials - Could lead
to a product that could be sold anywhere in the
world. Could expand our technical
capacities Could open up new markets for our
other products.

Convergent Thinking Tool
50
Sample
Hits Misses Hits Misses is a convergent
thinking tool used for quickly choosing ideas
from several that have been generated. First
Step Generate many ideas.24, 48, 144..on
Post-It notes or slips of paper or index cards or
simply write them on a surface where everyone can
see them easily. Second Step Tell the group to
go up and scan the total group of ideas and mark
which ones their gut tells them is a hit. No
discussion. Just simply read and react. Or Tell
the group to go up and move the ideas they think
are HITS to an area labeled HITS and the MISSES
to another area labeled thus. Leave the NOT
SURE ones where they are. Third Step Then
discuss, organize by popularity, group, cluster
the ideas by categories. Fourth Step Select the
one or more that can be used at the same time or
the ones that can be combined into a single idea
Hits
Unsure?
Misses
Convergent Thinking Tool
51
Jumpstarting your Creativeness
52
Normal Ordinary Regular Boring
Unique Unusual Wild Exciting
53
Be Childlike
Be Childish
54
(No Transcript)
55
http//www.cre8ng.com
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
56
Alans Cre8ng Challenges
MONDAY squiggle versus straight line How have
you been a squiggle versus a straight line? What
does it mean to be a squiggle? A straight
line? TUESDAY out of the box versus in the box
Are you an "in the box" or an "out of the box"
thinker? How have you been an "out of the box"
thinker in the past? How might you be in the
future? WEDNESDAY off the wall versus on the
wall What about being on or off the wall? How
have you been an "off the waller"?
THURSDAY in step versus out of step What are some
ways or times that you chose to "step out of
line"? FRIDAY fit in versus dance to a
different tune How and when have you danced to a
different tune or chosen not to fit in? Have
fun exploring your creative life this week.
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
57
(No Transcript)
58
Think/Act Like Mavericks
59
Table Envy
Created Laughter
60
(No Transcript)
61
Cre8ng Communities
62
What Some Corps Do
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
63
What Some Corps Do
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
64
What Some Corps Do
Of Profit 15 Rule Creativity or Idea
Clubs Company Books (Dupont) Contests Creativity/I
nnovation Newsletters - Print/Electronic Creativi
ty/Innovation Rooms Groups---Oz Group Guest
Speakers Idea Meetings Idea Systems In-House
Training
Innovation Fairs Libraries Management
Support Newsletters - External Posters Problem
Solving Teams Rebel Groups-Unofficial Retreats Rew
ards Reward Systems Seminars Support Conference
Attendance Training Programs Workshops
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
65
What Some Corps Do
Of Profit 15 Rule Creativity or Idea
Clubs Company Books (Dupont) Contests Creativity/I
nnovation Newsletters - Print/Electronic Creativi
ty/Innovation Rooms Groups---Oz Group Guest
Speakers Idea Meetings Idea Systems In-House
Training
Innovation Fairs Libraries Management
Support Newsletters - External Posters Problem
Solving Teams Rebel Groups-Unofficial Retreats Rew
ards Reward Systems Seminars Support Conference
Attendance Training Programs Workshops
None do it Systematically or Throughout or for
more than 18 months
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
66
S.P.R.E.A.D.
S P R E A D

• UPPORTING
• ROMOTING
• ECOGNIZING
• NCOURAGING
• PPLYING
• EVELOPING

Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
67
May you live In the Land of Eureka Whenever You
Choose!

Cre8ng Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan
Black, Ph.D.
68
They laughed at Columbus, Fulton, the Wright
Brothers. They also laughed at Bozo the
Clown. Carl Sagan, founder first President
of The Planetary Society
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
69
If your goal is to create something new and big,
you're going to have to do something that
everybody else will laugh at - so that becomes
the test. Marc Andreessen, founder of
Netscape
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
70
Laughter and tears are both responses to
frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer
to laugh, since there is less cleaning up
to do afterward. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, humanist
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
71
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.
Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living,
it's a way of looking at life through the wrong
end of a telescope and that enables you to
laugh at life's realities.
Dr. Seuss
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
72
All it takes is one idea to solve an
impossible problem.
-- Robert H. Schuller
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
73
The highly Creative Thinker looks at every
idea as a possibility.
Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP
Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan Black,
Ph.D.
74
Your Beginning!

Cre8ng Getting to Eureka and Beyond Robert Alan
Black, Ph.D.