The document provides tips for becoming more creative when solving problems. It notes that when focusing on a problem, people unconsciously apply their experience and knowledge, which can lead them to typical solutions and hide other innovative possibilities. It also states that the more knowledge people have about something, the more limiting heuristics their subconscious mind will apply as barriers. Therefore, experts must be aware of and control their heuristic barriers. As an example, the document shows how bending a teaspoon allows it to remain balanced on its narrow side when dropped from 40cm, overcoming the apparent limitation imposed by experience that it cannot do so without support. To be creative, one must overcome the apparent contradictions imposed by their knowledge and experience and control their subconscious mind

1. Antoni Elias
Creativity Teacher in
BarcelonaTech-UPC
Some tips
to become
creative

2. When we focus on a problem with a view to solving it, unconsciously apply all our
experience, all our knowledge on the subject that the problem concerned.
This efficient approach often leads us to typical solutions, hiding other possible
ways that probably lead us to more innovative solutions.
Often when we try to understand a problem, our subconscious adds assumptions
that are not in the statement of the problem, but help us to understand the
problem. This greatly limits the set of possible solutions.
The more you know about something, the more barriers heuristics
applied. Is like the subconscious mind works.
Learning and acquisition of heuristic rules are virtually the same thing. Therefore:
Experts must control, be aware, about their heuristics barriers

3. As an example,
Let’s solve a problem!!!!

4. It would be possible to get a teaspoon remain balanced
on its narrow side if we drop it from about 40 cm. ?

5. Apparently it seems impossible to get the remaining
teaspoon balanced on the narrow side if it is not
supported by some object !!

6. However… it is possible !!
HOW ?

7. Like this,
bending the teaspoon

8. A bent teaspoon remains a teaspoon. In the problem statement
nobodies told us that we could not bend the spoon
Who will put these limitations? Our experience, training,… Surely
our subconscious mind.

9. If we want to become creative, we must overcome the
“apparent contradictions" that our mind (our knowledge,
our experience, our training ...) poses us when we are
trying to solve a problem, or design something.
As Frank Zappa said:
A mind is like a
parachute, it doesn’t
work if it isn’t open

10. Open the mind means, among other things, forget preconceptions and
prejudices, be disposed to feel sensations in a comprehensive wide way,
and also,……
……control our knowledge, our experience and training. In short, "open
your mind" is to control our subconscious mind.

11. Thank you very much for
your attention!!!!
Antoni Elias
Creativity Teacher in
BarcelonaTech-UPC