Serious Creativity
By Edward De Bono, 1992
Here is the table of contents and a few notes from part one.
It’s fascinating! I plan on wading into the topic and starting to master the lateral thinking tools ASAP!
PART I NEED FOR CREATIVE THINKING
Take-Away Value
Understanding the nature and logic of creativity
“Creative” = bringing it to being something that was not there before. The new thing must have value, unique or rare, not obvious or easy.
This book – looking at ‘self organizing information systems’; AKA patterning systems…
logic of creativity = logic of patterning systems.
Cannot use the tools effectively without understanding the logic behind them
Focus and Intention
Required: investment of time, effort and focus
High value in simply pausing at a point with determination to find new ideas of doing things.
Motivation comes from understanding the possibilities of new ideas and understanding the creative potential of the human mind
Tools and techniques
Tools are deliberate and can be used systematically.
Altered mental states sorta help, determined tool usage definitely helps.
The Theoretical Need for Creativity
Information systems: Passive and Active.
Passive info and info recording are inert – all activity comes from an external organizer. Ex: a gutter on a table, making balls line up.
Rain carves rivers, becoming the preferred action of the water. Self-organizing.
Our brains make connections and creates patterns. We only see in terms of those patterns.
We analyze data and only pick out the data we recognize and fits our preexisting patterns.
Model for creativity
Jumping to a side-track thought and tracing it back to our persistent thought patterns make a up a basis for creativity ( pg 15)
The time sequence trap
Seeing things in a certain order will greatly influence the construction of those ideas.
A + T + R + E + G = GRATE
- T makes TARGET, but difficult to disconnect existing thoughts to re-arranged. All integrated together.
The Practical Need for Creativity
Cost cutting and quality management
Maintenance Management
Competition
Many other areas
(this is a book primarily for businesses)
Information and Creativity
Much of this section is about market research
Misperceptions About Creativity
Creativity is a natural talent that cannot be taught.
Creativity comes from rebels.
Right brain versus left brain.
Art, artists and creativity.
Release.
Freeing from the ‘one right answer’ or fear of judgement is not enough. Freeing up people might return them to a natural level of creativity (from an inhibited state) but not above a normal person.
Intuition.
Your brain can reorganize and give flashes of brilliance, but most creativity is deliberate.
The need for craziness.
Not essential to the process.
Scattergun success.
Lots of ideas isn’t really doing much. It can work, but random.
Big jump in small jump creativity.
Modifications (small) or overhauls (big)
Need for both.
Group or individual
Not just for groups.
Intelligence and creativity.
Sources of Creativity
Lateral Thinking
Perception and Processing
Design and Analysis
The Uses of Creative Thinking
PART II LATERAL THINKING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
The Six Thinking Hats
The Creative Pause
Focus
Challenge
Alternatives
The Concept Fan
Concepts
Provocation
Movement
Setting Up Provocations
The Random Input
Sensitizing Techniques Application of the Lateral Thinking Techniques 190
Harvesting
The Treatment of Ideas
Formal Output
Group or Individual
PART III THE APPLICATION OF CREATIVE THINKING
Application
Everyday Creativity/Specific Creativity
The Creative Hit List
Introduction of Creativity
Responsibility
Structures and Programs
Training
Formats
Evaluation
Summary
Appendixes
The Lateral Thinking Techniques
Notes on the Use of the Lateral Thinking
Harvesting Checklist
Techniques
Treatment of Ideas Checklist