Innovate Easily: Sheena Iyengar's Secrets

??"Think Bigger: How to Innovate" is a guide that democratizes the process of creativity and innovation, providing a practical and research-based roadmap accessible to anyone who aims to transform their ideas into novel solutions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. "Think Bigger: How to Innovate" Overview

2. Learn Three (3) Key Concepts and How to Put Them into Practice

• Accessibility of Creativity
• Innovation as a Process
• Problem-Solving for Innovation

3. Reinforce Your Learning

• Read the Short Story "The Light of Aiona"
• Gain Wisdom the Fable ‘The Unseen Spark: Tales from the Creative Wilderness’

• Look Over the Frequently Asked Questions

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1. "THINK BIGGER" OVERVIEW

"Innovation is the creation of the new or the re-arranging of the old in a new way." - Michael Vance

"Think Bigger: How to Innovate" by Sheena Iyengar is a transformative guide that democratizes creativity and innovation. Iyengar debunks the myth of inherent creativity, replacing it with a practical roadmap rooted in extensive research. This book underscores the importance of memory, problem identification, and the social dimension of creativity, presenting innovation as a multi-faceted, accessible skill. Its thought-provoking insights and actionable tips make it an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to unleash their creative potential. If you're ready to redefine your approach to problem-solving and tap into your latent innovation capabilities, "Think Bigger: How to Innovate" is your ideal companion. Don't wait - it's time to step up and Think Bigger!

AMAZON: Audiobook (6 hours, 44 minutes) and book available:

2. THREE (3) KEY CONCEPTS* AND HOW TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE

Let's dive into each concept, learn practical ways to put them into practice, and expand our understanding by seeing how artists, business owners, educators, researchers, and students?can use these concepts.

1??Accessibility of Creativity

2??Innovation as a Process

3??Problem-Solving for Innovation

*You'll find several more concepts in the book

1??ACCESSIBILITY OF CREATIVITY

"The best way to think outside the box is to literally go into other boxes."

The book dispels the notion that creativity is a rare and innate gift, exclusively bestowed upon a select few. Rather, it posits that anyone can be creative. This idea is rooted in the belief that creativity isn't confined to any particular type of mental activity but, when stripped down to its basic elements, its building blocks are familiar to everyone. Moreover, personal qualities like curiosity and persistence, fostering an optimal workspace, having a structured approach, and the ability to work solo can all enhance creativity.

The process of making creativity accessible is like sharing a family recipe.

Initially, the recipe might seem complex and exclusive to those who have inherited it. However, once it's shared and others are encouraged to add their own ingredients or tweak the method, it becomes a collaborative and evolving creation. This symbolizes that creativity is not a guarded secret meant for the few but a communal feast that welcomes everyone's contribution, allowing for personalization and innovation within a familiar framework.

Imagine you're revising a cherished family recipe by adding your own twist. How does this process of personalization and experimentation mirror your approach to creative projects?

Page-to-practice ideas for you:

1. DIY Home Improvement: Start with small, do-it-yourself projects around your home. This could be as simple as repainting a room or building a small piece of furniture. Not only can these projects be fulfilling, they also give you a chance to tap into your creativity. If you're unsure about how to start, there are numerous resources available online, including video tutorials and step-by-step guides.
2. Cooking: Get creative with your meals. Instead of sticking to the same old recipes, experiment with new ingredients and cooking techniques. This not only expands your culinary skills, but it also allows you to tap into your creativity every day.
3. Digital Art: Explore digital art platforms. You don't need to be a professional artist to create digital art. There are several user-friendly applications available where you can experiment with colors, shapes, and designs. This provides a readily accessible outlet for your creativity.

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Artists: Use found or recycled materials in your artwork.
• Business Owners: Foster an open culture where everyone can express their creative ideas.
• Educators: Use creative teaching methods such as storytelling or role-playing.
• Researchers: Collaborate with other researchers using open-source platforms.
• Students: Engage in online communities to discuss and share creative ideas.

2??INNOVATION AS A PROCESS

"There is a long list of creations that inventors devised without trying to solve a problem. And they fail."

"Innovation is a skill you can learn and practice" is a core tenet of the book. It presents innovation as a process of recycling and recombining existing ideas in new and helpful ways to solve complex problems. The "Think Bigger process" provides a structured approach to this form of creative problem-solving, allowing anyone to generate novel ideas. This process relies heavily on Learning+Memory, emphasizing that the quality of your ideas depends largely on the memories stored in your brain and your ability to recombine them creatively.

Putting the concept of innovation into practice is like exploring a city you've never visited before.

Just as you might use a map to find interesting combinations of routes that lead you to hidden gems, innovation involves navigating through the vast landscape of existing ideas. By charting new paths (recombining ideas) and visiting both well-known landmarks and overlooked nooks (learning and applying knowledge), you create a unique journey that can lead to surprising and novel discoveries. This exploration is a process of continuous learning and adaptation, finding value in both the journey and its destinations.

If innovation is like exploring a city, what kind of routes would you take to discover new ideas, and how would you ensure that you're not just walking in circles but actually finding new and interesting paths?

Page-to-practice ideas for you:

1. Continuous Learning: Keep yourself updated with new knowledge, skills, and technologies in your field of interest. This constant learning and curiosity will help you come up with innovative ideas and solutions.
2. Brainstorming: Allocate a specific time each day to brainstorm new ideas. You can start with any problem or issue you observe in your daily life and then try to come up with innovative solutions.
3. Feedback Loop: Don’t be afraid to seek feedback. It’s an integral part of the innovation process. Share your ideas with friends, family, or colleagues and use their insights to refine your ideas. Check out the twist on feedback called 'feedforward' in 'What Got You Here Won't Get Your There.'

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Artists: Experiment with a new medium or art form and document your progress.
• Business Owners: Implement a system for tracking and refining innovative ideas.
• Educators: Stay updated with the latest educational trends and technologies to incorporate in your curriculum.
• Researchers: Stay updated with latest research tools and methodologies.
• Students: Keep a learning portfolio to document your innovative ideas and learning journey.

3??PROBLEM-SOLVING FOR INNOVATION

"The value of an idea lies in the using of it." - Thomas Edison

The book places significant importance on problem-solving as a key aspect of innovation. It asserts that problem identification is crucial for developing creations that people truly desire. If a creation does not solve a real issue, it will not be desired, leading to wasted efforts. The problem-solving process involves drafting a problem statement, analyzing its feasibility and motivation, and breaking it down into smaller subproblems. The subsequent steps involve developing a set of criteria based on the preferences of the innovator(s), target audience, and third-party stakeholders and using this criteria to guide the solution-finding process. Finally, the proposed solution is vetted through feedback from others to refine and enhance it.

The process of problem-solving for innovation is akin to navigating through a complex maze.

Each turn represents a decision point, a problem to be solved, or a hypothesis to be tested. Just as a maze explorer might hit dead ends or find shortcuts, an innovator encounters challenges that require backtracking or opportunities for a more efficient solution. The maze's layout encourages explorers to observe carefully, think ahead, and try different pathways, mirroring how innovators must analyze problems, consider various solutions, and adapt their strategies based on feedback.

When faced with a complex maze of problems, how do you decide which pathways to explore first, and how do you adjust your strategy when you encounter obstacles or dead ends? What parallels can you draw between this approach and your method for tackling real-world problems?

Page-to-practice ideas for you:

1. Observe and Question: Look around and identify the problems or inconveniences in your daily life. Try to think of innovative ways you could solve these issues. Always ask questions like "Why is it done this way?" or "Is there a better solution?"
2. Analyze and Ideate: After identifying a problem, analyze it from different perspectives and brainstorm potential solutions. Don't rush into a solution, take your time to come up with as many ideas as possible before deciding on the best one.
3. Prototype and Test: Once you've settled on a potential solution, build a prototype if possible and test it out. You can then refine your solution based on your observations and any feedback you receive. Remember, it's okay to fail and start again; it's all part of the problem-solving process.

Page-to-practice ideas tailored to:

• Artists: Address a specific theme or issue in your art and explore different ways to express it.
• Business Owners: Implement problem-solving methodologies like design thinking in your team.
• Educators: Incorporate real-world problems in your teaching to help students develop problem-solving skills.
• Researchers: Explore unconventional methods to answer your research questions.
• Students: Apply your theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems through projects or assignments.

3. REINFORCE WHAT YOU LEARNED ?????

?? Read the Short Story

'The Light of Aiona'

Aiona, a young and passionate educator in a small village, faced the challenge of rekindling the love for learning in her disenchanted students.

Her journey through the realms of creativity, innovation, and problem-solving transformed not just her classroom but also her approach to teaching and life.

The Story

In the village of Lumen, where the sun kissed the earth with a warmth that sparked life in all, Aiona taught at the local school. Her heart, heavy with the realization that her students' eyes no longer sparkled with curiosity, set her on a path to reignite their passion for learning.

Accessibility of Creativity: Aiona began with simple projects, integrating arts into science and literature into mathematics. She encouraged her students to paint their interpretations of historical events and to write stories based on scientific discoveries. These activities, seemingly small and insignificant, laid the foundation for a transformation. The classroom became a canvas, and every lesson a stroke of color, revealing to the students and Aiona herself that creativity was not a distant star but a light within each of them.

Innovation as a Process: As Aiona ventured further, she introduced the concept of "Innovation Fridays," dedicating time for students to explore, question, and create. This wasn't just about new ideas but about connecting dots from different subjects, cultures, and perspectives. Aiona's role evolved from a teacher to a facilitator of ideas, guiding her students through the maze of their thoughts and encouraging them to seek feedback not only from her but from their peers.

Problem-Solving for Innovation: The true test came when the village faced a water shortage. Aiona saw this crisis as an opportunity for her students to apply their newfound skills. They were tasked with finding sustainable solutions. Through observation, questioning, and ideation, the students proposed building a rainwater harvesting system. They divided the problem into subproblems, worked on prototypes, and sought feedback from local engineers. The project, once a mere idea, became a reality, solving the village's problem and instilling a sense of accomplishment and responsibility in the students.

Moral of the Story

The moral of "The Light of Aiona" is that creativity and innovation are not gifts bestowed upon the few but are accessible to everyone, capable of being nurtured through curiosity, persistence, and the courage to explore and solve problems. Aiona's story teaches us that with the right approach, every challenge can be transformed into an opportunity for growth and learning.

?? Read the Fable

'The Unseen Spark: Tales from the Creative Wilderness'

In the mystical Forest of Ideas, creatures of all kinds come to find their spark of creativity.

Among them are Leo the Lion, who believes creativity is only for the birds who can sing and the peacocks who can dance; Ella the Elephant, who has never painted because she thought she lacked the innate gift; and Theo the Turtle, always curious but too slow, he believes, to catch up with innovative ideas.

One day, a wise old owl named Ollie gathers the creatures to share the secret of the Forest of Ideas: Creativity and innovation are not just for the chosen few but for everyone who enters the forest with an open heart and a curious mind. Ollie encourages them to start with small steps, like repainting their homes or cooking with new flavors, and to see these activities as the seeds of creativity.

Inspired, Leo begins to sculpt with mud, Ella paints the forest with her trunk, and Theo invents a slow-paced game that all the forest creatures can enjoy. They learn to brainstorm with the birds, seek feedback from the squirrels, and refine their ideas with the help of the bees. As they share their creations, they realize that innovation is a journey of combining old ideas in new ways, solving problems by looking at them from different perspectives, and that failure is just a step towards success.

Moral of the Fable:

The moral is that creativity and innovation are accessible to all, not as a rare gift, but as a skill that can be nurtured through curiosity, practice, and the courage to experiment and learn from failure. The journey of innovation is one of exploration, collaboration, and the continuous refinement of ideas based on feedback, leading to solutions that can make the world a better place for everyone.

?Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Think Bigger: How to Innovate" about?

"Think Bigger: How to Innovate" is a transformative guide that democratizes the process of creativity and innovation. Written by Sheena Iyengar, the book challenges the myth that creativity is an innate gift for a select few, presenting it instead as a skill that can be developed through practice. It offers a practical roadmap, rooted in extensive research, for anyone looking to unleash their creative potential by employing problem-solving and innovation strategies.

How does the book redefine creativity?

The book redefines creativity as an accessible skill, not confined to any specific type of mental activity or innate talent. It emphasizes that creativity's building blocks are familiar to everyone and can be enhanced through curiosity, persistence, an optimal workspace, a structured approach, and the ability to work independently. This approach opens up creativity to a broader audience, encouraging readers to engage in creative activities like DIY projects, cooking, and digital art.

What is the "Think Bigger process" for innovation?

The "Think Bigger process" is a structured approach to innovation that focuses on recycling and recombining existing ideas in new and useful ways to solve complex problems. It underlines the importance of continuous learning, brainstorming, and a feedback loop as essential components for generating innovative ideas. This process is based on the premise that innovation can be learned and practiced by anyone willing to invest in developing their creative problem-solving skills.

How important is problem-solving in innovation according to the book?

Problem-solving is highlighted as a crucial aspect of innovation in the book. It stresses the importance of identifying real-world problems and developing solutions that meet the needs and desires of people. The process involves drafting a problem statement, breaking it down into smaller, manageable subproblems, developing criteria for solutions, and refining proposed solutions through feedback. This methodology ensures that the innovation addresses genuine needs, making it more likely to be desired and successful.

Can you provide some practical tips for applying the concepts of creativity and innovation from the book?

Yes, the book offers several practical tips for applying the concepts of creativity and innovation, including:

• Engage in DIY home improvement projects to tap into your creativity.
• Experiment with cooking by trying new ingredients and techniques.
• Explore digital art platforms to express creativity without needing professional skills.
• Keep yourself updated with new knowledge and skills to fuel innovative ideas.
• Dedicate time to brainstorm solutions for everyday problems.
• Seek feedback on your ideas to refine and improve them.
• Observe and question the status quo to identify problems worth solving.
• Analyze problems from different perspectives and brainstorm multiple solutions.
• Prototype and test your solutions, being open to failure and learning from it.

6. How does "Think Bigger: How to Innovate" impact its readers?

"Think Bigger: How to Innovate" empowers its readers by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to tap into their latent creative and innovative capabilities. It inspires readers to redefine their approach to problem-solving, embrace continuous learning, and apply a structured process to innovation. By demystifying the process of creativity and innovation, the book encourages readers to step up, challenge conventional thinking, and unlock their potential to think bigger.

AMAZON: Audiobook (6 hours, 44 minutes) and book available:

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