unleash your creativity simon wong the hong kong polytechnic university

Unleash Unleash Your Your

CreativityCreativitySimon Wong

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Simon Wong -The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

C:\data\consult\School\creativity.ppt

The Best way to learn is to teach.

365 Medication For Teachers

Greg Henry Quinn (1995)



Style of this session today

•Stories telling

•Exercises to play with

•Games to interactive

•Metaphor



Structure of today session• There are 2 Breaks: 10:30 am and

11:35 am, each maximum 10 minutes

• 3 sections:

1st: Introduction;

2nd: Creativity techniques;

3rd: Creativity challenge and some ideas of enhancing Creativity among us (staff and students)



A Story of How a Sport shop A Story of How a Sport shop facing keen Competition.facing keen Competition.

• Three shops sales, Year End Sales, Closing Sales, Middle shop ?

• There’s no such thing as the perfect solution. Every solution, no matter how good, creates new problems

• It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.– Grover Cleveland, American President



No Way!!!!!!!!• We are trained from young to learn rules,

habits, avoid mistakes and bad experiences.

• Age Child Development Theme• 1-5 Why

• 5-12 Why Not

• Over 12 Because

• We forget our own Creative genetics

• Yes Way, Try, Why Not?



Change three thingsChange three things

1. From No Way to Yes Way - Positive Thinking.

2. Afraid to make Mistakes to Courage to Try

3. Feel silly in front of Others - Curiosity to Ask Why or Why Not.



Ice Breaking Exercise• Every one take one question from a bag.

• Imagine you are the person, think what will you do and present your answer to the class.



Power of Imagination…11. Imagine you are the Best Director of Film in 2001, what type of film you will

be direct next year? Give the film a name.

2. Imagine you are now 65 years old retired person, describe what hobbies you like to play?

3. Imagine you are a Magician in the Reception desk, what magic you will play to a hotel guest when he / she check in?

4. Imagine, you are the Director of a TV station. What programme you would like to produce in order to attract audience?

5. Imagine you the Director of Transport in HK, how can you reduce traffic jam?

6. Describe five advantages of being a Prisoner?

7. The swimming pool in the hotel is no use for summer from Nov - Feb, just brainstorm 5 possible uses of the swimming pool here. (profit or non-profit)

8. If you are the Food & Beverage Director of a hotel, how can you make the hotel guests visit minimum 2 restaurants per stay here?

9. Imagine you are a Fish now, name 3 most important things in your opinion.

10. Imagine you are the hotel guests, besides watching TV or hotel movie, name 3 other things you can enjoy without leaving the guest room.



Continue --- Imagination..211. Imagine you are the Final Decision Maker to decide who can go the Space to live

. Name 5 types of persons (occupation) that you think are suitable.

12. Imagine you are a Dog now, what do you want your master to do for you, name at least 3 things.

13. If you are a fashion designer, what kind of dressing you will design for a computer monitor?

14. Name as many as possible the use of used newspaper.

15. If you are the Director of a TV station, think as many creative ideas as possible to attract audience to watch daily “Late News” at 11:45 pm - 12:00 midnight.

16. If you have no blackboard or white board in class, think of how you can teach without it.

17. If there is no toilet in school, how can you arrange the students to solve their neccessities needs.

18. If you create a powerful medicine that can make people recite things 100% accurately but this ability can only stay for 48 hours in the human body, how would you “selling & marketing” it.

19. Imagine you have the power to hold the world still for 30 minutes. What will be the time frame (time in 24 hours) and where will be you at that time?



Continue --- Imagination..320. Imagine your are the opposite sex (Male Vs Female), name 3 most important

things you care when you eat.21. Imagine you are the artist painter. If there is no water colour ink available, what

other things from your human body can be used as painting materials.22. Imagine you are the bacteria now, describe how you can survive better.23. Imagine you are designer of stationery, what type of new writing instrument you

will create for 21 century.24. Imagine you are a song writer, create a song with “do re me fa so” melody. Give

a name to it and sing it out. Explain the name of this song for 30 seconds.25. Imagine you have the power to get 3 “yes” answers from anyone to ask. What

are the Three (3) questions?26. Imagine you have the power of telling 3 persons to do anything in the coming 24

hours. Which 3 persons and what are their duties?27. Imagine you are the smartest criminal in the world. How can you cheat a Hotel

without being caught as a hotel guest? (Highest value you can cheat)28. Describe as many as possible the use of “Clips” in this world.29. Create and Draw a Logo for your Class that everyone remember it.30. Name 5 other Non-Profit uses of this building besides a School here.



Continue --- Imagination..431. Imagine you are the Chairman of Durian Fruit Association. Describe how you

would increase the sales volume of this fruit consumption in HK.32. Imagine you are the air-conditioner, describe how you would be more welcome in

winter.33 Imagine you are in the moon now, what things (name 3) you would like to do now.34. Imagine you are a ball pen, imagine how would you like to make your master

always bring you out in office or play.35. Think now you are 5 years old, what kind of toys you like most. Describe it to us.36. Imagine you have the power to get 3 “No” answers from anyone to ask. What are

the Three (3) questions?37. Imagine you are aged 70, describe what kind of travel tour package you like most. 38. Imagine you are lost in the jungle now, name 3 materials in the forest that you can

make a fire.39. Imagine you are lost in the ocean, floating for survival. Describe as many as

possible the ways to make “reflection” to sky hoping someone can see you from the plane.

40. Tell a joke to your partner next to you and make sure he or she can laugh for 5 seconds.

41. Create a mobile phone number and metaphor to any meanings to make sure your partner sitting next to you remember after class.



Continue --- Imagination..542. Imagine your are deaf now, create 1 body / hand signal by yourself which means:

“I am very hungry and please give me hotdog.”43. Imagine you are dumb, create 1 body language which means: “Where is my

green school bag, it is the present from my mother.”44. Imagine you are the famous doctor inventing a medicine that can control

headache, create a “NAME” for it for patent application. 45. Imagine you are designer of stationery, what type of new writing paper you will

create for 21 century.46. Imagine you are eye glass designers and makers, describe what kind of product

you would develop to keep customer wearing eye glass instead of contact lens.47. Imagine you the fashion designer. You have a contract asking you to design a

clothing for the laptop computer. Draw your design and explain to us.48. Take out 3 things you don’t like to sell in 7-11. But add in 3 new products, what

are they?49. Imagine you are the photo frame designer. Describe a new photo frame product

that everyone can bring along besides the necklace concept.50. Describe as many as possible the use of “straw” in this world.51 If you make a tunnel to pass through the earth, the tunnel should start from which

“city” and end at which “city”. Tell us why and convincing us to follow your suggestion.



What’s Creativity?Words to describe Creativity:

• originality, innovative, inventiveness, ground-breaking, authorship,etc

2 Dimensions of Creativity

• NovelNovel

• Appropriateness - Qualities of FitAppropriateness - Qualities of Fit

- Utility - Utility

- Value - Value



Divergent Vs Convergent Thinking

• Divergent thinking is the intellectual ability to think of many original, diverse and elaborate ideas.

• Convergent thinking is the intellectual ability to logically evaluate, critique and choose the best ideas from a selection of ideas



Remote Associates Test - Mednick 1962

• 1. Surprise Line Birthday ______• 2. Lunch Car Gift ______• 3. Stick Tennis Marker ______• 4. Blue Cottage Cloth ______• 5. Ocean Mother Tree ______ • 6. Sheep Fat Chance ______• 7. Bee Fight Sleep ______• 8. School Chorus Motion ______



Exercise to define Creativity

• Hear a Sound, and write down as many things as possible



Concept of Fluency, Flexibility and Originality

• Fluency – Quantity of ideas emerged

• Flexibility – Categories of ideas• Originality – Statistical unique

and rareCount Number of Fluency, Flexibility and

Originality



Top 4 questions asked in Walt Disney Theme Park

1. Where is the Toilet?

2. Where am I now?

3. When is the 8 o’clock Firework Show?

4. Where is my Car? (after playing 10 hours, holding tons of souvenir and 2 kids, at 11:00 pm)

Answer Creatively and Solve the Problem.



Problem Solving Model1. Define the Problem2. Create Alternatives3. Select the Best Alternative (consider all

restraints & resources)4. Implement it (Plan, Do, Act, Check)5. Monitoring it, Continuous Review 6. Feedback

Which Step is the MOST Important?Story of New York Apartment Lift



Method of Elimination• Human minds can deduce

things. Human minds can connect things

• One way of doing this is by Elimination

• Challenge: Number game. 1-100, Ask only maximum 7 questions (respondent on say “Yes” or “No”) you will discover the answer

• Guessing Animal Cards



Break10 minutes



BrainWriting – Batelle Institute in Frankfurt, Germany

• Cluster List of Ideas

• - each person write their ideas on a paper and pass on to other

• - No judgment

• - Each idea stimulate others

• - Exercise in 4 groups:

• How to make students SMILE more at school.



Povocation Techniquesby Edward de Bono

• Think Something Impossible and Never think before.

• E.g. Think as many as possible that things a Restaurant must have.

• Use Povocation to think how to run a restaurant without it.



Random WordsRandom Wordsby Edward de Bonoby Edward de Bono

• Assign 60 random words and use a clock to locate the word.

• After finding a word, use it to describe a case or problem.

• E.g. Traffic Light (case) link with random words



Random Words exampleFrog, Pillar, Temple, Paper, Polite, Greetings, Food, Drinks, Enjoy, Sound, Punishment, Sadness, Happy, Colourful, Distance, Star, Sky, Examination, People, Rubber, Computer, Pencil, Court, Counselling, Hotel,

Accommodation, TV, Movie, CD, Tape, Exercise, Map, Shirt, Cabinet, Drawer, Reward, Ship, Ocean,

Sunflower, Feeling, Tie, Dress, Beautiful, Ugly, Vomit, Tea, Building, Chair, Student, Professor, Table, Hungry, Shoes, Magazine, Drugs, Crazy,

Smile, Gate, Hollywood, Piano

e.g. Peninsula Academy - Customer Satisfaction, More Business, Surprise Dinner at Felix Restaurant



Metaphor AssociationMetaphor Associationby Michael Michalko

Describe your problem or case into

• Human-izeHuman-ize

• Animal-izeAnimal-ize

• Subject-izeSubject-ize

• Feeling-izeFeeling-izee.g. the work of academic

field - Zoo and case of each staff

e.g. Shooting Bricks

Affinity ProcessAffinity Process

Complain Poor Customer services

AB

C

D

E

F



Exercise using Affinity Process to identify the critical steps

Guest complaints on Poor ServicePossible reasons:Possible reasons:

- Poor staff attitude

- Not enough training

- Poor products

- Guests are picky

- Too many workload

- Staff has no interest and motivation

Hotel Guest complain poor Hotel Guest complain poor customer service !customer service !

Affinity Process to identify which should be handled first

e.g. 7-11 system



4.4. 4.4. Generate Alternatives -Generate Alternatives -Backward ReasoningBackward Reasoning

Think backward logically in finding ways to solve problem.

Game on 10 coins: 2 players, each can pick up 1 or 2 coins, the one who pick up the 10th coin wins.

1st 10th



Exercise- Backward Thinking

• By December, 2001, there will be a computerized school library here.

• Identify the critical path and yardsticks for each month.



Break 10 minutes

Game: Walt Disney QueueGame: Walt Disney Queue

You are the Steering Committee ofWalt Disney in Florida. Your park isvery successful with 15,000,000 touristseach year. Constantly you receivedmany complaints on long queuing timefor each rider.

Your Group has to resolve and suggestYour Group has to resolve and suggestas many solutions as possible toas many solutions as possible toimprove this situation.improve this situation.

Game: Venice Anti Tourism Game: Venice Anti Tourism CampaignCampaign

In Venice, Italy, it receives 200,000 tourists everyday. The tourism generate a lot of foreign exchange but on the opposite side, tourists destrpy cultural heritage and bring in pollution.

Assume you the Governor of Venice, Assume you the Governor of Venice, resolve and suggest as many solutions resolve and suggest as many solutions as possible to reduce tourists travelling as possible to reduce tourists travelling to Venice.to Venice.



Game : Rubbish Bag4 teams , each team is distributed with a bag

containing 10 items. Team must utilize the existing resources to develop a GAME out from these resources. Need clear procedures.

Neglect each item: deducts 10 marks. Add other outside item, each deducts 10 marks.

Criteria for wining

1. Playfulness (30 marks)

2. Practical / Feasibility (30 marks)

3. Creativity (40 marks)



Organizational CreativityStory of 3M company famous in Creative

products.

• One Policy and Mission

• 20% of the staff time is free. No question asked by superior. Staff are free to do whatever they like.

• Story about the transparency development of OHP slide………..



Enhancing Creative Momentum 1. Stimulate our 5 senses:• SightSight (bright colour, graphics, mind

map, props)me to stimulate creative ideas

• HearingHearing (background music, different tone of voice)

• TouchTouch (different materials, sand, sough, smooth, soft clay)

• TasteTaste (food, drinks, taste experience)• SmellSmell (aroma, scented, go outside the

classroom, smell the nature)



Creative Momentum ……22.Start a Journal / Creative Files for

recordings all ideas3. Take pictures on learning events and

display them on notice board4. Start a Creativity group where members

meet to Share their success stories5. Reward People who Try6. Incubate and Nurture a Creative Culture

by setting up policies in school to promote creativity

7. Form a “Creative Library” with books, web sites and resources



Tips for Creativity - 4 C’sTips for Creativity - 4 C’s• Challenge - accept challenge and willing to challenge

old thinking. (story of bacteria at stomach theory)

• Change - courage to change. (if you don’t ask, you never get YES)

• Choices - produce more Alternatives to do things.(story of an experiment, 1st group tell them creative, 2nd group tell him uncreative, 1st group produce more alternatives.)

• Continuous Improvement - Kaizen in Japanese - Not satisfy present situation. (Story of ABS system in car invented by Japanese engineer trainee)



Story of Cheung Mo Gaiin Tai Chi

• Cheung Mo Gai learn from Cheung Sam Fung.

• Show him the first time, he remember 50%

• Show him the second time, he forget everything.



Tourist, Farmer and StationTourist, Farmer and Station

unleash your creativity simon wong the hong kong polytechnic university

Documents

creativity simon wong

hotel guests

interactive metaphor

hotel movie

best way

best director of film

creativity challenge

creativity techniques