Посты с тэгом: mental simulation

Mastering the SIT Innovation Method

Published date: June 16, 2014 в 3:00 am

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Let me share with you some tips and advice on how to master the techniques and principles of Systematic Inventive Thinking.

First, work on mastering one at a time, not all five at once. It’s better to limit rather than dilute. Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to be an expert in all five right away.
One way to develop your expertise in the SIT techniques is with pattern spotting. A key premise of SIT is that for thousands of years, innovators have used patterns in their inventions, usually without even realizing it. Those patterns are now embedded into the products and services you see around you, almost like the DNA of a product. You want to develop your ability to see these patterns as a way to improve your use of them.
When you go to the store or when you’re watching TV and you see some new, innovative product, try to figure out which of the five SIT techniques could have been used to generate that novel concept. You’ll begin to realize that these patterns are all around you. That helps boost your confidence in the method and in the existence of these patterns.
At some point, you’ll use pattern spotting automatically. You’ll see some new product or service and instantly your mind will try to search which of the five techniques applies. When you get to that point, you have what we affectionately call, the SIT virus. It means you are well on your way to mastering the method.
Another way to master SIT is with mental simulation. Mental simulation is used by athletes and other professionals to improve their performance. They mentally simulate performing an event or series of events as a way to groove it into their mind.
You can also use mental simulation with the SIT techniques. When you’re out and about in your daily routine, pick an object randomly and pick one of the five SIT techniques. See if you can mentally work through the steps of the method to invent some new clever product or service right on the spot.
For example, imagine you’re at the airport standing in line at security. Pick an object or the process itself and see if you can apply one of the techniques to create some beneficial service or a new product. By mentally stimulating the SIT techniques, you’re going to perfect their use and you’re going to build your confidence in your ability to apply the techniques on demand.
While learning the SIT method, be sure to leverage social media. Find other people who use the SIT method. Share ideas and stories of how it’s been used in practice. Join this growing community of SIT practitioners.
Check out blogs, webinars, LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest. If you visit my Pinterest site, for example, you will find a board for each of the five techniques with examples of products that demonstrate that pattern.
Check the Resources link for this website, you’ll find recommendations for books, articles, and even an iPad app that can help you facilitate each of the five techniques. You want to become a student of creativity, because ultimately that is what will help you master SIT as your dominant method of idea generation.

Innovation: Make It Someone Else’s Problem

Published date: September 5, 2011 в 3:00 am

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New research suggests that you are likely to be more creative when you imagine the problem is someone else’s instead of your own.  Evan Polman and Kyle Emich describe their studies in their April 2011 article that support this conclusion.

In one study, 262 participants were instructed to draw an alien for a story that they would write, or alternatively for a story that someone else would write. When drawing an alien for someone else’s story, they produced a more creative alien. In another study, 137 students were instructed to picture either themselves or a stranger stuck in a tower and to think of a way to escape using only a rope that did not reach the ground. Of the students who imagined a stranger in the tower, 66 percent found the solution—divide the rope lengthwise and tie the pieces together—compared with 48 percent of those who pictured themselves in the tower.

For innovation practitioners, teachers, and consultants, this research suggests a new technique to improve innovation output. When using an innovation method or problem solving technique, participants should try to image the problem is not theirs.  Instead, they want to mentally simulate the problem belongs to someone else.  One way to do this is to have participants imagine they are innovating for a similar issue but in a different industry.  As an exercise, have participants apply a technique in this scenario first as a way to activate and expand their creative output.  Only then, have them apply the same mental structure to their actual problem.

Here is an example.  Imagine you are facilitating a team that makes diagnostic equipment for automobiles. They want to innovate new ways to use the data that is collected by their equipment.  You are about to apply the S.I.T. Subtraction Technique (remove an essential component).  Normally, you would have the team apply Subtraction by eliminating the vehicle data entirely – a great way to break functional fixedness.

Now, in light of this new research, here is what you might do instead.  Tell the team they are in a different industry – medical diagnostics – but that they are not allowed to use any traditional diagnostic tests on their patients (like blood tests, x-rays, vitals, etc).  Ask them, “What would you do now to get useful data about your patients?”  After a round of ideation, have them re-do the exercise back on their own problem.  Mentally imagining the problem to be someone else’s first will boost creative output on their own problem.

Polman, E., & Emich, K. J. (2011). Decisions for Others Are More Creative Than Decisions for the Self. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(4), 492-501.

Photo by permission: www.cartoonstock.com

Prospective Innovation

Published date: September 20, 2010 в 3:00 am

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People can improve the quality, originality, and elegance of ideas by extensively forecasting the implication of those ideas during the generation phase.  Researchers from The University of Oklahoma studied the effect of forecasting on idea evaluation and implementation planning.  In the experiment, 141 undergraduate students were asked to formulate advertising campaigns for a new product.  These campaigns were evaluated by a panel of judges.  Prior to formulating the campaigns, participants were asked to forecast the implication of their ideas and the forecast the effects of a plan for implementing their best idea.

As part of the experiment, students received a hypothetical email from the “vice president of sales” for this new product.  They received this during the idea generation phase of the project.  In the email, he directed the students as follows:

“I hope all is going well on the IMPACT project.  The deadline is nearing for the release of the ‘IBC IMPACT’, and I am curious to see what you have come up with for the new advertising campaign.  Please send me a preview of your ideas and strategies.”
“To be more specific, I want to know why your chosen campaign strategies will resolve the issues that I outlined in my first email (e.g. target desired demographic, lasting impact with demographic, retain vintage look, etc.).  I am mostly interested in your predicted results if these plans are actually set into motion.  I am fully aware that there may be downsides and potential problems with any strategy used, so include these (if any) in your descriptions.  Tell me how you think your current plan will play out down the road.  Visualize this advertising campaign unfolding into action and describe that scene to me.  I would like to know the consequences of any action that we might take, and other factors that could potentially influence the campaign.”

Students who mentally imagined the “down the road” effect of their ideas most extensively produced the best ideas.

For innovation practitioners, educators, and consultants, the implications are clear.  The use of mental simulation can improve innovation effectiveness.  Mental simulation should be used to cognitively “walk through” the steps of the idea generation process.  It should also be used to cognitively predict the implications of those ideas.  Given that some people are better than others at extensive forecasting, innovation facilitators need to have scripted directions for the work group on how to extend their thought processes about future events as a way to boost originality in ideating.

Byrne, C. L., Shipman, A. S., & Mumford, M. D. (2010). The effects of forecasting in creative problem-solving: An experimental study. Creativity Research Journal, 22, 119-138.

Simulating Innovation

Published date: August 16, 2010 в 3:00 am

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People can improve their innovation skills by mentally simulating the use of innovation tools.  Chip and Dan Heath in their book, Made to Stick, talk of the importance of mental simulation with problem solving as well as skill-building.

“A review of thirty five studies featuring 3,214 participants showed that mental practice alone – sitting quietly, without moving, and picturing yourself performing a task successfully from start to finish – improves performance significantly.  The result were borne out over a large number of tasks.  Overall, mental practice alone produced about two thirds of the benefits of actual physical practice.”

Mental simulation is the imitative mental representation of some event or series of events.  It is our brain conjuring up scenarios and imagining how they will play out.  We do it all the time.  We mentally simulate driving to the grocery store, talking with our boss, or getting a back rub.  It prepares and sharpens us for things that lie ahead.  Mental simulation can also be used to practice activities that you do or want to learn.

Here is how I use mental simulation to strengthen my innovation skills with the S.I.T. method:

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