Creative Thinking and Innovation Techniques

Definition of creativity

• Introduction: creativity and civilization

• Defining invention, innovation and creativity

• Intelligence versus creativity

• Some theories of creativity

• Creative people in action

• Understanding the 2 hemispheres of the brain

• Right and left

• Lateral thinking

• Lateral thinking in action

• Applications of lateral thinking

Creativity as a business tool

• The creative thinker

• Constraints in the workplace

• The creative manager

• Three parts of creativity

  • Motivation

  • Domain expertise

  • Creative ability

• Innovation and organizational culture

• The creative attitude

• The creative methods

• Ways of overcoming barriers

• Tips for the workplace:

  • Developing a culture of creativity

  • Exploring problem areas

  • Generating ideas

  • Evaluating ideas

• Critical thinking

  • Critical thinking skills versus creative thinking

  • Ancient Greece

Exploring the idea generation process

• The Brainstorming Technique

• The six thinking hats

• De Bono’s four thinking styles

Creative thinking strategies

• Creativity tools

• Scamper technique

• Synectics technique

• Picture associations and biotechniques

• Mind mapping

• TRIZ

• Decision making

  • Anatomy of a problem

  • Barriers to decision making

  • Steps in creative problem solving

The power of opposite thinking

• Creative rule of thumb: the interplay of opposites

• Asking 'what if'

• Using opposite thinking