A short history of idea engines and how they change our world Tudor Rickards, Upsalla Creativity Day, March 2 nd 2009

Proposition: Ideas change the world

Engines, machines and ideas To understand idea engines and idea machines we have to understand the nature of all engines and machines

Machines are systems designed to carry out labour-saving tasks efficiently If an engine is ‘ the ghost in the machine ’ An idea engine is ‘ the ghost in an idea machine ’

An early world-changing idea engine: Cuneiform script enables record-keeping

Wind Power as Idea Engines

A great Swedish idea engine … … Carolus Linnaeus, father of plant taxonomy

A famous scientific idea engine

A recent world changing Idea engine …

Structured approaches to creativity J H McPherson Arthur Koestler

Morphology for utilizing spare capacity (Sweden) From Richie, T., 2002, http://www.swemorph.com/it-art.html

Creative Analysis Creativity may be deliberately fostered through techniques (idea engines) such as morphological analysis, lateral thinking, or brainstorming

Creative analysis as an explanation of how creativity techniques support creativity Technique (trial 1) Operational procedures Technique (trial 2) Conceptual principles

An Idea Engine for Research Questions Problem as given Operational procedures Problem as understood Conceptual principles

Social Networking: An Emerging Idea Engine

The Manchester Business School DBA (Doctoral) Programme The Mersey Care Health Trust Creativity, Culture and Well-being project Current projects at MBS Peter Kawalek (Public sector Networks)

Into the future … The wisdom of the great man .. The wisdom of the crowd .. The wisdom of the ecosphere

To go more deeply