Creativity and Design Thinking

for Change Management

Steve McLachlan Mike Di Tizio

February 2012

Need for Creativity in Change Management

• What’s changed in business– Tech advances– New/opening markets– Increased competition– cloud, virtual, social platforms

• What’s stayed the same– Business thinking

Brain Background

• “Hemispherical thinking” defined in ‘50s

• Left brain half – analytic, rational, sequential

• Right brain half – nonlinear, intuitive, visual

Left Vs Right Directed Thinking

• We use both halves everyday • L Directed Thinking (LDT) defines our

current workplace• Technology, outsourcing replacing LDT

functions• Promote right brain thinking to thrive

Need for Creativity

• Creates products of worth and value

• Builds collaboration,stronger teams, healthier workplace

• Creativity helpscompanies adaptand thrive

What Creativity Does

• Asks “what if…?”• Takes creative leaps• OK to FAIL • 3 strengths/threats:– fluctuation– Imbalance– disturbance;

Jump Starting Creativity

• Exercises to engage Left Brain Thinking to trigger creativity– Basic design thinking theory– Creative exercises– Assignment– Change management creativity

assignment

“Every really new idea looks crazy at first”

Tips for Sparking Creativity

• Research Inspirational Websites– www.abduzeedo.com (Art and Design)– www.denzomag.com (Art and Design)

• Search Google Images for Common Words– Ex. Sustainability Campaign (Search

words related, such as “Green” or “Tree”.

– See what comes up– Anything Can Spark Creativity

CREATIVE PROCESSES“Creativity is inspiration coupled with initiative”

Two Major Processes• Design Thinking and Mind Mapping• Used in

– Business – Engineering– Advertising and marketing – Product development– Consultancies

• Holistic thinking• Left brain structure with

right brain creativity

Design Thinking7 distinct stages:1) Define

• Decide issue ,resolution, audience, deadline, end goal, terms2) Research

• Review issue’s history, obstacle, previous attempts to resolve, supporters and critics

3) Ideation• Generate as many ideas as possible

4) Prototype• Combine, refine ideas ; create and present working prototype

5) Objectives• Review and select the powerful ideas.

6) Implement• Determine resources, plan and assign tasks, execute and deliver

7) Learn• Measure success, discuss improvements , document

Mind Mapping

• Based on Leonardo da Vinci’s method of storing notes

• Mimics organic thinking process• Uses impressions, key words,

images, connections, not data • Non-linear, branching,

organic structure

Mind Mapping: How To

• Draw symbol of topic at page center (e.g., hospital)

• Write basic key words associated with the symbol (care, patient, medicine, technology, staff, transport)

Mind Mapping: How To

• Draw branches from central image, place key words on each

• Key branch will then generate other associations branching off further

Creativity Rules

1. Go for volume of ideas, not quality2. Do not judge or debate ideas3. During brainstorming, have one

conversation at a time4. Reserve judgment and maintain

neutrality5. Set aside emotion and ownership

of ideas.6. Be unafraid of disassembly7. The most practical solution isn't

always the best.8. FAIL OFTEN, FAIL BETTER

CREATIVE EXERCISES

“Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.”

NEWSPAPER

• Exercise; Divide group in teams. Give a newspaper page to each team.

• Based on an article on their page, each team must develop a one act play to present to the group

• No clues!

DRAW-A-MATIC

• Exercise: Divide into 2-person teams. Start with 10 blank index cards. Person A quickly draws a squiggle on the card, hands it Person B, who has 10 seconds to make something out of the squiggle.

• Time: 10 seconds maximum, for 2 minute limit.

• When 2 minutes are up, switch roles and repeat.

Change Management Process

• Creative Brainstorming– Company Branding– Determine Goals of CM Project

• Sustainability• Security• Savings

– What are the Deliverables?• Communications• Posters• Brochures• Machine Labels• Incentive Program• Training Plan• Training Materials

Company Branding

• Company Style– Shapes

• Boxlike• Flowing

– Logo• Colors• Imagery

– The Look and Feel of the Brand Determines the style of the design and imagery used to keep consistency.

Determining Goals of Project• Depending on the Project and the Goals there are

different images and Ideas that come into play• Sustainability

– Green– Trees– Grass– Environmental Colors

• Security– Locks– Safety– Guard Dog

• Savings– Money– Scales (Weighing the Differences)

Importance of Creativity When Working With Others• Change Management Affects a lot of people • It is very important for everyone to think

creatively• Everyone is different and have multiple life

experiences which can help the creative process

• No input is bad input• Even if an idea doesn’t work it can spark an

even better solution through word association

Change Management Creative Example

• University of Miami• Inspiration• Cut paper style• Layering• Paper creates the environment

Change Management Creative Example

• University of Miami• Water/Beach Theme– Related to Miami

• Sustainability Campaign– Environment made out of paper– “What you Don’t Use Can be the

Difference”

CREATIVE ASSIGNMENTDesign a Logo

Design a Logo• Create a Logo of a company from one of the following categories

1. Food and Drink2. Finance3. Health4. Entertainment5. Education

• Pick any Topic from the 5 above

• Use any Name you want

• Use any imagery relating to your topic

• Once you have picked your topic and name write down at least 20 words/images relating to the name of your company

• Pick the Imagery you think would work best

• Come up with a slogan

• Start Sketching your logo

Examples of Creative Logo Design

Examples of Creative Logo Design

Selected reading

• A Whole New Mind, Daniel H. Pink, Riverhead Books

• Walking in This World; The Practical Art of Creativity, Julia Cameron, Tarcher Putnam Books

• How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Gelb, Delacorte Press

• The Creative License, Danny Gregory, Delacorte Press

• Drawing on The Right Side Of The Brain, Betty Edwards