In today’s ever-growing and changing world, being able to think creatively and innovatively are essential skills. It can sometimes be challenging to step back and reflect in an environment which is fast paced or when you are required to assimilate large amounts of information. Making sense of or communicating new ideas in an innovative and engaging way, approaching problems from fresh angles, and producing novel solutions are all traits which are highly sought after by employers.
Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success
Instructor: Peter Childs
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What you'll learn
Understand what creative thinking techniques are
Comprehend their importance in tackling global challenges as well as in everyday problem-solving scenarios
Select and apply the appropriate technique based on the opportunity to seize or the problem to tackle
Skills you'll gain
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There are 7 modules in this course
In the first week, we focus on the basic principles of creativity and highlight its importance in tackling global challenges. Creativity is explored and applied at two different levels, lower and higher-level creativity.
What's included
4 videos8 readings6 discussion prompts2 plugins
In this week, we will look at how we can augment our creativity using different methods of Brainstorming, a creativity approach that aids the generation of ideas in solving a stated problem. We particularly focus on the application of brainstorming tools in group activities, with the aim of enabling you to understand, evaluate and apply different types of brainstorming techniques in your own context.
What's included
2 videos8 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt1 plugin
There are many thinking styles which can be helpful in creativity. We will focus on the principles as well as application of a variety of thinking approaches that can be used at both at an individual level and in a group, under various professional and personal situations, allowing you to develop competency and accelerate proficiency in the use of some different thinking styles.
What's included
4 videos5 readings2 assignments1 peer review2 discussion prompts
You will become familiar with the Principles of Morphological Analysis and learn how to apply it in various life scenarios, from design to developing movie plot-lines, whilst developing a more systematic approach to idea generation.
What's included
2 videos3 readings1 assignment2 peer reviews2 discussion prompts2 plugins
In week 5, we continue to enhance your fluency, flexibility and originality of idea generation by introducing you to another creativity tool called the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). We will particularly focus on application of TRIZ and the TRIZ Contradiction Matrix and how it can be used in problem, both at an individual and in group level.
What's included
5 videos7 readings3 assignments1 discussion prompt2 plugins
This week, we will introduce you to the final creativity tool in the course and its importance in generation of ideas and improvement of the existing ones; SCAMPER. You will become familiar with the concepts of SCAMPER and gain proficiency in its application in various unusual, personal or professional situations, whilst inspiring related ideas.
What's included
2 videos2 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts
Now that you have mastered a wide range of creativity tools and developed competency in their application over a wide range of situations and domains, we will wrap up by asking you to use these tool in combinations and apply these in context and scenarios that are also related to your own discipline or context. This will help you reinforce the concepts that you have learnt so far and enable you to use the creativity tools freely in problem solving and idea generation.
What's included
3 videos7 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts1 plugin
Instructor
Offered by
Recommended if you're interested in Personal Development
University of Toronto
University of London
IIMA - IIM Ahmedabad
The University of Sydney
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