The Need for Creativity

Life is problem solving. Some problems have known solutions, but others don’t. In the last couple of posts (#3, #4) we saw how tradition shapes our thinking and encourages us to take the default path - to apply old solutions to new problems.

Coming up with new solutions requires creative thinking, but it’s actually quite hard to intentionally think creatively.

A Process for Creativity

For most people, the words ‘creativity’ and ‘process’ shouldn’t exist in the same sentence. A process is a set of rules that just need to be followed, whereas creativity is the opposite - it’s supposed to flow, without any boundaries. There’s a middle ground, where a process provides structure for creativity. I’d like to share one that I picked up at a training course delivered by Jon Leach.

The A-Z Technique

Here’s a quick way of developing ideas for a work or personal project. As an example, we’ll look at how we can come up with product enhancements for Substack (this platform).

Step 1: Write the letters A - Z down a piece of paper

a-z

Step 2: Pick a theme

It shouldn’t be related to the problem you’re trying to solve. For our product features project we’ll take ‘museum objects’ as a theme

Step 3: For each letter, write the name of an object you might find in a museum

For example:

  1. D - Drum
  2. R - Rug
  3. V - Vase

You can start with whichever letters are easiest, but it’s important to go through all of them - you should have 26 objects.

Step 4: Come up with a single idea for each letter, using the objects as inspiration

For example, R - Rug. A rug is made up of many individual threads that make up a pattern. How can we translate that into an idea for Substack? Here’s a potential idea - Substack can create a highly-curated, paid-for weekly newsletter that combines the best articles from various writers (similar to a traditional newspaper with sections such as politics, business and sport). Weaving a rug helped me think of bringing together disparate pieces to build a product that is greater than its constituent parts.

Step 5: Keep going

The first few letters will be quite easy to get through, but after a while you’ll hit a wall. Force yourself to think of ideas for each letter - that’s where the real value is. Doing this as a group is often easier (and much more fun).

All ideas are good ideas - if they aren’t immediately feasible, they might help you think about other ideas that are. By generating 26 potential ideas, you’ll have plenty to play with. I need to stress this - it’s important to go through all of the letters. Once you’ve got all your ideas down, pick the ones that might work best.

The A-Z technique works for me, but more importantly, it’s helped me see creativity as something that I can control. There are other techniques that work for different people - for example, using scents to bring back memories. I’d be curious to hear of other ways you can nurture creativity.

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