A simple worksheet to help participants map their knowledge and experience across multiple disciplines.
This simple activity and following discussion helps participants map their deep expertise in one area while also highlighting broad knowledge across multiple disciplines to enhance creative problem-solving.
It can be helpful to view creativity by looking at what some call the T-shaped person. Use this template to "map out" your T-shape. Look at your CV or LinkedIn profile, and think about your interests, expertise and experience. How T-shaped are you?
Think of the vertical part of the T as the expertise most relevant to your job. For a graphic designer, it would be knowing how to use image editing software, and having a good understanding of complimentary colours.
For the horizontal part of the T, you might have started your career in a different industry, or you might have several diverse hobbies unrelated to the kinds of things you work on during the week. The graphic designer might be a keen triathlon runner, wannabe Masterchef winner and 1950s film buff. None of these things directly relates to their role as graphic designer.
The point is that it's useful to have a wide set of diverse interests to inform your role and responsibilities. The more sources of inspiration you can draw from, the more original your ideas can be as you bring in diverse perspectives and experiences to solve problems in your domain.
Participants gain an appreciation of the wide range of influences and perspectives they can bring to their role. On sharing these with others, the group gains an appreciation of the wide variety of skills, perspectives, experiences, and influences at its disposal.
This is quite a flexible exercise. You can use it within a creative thinking workshop or a teamwork workshop. Simply have people fill out the canvas and discuss in pairs or small groups.
Hand out all the canvases to participants and invite them to fill it in over 10 or 15 minutes. You can also allocate this as pre-work if you want to give people more time and consideration to complete the exercise.
Have participants discuss in small groups, and you can also have some share backs to the main room if it's suitable.
Help everybody appreciate the wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives at its disposal, and encourage participants to make more time and allow them to give themselves permission to broaden their T-shape by seeking out diverse perspectives. This can also include starting new hobbies or taking time out to experience new things, either individually or as a group.
Use this when you want to help participants appreciate what goes into generating innovative and original solutions, and when you want them to appreciate the wide range of skills, abilities, and perspectives available to the group.
Using this tool with a skilled facilitator means that discussions are focused, time is used efficiently, and the group moves toward consensus, making the session productive and impactful.
