THE CREATIVITY IMPERATIVE
Denise R. Jacobs 
NDC London ★ London, UK ★ 3 December 2014
@denisejacobs 
@ndc_conferences 
#ndclondon 
#creativityimperative
Want the slides? 
bit.ly/ndclondon-ci
Ohai! 
Photo by Derek Kearney
My jamm 
http://TheCreativeDose.com/
Create
It’s the new Black 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/
Considered important 
http://business.time.com/2013/04/26/the-time-creativity-poll/
IBM CEO Study, 2010 
https://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/31670.wss
Creative? Me! Yes! 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/3135103537/
Creative? Child, please 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mahalie/276780530/
Creative? Umm…maybe? 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlaughland/3475448568/
“Creativity is all about 
making connections and 
seeing patterns.” 
Bruce Nussbaum, Creativity Intelligence
Create!
Here be dragons 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pberry/153783546
Thou shalt not
Lip service 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/themaxsons/5306572767
“There can be no doubt: 
creativity gets killed much 
more often than it gets 
supported.” 
Teresa Amabile, Harvard Business School professor and 
Innovation expert
Sacrifice creativity for control 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/onkel_wart/4493215941
Unengaged talent 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nifmus/2385966735
It was a nice idea… 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/
Adobe’s State of the Create Study 
https://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pdfs/Adobe_State_of_Create_Infographic.pdf
An imperative 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sarahmount/324922376
New paradigm 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/buttersponge/4955768144
We MUST create
Four directives that you must
Unblock, Communicate, 
Collaborate, Allocate
Unblock
Barriers to creativity 
http://computertrainingcenters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/AdobeInfographic.jpg
TIME 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33909700@N02/3159761620/
F.E.A.R. = 
http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg
Fear of unique ideas 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tboard/2259391512/
Fear of making mistakez 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/
No proper outlets 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfllaw/222795669/
Experimentation mindset 
http://blackhistoryheroes.blogspot.com/2010/07/george-washington-carver-scientist-and.html
Encourage stupid ideas 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/142398084
Those may be the ONES 
StartSometihingStupid.com
Tinker 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xt0ph3r/3591236086/
Where do good ideas come from? 
http://www.fastcompany.com/3025314/most-creative-people/can-creativity-be-taught-73-of-creative-people-say-yes
Allow for inspiration 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8124124586/
Engaged = Creative 
http://infographicsmania.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Work-Engaged-Work-Inspired-Infographic-infographicsmania.gif
Communicate
Become an adept listener 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theory/3193684632/
Be present 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zen/3446600695/
Pay attention 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/copperfeesh/147493122/
Relax your own agenda 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guiniveretoo/1573049301/
“Until you really learn a 
language it can’t teach you.” 
Douglas Crockford, The Good Parts, Trondheim Developer’s 
Conference
Don’t keep ideas to yourself 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8127201319/
Self-preserve or share knowledge? 
http://www.123wallpapers.in/file/1650/2880x1800/scarlett-johansson-in-lucy-movie.jpg
Be generous
Got presenting skillz? 
Photo: Denise Jacobs
Sell your ideas 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/silicongulf/2114492904/
Collaborate
Mo’ people, mo’ creativity 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/international-festival/3019543830/
Truth. 
http://www.weareforeal.com/projects/bssp-nouiasaaou-2013
Collective creative ideas=infinite 
http://static.ipaustralia.com.au/store3/10/78/1078354.1.high.jpg
Creating together well 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/4435608143/
Need everyone 
http://www.infographicmaker.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/RightBrainvsLeftBrain-Infographic.jpg
Diversity of ideas & people 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shirinwiniger/3680885289/
Amplify the ideas of others 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roland/54381130/
By doing this
Replacing it with this!
Builds trust 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/2941559903
Teach and learn=Mentoring 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tinfoilraccoon/632770422/
Allocate
"Deciding how much time 
and money to give to a team 
or project is a judgment call 
that can either support or kill 
creativity." 
Teresa Amabile
Time 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paolocampioni/2168286027/
20% Time works when used 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bright/113694992/
Ask 
Photo: Denise Jacobs
Petition/Demand 
http://www.alchematter.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/hands_wrenches_recolor-449x250.png
Tools 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ebarney/3348965637/
Resources
Produce
Empowered Makers 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lauroroger/8808985531
Tap into existing talent 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/
Umair Haque 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nextconference/3504568830/
Betterness? Betterness!!
“The sum total of human 
effort can add up to not 
merely more, but to Better.” 
Umair Haque, Betterness: Economics for Humans
So…this happened (!!) 
Photo: Denise Jacobs
More. Meaning. 
http://computertrainingcenters.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/AdobeInfographic.jpg
Well?
“Only a reason has the magic to 
ignite, in the void, the spark; that 
comes to make a life feel that it 
has been more than accidents of 
fate colliding with chance.” 
Umair Haque, “How to Create Your Reason”
The directives guide our reasons
They help us get 
Photo: Denise Jacobs
“Clarity brings about purpose, 
purpose brings about action, 
action brings about change.” 
Joel Yeo
Follow the Imperative
Get the slides, y’all! 
bit.ly/ndclondon-ci
Article in NDC Magazine 
http://www.ndcmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/NDC-Magazine_3-2014-web-hele-bladet.pdf
Join us @ NDC People! 
http://people.ndcevents.com/
THE CREATIVE DOSE 
A Creativity + Innovation Collective 
Work Better. Create More. Create Betterness. 
Creative Thinking & Problem-solving 
Applying an Innovation Mindset 
Creative Collaboration 
Team Communication & Cohesion 
TheCreativeDose.com 
@thecreativedose
Connect, Chat, and Collaborate! 
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Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/
And finally… 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27620885@N02/2609974180/

The Creativity Imperative - NDC London 2014