Creativity

We can sometimes be weighed down by the "curse of knowledge", believing we know everything about a role or problem. Instead, tap into the beginner's mindset by imagining today is your first day in your current role. How would the new you approach things differently?

Looking at a problem from different angles or vantage points can change how it is perceived and interpreted. This might mean taking on a different persona, or changing your thinking style slightly. We can use an "Empathy Mapping" template and a "Personality Swap" worksheet to help with this.

We could all use more budget and more time, right? Maybe not. Constraints are all around us, and they are often the source of the very best ideas. So, rather than seeking to remove constraints, try welcoming and embracing them.

How Might We... is a way of starting a question to kick-start a discussion. The open-ended, optimistic phrasing is designed to encourage broad thinking. This technique was developed at P&G in the 1970s, and it has been used and promoted extensively by the design company IDEO.

Take some existing ideas that you’ve come up with for a project, and see if you can join them together to make something unique and original. How could the aspects of one idea merge with or be added to the aspects of another idea?

Which of your ideas and projects should take priority? Which will offer the best return for the least resources? If some of your ideas look great but seem hard to achieve, can you simplify or streamline them so they take less resources or effort?