Design and management of
creative processes
applied to research work
Industrial PhD lecture
Dr. Sebastiano Lombardo
Head of Innovation at NORCONSULT AS
Oslo, September 2-3, 2015
Sebastiano Lombardo
• Head of Innovation at Norconsult AS
• NTNU
– MSc Civil Engineering (1997)
• BI Norwegian Business School
– Master of Management (2006)
– PhD in strategy (2014)
• Certified E.deBono instructor
• Past experience:
…AND…
somehow fed up with gurus that
just talk
about creativity
creative processes
innovation
bla bla bla bla
and
bla bla bla
the innovative bla bla bla…
I did it in theory and …
… IN PRACTICE
My PhD is on
Innovation in Infrastructure Projects
• a study to understand creative thinking and client - consultant interaction
as a source of good solutions based on
• 30 project cases
–
–
–
–
–
–
highways
railways & metro
airports
harbors
large buildings
hydro power
• topics
– creativity under constraints
– creativity best practice
Goals for these sessions
•
•
•
•
have some fun!
Introduce creativity: phenomen and definition
Introduce techniques to stimulate creativity
Reflect upon the interfaces between creative
work and research work.
• Practice creative thinking and re-thinking
• have some more fun!
I WILL KEEP THIS SIMPLE ;-)
yet not trivial…
I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH TOOLS
TO REFLECT AND ACT
MORE CREATIVE
WORK PROCESSES?
creativity…..
….MUST BE DEFINED
ANY SUGGESTIONS?
Let's begin from how
views on creativity
and creativity management practices
interface with
key processes in practical research work
The topic and structure of this lecture
CONTEXT
Key processes in
research work
Views on creativity
RESEARCHER
CLIENT (the public / academia)
RESEARCH WORK
PRACTICES
The context:
research work practices
Focusing and positioning
Selling ideas
Buying ideas
Research design
Negotiating
for publication
Data collection
Data analysis
Solving problems
Definition of «P R A C T I C E»
“a routinized type of behavior which consists of several elements…”
practitioners’ know-how
‘things’ and their use
bodily activities
RESEARCH WORK
PRACTICES
mental activities
observable states of emotion
(Reckwitz, 2002)
«key processes» in research work
CONTEXT
Key processes in
research work
Views on creativity
Focus
Design
RESEARCH WORK
PRACTICES
Disseminate
FOCUS
the research effort
Emphasis on the research’s positioning strategies.
The indispensable
element
Tool to capture
attention or interest
Identify, diagnose and
solve problems
Can be detailed and developed
in various directions
politically defined by journal
boards and editors…???
editors estimate what focus is
needed and communicate it
considered able to judge the relevance
and interest of the contribution
(Davis M. 1971; Whetten 1989)
Practicing… Focus…
• Think about the "focus" of
– your thesis or your next paper
• Specify your Research Question(s).
• Explain (shortly) its positioning in the
theoretical field of interest
DESIGN
of the research work
Emphasis on methodology through which research is performed
Reveals the researcher's
ontology and epistemology!
Research context
Data collection
Data analysis
Decisive for the credibility
of the contribution
Peers are in charge of control
Peers use the research
design to discriminate
among concurring
papers
Peers judge the quality
and value of the design
Editors and reviewers can
discover problems
and communicate it
(Eisenhardt 1989, Eisenhardt and Graebner 2007; Miles and Huberman 1994; Shadish, Cook and Campbell 2002)
Practicing… Design…
• Think about the "design" (methodological
approach) of
– your thesis or your next paper
• Specify the key elements of your design: context,
data sources, sample size, data collection, data analysis.
• Explain (shortly) your design strategy (why this
design).
DISSEMINATE the result of the research
Emphasis on the communication to the public and academia
Dissemination develops and
changes over time
Various communication
strategies are possible
Can vary in scope and ambition
Requires specific competencies
Makes dissemination
channels available
(conferences, journals,
magazines, internet,…)
Opens spaces of opportunities
and the scope of dissemination
Different receivers require
different communication styles
(Bartunek et al., 2006; Davis, 1971)
Practicing… Dissemination…
• Think about
– the dissemination of the results from your thesis
or
– the publication of your next paper
• Why should your research work be attractive
to editors?
• Explain (shortly) your dissemination strategy
(e.g. where to publish, why there, etc.)
Prof. Van de Ven's recipe…
for a paper's structure
Describe
• the problem from up close
• the problem for afar
• Today's solution is "xyz"
• "xyz" limitations
• My solution is "abc"
• why is "abc" better, more suitable
to solve the problem than "xyz"
• why it is interesting for academics
and for practitioners
(Van de Ven 2007, Huber GP and Van de Ven A. 1995)
Focus
Design
Disseminate
«CREATIVITY»
CONTEXT
Key processes in
research work
Views on creativity
RESEARCH WORK
PRACTICES
«PHENOMENON» of CREATIVITY
Individual
phenomenon
Psychodynamic
Psychometric
Cognitive
Social prosonality
Confluence
(Amabile,1983; Csikszentmihalyi, 1988; Finke et al., 1992; Freud, 1910; Guilford 1950; Lubart, 1994; Maslow, 1968; Torrance, 1974 ;
Vernon, 1970; Weisberg, 1993)
«PHENOMENON» of CREATIVITY
Social
phenomenon
The sociocultural environment
as a source of creativity
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1988; Lubart 1990; Simonton 1994)
«PHENOMENON» of CREATIVITY
Interaction between individual dispositions and
contextual factors in the work environment.
Organizational
phenomenon
From
collection of creatives
to
Creative collectives
(Hargadon and Becky, 2006, Steinberg and Kauffman 2010, Woodman et al. 1993)
«VIEWS» of CREATIVITY
OUTCOME
PROCESS
Inherent in action
«VIEWS» of CREATIVITY
Post hoc judgment of the creative act.
Creativity as something that is viewed as novel and useful.
NOVEL
NOVEL
OUTCOME
USEFUL
USEFUL
NOVEL
USEFUL
NOVEL
NOVEL
USEFUL
USEFUL
NOVEL
USEFUL
(e.g. Hausmann 1987; Kaufmann 2004, Klausen 2010)
«VIEWS» of CREATIVITY
Divergent thinking … set in context
Task
presentation
Preparations
Idea
generation
Idea
validation
Outcome
assessment
PROCESS
1
2
(Amabile, 1983; Parnes, Noller and Biondi, 1977; Runco, 2010; Stein, 1967; Wallas 1926)
3
«VIEWS» of CREATIVITY
Thinking does not precede acting, thinking is acting
Creativity as a consequence of the disruption of established structures.
Creativity as the release of an individual’s capacity for new action.
Inherent in action
(Dewey, 1958; Joas,1996; Camic, 1997, Lombardo and Kvålshaugen 2014)
Creativity as…
...inherent in action
...an outcome
...a process
1
2
3
«inteRfaces»
CONTEXT
Key processes in
research work
Views on creativity
reaseach work practice
Interface 1
FOCUS
CREATIVITY AS OUTCOME
VALUE CREATED
SKILLS
(RETHORICAL)
TOOLS
(STRATEGIC)
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES
FOCUS RELEVANT
KNOWLEDGE
USEFULNESS
SKILLS
(CREATIVE)
TOOLS
(CREATIVE)
NOVELTY
TASK RELEVANT
MOTIVATION
reaseach work practice
Interface 2
DESIGN
CREATIVITY AS PROCESS
CHOICE OF CONTEXT
DATA COLLECTION PROCESSES
INFORMANT FACILITATION PROCESSES
DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURES
PROCESS RESULTS OWNERSHIP
IDEAS IN CONTEXT
SEQUENTIAL APPROACHES
PROCESS DESIGN
1
CONTROL IDEA DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS RESULTS OWNERSHIP
research work practice
2
3
Interface 3
DISSEMINATION
the need to win public attention
a matter of challenging and
opening up the space
for opportunities
Open ended strategies
CREATIVITY AS INHERENT
IN ACTION
Established social patterns
Disruptive actions
Creating in an
open space of possibilities
A state of becoming
research work practice
Interfaces…
STRATEGY
USEFULNESS
FOCUS
DESIGN
PROCESS
DESIGN
1
DISSEMINATE
2
3
ATTITUDE
OPPORTUNITIES
now we can ask again:
creativity….. ….MUST BE DEFINED
ANY SUGGESTIONS?
CREATIVITY - a definition
3
2
1
(DeBono, 1971)
key concept:
constraints and shattering
(Stokes, 2005, 2007; Joas,1996).
Tear a hole in the paper using your hands only
The hole must be large enough to pass your whole body through it.
The paper must not have any joins in it, and must be continuous.
CREATIVE PROCESSES
and
CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES
The Creative Work Flow
Focus
Define your Objective
Generate new Ideas
Ideas
Collect the results of your creative effort
Collect
Make your ideas stronger and powerful
Treat
Assess
Assess and select the best ideas,
Choose your ideas and act
Choose
Creative Workshop Tools
Focus
Creative Focus Tool
Idea Generating Tools
Ideas
Idea Treatment Tool
Collect
Treat
Assess
Idea Assessment Tool
Choose
Creative Process design Tool
Focus - key concepts
• Focus area
• Focus purpose
– quantify
– set time
– be realistic
• Focus hierarchies and focus sequences
Practicing…
• Present to the colleagues at your table:
• What is the focus area of your next paper?
• Which is the paper's purpose?
Idea Generation Tools
(DeBono, 1971).
Creative Workshop Tools
Focus
Creative Focus Tool
Idea Generating Tools
Ideas
Idea Treatment Tool
Collect
Treat
Assess
Idea Assessment Tool
Choose
Creative Process design Tool
RANDOM WORD
as a
creative input
Sebastiano Lombardo
[email protected]
Random word
Random Word
Another Word
Another Word
Subject – Ways to improve
…………………………………
Ideas
More
Ideas
More
Ideas
More
Ideas
Another Word
Edward de Bono’s Lateral Thinking
Random Word List
01
soap
21
coal
41
eagle
02
mouse
22
camel
42
taxi
03
cloud
23
diary
43
soup
04
hair
24
lawyer
44
prison
05
ice-cream
25
cigarette
45
shark
06
rocket
26
toy
46
diamond
07
tax
27
snow
47
gun
08
bed
28
parachute
48
train
09
wheel
29
door
49
picture
10
frog
30
tap
50
beer
11
farm
31
hurricane
51
Kitchen
12
computer
32
watch
52
nose
13
jazz
33
balloon
53
elephant
14
hat
34
party
54
wine
15
credit card
35
shoe
55
rose
16
church
36
root
56
saw
17
shop
37
knife
57
hospital
18
hamburger
38
smoke
58
camera
19
book
39
president
59
banana
20
scales
40
button
60
snail
Formal Tools for Creativity
Random Word
Used to generate unique ideas. Great for product
development and grass roots thinking.
– Select a number and work with the corresponding word from the list.
– Place the random word underneath the subject.
– See where the random word leads your thoughts.
Random Word
Other ways to use this
tool:
• Select any random stimulus (object,
picture, sound) and use it to provoke
new ideas.
Concept extraction
&
alternatives
Sebastiano Lombardo
[email protected]
Concept Extraction
 Learn how to extract concepts and use
them to breed ideas
 Double the number of ideas generated
Concept Extraction
Focus: How to improve staff morale
Ideas
Concepts
Alternative Ideas
Increase Pay
Incentives
Time and a half for
overtime
Friday happy hour
Fun
Company sports team
Fitness memberships
Life balance
Every 4th Friday off
4-Day work week
Flexible schedules
Job sharing, work
from home
Concept Extraction
Focus:
Ideas
Concepts
Alternative Ideas
PROVOCATION
as a
creative resource
Sebastiano Lombardo
[email protected]
Provocation techniques
Objective:
Learn how to use ”Provocation”
to create new ideas.
Provocation as creative
technique
• Definition
Using an illogical statement to provoke creative
thinking.
• Objective
To move the mind to a new idea
Movement vs Judgment
• To move from a provocation is not like judging.
Judgment
Movement
Provocation – 4 methods
1. INTUITION
Unintentional and spontaneous.
Any idea can be considered as
a provocation.
2. Escape from Reality
- Deny reality,
- ignore facts,
- ignore limitations.
Provocation – 4 methods
3. STEPPING STONES
–
UPSIDE DOWN
Reverse the normal direction of action
or normal order,
–
DISTORTION
change the sequence in a process
change the relationship between signle
elements
–
EXAGERATION
bring it to the extreme
Provocation – 4 methods
4. WHISFUL THINKING
Think to be in an idealized world where you
can decide EVERYTHING.
Movement – 6 methods
1. Top of the Head
Whatever comes to mind as
reaction to the Provocation.
2. Extract
Search at the CORE of the provocation
concepts, principal, values
(what are you actually saying?)
3. Moment to moment
Visualize what would happen
Make notes, develop an idea
Movement – 6 methods
4. Focus on the Difference
Note the differences between provocation
and reality.
5. Positive aspects
List benefits or positive aspects
build on it, find an idea
6. Special circumstances
(Any circumstances where this
provocation would have value?)
Provocation – 4 methods
• INTUITION
• ESCAPE from REALITY
• STEP STONES
– UPSIDE DOWN
– DISTORITION
– EXAGERATE
• WISHFUL THINKING
Movement – 6 methods
• TOP OF THE HEAD
• EXTRACT A CONCEPT
• MOMENT TO MOMENT
• FOCUS ON DIFFERENCES
• POSITIVE ASPECTS
• SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Morphological analysis
Morfological analysis - sequence
1. Specify your challenge (Focus)
2. Select the relevant parameters
3. List variations/values of each parameter
4. Look at the possible solutions trying different
combinations
5. Generate ideas
Matrix - approach to paper development
Values
Researcher's
approach
Theoretical
Positioning
Method /
Design
Journals
Insightful
important to me!
Main stream, main
authors
Data sources
SMJ
Interesting to a
larger audience
easy to publish
Theoretical
Contribution
Data collection
AMR
Published
important to my
supervisor
theory building vs
theory testing
Data triangulation
Org Studies
Co-authored
Creative
unorthodox
specificity of the
RQ
Research
Question
Level 2 journals
practice: FOCUS / R.Q.
• Describe your Focus area and focus purpose of
your thesis / your next paper
• Apply one creative technique to challenge and
develop alternative focus areas and focus
purposes
• Describe the new version of your focus.
practice: Research Design
• Describe (parts of) the research design you are
considering for your thesis / your next paper
– choice of context, sample size, data collection, data
analysis, …
• Apply one creative technique to challenge this design
or parts of it and develop at least one alternative
• Describe the new version of your design.
practice: Dissemination
• Describe (parts of) your strategy for disseminating
the results of your research
– thesis, single papers, …
• Apply one creative technique to challenge this
strategy or parts of it and develop an alternative
• Describe the new version of your dissemination
strategy
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