Presentation slides from COINS2015 Many creativity methods follow similar structures and principles. Design Patterns capture such invariants of proven good practices and discuss why, when and how creative thinking methods match various situations of collaboration. Moreover patterns connect different forms with each other. Once we understand the underlying structures of creative thinking processes we can facilitate digital tools to support them. While such tools can foster the effective application of established methods and even change their properties, tools can also enable new patterns of collaboration.

1. Collaboration tools and patterns
for creative thinking
Christian Kohls
Cologone University of Applied Sciences
Computer Science, Socio-technical systems

2. Patterns
From methods
to patterns
Connecting patterns
to languages
Tools
Classic Tools
Digital Tools
Social Tools
Patterns
Emerging patterns
enabled by tools
Overview

3. Credits

4. Use a deck of
cards with
random
inspirations
Random Impulse
Give your thoughts a new and unbiased direction
by using random stimuli such as random words,
images, or impressions from a walk.

5. Multiple Perspectives
Look at your problems and solutions with different
eyes. . Focus on one perspective at a time and find as
many details, insights and implications for that view.

6. Why
From methods to patterns

7. Why
From methods to patterns

8. Why
From methods to patterns

9. Why
From methods to patterns

10. Why
From methods to patterns

11. Why
From methods to patterns
Details
Consequences

12. From methods to patterns
“Use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.“

13. Think of 3 new perspectives.
Example: With the eyes of…
• Superman
• An elephant
• A soccer trainer

14. What / Solution
When /
Context
Why /
Problem and Forces
Why /
Solution Details,
Consequences
Connection
to other
patterns

15. Brainstorming
1. Define a topic or goal
2. Write down everything that
comes into your mind
3. Allow all contributions,
and suspend judgment
4. After a specified time or a targeted
number of ideas has been found,
start to cluster or evaluate the ideas
Connecting patterns to languages
Imagine you are
superman
Find connections
to a random word
What if…
you could travel
from Tokyo to
Cologne in 5 min
Blending: Combinations of patterns lead to new patterns

16. Brainstorming
1. Define a topic or goal
2. Write down everything that
comes into your mind
3. Allow all contributions,
and suspend judgment
4. After a specified time or a targeted
number of ideas has been found,
start to cluster or evaluate the ideas
Connecting patterns to languages
Group BrainstormABC Brainstorm Flashlight
Refining: Specialization of patterns

17. Brainstorming
1. Define a topic or goal
2. Write down everything that
comes into your mind
3. Allow all contributions,
and suspend judgment
4. After a specified time or a targeted
number of ideas has been found,
start to cluster or evaluate the ideas
Connecting patterns to languages
Suspend
Judgement
Idea Quota
Composing: Patterns are built by patterns

18. Brainstorming
1. Define a topic or goal
2. Write down everything that
comes into your mind
3. Allow all contributions,
and suspend judgment
4. After a specified time or a targeted
number of ideas has been found,
start to cluster or evaluate the ideas
Connecting patterns to languages
Evaluate your ideas
Connecting: Patterns can point to contextual patterns

19. Innovation Process
Connecting patterns to languages
Understanding Ideation Judgement Implementation
Combine
Adapt
5W1H
SWOT
Cluster
Vote
Prototype
Deadlines
Brainstorming
ABC
Flashlight
Mindmap
Whiteboard
Sticky Notes Idea Journal
Connect to Tools:

20. Classic tools

21. Digital Sticky Notes
• Unlimited space
• Take everywhere
• Save states
• Use of templates

22. The Power of Templates

23. Thought triggers
• Always at hand
• Method description
• Integrated journals
• Random draws

24. Random impulses

25. Interactive whiteboards

26. Interactive whiteboards

27. Interactive whiteboards
• Prepare sessions
• Integrate rich media
• Integrate thought triggers
• Restructure content
• Save results

28. From digital to social tools
Shared workspace connect collaborators
mindmeister
linoit
mural.ly

29. Extreme Collaboration

30. Extreme Collaboration
• Ad-hoc sessions without registration
• „No idea left behind“
• High order of parallelism

32. Outlook
• Measuring the performance increase:
• More ideas? Better ideas?
• Integration of methods
• Add random content
• Add thought triggers
• Randomizing contributions
• Sending huge number of contributions
• Visualization
• Filters

34. References
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