“Think outside the box.” We’ve all heard this phrase, been told to follow its advice, and probably even instructed others to do so.  However, thinking outside the box is, in all actuality, a myth. It’s one of those things that’s been passed down throughout the years and repeated over and over again but that’s really a misguided idea. In this episode, I’m going to explain why. Tune in to learn what’s wrong with the phrase, “think outside the box” and what you can do instead to become a more creative person. In this episode you’ll hear: How Dr. JP Guilford spearheaded the study of creativity.What the nine dots puzzle is.How using this puzzle in a study lead Dr. Guilford to coin the phrase, “think outside the box.”How Clark Burnham and Ken Davis replicated that study and the results they got.What it really means to think outside the box.Why thinking inside the box leads to more creative solutions. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Without even realizing it, you’ve used the creativity technique of division before. In fact, you’ve probably used it many times. When it comes down to it, division is simply taking a big problem, chopping it up, and solving each little individual part of it. It’s basically the application of the common phrase, “Let’s cut our problems down to size.” In this episode, I want to get into some of the details of the division technique. I’ll explain some of the deeper complexities of it that you won’t find by just “cutting a problem down to size.” Afterward, you'll be able to use this technique more systematically and improve your creativity skills. In this episode you’ll hear: How powerful the division technique is.What the division technique is and how to use it.What the preserving approach is.How you can rearrange something through time.Practical examples of the division technique in everyday life. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

How many times have you found yourself fumbling for the best way to describe something? Perhaps you’ve felt that no matter how clearly you’ve explained your subject, your description just doesn’t match the emotions you felt when witnessing it.  I’m here to tell you that creative writing doesn’t have to be your expertise in order to write compelling descriptions.  Today’s episode will walk you through a tip I discovered when writing my most recent book. As I was writing, I found it challenging to find interesting, unique ways to describe the subject matter I was writing about.  Since creative writing is not my strongest skill, I realized I would have to try something a little different. The strategy I discovered involves creating lists of words grouped by specific domains and matching them together to create new ideas and associations. The best part is that this tip can be used in many different forms of writing and can be easily tailored to your specific writing needs. I will even show you how easily you could use this method to create powerful descriptors right off the cuff for a purpose completely different from my original idea. Simple, structured tips like this can set you on the path to writing—and thinking-–more creatively. In this episode you’ll hear: How to create creative new descriptors through domain-specific word matchingWhy random word association isn’t always the best way to generate creativitySuggestions on how to make this technique work for you Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea   *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Have you ever wondered if certain creativity techniques are better to use in certain situations? If so, this episode is for you. As you know by now, creativity is a skill that anyone can learn. It is a structured process and involves using structured techniques. These techniques are patterns that mankind has used for thousands of years to create new solutions without consciously realizing it. They are embedded into the products and services we use and see around us every day. In this episode, I’ll share some general guidelines on how to use each of these five techniques. I’ll teach you some tips that I take into account every time I use one of them and how to apply them in real life. In this episode you’ll hear: A quick rundown and example of each of the five techniques.General rules of thumb on when to use each technique.How the techniques work together.Which technique helps break structural fixedness the best.Examples of each technique in the real world.  Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Let me ask you: which is more important, curiosity or creativity? Well, the truth is, that’s a trick question. As I’ve spent years studying the world of creativity, I’ve learned over and over again that curiosity is really a precursor to the creative act. The two go hand in hand. Throughout today’s show, I’m going to explain why this is. I’ll share why I’m learning to appreciate curiosity more than ever before and how it’s connected to creativity so intricately. Then, I’ll give you some ideas on what you can do about this. In this episode you’ll hear: Curiosity can be trained just like creativity.The three elements that lead to innovation.How a curious mindset leads to a creative act.Innovation is applied creativity.Techniques to help you start thinking more curiously.How to apply this. Resources from this episode: "The Driving Mindsets of Innovation: Curiosity, Creativity and Clarity" from The Journal of Business Strategy Global Curiosity Institute Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

What can doctors teach us about creativity? People in the medical field actually have a lot of knowledge and experience around innovation. Why? Because they deal with uncertainty daily.  Doctors often take risks and make decisions all in the face of uncertainty. To simply get their jobs done, they’ve got to get creative. In fact, uncertainty forces you to be creative. Today, I want to share some of my experiences from the medical device industry with you. I’ll explain some things I witnessed doctors, nurses, and the like doing that demonstrated great creative ability.  In this episode you’ll hear: The constraints in the medical field that lead to creative solutions.The many uncertainties doctors must deal with.A story that demonstrates how systematic creativity impacts the way we think about the world and address it creatively.What the task unification technique is and how we all use it naturally.How task unification has been used in the medical field to solve chronic conditions. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Imagine taking an exam that tests you on your creative skills. Then imagine your final grade in a graduate course rides on how well you do on that exam. That’s what my students at the University of Cincinnati have to go through every semester. I teach a course called “Innovation Tools” and teach my students a variety of methods for becoming more creative thinkers. I also teach them the same SIT method that I teach here on the podcast. Tune in to put yourself in my student’s shoes, take on their pressure, and hear all about the final exam they must take. In this episode you’ll hear: The surprise aspects of my students’ final exam. The part of the exam where my students apply each of the five SIT techniques to a product.The five criteria my students are graded on.Why I like grading these finals.A challenge for you to practice your creative skills this week. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Are you as creative in the virtual world as you are in person? This is an important question to be asking right now. The virtual world is taking over. More and more companies are going remote. You may even be working fully remote! We need to know if our creative output can remain the same online. An article recently came out that says it can’t. It asserts that your innovation abilities and creative skills decrease when you’re virtual. Today, I want to discuss this article and its applications. What does it means for you as you lead your creative lifestyle online and offline? Let’s dig in!  In this episode you’ll hear: Why this topic of virtual communication is so important.A summary of the study recently done on this.My problem with the study.Why multitasking is so detrimental.Why brainstorming gets in the way of innovation.How good creativity techniques overcome the limitations of the virtual world.Why technique is more important than modality. Resources from this episode: "Collaborating Over Videoconference Makes You Both Less Creative” blog post Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

We know that creativity is, simply put, the sudden collision of two previously unrelated things. However, have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if you combined two related things?  It just so happens that that is a fun little tool called fusion. Fusion is used by marketers, designers, artists, and all other kinds of creative people around the world. When you combine two related things, it turns out that something remarkable can result.  Today, let’s talk all about fusion and how it’s useful. In this episode you’ll hear: Where you can find fusion in the world.How fusion helps you be a more effective communicator.Products that utilized fusion to be creative.Different ways to do fusion.Why practicing fusion is important.  Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

As a professor, I’ve worked with people of various backgrounds and majors and given them career coaching. I’ve taught them what to think about as they leave college and enter their career.  Today, I want to do the same for all of you listeners. Whether you’re graduating college, new to the workforce, or changing careers, creativity is your best friend. So, in this episode, I’m giving you three pieces of advice on how to think about creativity and innovation when at this particular transition in life. Tune in to get started! In this episode you’ll hear: Why creativity is so important.How to develop a creative disposition in any job.Why you need to see creativity as a skill.Why brainstorming doesn’t work.How creativity and resistance go hand in hand.How to change your mindset around resistance. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Attribute dependency is one of the most challenging creativity techniques to master. For many of us, it can be confusing to figure out what it means let alone apply it. However, in my opinion, it’s the most powerful creativity technique of all. We must get a good grasp on it so we’re able to use it confidently. Well, today’s your lucky day! There’s a new web app out that allows you to perform attribute dependency. Tune in and I’ll tell you all about it. In this episode you’ll hear: A refresher on attribute dependency.Examples of innovations that utilize attribute dependency.How this new web app, Omni Vati, allows you to use attribute dependency.An example of how you could use the app for innovation.How Omni Vati helps you come up with ideas you never would’ve come up with on your own. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

I hate Post-it notes. No, that’s not true. I love them as a product. I use them nearly every day. What I do hate is how they are used as an example of innovation and creativity. To me, they set a terrible example of creative thinking. Tune in to learn some of the history of Post-it notes and why I don’t think they teach us any good lessons about creativity.  In this episode you’ll hear: Who invented Post-it notes and why.Why serendipitous products aren’t that creative.How the inventors of Post-it notes struggled to get buy-in.When the product started to take off.Why the launch of Post-it notes is a dreadful example of innovation.What we can learn from failures like this. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Ever said, “I’ll know it when I see it?” I said this recently to a salesperson in an art gallery. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular but knew that if there was something I really liked and was interested in, it would jump out at me. I’m sure you’ve done the same. Well, sometimes our judgments aren’t quite right. We may not be as good at assessing creative work as we think. In this episode, I discuss this and give some reflections on the matter that may surprise you. Join me! In this episode you’ll hear: How we judge a creative idea is affected by how we perceive its inventor.A study on how the gender of an inventor and the uniqueness of his or her name affects one's perception of the invention itself. Where we see bias in the world of innovation.Why I keep ideas anonymous in my creative work.A mental trick that can help you remove implicit bias. Resources from this episode: Research: Izabela Lebuda and Maciej Karwowski Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

It’s graduation season! College seniors are getting ready to walk that stage, receive their diplomas, and enter the workforce. As a new graduate, working on your creative ability is important. Being an asset to your company by generating creative ideas will make you stand out and leave a great impression on your new employer. In every challenge you encounter in adult life, being able to think about and attack those situations creatively puts you a step ahead of everyone else. Today, I want to teach you how to start doing this. Tune in to learn five tips on how you can step into a new job and start making a creative impact right off the bat. In this episode you’ll hear: Why you should identify the constraints of your new situation or job.What constraints do.How imagining that you’re solving someone else’s problem increases your problem-solving abilities and creative output.The importance of breaking your big problems down.Why brainstorming doesn’t work.The golden rule of creativity and how to apply it at work. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Success doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly. It doesn’t even depend on what you accomplish in life. Rather, success is based on how you overcome the challenges presented to you daily. In this episode, I want to teach you five ways to tackle the challenging problems you may be facing. This is called problem-solving.  Problem-solving is different from creativity. They are often intertwined but solutions don’t always have to be creative. Tune in to learn ways to change your thinking around challenges and, ultimately, overcome them. In this episode you’ll hear: How to chunk your problems down.How to simplify challenges.Why drawing your challenges can be helpful.How rearranging a problem makes it more manageable.The importance of challenging your assumptions. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

I always say “think inside the box.” However, this week, I want you to instead think inside the skyscraper! We’re going to take a little trip to the world’s tallest building and see what we can learn about creativity from it.  I recently had the opportunity to travel to Dubai and visit the world’s tallest building. I even went to the very top floor. That caused me to reflect on all skyscrapers have to teach us regarding creativity and creative patterns. Today, I want to share some of the lessons I learned and apply them to your day-to-day life.  In this episode you’ll hear: How skyscrapers make use of the multiplication technique of innovation.Where we find the division technique in skyscrapers.How the tallest building in the world uses the task unification technique.What pattern spotting is.How attribute dependency is in skyscrapers.The benefits of all of these innovative techniques. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

Do you want to be a more creative person? Of course you do! Otherwise, you wouldn’t be listening to this podcast. There’s one thing that will make you a much more creative person: pattern spotting. Pattern spotting is when you take the time to analyze things you find creative. Then, you try to understand the underlying structure of those things and figure out why they’re creative. In this episode, we will talk all about pattern spotting while you travel. Airports are a neat venue where you will find loads of innovative ideas. When you’re at the airport, you can practice pattern spotting by noticing creative things.  Let’s dive into that now! In this episode you’ll hear: Why airports are a great opportunity for pattern spotting.The innovative aspects of baggage claim.How to practice pattern spotting on advertisements.How pattern spotting makes you more creative. Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea   *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com.

There is an old saying that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, is that really true? Does necessity cause us to want to be more creative? You will find it out on our episode today! What if your parking ticket isn’t working because it’s defective and you get stuck in the parking lot? What would you do in this situation? That actually happened to me when I was traveling recently and the QR code in my parking ticket got smudged.  How can we then apply the systematic inventive thinking method to a parking garage dilemma? Let me work through with you some thought processes and how you might use the patterns of innovation when you find yourself in similar situations.  In this episode you’ll hear: A story from an airport parking garageContradictions in life can lead us to creative thinking5 SIT patterns applied to the parking garage dilemmaHow the story was resolved Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea   Episode 075: Contradictions: A Pathway to Creative Thinking https://drewboyd.com/iib075/  *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at emeraldcitypro.com.

Water that follows the path of least resistance is the easiest route to arrive at its final destination. The same can be said about our minds, too, which tend to take the path of least resistance. In other words, we lean into taking avenues familiar to us.  However, most creative ideas come from following the path of most resistance, not the least resistance. The best innovators are those comfortable with recognizing and looking for the more difficult, tortuous path. This is why we need to push our brains a little bit further if we want to boost our creativity. In this episode, let’s talk about what it means to take a little risk when you want to be more creative, and particularly, what it means to you in practice. We also discuss the two important principles from the world of consumer behavior research-based principles that account for why most of us tend to take the path of least resistance and how we can use the SIT method to ultimately lead to some powerful ideas you wouldn't have come up with otherwise. In this episode you’ll hear: The path of most resistance is a principle of the SIT methodThe Principle of Cognitive EfficiencyThe Principle of Knowledge AccessibilityMatching two unrelated things together to create the most resistanceWhat it looks like to take the path of most resistance Resources from this episode: Downloadable scorecard to rate your idea SIT (Tel Aviv) *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. ____________________________________________________________________________

Do you think of yourself as a creative person? In this episode, you're going to find out! Now, I’ve read a blog about the creative stereotypes or what a “creative person” looks like where the author looked at gender, individuality, beliefs, and upbringing.  Forget about the stereotypes. It doesn't matter how you compare to these so-called creativity stereotypes. And if you look at those stereotypes of creativity as your benchmark, then forget about it because it's not relevant.  At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how other people view you. What ultimately matters is whether you think you are creative and whether you’re willing to break free from your own self-limiting belief that you can’t be creative – because you can!  In this episode you’ll hear: A creativity experimentWhat matters is the tryingOvercoming fixedness to apply SIT Resources from this episode: Nick Skillicorn’s blog post: “The Creative Stereotype: What does a “creative person” look like?” https://www.ideatovalue.com/crea/nickskillicorn/2022/03/the-creative-stereotype-what-does-a-creative-person-look-like/    *** EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. ____________________________________________________________________________