When talking about creativity, many people will tell you: “Think outside the box!” The catchphrase is so common in management consulting and business environments, it has become a bit of a cliché. What if innovation could be fostered by thinking inside the box instead? That’s what Systematic Inventive Thinking (SIT) aims to achieve. The history …
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When trying to solve a problem, we often tend to look for useful facts that may guide us to the “correct” answer. This type of thinking—called convergent thinking—works great when the problem we want to solve is clear and requires a reasonable solution. But for bigger, more complex problems, convergent thinking may be too limited. …
Have you ever struggled to put your thoughts on paper and create connections between concepts? Mind mapping is one of the most effective ways to capture and connect various thoughts. A mind map is a visual diagram that helps you connect information around a central concept. You start from the centre, and then use branches …
Read moreThe science of mind mapping: a visual way to make sense of the world
Creative people are often seen as a rarity: smart, curious, and able to look at the world with fresh eyes. A common misconception is that creativity cannot be cultivated, and that instead some lucky people have an innate sense of creativity. But this assumption is wrong. According to classical psychology research, there are three main …
Have you ever had a great idea while engaged in a totally unrelated activity? That’s actually a fairly common phenomenon. Our brain tends to make interesting connections when not focused on performing a specific task. This is why we have shower thoughts. But to get quality creative output, we need quality creative input. How do …
Many people think that creativity is innate—that is, a talent a fortunate few are born with and that cannot be taught or learned. This could not be further from the truth. Yes, creativity is innate in the sense that we are all born with it. But, as we grow up, most of us slowly unlearn …