Seminar at Cardiff Metropolitan University, 11 May 2020 We all need to be creative in our work: crafting a new course, writing a research paper, designing a new product or algorithm; but many people feel "that's not me, I'm not that kind of person". Don't believe it! Just like a calculator helps you add up numbers, the right tools can enable you to be far more creative than you imagine. In this talk I introduce: * Practical techniques to generative novel ideas * Ways to analyse these to make the practical, whilst still innovative * How to create physical and, more important, mental spaces for creative thinking * Some tips on managing time to allow for creativity A new online creativity course has just been launched at interaction-design.org and this talk will draw on the material I have has created for that based on nearly 25 years studying and teaching techniques for creativity and innovation in research and technical development. http://alandix.com/academic/talks/CardiffMet-creativity-May-2020/

1. technical creativity
is for everyone
Alan Dix
http://alandix.com/

2. https://www.interaction-design.org/courses
/creativity-methods-to-design-better-products-and-services

3. what is creativity

4. creativity is
where
novelty
and
utility
meet

5. world changing
iconic

6. Photo TireZoo Flickr
day to day
ingenuity

7. Creativity in UX?
Bespoke problems
e.g. interaction techniques for synergistic use of
machine learning during engineering design
General ones
e.g. how to deal with very long menus
Little decisions
e.g. short and meaningful menu name

8. creativity
gift or graft?

9. genius
Arthur Fry Philippe Starck

10. muse

11. time and
teamwork

12. evolution

13. not a creativity
machine

14. but a place
for creativity

15. making space
for creativity

16. Where you sit
desk - computer
'working’
comfy chair
habits of mind
this is where I think like this …

17. what you wear
https://alandix.com/player/v0/UXIndonesia_May_2020

18. mind spaces
"mind spaces”
e.g. shower, walking, washing dishes,
some kinds of busy task
not too thinking heavy
and not too directed
"I'm taking a walk to think about …" !!!

19. what and when
time-managing creativity

20. plan for mental space
… those things always …
…. at the back of your mind ….

21. plan for mental space
… those things always …
…. at the back of your mind ….
clear
the decks

22. plan for mental space
… those things always …
…. at the back of your mind ….
clear
the decks
put off
‘til later

23. plan for mental space
… those things always …
…. at the back of your mind ….
clear
the decks
put off
‘til later

24. from to do to done lists
emotion management
more important than time management
✔ make completed tasks most prominent
✔ add and tick off
✔ encourage positive feelings

25. Plan away creativity
–––– ONE IDEA ––––BIG

26. Plan away creativity
–––– ONE IDEA ––––BIG
[–
small
idea –]
[–
small
idea –]
[–
small
idea –] [–
small
idea –]

27. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy

28. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy
clear the
decks

29. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy
clear the
decks
put off ‘til later
or filler

30. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy
clear the
decks
put off ‘til later
or filler
fun …
or not

31. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy
clear the
decks
put off ‘til later
or filler
nirvana ...
but hard
fun …
or not

32. complexity
creative /
emotional
energy
clear the
decks
put off ‘til later
or filler
nirvana ...
but hard
plans
fun …
or not

33. Sympho @ Wikimedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=517637
emotion work

34. forgiving
organisations

35. forgiving ourselves
failure
sows the seeds
of your next success

36. failure
sows the seeds
of your next success
Yea, sounds trite but …
before you throw away
that bad idea
look once more

37. the creativity plan
time-managing creativity

38. a creativity plan is …

39. something to do
when you can’t think
of anything better
a creativity plan is …

40. DWY{F{W}}FL

41. DWY{F{W}}FL
Do What You Feel Like
what is on your heart
will be most productive

42. DWY{F{W}}FL
Do What You Feel Like
what is on your heart
will be most productive

43. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lovefibre/2664821818/in/album-72157606144745385/
filling
the void

44. stronger together
convergence and divergence

45. creative steps – the ant
lots of small steps
incremental
evolutionary
slow and safe
convergent

46. creative steps – the flea
great leaps
unguided
revolutionary
fast and often wrong
divergent

47. formula for creativity!
diversity + structure
 innovation
Divergence
seeking novelty
Convergence
seeking
utility

48. formula for creativity!
diversity + structure
 innovation
Divergence
seeking novelty
Convergence
seeking
utility

49. bad ideas
an exercise in madness

50. find it hard to think of a good idea?
think of an idea … any idea
… but make it a
bad / silly idea

51. Heath Robinson
or oxymoron
Rev Stan CC-by-2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/revstan/3805288148

52. Rev Stan CC-by-2.0 https://www.flickr.com/photos/revstan/3805288148

53. prompts …
THE BAD
1 what is bad about this idea?
2 why is this a bad thing?
3 are there any other things that
share this feature but are not
bad?
4 if so what is the difference?
try different contexts
used car salesman – how would
you sell it to someone?
THE GOOD
1 what is good about this idea?
2 why is this a good thing?
3 anything that shares this
feature but is not good?
4 if so what is the difference?

54. https://www.flickr.com/photos/funkdooby/9269246310
Funky Dooby CC-by-2.0

55. make it a good idea
What is good - keep it
What is bad - change it
Change context
Learn from aspects

56. really bad UX?
… deliberately

57. Really Bad UX?
Problem
very long menus
Bad Idea
randomize the order

58. The bad and the good
What’s bad?
–can’t find the menu item you need
What’s good?
–serendipity!
spot useful functions you never use

59. Preserve the good
Serendipity good …
but not in the middle of another task
So …
–track menu item use
–choose a little used option
–use this for a tip when the app opens

60. Fix the bad
Make it easy to locate appropriate menu items
So … use tracked behaviour log again
– commonly used items copied to top of list
– short menu of common items that grows
– highlight common items (c.f. training wheels)
… maybe even a few serendipitous ones