Search This Blog

Monday, May 14, 2007



I just accidentally discoverd SHELL OIL's newest creativity website.

http://www.shell.com/home/PlainPageServlet?FC=/aboutshell-en/html/iwgen/shell_real/shell_solutions/films/app_view_film.html

Go to that URL and watch the EUREKA! video about the discovery of the concept behind the

SNAKE DRILL

It was invented by a Dutchman.

Back in the 1980s SHELL OIL had internal creativity development workshops. I worked with one of the trainers a couple years later.

Now they seem to be doing it again.

Go to the SHELL OIL website and look at the May 2nd issue of BUSINESS WEEK for more info about the drill.


Alan

Sunday, April 22, 2007


Aunt Polly's Fence


Over 100 years ago Mark Twain created a wonderful story about how Tom Sawyer creatively tricked several friends into doing his work: painting Aunt Polly's fence. Now you too can gain from Tom's creativity. This time you will let the white paint do the work for you.

Two people were the inspiration for this Cre8 Thinking Tool: Tom Sawyer and John Ostrowski (research manager at Pittsburgh Paint). John has often demonstrated the power of using a thesaurus and "forced relationships"

Years ago when his company was looking for a new paint, one that did not use titanium, John and his researchers created the cre8v thinking tool I call Aunt Polly's Fence or White Paint.

In John and his fellow researcher's case they wrote the two key words on individual flip charts: white and paint. They they began to brainstorm for words or things that were like these words, i.e.:

Then they examined the words within the lists asking questions: why, what, when, where, how. Until one of them saw the connections between snow, ice, clouds, water and "white" and "reflections".

They began to ask why can something look white when it is not white? The answer...reflection. How did the reflections occur? They all are crystal forms. Then they asked is there a solution that is clear yet when it dries it crystalizes causing reflections and the apprearance of whiteness. They answer....acryllic.

From that they began their research that led to a new "white paint" that does not use titanium.

In that case the "white paint" did they work. The problem or goal provided the solution.

Now it is your turn.


* Look at one of your challenges that has you blocked, stymied, stopped.

* Look for the key words.

* Write them down on separate sheets of paper, flip charts, chalkboards.

* Then begin to list every word you can. Do this over several settings, perhaps even days apart until you have lists of 50 words of more.

* Then look for patterns. Look for leads within your lists.

* Develop lists of questions asking how items from one column, A, can effect or change or produce column B or column C.

Better yet. Take Tom Sawyer's approach get other people to do it for you.

Good luck let your challenges provide you answers, leads, solutions.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007



Curiosity is the Great Gift of ALL Children

Have you watched children play (work) recently?

One of their greatest skills, traits, abilities is their ever present curiosity about EVERYTHING.

How about you? How often today have you been curious about anything in your job, profession, life, environment, world?

For 30 years I have been working on expanding and enriching my creativity and my creative thinking and problem solving skills and helping others do the same.

Today to expand your curiosity again try some of the following.

a. look for everything that is of one color around you (red, blue, green, orange) one color at a time.
b. look for everything that is of one shape (square, triangle, circle, etc.)
c. watch life: insects, animals, people...simply watch what happens

For more ways to expand and enrich your creativity go to...

http://www.cre8ng.com/CC/index.shtml

Have a great creative day.

Alan
http://www.cre8ng.com
alan@cre8ng.com