Archives: Creativity
Learn more about creativity and how you can improve your creative thinking skills.
Leading Diverse Teams
Diverse teams are more innovative and smarter than homogeneous ones. But, they are also harder to manager. Here are some tips.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Unmarketing the Competition
A look at creative, but unethical dirty trick marketing campaigns designed to damage the competition
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Imaginativefulness and the Fisherman
What does a fisherman wearing a cycling helmet have to do with imaginativefulness? Quite a lot, it seems.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Actually, Criticising Ideas Is Good for Creativity
People have long assumed criticising ideas in a brainstorm inhibits creativity. Research and experience shows that is wrong
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Imaginativefulness
Imaginativefulness is a state of heightened imagination in which your mind allows thoughts, memories and ideas to play with each other freely.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Why and How to Exploit Alternative Uses for Your Products
Discovering new ways customers use, misuse and could use your products can inspire innovation. Jeffrey Baumgartner explains.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Don't Trust the Status Quo
Jeffrey Baumgartner has never trusted the status quo. He explains why this is so and why you should also not trust the status quo
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
In Innovation, Good Enough Is Good Enough
Corporate people tend to perfect ideas before launching them. Entrepreneurs launch when their ideas are good enough and marketable.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Thought Experiments for Innovation
Creative scientists have long used thought experiments to develop ideas. Innovation leaders should do so too. I explain.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
12 Ways to Motivate Your Team to Be Creative
A dozen things any manager can do to inspire creative thinking in her direct reports, colleagues and organisation
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
No Time for Innovation? Think Again!
Employees claim they have no time for innovation. That's not true. Rather, they do not believe innovation is a true priority.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Ten Crazy Things to Do with Your Company This Month
Innovative companies need to have a culture of creativity. These ten unusual actions can help bring about that culture.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Ten Rules for Innovative Teams
Teams can drive innovation or they can stifle it. Advice for innovative leaders on how to manage innovative teams
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Routine of Creativity
If organisations want creative employees developing innovative ideas, they need to establish a routine of creativity
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Solving Complex Problems
Business leaders and their teams frequently need to solve complex problems. Their best tool to do this is their imagination.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Make People Care About Your Business
How and why to use creativity to make your customers care about you, your products and your business
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Don't Capture Ideas. Play With Them
Businesspeople focus on capturing ideas using unproven tools. They should play with ideas like children and artists instead.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
How I Taught My Son to Bake - And What You Can Learn from It
I taught my son to bake by letting him bake and make mistakes. You can do the same with your kids and your team.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Imagination Is the Root of Innovation
Imagination is an under-appreciated, critical and magical element of innovation. Pity it is so neglected.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
11 Implications of the Simulation Hypothesis
Simulation hypothesis states that we probably exist in a computer simulation. If so, the implications are pretty weird.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity Spans a Spectrum
Creativity is not boolean. It exists on a spectrum from not at all creative to super creative and probably on to insanity.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Dozen Ways to Solve Problems
Article offering 10 ways to solve problems, including conventional thinking, Google, creative thinking and other methods.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A New Approach to Organisational Creativity
Perhaps companies are doing creativity wrong. Rather than try to make employees more creative, hire people exclusively to be creative.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Be Different or Else
To succeed, businesses need to be different, but it is not easy in an environment of conformity. Creativity is the solution.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Wrong Way and the Right Way to Motivate Creativity
Typical corporate innovation activities have a way of killing creativity. Here's a simple way to make it thrive.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Business Leaders Say Creativity Is Important, But...
Business leaders say they need more creative people and ideas. Their actions speak differently. This article explains.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Question Everything. Really.
Questioning everything is essential to creativity, critical to innovation and a really, really good thing to do in general.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creatura - the Creativity Fairy
When innovative ideas fail you, call upon Creatura - the creativity fairy. Through playfulness, mischief and energy, she'll inspire you.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity Is Breaking Things and Playing with The Parts
Breaking things into pieces, playing with the pieces and creating somethign new is a big part of creativity. Business could learn from this.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Great Disconnect Between Creativity and Application
Companies are hiring creative people because it is tendy, but then failing to apply that creativity. That's not good.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Importance of Standing Out from the Crowd
Many businesses are afraid to stand out and be original. Instead, they copy their competitors and blend in. This is not a route to success.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Eight Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Story
Having a story gives your company meaning, sets a strategic vision, makes innovation easier, communicates your values and more.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Creatives
Many parents believe that raising super-creative children will help them be successful. Those parents are wrong.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
MBTI, Brainstorming and Making Employees Feel Good
MBTI and brainstorming don't work. Companies use them because they make people feel good. There's a better way to do that.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Reflections After the Brussels Bombing (22 March 2016)
Jeffrey Baumgartner reflects on the terrorist attacks in Brussels on 23 March 2016.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Power of Role Play in Creative Training
Well designed and executed role play is a powerful tool in training, creative idea testing and preparing your team for the unexpected.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: Your Mobile Phone Represents One of the Biggest Threats to Your Business Today
Two minute video on threat of smartphones to business and how to use creative thinking to revert the threat.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Quantum Link Between Creativity and Insanty?
People have long debated whether or not there is a link between creativity and mental illness. I wonder if quantum physics may be the link.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
When Legislative Change Threatens Your Business
A major worry of CEOs is legislative change that could affect their businesses. We look at why this is a concern and how creativity can prepare businesses for legal change.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Importance of Day-to-Day Creativity in Business
Creativity in business is not only about inspiring innovation.It is also a way to continually improve the organisation as well as the quality of the working environment.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Near Infinite Power of Imagination
Everything the human race has achieved: every invention, every innovation, every work of art, every engineering miracle was first born in the imagination.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: So You Want to Hire Creative People
A short video for managers, human resource professionals or anyone else wanting to hire creative thinkers and innovators
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Learn Innovation from the Experts: Children
Children are unquestionably creative creatures. Business leaders should learn from them when it comes to developing innovative ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video - Nonverbal Idea Building
A short video on nonverbal idea generation, a visual alternative to brainstorming in which teams use toys or other materials to build creative ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Nine creative thinking tips that use diversity
Nine tips for coming up with creative ideas when you are stuck for ideas. All of the suggestions use diversity of thought to provoke creativity.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Six Things That Suck the Life Out of Corporate Creativity
Although most companies employ lots of creative people, they also do things that suck the creativity out of their employees. We look at six examples of this and what you can do about it.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Artificial intelligence and creativity
Artificial intelligence (AI) is getting a lot of attention lately. But, can AI be creative or is creativity the prerogative of humans?
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
When Innovation Becomes Evil
Innovation without respect to values can lead companies to do seemingly evil things. Here's how to prevent that from happening.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Seven Reasons Why Businesses need more play
Businesses today are, well, too businesslike. They should incorporate more play in their operations in order to promote innovation, problem-solving, concept testing and stress reduction.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Don't Capture Ideas - Play With Them
Businesses tend to capture ideas and then shove them through a funnel for evaluation, approval and development. The results are not very creative. Artists, authors, composers and other creatives play with ideas and make them more creative.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Challenge Me With Your Problems, Goals and Questions
I've been writing about creativity and innovation for years and I'm starting to repeat myself. So, I would like you to challenge me with questions, suggestions and problems about which I might write.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creative People Are Outsiders
True creative thinkers tend to be outsiders, non-conformists, rebels. This is clear. Unfortunately, many managers and innovation consultants fail to realise this and, as a result, miss out on potential breakthrough ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Why Calls to Action are Great for Innovation
If you want to develop some great, innovative ideas, try using a Call to action rather than a problem statement.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Quick and Dirty Introduction to the Anticonventional Thinking Process
If you'd like to try out anticonventional thinking (ACT), read this! It explains the ACT process and how to run an ACT session
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Innovation Has Feelings
Learn how acknowledging, understanding and using feelings in your innovation process is a successful stategy
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Magic of Multilevel Questions
Anticonventional thinking, brainstorming, ideas campaigns are based around a question or challenge. But why stop at one question? Multilevel questions can be incredibly effective.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity Is Seeing New Patterns
We humans are programmed to see and interpret patterns. In general, this is a good thing. But, it can stifle creativity.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Too Many Ideas? Make a Plan Instead
Does your organisation generate too many ideas that never seem to go anywhere? If so, stop generating ideas and start generating creative plans.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Criticism Feeds Creativity
It is a myth that criticism stifles creativity. In fact, criticism should inspire creativity.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Want to Be Creative? Step Back into Your Comfort Zone
Great authors, artists and composers throughout history have done most of their work inside their comfort zones.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Not Being Creative Boosts Creativity
In spite of all the noise about the importance of creativity, it is ridiculous to think you need to be creative all the time.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
How to Run a Successful Workshop
Everything you have ever needed to know about running a workshop, but were afraid to ask!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Dare to Be Anticonventional
We live and work in cultures that encourage conventional behaviour, appearance and thinking. For the most part, that is fine and dandy. But when you want to be creative, you need to be less conventional.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity Is Very Logical
There is a belief that creativity is all about emotions, spontenaity and illogical action. In truth, creativity is often very logical.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Do Not Think About Hamburgers
Do Not Think About Hamburgers and Other Essential Tips on Product Innovation
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity and the Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs need to be creative -- and not just in terms of having a great business idea.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Everyone Hates Your Brilliant Idea
Everyone Hates Your Brilliant Idea - at least at first. But persevere and one day everyone will adore it.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Bosses in Brainstorms
It is the nightmare of every brainstorm facilitator: the boss joins in and then criticises an idea. When this happens, most facilitators do the wrong thing.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Characteristics of Super-Creatives
Super-creative people are often different from ordinary creative people in more ways than you might think.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Five Things the CEO Can Do to Encourage Creativity
According to a survey by IBM, a vast majority of corporate CEOs say creativity is important to their companies. I suggest five actions those CEOs can take.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Don't Count on Customer Creativity
Asking your customers for ideas is a great way to catch up with your more innovative competitors. But it is a lousy way to innovate.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
10 Ways to Solve Problems
Got a problem? Here are ten different methods you can use to solve it.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Saving Awesome Ideas from Death by Stagnation
Imagine one of your colleagues has a killer idea. What can she do with it? If you cannot answer, you should read this article!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Be Boring to Be Creative
Stuck for creative ideas? Here's a new method for you: be creative by not being uncreative.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Seven Deadly Consequences of Uncreativity
Creativity is promoted as a good thing for any organisation. In fact, it is much more than that. It is essential to any business's survival.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Got a Problem? Dance!
Dynamic problem solving is a new approach to understanding and solving problems, especially problems involving several individuals.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Glorious Mistakes
How does your company deal with mistakes? If continuous learning from your employees, innovation and even breakthrough innovation are important to you, it is critical you embrace mistakes – at least as sources for learning and invention.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
My anticonventional thinking talk at TEDx
I spoke about anticonventional thinking at TEDxULB. Here is the video.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Why Employees Often Despise Innovation
People say they love innovation, but they often hate the innovations themselves.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Imaginativefulness
Surely, you have heard about mindfulness. Now learn about imaginativefulness, a creative way of looking at the world around you.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Surprising Links Between Creativity and Dishonesty
Creative people tend to be dishonest and dishonesty can boost creativity. What are the implications?
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Podcast Interview
I Speak with Mukesh Gupta about Creativity, Innovation and Anticonventional Thinking
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
ACT 3.0 White Paper
A new, updated white paper on anticonventional thinking (ACT). Download link.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity and Booze
Probably the easiest way to boost your creativity is also the least talked about method: have a few drinks. Learn more.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Innovation by Visualisation
Most business idea generation initiatives use language. I suggest you visualise situations to be truly creative
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
ACT vs Brainstorming
A brief comparison between anticonventional thinking (ACT) and brainstorming.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Anticonventional Questions
Most creative thinking methodologies start by asking questions about a situation where you want to have creative ideas. Anticonventional thinking (ACT) takes this even further!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Dangerous Obsession with Ideas
The world of innovation has an unhealthy love for large quantities of ideas and this is bad for innovation
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creative Risk
How crazy can you and your colleagues safely go before you run the risk of being thought crazy, unbusinesslike or worse? The answer to this question is important to your innovation potential.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
An Introduction to Anticonventional Thinking
Anticonventional thinking (ACT) is a thinking technique that you can use to analyse situations and build creative visions in response to those situations. ACT is purposefully rejecting conventional thinking and pursuing unconventional ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Idealess Ideation
Most business innovation actions result in lots of ideas and little implementation. Try these techniques to generate visions that are ready to implement.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
How to Get Great Ideas from Your Team
Brainstorms, ideas campaigns and other corporate ideation activities are artificial processes designed to induce creativity. There is a better way...
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Living Overseas Boosts Creativity
If you want a quick and easy way to boost creativity, go away! Go live abroad, to be precise
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
An Anticonventional Presentation Story
Learn how a business owner uses anticonventional thinking to make a winning presentation and win a big contract
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
To Be a Winner, You Need to Be Unconventional
This may seem obvious, but the problem with conventional thinking is that it does not lead to truly new ideas, creativity or innovation. For these, you need to flush conventional thinking down the toilet and be unconventional.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Pimp Your Suggestion Scheme
If your business has an idea management system in place, I have some suggestions on how to get better results with it.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Inner-Mind Creativity Introduction
Inner mind creativity, also known as Cosmic Creativity, teaches you to use the most powerful creativity tool on the planet: your mind!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
How to Implement Your Creative Vision
Having ideas is easy. Having creative visions is harder. Turning them into innovations is most challenging of all. But never fear, I have a method for you!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Danger of Voting for Ideas
Why voting in suggestion schemes does not successfully identify creative ideas
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Buzzword Problem
Every business has its buzzwords -- and they serve a purpose. But they are bad for creativity.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Your Unlikable Creative Idea
If you want to generate really creative ideas, you need to stop trying to please and focus on maybe being stupid.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: Creativity & Beer: Brainstorming vs. Anticonventional Thinking
Over a beer, Jeffrey talks about creativity, brainstorming and anticonventional thinking. And he gets shot at!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Brainstorming Is Not Very Creative
Traditional brainstorming is not a very good way to generate ideas. Learn why
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Anticonventional Thinking (ACT) Infographic & Poster
Anticonventional Thinking (ACT) Infographic: check it out; buy the poster¬
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Archived Introduction to Anticonventional Thinking
Anticonventional Thinking (ACT) is a new science based approach to individual and collaborative creative thinking. If you've been disappointed with brainstorming, you'll appreciate ACT's logical, proven approach to developing creative ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creative Event Generates THREE Ideas!
Discover why Jeffrey is excited about generating three ideas when many brainstorms and crowdsourcing events generate 100s and 1000s of ideas.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Where Do You Put the Creativity?
If you want creative ideas, do not focus your creativity on the idea generation. Focus it on the goal statment
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
When Brainstorming Works
Brainstorming has righly come under a lot of criticism lately. But it does have its uses...
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Creative Idea
What is a creative idea, how do they come to us and why do some people have lots of creative ideas while others struggle to have just one creative idea? Find out!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Characteristics of Highly Creative People
Here is my take on the characteristics of highly creative people. I have looked at how creative people think -- based on my understanding of the latest research -- and applied it behaviour.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Boring Ideas and Boring Dinner Guests
Brainstorming and other creative thinking approaches require you generate a lot of conventional ideas in order to start finding creative ideas. Jeffrey disagrees.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Training in CPS Without A Training Session?
Training in CPS Without A Training Session? The fourth in a series of articles by Fernando de Sousa on Creative Problem Solving.
by de Sousa Fernando Cardosa
The Two Meanings of Brainstorming
The word brainstorming has two meanings. It is important to know the difference.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Best Ideas Are Never Very Creative
A truly creative idea, the kind of idea that has the potential to become a breakthrough innovation is seldom the best solution to the problem or the best path to achieving a goal.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: A Quick Introduction to ACT
Video: A quick, two minute introdction to anticonventional thinking (ACT)
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
A Simple Anticonventional Thinking (ACT) Exercise
A variation on a traditional creative thinking exercise helps you try out ACT
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
At Last, Make It Happen!
A different approach to creative problem solving, whose main characteristic is supposed to be its emphasis in committing the team to comply with action plan requirements.
by Fernando Cardoso de Sousa
A Mental Investment
State supported mental healthcare should be a priority for every country claiming it wants a creative and innovative population. Jeffrey Explains why.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Anticonventional Thinking (ACT) Method (2.0)
Anticonventional thinking (ACT) is a new approach to achieving goals through creative thinking. Learn more!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity, Innovation and Cake
People are confusing the terms
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Problem-Free, Idea-Free Creative Thinking
Think in an Anticonventional Way: Stop Searching for the “Idea” and the “Problem” as the Backbones of Team Creative Thinking
by Fernando Cardoso de Sousa
Anticonventional Decisions
Whenever you are faced with a decision you are, by definition, facing multiple choices. Jeffrey argues you should opt for the unconventional choices
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Going Against the Crowd
With the growing popularity of open innovation, crowdsourcing and web based suggestion schemes where the best ideas are decided by popular votes, many of us tend to forget a very simply truism: creative people do not follow the crowd
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Designing the Perfect Ideas Competition
If you want to run an innovation competition in your company, this is the way to do it.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
What if you change IWWMI into WASNT?
Traditional creative problem solving (CPS) tells you to formulate problem statements with
by Fernando Cardoso de Sousa
Let’s Bounce a Few Ideas Off Each Other
The way that highly creative people generate ideas to solve problems or achieve goals is very different to brainstorming rules. But I also reckon the former is a better way.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: Core Tenets of Anticonventional Thinking No. 1
The first of a series of videos to be made on the core tenets of anticonventional thinking (ACT). This video provides a very quick introduction to ACT and the first core tenet.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Solving Personal Problems with Anticonventional Thinking
Anticonventional thinking is not just for business problems. You can also apply it to personal problems as this article demonstrates
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Seven Core Tenets of Anticonventional Thinking
Anticonventional thinking is a new approach to creativity that is based on current research. Here are the seven core tenets to anticonventional thinking
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creativity War
In case you haven’t noticed, there is a minor war raging among creativity professionals. On one side we have the creative problem solving enthusiasts – let’s call them the pro-brainstormers – and on the other side we have the anti-brainstormers.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
You Are the Problem
If you are part of the problem, you have a responsibility to solve the problem
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Become the Problem Innovation
When you want real insight into problems that you are trying to solve through creativity, try becoming the problem. It's fun and effective!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Conceptual Conversations
Sometimes, a simple conversation to thrash out ideas and develop solutions into concepts can be a far more effective approach to creativity and kicking off innovation.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
People Think Creative Ideas Are Like Vomit!
Here is a surprising fact for you. Most people do not like creative ideas and can even compare them to vomit. Really.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Inspiring Creativity in Others
If you want to push others – such as colleagues, team members, children, students, sweethearts or friends – to be more creative, there are a few simple things you can do.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Five Suggestions for Raising Creative Kids
If you are keen on creativity and innovation, you surely want your children to be creative as well. If so, the sooner you act, the better.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Go On, Let Your Kids Make Mistakes
Help your kids learn better and learn to think creatively by encouraging them to make mistakes!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Download Free eBooklet on Anticonventional Thinking
Download the 17 page eBooklet on anticonventional thinking and learn more about this powerful idea generation and development process.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Video: Boring Problems
Video: Let's Get Creative: Boring Problems. Jeffrey Baumgartner talks about why boring problem statements in brainstorms lead to boring ideas and explains how you can get better results with provocative probelms/challenge statements
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Interview with Jeffrey (in Portuguese)
Jeffrey Baumgartner is interviewed on National Portuguese radio on matters relating to creativity, innovation and improving the Algarve region.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Your Future Depends on Creativity
The world is changing your future, and your children's future, depends on your creativity!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Jeffrey on Anticonventional Thinking
Jeffrey Baumgartner talks briefly about anti conventional thinking following the 2011 European Conference on Creativity and Innovation in Faro, Portugal
by Baumgartner Jeffrey
Beware the Cult of Ideas
The Cult of Ideas is a dangerous phenomenon in innovation, one that more and more companies fall prey to. What about your company?
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creative Problem Solving (CPS)
Everything you need to know about Creative Problem Solving (CPS)
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Metrics for Idea Generation
Metrics for Idea Generation discusses the selection of metrics for idea generation projects, and the management of the process given its’ inputs and outputs.
by Dr. Brian Glassman
Turning Problems into Innovation Challenges
Whether you are planning a brainstorming session, an ideas campaign in an idea management system or innovation process management system or simply need innovative solutions to business problems, you need to start with an innovation challenge.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Visual Brainstorming
Traditional verbal brainstorming is being increasingly seen as ineffective. Visual brainstorming, that is brainstorming using objects, images and actions, is usually highly effective.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Free idea evaluator
An easy to use on-line tool that allows you to evaluate an idea using an evaluation matrix.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Creative Idea Implementation Plan
Implementing creative ideas can be more challenging than implementing other projects. The creative idea implementation plan is a easy to follow framework specifically designed to help you implement creative ideas effectively and profitably.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Evaluating ideas
Learn how to quickly determine whether an idea is likely to work
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Don't multitask - multithink instead
Multitasking is a highly inefficient way to get things done. Indeed, it often results in delayed completion of several projects. So, instead of multitasking, try multithinking!
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Organisational creativity - the top ten enablers (PDF document: 212kb)
As part of a masters degree research project Wayne Morris surveyed a range of New Zealand organisations with the intention of identifying the factors that enable organisational creativity. These are his top ten.
by Wayne Morris
The care and framing of strategic innovation challenges (PDF document: 338 kb)
Before you begin to brainstorm or launch an ideas campaign, be sure you frame your challenge in the right way. Learn how to frame challenges that bring in the best ideas.
by Dr. Authur Van Gundy
Creativity - Its Place in Education (PDF document; 120kb)
by Wayne Morris. Creative pupils lead richer lives and, in the longer term, make a valuable contribution to society. Surely then, it is worth the effort to provide children with creative thinking skills in their education.
by Wayne Morris
10 Creative Myths
People have a lot of misconceptions about creativity. This article tells you about typical bad assumptions people make about creativity and innovation.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Doodles creative exercises
Doodles are fun and effective creative thinking exercises. Try out our free doodles or download our Doodles e-book. (Note: this link will take you to a different part of the jpb.com web site.)
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
The Secret to Creativity
The secret to generating powerful creative ideas is not in the idea generation, but in the problem. Learn how to turn your problem into an inspiring creative challenge.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
BrainStorming
A quick, concise guide on how to run a traditional brainstorming session.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
10 Steps to boost your creativity
Ten quick steps to help you be more creative. This article was first written in 1996 and has remained on of the most popular pages on our web site. It has also been reprinted many times over in books, magazines and elsewhere.
by Jeffrey Baumgartner
Recent Articles
Leading Diverse Teams
Filed under: Business Innovation
Diverse teams are more innovative and smarter than homogeneous ones. But, they are also harder to manager. Here are some tips. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Questions you should ask when an innovative project fails
Filed under: Business Innovation
You can learn a lot from the failure of an innovative project, but you need to ask the right questions. Here are those questions. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Unmarketing the Competition
Filed under: Business Innovation
A look at creative, but unethical dirty trick marketing campaigns designed to damage the competition By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Imaginativefulness and the Fisherman
Filed under: Creativity
What does a fisherman wearing a cycling helmet have to do with imaginativefulness? Quite a lot, it seems. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Actually, Criticising Ideas Is Good for Creativity
Filed under: Creativity
People have long assumed criticising ideas in a brainstorm inhibits creativity. Research and experience shows that is wrong By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Imaginativefulness
Filed under: Creativity
Imaginativefulness is a state of heightened imagination in which your mind allows thoughts, memories and ideas to play with each other freely. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Why and How to Exploit Alternative Uses for Your Products
Filed under: Business Innovation
Discovering new ways customers use, misuse and could use your products can inspire innovation. Jeffrey Baumgartner explains. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
The Cost of Not Innovating
Filed under: Business Innovation
If your company fails to innovate, you pay a steep price in terms of loss of leadershop, tight margins, missed opportunities and more. By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Don't Trust the Status Quo
Filed under: Creativity
Jeffrey Baumgartner has never trusted the status quo. He explains why this is so and why you should also not trust the status quo By Jeffrey Baumgartner -- Read the article...
Index of all creative articles...
