Towards Patterns
For Creativity.
by Merlin Mann,
Pretender.

Quick
show of
hands?

Fraud!
(Just talking here)

Patterns
whuh?

“Each pattern describes a problem
which occurs over and over again in
our environment, and then
describes the core of the solution to
that problem in such a way that you
could use this solution a million
times over without doing it the
same way twice.”
Christopher Alexander

Recurring
solutions to
recurring
problems.

Things
that tend
to work.

Name
Conflict
Resolution
Use When
Examples
May Contain

e.g.
Parenting
Pattern

Pattern Name:
“You Pick”

Conflict:
Parents have to
make kids do
things; kids hate
being bossed.
And are insane.

Resolution:
Let her choose an
option for getting a
task done; not
WHETHER the task
will be done.

Use When:
You want to help a
child do something
without causing
drama.

Example:
“Should we wear
our red jammies or
our teddy bear
jammies?”

May Contain:
“Bedtime Ritual,”
“Reading Together,”
“Negotiate a Win”

Name
Conflict
Resolution
Use When
Examples
May Contain

Was I
close?

Yeah,
but.

The Myth:
Creativity is a gift!
From a muse!
Or, whatever!

A Summer
of Creative
Obsession.

Twyla’s
Box.

Patterns?
Get One Box
Tolerate Ambiguity
Start Scratching
Make Time Away

Okay.
But, why?

Berets are
not work
clothes.

Creative
work is
still work.

Want it.
Work.
Get better.

Oh, right.
Macs.

So.

Terrible
idea?

Next?
More reading
Smart people
Who’d use it?
Wiki?

Towards Patterns
For Creativity.
by Merlin Mann,
Pretender.