Leveraging creativity

Abstract

Creativity describes the ability to rethink existing solutions, to combine existing ones with solutions used in other fields, or to imagine a new way of doing things, and as such, creativity represents the basis of innovation. But in many companies the thinking prevails that not every employee is able to be imaginative and to create something new. This notion is not only false, but also demotivating and catastrophic to any innovating firm. Creativity techniques represent helpful tools that make it easier for anyone to enter a creative state of mind. There is a vast number of creativity methods, which encourage creative activity and can be used in all kinds of scenarios ranging from problem solving, to developing a corporate vision, to generating new product ideas. Depending on the specific problem situation, some techniques are more suitable than others. The presented techniques represent guidelines rather than rules and constitute a way of helping people break free from the constraints of their usual work environments.