Several years ago there was an American Television show titled: Get Smart! It was generally a spoof or humorous take off of all the James Bond type movies that were popular then.

Creative Thinking often involves combining known things or ideas in previously unknown ways. Also the Gestalt psychologists of Germany recognized the power of the combination of things..."the whole is greater than the sum of the parts". This Challenge is focused on these concepts.

This week practice working with various "Gestalts of problems or challenges". Do two sets of exercises each day or one on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the other on Tuesday, Thursday and possibly Saturday for 15 to 20 minutes during your creative stretching or "Creativity Challenges" time.

APPROACH NUMERO EINS
 
First, create a chart with 12 x 12 cells
(12 rows and 12 columns)...
a. list 12 details of a challenge, problem or object across the top
b. list the same 12 details of a challenge, problem or object along the left side.
 
Then, combine each detail with each of the other eleven details one pair at a time and record thoughts that come to mind. Cross off the cells as you work on them until you have completed all the combinations. The thoughts that come may be new details, links, leaps or solutions.

APPROACH NUMERO DREI
 
Second, create a chart with 12 x 12 cells
(12 rows and 12 columns)...
 
a. list 12 ideas or solutions for a challenge, problem or object across the top
b. list the same 12 ideas or solutions for a challenge, problem or object along the left side.
 
Then, combine each idea or solution with each of the other eleven ideas or solutions one pair at a time and record the new combined ideas or solutions that come to mind. Cross off the cells as you work on them until you have completed all the combinations.
 
The ideas or solutiosn that come may lead to new details, links, leaps or solutions.

This approach can be used with the "White Paint" Challenge.

In the "White Paint" example from Pittsburgh Paint they listed every word they could think of for white and for paint separately. Then they looked for clues in the two separate lists.

From the white list they found a clue that told them that white can be created without white or whiteness, i.e.: crystals and diamonds and snowflakes appear white while they are not white. When they looked at the paint list they thought of they actual goal of covering surfaces and protecting surfaces.

They combined these two ahas....white without whiteness (solving the challenge of not wanting to have use titanium to produce white paint) and surface coating and eventually produced an acrylic coating that when it's surface was treated with a chemical would become crystalized and "turn white".

Have a creative week.

Creativity is everywhere, its everywhere. The sky isn't falling Chicken Little. That's creativity happening in your mind.

Alan