The document outlines an Innovation Boot Camp training manual which aims to teach participants divergent and convergent thinking techniques. The manual covers activities like sticky note brainstorming, forced connections, and Brainwriting + SCAMPER to generate novel ideas. Participants work through problem-solving exercises in groups. The boot camp was a 12-week social experiment that saw positive impacts like adopting creative problem-solving processes and prototyping new services. The document encourages customizing the approach for different contexts.

1. INNOVATION BOOT CAMP
Learn Faster
M.J. D Elia & Robin Bergart
University of Guelph
OALT/ABO 2012 Conference
King City, ON

2. WELCOME

3. SCHEDULE
• Welcome
• Warm-up
• Idea generation
• Cool down
training manual (p. 1)

4. TRAINING MANUAL
• Training booklet
• Activities
• Additional notes
• Reflections
• Resources

5. TRAINING MANUAL
• Print your name

6. ORIGIN OF I.B.C.

8. training manual (p. 3)

11. THE PLAN
• 12 week program
• Recruited volunteers
• Social experiment in
creative process
• Activities, reflection,
discussion

12. GYM RULES

13. Take a risk It s about the team
training manual (p. 2)
GYM RULES

14. Reflect on practice Embrace failure
training manual (p. 2)
GYM RULES

15. Process before product Everyone is a leader
training manual (p. 2)
GYM RULES

16. training manual (p. 2)
Have fun Photo release
GYM RULES

17. DIVERGENT
THINKING
training manual (p. 5)

18. GUIDELINES
• Defer judgment
• Combine and build ideas
• Seek wild ideas
• Go for quantity
training manual (p. 5)

19. PROBLEMS
training manual (p. 6)

20. PROBLEM 1
How might we make wait times in
doctors offices more pleasant?
training manual (p. 6)

21. PROBLEM 2
How might we make the middle seat
on an airplane the most desirable
seat?
training manual (p. 6)

22. PROBLEM 3
How might we make carpooling a more
attractive option for commuters?
training manual (p. 6)

23. PROBLEM 4
How might we make it easier to find
hard-to-locate products in the grocery
store?
training manual (p. 6)

24. PROBLEM 5
How might we encourage a healthier
lifestyle for library technicians at
work?
training manual (p. 6)

25. INSTRUCTIONS
• Choose one of those problems to work on
• Put the problem you chose in the centre of the table
• Put the others back in the envelope

26. ACTIVITIES

27. ACTIVITIES
• Sticky note
brainstorming
• Forced connections
• Brainwriting +
SCAMPER

28. training manual (p. 7)
STICKY NOTE
BRAINSTORM

29. MATERIALS
• Sticky note pads (for each group member)
• Markers (for each group member)
• Pre-numbered flip chart paper (for facilitator)
training manual (p. 7)

30. INSTRUCTIONS
• Brainstorm solutions to your problem
• One idea per sticky note
• Speak your idea to the group
• Hand it to the facilitator
• Build on ideas from other members
• Facilitator posts ideas on pre-numbered chart paper
• Goal: 50 ideas in 10 minutes
training manual (p. 7)

31. DEBRIEF
• Ideas flow more freely
• Clear objective with a good group dynamic
• Verbalizing ideas allows for building on them
training manual (p. 7)

32. training manual (p. 8)
FORCED
CONNECTIONS

33. MATERIALS
• Random objects
• Flip chart paper
• Markers
• Sticky notes
training manual (p. 8)

34. INSTRUCTIONS (ROUND ONE)
• Look at the random objects
• Brainstorm as many characteristics as you can
• 3 minutes
• Record your ideas on flip chart paper
training manual (p. 8)

35. INSTRUCTIONS (ROUND TWO)
• Look at your list of characteristics
• Do any of those characteristics give you new ideas for
how to solve your problem?
• Discuss in your group
• Add new ideas to sticky notes
training manual (p. 8)

36. DEBRIEF
• Stimulates lateral thinking
• Encourages cross-pollination
• Focuses on the object, not the problem
training manual (p. 9)

37. training manual (p. 9)
BRAINWRITING +
SCAMPER

38. MATERIALS
• Package of worksheets
• Something to write with (for each group member)
training manual (p. 9)

39. INSTRUCTIONS
• Each group member should have one worksheet
• Look at the prompting questions
• Generate new ideas and record them on the sheet
• 2 minutes
• Pass your sheet to the left
• Repeat
training manual (p. 9)

40. DEBRIEF
• Encourages contemplative brainstorming
• Probes additional angles on the problem
• Surfaces solutions, comments, and assumptions
training manual (p. 9)

41. CONVERGENT
THINKING
training manual (p. 10)

42. GUIDELINES
• Be deliberate
• Check your objectives
• Improve your ideas
• Be affirmative
• Consider novelty
training manual (p. 10)

43. COOL DOWN

44. IMPACT
• Adopted IBC activities in some work teams
• Enhanced meeting space
• Started meetings with improvisation
• Prototyped service desk
• Captured data with more creative methods
• Wayfinding study; idea spotting

45. IMPACT
• Facilitated creative problem solving process
• Organizational development
• CIO group retreat
• Promoted the IBC experience
• Conferences: ACRL, LOTW, OLA, ACRL/WNYO
• Reference Services Review

46. • Use your context
• Be purposeful
• Expect to alter your
plan
• Find your champions
• Stare failure in the face
FINAL THOUGHTS

47. Yes is more.
- Bruce Mau

48. QUESTIONS

49. IMAGE CREDITS
Images of IBC were taken by Robin Bergart. Additional images were adapted from
www.flickr.com and used under Creative Commons licensing (listed in order of appearance):
White towel: sciascia
Beige army man: Alex MestasArmy man with orange background: Jennifer Tomaloff
Weight lifter: damndirty
Cyclists: Andrew Last
Ballet mirror: Gerry Dulay
Bandaged arm: Sandor Weisz
Kid showing muscles: eyeliam
Runners: John Kochmanski
Girl with tongue: Axel Buhrmann
Photographer and camera: Andrew Ferguson
Human pyramid: lululemon athletica
Yoga stretch: lululemon athletica
Jumping on a trampoline: Josh Bancroft
Water bottle at airport: Nexeus Fatale

50. http://innovationbootcamp.wordpress.com
Web:
mdelia@uoguelph.ca
rbergart@uoguelph.ca
Email: