Lecture 1Video: Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spreadIdeas that spread, win1) Be the purple cow and that is being REMARKABLE2) REMARKABLE is something that everybody notices and that everybody remarks in future conversations3) Don’t appeal to the ones that are not listening, appeal to the ones that are.4) OTAKU: Japanese word that means someone that is obsessed with an activity or product category.5) Architect that did something out of the box, remain memorable6) Copernicus was wrong, the earth revolves around ME7) Don’t appeal to the bulk and the average, appeal to the edges and with luck they will spread the word of how good it was.8) Previously it was the interruption model. You spam with ads until they listen.Article: 6 MYTHS OF CREATIVITYBy Bill Bren – Fast Company1) Where do breakthrough ideas come from? What kind of work environment allows them to flourish? What can leaders do to sustain the stimulants to creativity — and break through the barriers?2) Teresa Amabile professor of Harvard explains the answers.a) As a leader, you don't want to ghettoize creativity; you want everyone in your organization producing novel and useful ideas, including your financial people.Everybody can be creativeb) people who are turned on by their work often work creatively — is especially criticalc) many companies still have a long way to go to remove the barriers to creativity.D) Money is a creativity motivator: people put far more value on a work environment where creativity is supported, valued, and recognized. Intrinsic motivation ( doing it for myself) extrinsic (doing it for a reward)E) People were the least creative when they were fighting the clock. In fact, we found a kind of time-pressure hangoverF) The most creative teams are those that have the confidence to share and debate ideas. But when people compete for recognition, they stop sharing information.Competition is not always good fostering creativityG) People believedownsizing and restructuring actually foster creativity. It does not. Communication and collaboration decline significantly. So too does people's sense of freedom and autonomy. Leaders will have to work hard and fast to stabilizeThe Brainstorming MythsBrainstorming produce fewer and poorer quality ideas than same number of individuals working alone.Alex Osborn: attributed with the business use term of brainstorming (1959)Good for making lists of alternative solutions.First used for Ad campaigns and then expanded to more optionsRULES:1) size: 5 to 7 people2) no criticism is allowed: suggestion allowed but ot disapproving behavior.3) The more outlandish the better. (encourage bold and unique ideas)4) Quantity and variety are important. (the idea is generate a long list)5) Combinations are encouraged.6) Note must be taken during the sessions.7) Categorization of the best ideas that were generated.8) session should not be over structured ->from 10 min to an hourCLAIM ADVANTAGES OF BRAINSTORMING:1) Reduces dependence on a single authority2) Encourages open sharing ideas.3) Stimulated participation4) Individual safety in competitive groups5) Maximizes output for a short period of time6) Ensures non-evaluative climate7) Tends to be enjoyableTaylor et al were the first one that rejected the positive claims upon brainstorming.If Brainstormed alone they had more non-redundant ideas.Brainstorm comes from ..fit of insanity.Buzz groups: Bombard of ideas whether insane or not to various problems. This produces an occasional breakthroughNominal and Real Brainstorming Groups:Nominal: people working alone whose ideas are pooled.Real: people working in together in the same room.Mathematical Models for group brainstorming:Based on three assumptions:a) output decay: any individual will eventually run out of ideasb) blocking: an individual productivity will decay as a function of the total output.c) Matching :individuals adjust their productivity rate to more closely match the average group rated) Overall traditional brainstorming is held to be better than nominal brainstorming.PROCESSES THAT MAKE BRAINSTORMING INNEFFECTIVE:Social Loafing: group context enables individuals to make less efforts.Evaluation Apprehension: fear of providing ideas that may seem stupid.Production Blocking: Any one group member can suggest any idea at any moment.Good reasons to brainstorm in organizations:1) Increase decision acceptance:2) To pool resources: increase knowledge into a subject4) To benefit from specialization of labour: if member do something they are not necessarily qualified for they groups efforts is improved.Electronic Brainstorming: (aimed to overcome social loafing) -> not useful with only two people chatting. Bigger groups of electronic brainstorming is better. (sources of ideas can be anonymous)All research suggest it is no the best strategy. If you have alone and motivated people they can be motivated to work on their own brainstorming alone.Seeing one thing but making connection that don’t exist. This until you actually have a usable idea that can be used, and marketed, there is where the THE REAL WORK begins.Example: Little drone ambulanceTwo types of motivation :IntrinsicExtrinsicCollaboration will fuel creativity. Fact!Defining Creativity:Leo Burnett’s definition: “ The art of establishing new and meaningful relationships between previously unrelated things..which somehow present the product in a fresh new light”Example: Tooth brush and construction grua.Mixing alcohol with another depressant (blues festival)Something can be creative if:UniqueMake new connectionsUsefulWhat is creativity: Generation of ideas that are both novel and useful for solving problems.Alarm Clock example: look for the goal of the object. ( to wake me up) make it illuminate.Another definition: “Effective surprise” Advertising & The business of Brands sayAnother one: “Having the power and the will to bring something new into being”Finding Flow: complete immersion in an experienceMoments such as these provide flashes of intense living against the dull background of everyday life.These exceptional moments are what I have called "flow" experiences. Flow also happens when a person's skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manageable, so it acts as a magnet for learning new skills and increasing challengesIn the flow nothing else seems to matter and you lose track of timeExperience Sampling Method, or ESM: a person writes down in a booklet where she is,