Whack On The Side

Question 0

“The Right Answer”- Look for the second right answer

Answer 0

Best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas.

technique: change wording in questions
- different wording brings different assumptions

Question 1

Ramifications

Answer 1

Consequences of action

Question 2

“The Right Answer” - Problem in Lithuania

Answer 2

To solve the problem of people not being buried alive, making sure the person was dead.
~ People proposed multiple ideas.
- Food, water, and air hole in coffins
- Steaks in coffin that when closed, it would pierce the victims heart.
~ Different solutions due to different questions; first group asked “alive?” second group asked “dead?”

Question 3

“The Right Answer” - Summary

Answer 3

~many ways to find the second right answer
~play with wording
~ask “what if?”
~break rules

Question 4

Soft Thinking

Answer 4

Similarities and connections

Question 5

Hard Thinking

Answer 5

Differences

Question 6

The Creative Process

Answer 6

1. Imaginative Phase

2. Practical Phase

Question 7

Imaginative Phase

Answer 7

Motto: Thinking something different
~Soft thinking
~Generating and playing with ideas
~Asking "What if?" or "Why not?"
~Hard thinking in this process eliminates creative thinking

Question 8

Practical Phase

Answer 8

Motto: Getting something done.
~Evaluate and execute ideas
~ask “Is this any good?”
~ Soft thinking in this phase can prevent the execution of an idea

Question 9

Metaphors

Answer 9

~Help us get a different slant on a problem.
~Key to metamorphical thinking is similarity
~Metaphors for life

Question 10

“That’s Not Logical” - Summary

Answer 10

~excessive logical thinking can short-circuit your creative process.
~If you have a problem, make a metaphor.

Question 11

Challenging the Rules

Answer 11

~Backtracking is an effective strategy
~Working backwards is another effective strategy
~Break the rules

Question 12

The Gordon Knot

Answer 12

~Alexander broke the rules
~Made up his own rules and chopped the knot in half
~he succeeded

Question 13

The Aslan Phenomenon

Answer 13

1. We make rules based on reasons that make a lot of sense
2. We follow these rules
3. Time passes, and things change
4. The original reasons for the generation of these rules may no longer exist, but because the rules are still in place, we continue to follow them.

Question 14

QWERTY configuration

Answer 14

“Creative thinking involves not only generating ideas, but also escaping form obsolete ones as well.”

Question 15

Slay a sacred Cow

Answer 15

Avoid falling in love with ideas; get rid of the ideas we fall in love with, and move on to knew ones.

Question 16

“Follow the Rules” - summery

Answer 16

Be flexible with the rules; challenge them

Question 17

“Be practical”

Answer 17

~Ask what if, then answer.
~Imagining how others would do it
~Imagining you’re the idea; YOURE THE IDEA TRYING TO DEVELOPE, INVESTIGATE RAMIFICATIONS

Question 18

Stepping Stone

Answer 18

One idea that leads to other ideas

Question 19

“Be practical” - summary

Answer 19

~avoid being judge before artist

~ask what if questions everyday

Question 20

Benefits of play in creative thinking

Answer 20

Allows us to generate new ideas

~A playful attitude is the fundamental to creative thinking

Question 21

The Moebius Strip

Answer 21

One sided surface with many unexpected properties

Question 22

“Play is Frivolous” - summary

Answer 22

~ Play with problems

~ add constraints (limitations or restrictions) to problems

Question 23

Thinking Ambiguously

Answer 23

~ Open yourself to different interpretations

~ A little ambiguity can whack us into questions

Question 24

Paradoxes

Answer 24

Statements that seem self-constricted, but seem to express truth often thinking; "seeking paradoxes" crux to creating thinking

Question 25

Consulting an Oracle

Answer 25

Develop a deeper thinking process to solve problems.

Question 26

Listening to Dreams

Answer 26

~Let dreams generate new approaches to what you do | ~Profound source of ambiguity

Question 27

"Avoid Ambiguity"- summary

Answer 27

~ Avoid ambiguity only in practical situations ~ Take advantage of ambiguity; ask "what else..?" ~ Let the world be an oracle; allow random, unexpected info to stimulate your imagination.

Question 28

Two advantages to making mistakes

Answer 28

1. You can use an error as a stepping stone

Question 29

"To Err is Wrong"- summary

Answer 29

Our errors are the whacks that lead us to think something differently. Differentiate errors of omission & commission

Question 30

Commission

Answer 30

instruction or task given to people

Question 31

Omission

Answer 31

Someone or something that has been left out or excluded.

Question 32

Whack On the Side of the Head

Answer 32

``` ASK WHAT IF BREAK RULES OCCASIONALLY TAKE RISKS TOLERATE AMBIGUITY BE FOOLISH EVERY NOW AND THEN BE MOTIVATED FINE MORE THAN ONE RIGHT ANSWER EXPLORE IDEAS OUTSIDE YOUR AREA and PLAY A LITTLE BIT ```