GALES OF

CREATIVE
DESTRUCTION

MANAGING
INNOVATION

Session II: Creativity and Systematic  Dr. Saurav Snehvrat

Inventive Thinking [email protected]
Myths about Innovation
Innovative breakthroughs are always based on incredible technology
Myths about creativity
The smarter you are the more creative you are.

❑ Intelligence correlates with creativity only to a point.

❑ Above a fairly modest threshold (IQ: 120): no correlation between the two.

Source: Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.

Relationship between intelligence and creativity
Relationship between intelligence and creativity
Myths about creativity
The young are more creative than the old.

❑ Age is not a clear predictor of creative potential.

❑ Usually, it takes seven to ten years to build an expertise in any area.

❑ However, with expertise comes stickiness to established patterns. .

Source: Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.

Myths about creativity
Creativity is reserved for the few –the risk takers.

❑ A willingness to take calculated risks and the ability to think in

untraditional ways is important.

❑ Creativity, is not only limited to high risk endeavors.

Source: Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.

Myths about creativity
Creativity is a solitary act

❑ A high percentage of the world’s most important inventions are products

of collaboration among groups of people with complementary skills.

Source: Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.

Three components of Individual Creativity

Source: Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.

Divergent Thinking Principles
Cognitive Principles
❑ Go for Quantity

❑ Make Connections:
❑ “Nothing comes from nowhere. All creative work builds on what
came before. Nothing is completely original”

❑ “The secret of creativity is to hide your sources” – Albert Einstein

❑ Past ideas or combination of past ideas.

❑ Case of Ms. Corbett and the Ecologic brands.

Source: Puccio, G. J., Cabra, J. F., & Schwagler, N. (2017). Organizational Creativity: A Practical Guide for Innovators & Entrepreneurs. SAGE
Publications. And
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140429005843/en/Paper-Bottle-Maker-Ecologic-Brands-Boost-Major accessed on 11/12/2018.
Divergent Thinking Principles

Attitudinal Principles

❑ Defer Judgment

❑ Seek Novelty

Source: Puccio, G. J., Cabra, J. F., & Schwagler, N. (2017). Organizational Creativity: A Practical Guide for Innovators & Entrepreneurs. SAGE
Publications.
Systematic Creativity
Systematic Ideation Techniques

Focused
(logic based) Intuitive

Group Individual or
SIT (TRIPS), Based Group based
Design Catalogs,
Inversion etc.
Brainstorming, Semantic Induction,
Synectics, Wishing,
C-Sketch etc. Opportunity
Redefinition etc

Source: White, C., Wood, K., & Jensen, D. (2012). From brainstorming to C-sketch to principles of historical innovators: ideation techniques to enhance
student creativity. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(5), 12. and
Systematic Creativity
Brainstorming:
“small group of people openly discuss possible new solutions to an existing
problem or conceptual solutions”.

Five basic principles:

1. Focus

2. Suspended Judgment

3. Personal Safety

4. Serial Discussion

5. Build on ideas

Source: White, C., Wood, K., & Jensen, D. (2012). From brainstorming to C-sketch to principles of historical innovators: ideation techniques to enhance
student creativity. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(5), 12. and
Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.
Systematic Creativity
Brainstorming:
“small group of people openly discuss possible new solutions to an existing
problem or conceptual solutions”.

Variations of brainstorming (some can be done individually):

C-Sketch/ Brainwalking.

Semantic Intuition (categories of words related to the challenge, for example,

benefits, types of customers, attributes of product/service)

Visioning/Wishing

Picture Prompts

Source: White, C., Wood, K., & Jensen, D. (2012). From brainstorming to C-sketch to principles of historical innovators: ideation techniques to enhance
student creativity. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(5), 12. and
Essentials, H. B. (2003). Managing creativity and innovation.
Systematic Creativity
Synectics (abridged version):

The object to be analysed: _________________

Close Analogies Distant Analogies

For each of the analogy, look at the similarities and differences.

What can be changed/added/deleted in the object to increase value

Systematic Creativity
SIT/TRIPS

Marketers tell you that the best place for new ideas are
customers. This is not always true.

Focus Groups of customers generally come up with

small, incremental changes with limited success.

Instead, companies are increasingly asking for “out of the

box” thinking, especially from developers.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
http://www.glamoursplash.com/2008/11/disposable-paper-dresses-of-1967.html accessed on 18/12/2018.
Systematic Creativity
Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT)

- Started by Russian engineer Genrich Altshuller and developed by and Israel

based organization (Systematic Inventive Thinking).

- Opposite of brainstorming free-for-all approach

- “inside the box” approach

- Starts with an existing product.

- First step: Listing out the essential physical components and attributes of a
product/service.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
http://www.glamoursplash.com/2008/11/disposable-paper-dresses-of-1967.html accessed on 18/12/2018.
Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Subtraction

❑ The normal approach to thinking is addition. Addition of new features lead

to more value. Can lead to “feature creep”.

❑ Subtraction/Reduction attempts to remove components and attributes

particularly that seem desirable.

❑ Replace the component with something better in its immediate

environment.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-
DVP5990-05-1080p-
https://www.bestproduct Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your Player/dp/B001BL4OU4 accessed on
s.com/parenting/baby/g82 innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129. 5/1/2019
2/hook-on-high-chairs/ http://www.glamoursplash.com/2008/11/disposable-paper-dresses-of-1967.html
accessed on 4/1/2019 accessed on 18/12/2018.
 Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Multiplication

❑ Instead of taking away something, you make one or more copies of the
existing solution/product.

❑ Alter the copies in some important way.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Kapro-Industries-985-41X-78M-78-Apollo-Magnetic-Box-Level-with-Magnified-Vials/PRD3VFDZWE2J66U accessed on 5/1/2019
 Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Division

❑ Dividing an existing product into its component parts.

❑ See an existing product in a new light.

❑ Reconfigure the parts to create unforeseen benefits.

❑ Forms of division: physical, functional and preserving.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Interlocking-Foam-Tile-Play-Mat-Letters-Nontoxic-Children-s-Multicolor-Puzzle-Tiles-Playrooms-Nurseries-Classrooms-Hey-
Play/23222506
Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Task Unification

❑ Assigning a new task to an existing element of the product or its

environment.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
http://blog.cubot.net/2017/09/14576.html accessed on 14/1/2019. https://www.familyhandyman.com/automotive/car-window-repair/repair-a-rear-window-
defogger/view-all/ accessed on 13/1/2019/
Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Attribute Dependency Change

❑ Reconfigure the relationship between the attribute of the product and the
attribute of the environment.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
https://www.jumia.co.ke/generic-mens-sunglasses-day-and-night-driving-glasses-color-changing-glasses-black-9802515.html accessed on 23/12/2018.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gillette-For-Women-Sensor-Excel-for-Women-Refills-5ct/11027632 accessed on 24/1/2018.
Systematic Creativity- SIT/TRIPS
❑ Used in New Product Development

❑ Applied in advertising, film-making, high technology, service blueprinting etc.

❑ Reconfigure the relationship between the attribute of the product and the
attribute of the environment.

Source: Goldenberg, J., Horowitz, R., Levav, A., & Mazursky, D. (2003). Finding your innovation sweet spot. Harvard Business Review, 81(3), 120-129.
Assignment 1
❑ Object to be improved: Mask

❑ Methods:

❑ Brainstorming

❑ Synectics

❑ SIT/TRIPS (all 5 principles)

❑ More novel yet plausible solutions will get more marks.

❑ 5 marks.