day 2 creativity and idea generation. objectives learn about obstacles to creativity and how to...
TRANSCRIPT
Day 2
Creativity and idea generation
Objectives
Learn about obstacles to creativity and how to break them
Learn and practice useful techniques for generating new ideas
Apply these techniques to solve interface problems and add value to software
Learn how to conduct and participate in group brainstorming sessions
Obstacles to Creativity
We are taught to conform
We look for a single best solution
We try to take the most direct route
Fear of failure
Thinking you were born uncreative
Some quotes worth keeping in mind
“You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper.”
Edward de Bono
“A problem well stated is half solved.” John Dewey
“If at first you don’t succeed …”
Some quotes worth keeping in mind
“You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper.”
Edward de Bono
“A problem well stated is half solved.” John Dewey
“If at first you don’t succeed try again a different way”The nun who taught Marilyn in
grade 5
The first step
Define your problem
Define your problem as specifically as possible
State the problem in terms of how you want some situation to be better Some examples
I want each potential client who views our portfolio to see the projects we’ve worked on that are most like their needs
I need a more intuitive way to allow users to select portion size of foods so they can see nutritional content
I need a way to provide context-sensitivity information to my users without them having to search through an entire Help file
Choose some creativity techniques
no constraints
break the rules
reversal
adopt and adapt
random word
incubation
No constraints
An example Imagine you have a website that sells gourmet foods.
How could you get more people to buy more gourmet food items if there were no constraints limiting you? As you think up ideas, don’t judge them Record your answers
An idea from the no constraints technique
Each time a shopper looks at an item, another customer magically appears to tell them how good it is This could lead to the use of testimonials
Break the rules
An example You are redesigning a website for a company that
manufactures printers for small businesses and consumers Pose a question that would “break the rules” … for
example, “What is the worse thing you could do if you want to help customers select the printer that matches their needs”
One idea … show customers printers that don’t meet their needs
Reversal
An example Imagine you are designing interactive maths tools
You might think of this reversal: What if instead of selecting Help from within the maths tools, users instead select tools from within Help?
Lead to a system where, after a lesson, you could choose from tools to help you
Adopt and adapt
An example You need to design a toolbar but there are too many
for each to be displayed at once Think of how this kind of problem is solved elsewhere You might think of a cupboard that has a lazy susan …
and then you might adapt this idea to an interface
Random word
An example You want to create software to teach people to play the
guitar You use the word “skip” as your random word One idea might be to record an audio that “skips” the
guitar part … students could use it to practice playing the guitar part
Children like to skip during breaks at school, maybe you could add some kind of play time between lessons
Incubation
State the problem
Do some homework on it
Tell your brain to go seek
Forget about it
Wait while continuing on doing other things
… sometimes a solution will just pop into your brain
Group Brainstorming
Guidelines Groups of people, no more than 15 if possible A secretary, who keeps track of each idea A facilitator, who tracks the time and keeps the
session moving along A white board, blackboard, or large notepad Markers or chalk to write ideas A large conference table Notepads and pencils for each participant
Running the session
State the problem. Take as much time as necessary to state the problem clearly
Write down the problem to be solved prominently and display it where everyone can see it
Set a time limit of 20-30 minutes for idea generation
Encourage the group to come up with both wild and normal ideas
Evaluate the ideas
Sort the ideas and determine which are best
Erase duplicated ideas first or those obviously impractical
Rate each remaining idea as excellent, promising, and presently unworkable
Resolve disagreements by voting
About today’s lab
Applying the techniques
A 2 mark exercise on the required reading (you can use your textbook)
Make sure you read the suggestions on the website regarding things you could do by the next class