CREATIVE

THINKING
based on lateral thinking
concepts developed by

Edward de Bono

Introduction
Lack of creativity in society
indicators

Engineers are not creative

temperament
measurables
risk management
competence

The origin of thinking

- escape or attack

ROOTS:
Development
of technology
and intelligence

Topics of Discussion
Barriers to creativity
Misconceptions

Perceptions
Logic of creativity
Need for creativity
Techniques to be more creative
Exercises

Barriers to Creativity
Curse of the Terrible Three
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle

- argument
- truth
- generalize

Misconceptions

Art is always creative

Creativity is a talent
School performance
IQ is HP
- repartee
- 2 finger typing

Groove thinking
Zombie
What is vs. What could be
Crossing Barriers
Provocative operations

square wheels
landing plane

Perceptions
Thinking process

Perception Process
90% of errors
Math, Stat, Comp, Logic

IT is readily available
THINKING IS SCARCE!

Examples

Violin
TV host
Releasing wood block
Coins

Need for Creativity

Innovation - competency
Technology lacks in value
Input-time efficiency
Examples
Make rectangles
Communication

Exercise
How to reduce gasoline
consumption by any means

Supporting information
and examples
Oil wells
Life insurance
Olympics
Blood flow in lungs
Parallel thinking

Techniques of Creativity
Asymmetry of thinking
Leaf on tree
Hindsight
Humor - golf clubs
Blowing balloons
Overcoming hurdles
Skew pathways
- walk for a change

Techniques to overcome
obstacles
Random provocation
Creative pausing
Challenge
Alternatives
Concepts
Six thinking hats
Stratals
Filaments

Provocation

Close the letter after mailing

Peer exams
Die before you die
Criminals pay the police force
Shoplifters identify themselves
Plane waits for you
More room on airplane

Random Provocation
Pick a random word or
concept and link
Example parking
Link to

Exercises

Examples and Exercises

Advertising - town crier
Industry - compliance with discharge
regulations

Redesign umbrella
Taxi knows the way
Chicken and dog fence, food

Reversal:

air - cigarette - filter - lungs

Prevent person to go from A to B

The REAL problem

Automobiles main problem in a
city?

Example: Parking Problems

Time value of hunting
Risks
Buy a spot? Tokyo
Buy a right? Singapore
Buy it with the car? Toyota?

Concept Fan
Hang something from ceiling
Ladder
New concepts
- lengthen arm
- throw object
- use a stand instead

Example of the concept fan:

Coping with Water Shortage
Reduce consumption
Increase efficiency of use
Reduce wastage
Discourage use
Getting to it: Education

Increase supply
New sources
Recycling
Less wastage

Do without
Stop water using
processes
Avoid need to use water
Use other fluid

Use other fluid

Wastewater
Oil
Air

Nature of concepts
We are in the business of
selling gold-plated pens
selling writing instruments
selling prestige writing instruments
luxury personal items
luxury goods
selling whatever people want
making our directors happy
making profits

Gyro Gearloose
Name: Gyro Gearloose Address: He
lives together with his Helper in a house or
perhaps in his workshop in Duckburg.
Born: 19?? on the Northside, Duckburg.
First appearance: 1952 in Gladstone's
Terrible Secret. Created by: Carl Barks
Father: Fulton Gearloose Mother:
Unknown Siblings: Unknown Spouse:
None Children: None Other close
relatives: Ratchet Gearloose
(grandfather).
In some stories he has a nephew called
Newton, but he don't exist in the
Barks/Rosa Duck-universe. Occupation:
An intelligent, but not always successful
inventor.

Gearloose Inventions

More Exercises
Urgent parking
Urgent telephones
Page numbering
Shape of glasses

More Exercises
Ballpoint and gravity
Cut square in 4 pieces
Water shortage
Construction drill

Parallel Thinking 6 Hats

Obtain facts
Feelings
Benefits
Disadvantages
Creative thinking
Overview

Com Assignment 2
Groups to have their inaugural meeting
Discuss the idea of a better intercity transportation
system across the US (or the world) in any form
How could this be modified to make it sustainable?
Alternative solution?
Use all the techniques as learned,
particularly the 6 hats
Joint report (1-2p) by September 7th
Hard copy to instructor

Report Format, Assignment 2

Names in group and group number

Opening statement and problem
Questions addressed
Ideas generated under each hat
Mention technique used to generate idea
Final recommendation

Assignment for bonus points

Create a joke of your own
Consider some de Bono techniques in doing this
By preference, the joke should be based on
wordplay, e.g. double meanings or similar
sounding words
Submit at any time, before November 30, directly
to instructor by e-mail for a maximum of 5 points
Statement on authenticity to be included

Some solutions to Exercise on

adding numbers 1-100
One way would be to plot the series of numbers
as x from 1 to 100 and showing the value as y 1
to 100. To form a triangle, we need to start at 0,
so we have 101 numbers. The sum of the
numbers is the integral of the triangle, i.e.
basis x height, i.e. 50.5 x 100 = 5050.
The average value is (1 + 100) = 50.5
For 100 numbers, the sum is 50.5 x 100 = 5050

Introduction 1
Nathan A. Ross
[Background] In todays fast-paced world, citizens
demand convenient transportation routes. In the cities of
East Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa, this demand
is not being met. Citizens traveling from one city to the
other must drive an unnecessary 20 minutes just to
cross the Mississippi River.
[Aim] This transportation predicament can be alleviated
with the construction of a bridge spanning between the
two cities.
[Modus Operandi] The need for this bridge to be
constructed will become apparent through a summary of
traffic reports, government publications, and strong
recommendations from the public.
COM ASSIGNMENT 1

Introduction 2
COM ASSIGNMENT 1 Ryan Anderson
[opening statement] Speed limits on Iowa's
Interstates should be increased.
[motivation] Traveling across the state is not
efficient. Improvements in transportation need to
be made to meet the needs of society now, and
in the future.
[modus operandi] Statistics and experiments
compiled in this report will show that raising the
speed limits will increase the efficiency and
safety of our Interstates.

Introduction 3
COM ASSIGNMENT 1 Rachel Stearns

(Background) When the Iowa State University

(ISU) campus was first laid out, the designers
couldn't have anticipated the automobile
congestion of today's fast paced society.
(Problem/aim) To help accommodate today's large
student and faculty body, the school should
develop more parking areas close to campus.
(Method of Approach)
Through facts and figures provided by the ISU
Department of Public Safety, the need for more
parking will be shown. Designs from other
universities will also be used to show better
layout ideas.

Introduction 4
Com Assignment 1

Stephen Norton
(Background) From the creation of automobiles and
manufacturing plants, human beings have been releasing
harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.
(Problem) The releasing of these chemicals are having harsh
effects in the areas of global warming, ultra violet radiation,
and air pollution. Slowly these chemicals are increasing our
planets temperature that is melting the polar ice caps,
increasing the amount of ultra violet radiation that causes
skin cancer, and increasing the amount of toxic pollutants in
the air that cause health problems.
(Solution) Various studies, experiments, first hand accounts, and
>interviews with experts will be used throughout this report to
examine how the release of chemicals is having such harsh
effects.