Lesson 6- Random word/ Image association

Random words is a simple but surprisingly effective creative technique.

How to use it?
1) Find a random word that will be used as a stimulus for new ideas.You can do this in a number of ways such as...

• Look around you.
• Open a book at a random page. Run your finger around the page and stop at a random point. Look for a suitable word near your finger.
• Ask the people you are with to give you a random word.

2) Find associations

• Think about other things which the word reminds you.
• Follow associations to see where they go.
• When working with a group of people, you can write these down on a flipchart as people call them out.

3) Use the associations to create new ideas

• Create new ideas by linking any of the associations with your problem.
• Write the ideas either next to their associations from step 2 or on a separate page.
• If other people give ideas that trigger further ideas from you, then you can go off down that route to see where it goes.

How it works?

Random words works in particular by making you go elsewhere for ideas, and hence pushes you out of your current thinking rut. It uses the principle of forced association to make you think in new ways and create very different ideas.

Examples of random words and image association..

source from http://www.google.com.my/images?q=random+words&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=726&bih=512 , http://creatingminds.org/tools/tools_defining.htm

Exercise:

We are asked to create a scary image or an object with association of an image of a kitten that will instill fear among people through out the ages. Then explain what and why it is scary to us.

Kitten: paws, teeth, furry, sound of "meowing"

Teeth- Sharp teeth; there are a lot of sharp pointed in the jungle to scare the people away..

Tadaa!!~ :P

Lesson 5- Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition can be defined as placing two variable, side by side and their contrast or similarity are shown through comparison. In random, two random objects moving in parallel, a technique intended to stimulate creativity. Usually "turning" something familiar to something less familiar or vice- versa.

Here's some of the example of Juxtaposition...

sources: Google image, wikipedia.com

CLASS EXERCISE:

We did a little world play exercise which is the first thing we need to do is choose 3 numbers from 01-100 and write them down. We are given a list of words with number beside them. The next step is to match the words' number with the numbers that we have chosen and write down the words.

sorry, i forgot to write the number down.
anyhow, the left hand side is 1-9 then 0;
the right hand side is 0, 9- 1.

These were the 3 numbers that i have chosen.

Then lecturer asked us to form a sentence using these words that have been chosen.

1.  Three birds fly in the strong wind.
2.  She pours the oil towards the wood.
3. The leaf is burning on the rock.

Then lecturer asked us to draw the sentences that we just wrote.

After that, we are asked again to draw another three drawings which are combine the two words which its exact meaning.

Fly wind

Oil wood

Leaf rock

Next exercise, we are asked to choose 2 animals and combine them together to form a species that is impossible to survive. 

This is mine. the rabbit fish~

Here goes to another exercise- analogy, which is writing a poem.

CHILI vs LOVE
You are so hot.
You are so spicy.
You make me excited once i bite you.

LIFE vs CANDLE
Life just like a candle.
We couldn't know when the fire will melt off by itself.
Appreciate the time you having now.
Don't regret after losing it.

ICE CREAM vs PAIN
You are so sweet.
You are so colourful.
Have you once in a life time is heaven.
But having you most of the time is hell.

Mortal and Pestle

What is mortal and pestle?
Mortal and pestle is a tool used to crush, grind and mix solid substances (tritutation).
The pestle is a heavy bat- shaped object, the end of which is used for crushing and grinding.
The mortal is a bowl, typically made of hard wood, ceramic or stone.
The substances to be ground is placed in the mortar and ground, crushed or mixed with the pestle.

source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortar_and_pestle

Exercise:
Imagine you are people from future- year 1001220, and you have found mortal and pestle.
Try to figure it out what is the usage in the year of 2010 in a creative way.
Choose three words in the mind map below and draw your mind map of it.

The three words that i have chosen are exercise, weapon and religion.

This is my mind map

The answer of exercise is the pestle used to be the dumbell and the mortar  is training the legs to lift it up and down.

weapon, nowadays have many perverts, so girls/ ladies/ women should bring this to protect ourselves. Either throw on the pervert or hit on the pervert till he faint.

Last one, the religion, Buddhist used to pray with joss stick, when they want to put the joss stick on the mortar and use the pestle hit three times.

Lesson 3- Mind Mapping

Method of Creative Thinking is divided into TWO techniques which is Logical Mind Map and Associated Mind Map.


Logical Mind Map- is directly connected to stereotypes. It comprises of solely stereotype words. Which means that every word or image that is put within the mind map is directly related to the central subject through its links.

Associated Mind Map- using an associated mind map we are able to generate random words and also show the links between words that seemingly have no connection.

The Rules of Logical Mind Mapping

1. Always have your SUBJECT in the center of the page.
2. Try to make the subject more dominant than the rest of the words and images in the mind map.
3. Decide on the main categories of the subject before executing on mind map.
4. Try to have the different categories in different colours, to make it easier to identify.
5. Try to use drawings or images to make your mind map more interesting and personal.
6. The ideal mind map should be shaped like the roots of a tree, branching out from a center.
7. It is OK to repeat words or even interlink certain words.
8. Try to make your mind map neat and easily legible. REMEMBER one of the aims of the mind map is to create interest and to be able to access information easily.

Benefit of Logical Mind Mapping Technique

• It is a concise way of listing and categorizing a mass of information.
• The relationship between each word will help trigger memories and greatly reduce the amount of note taking and assist in the understanding of the subject.
• The more interesting the mind map the greater the interest that the on looker will have in the information.
• The usage of images along side with word will again create interest for the mind map as assist in triggering a memory of the  subject.

The Rules of Associated Mind Mapping

1. Always keep your mind open and relaxed.
2. Start off with the Subject (word or image) dominating the center of the page.
3. Immediately branch off in to main categories as you would in a Logical Mind Map.
4. Pick a link and start expanding. Write the first thing that comes to mind in relationship to the word.
   Eg: Malaysia- Hot- Sun- Sun block- SPF UV Protection.
5. The links in the Associated mind map do not have to link directly with the central subject, but instead is only linked to the words surrounding it.
6. Try to put down the first thing that comes to your mind. An Associated mind map is supposed to be fast.
7. Sometimes we tend to get excited and go on and on. But REMEMBER the ideal mind should be shaped like the roots of a tree, branching out from the center, the same rule applies for the Associated mind map.
8. Have fun. The best Associated mind maps are created when in a relaxed frame of mind.

Benefit of Associated Mind Mapping Technique

• In the creation of an Associated mind map there will be the presence of Stereotype and Random words and the difference between the Logical mind map and the Associated mind map is the frame of mind when executing the mind map.
• It is a concise way of listing and categorizing a mass of Random words.
• The non- relationship between each word and subject will help to generate better ideas and greatly reduce the amount of stereotypes in the solution of a problem.

Google Creators

Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin, is a Russian American computer scientist and industrialist who along with Lawrence "Larry" Page, is best known as the co- founder of Google, inc., the world largest internet company, based on its search engine and online advertising technology.


Brin immigrated to United States from the Soviet Union at the age of six. Earning his undergraduate degree at University of Maryland, he followed in his father and grandfather's footsteps by studying mathematics, double majoring in computer science. After graduation, he moved to Standford to acquire a Ph.D in computer science. There he met Larry Page, whom he later befriended. They crammed their dormitory room with inexpensive computers and applied Brin's data mining system to build a superior search engine. The program became popular at Stanford and they suspended their Ph.D studies to start up Google in a rented garage.


Lawrence "Larry" Page is an American computer scientist and industrialist who with Sergey Brin, is the best known as the co- founder of Google Inc., the most successful site on the internet.


Page was born into a Jewish family in East Lansing, Michigan. His parents were computer science professors at Michigan State University.




sources from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Brin , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Page

Lesson 2- Defining Novelty, Creativity, Innovation and Invention

Defining Novelty
Novelty is the quality of being new. Although it may be said to have an objective dimension it essentially exists in the subjective perceptions of individuals.

The subjective novelty is the perceptional of something as being new by an individual person or a group of person.

Thus, the objective novelty is something that is new for all humanity in its development through ages. It is unlikely, however, that even the most knowing and knowledgeable person boldly say that he knows everything that was before and take liberty to judge things from this standpoint.

Defining Creativity
The generation of new ideas or a new way of doing things.
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new which have some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs. What counts as "valuable" is similarly defined in a variety of ways.

Defining Innovation
Innovation is the process of making improvements by introducing something new, the realization of a creative idea in a social context.

Innovation is a process by which an idea or invention is translated into a good or service for which people will pay.

To be called an innovation, an idea must be replicable at an economical cost and must satisfy a specific need.

Defining Inventors
Those who take existing knowledge and create new ideas

Lesson 1- Defining Creativity

To identify and to define the meaning of the word creativity and one of the definition being explored is:
The generation of new ideas / a new way of doing things.
such as thinking & intelligent; thinking as s skill.

We have a lot of misconceptions when it comes to creativity.
Let's clarity some of the myths out there about creativity!~

1.  Only special talented people are creative
   - People like Mozart or Picasso are more creative than others. If look closer, their creative genius will reveal a lot of very hard work, rather than innate talent.
   - Usually people, who demonstrate higher then average creative abilities, also work much harder than the average person
   
2.  Being creative is hard
   - Actually it isn't being creative that is hard, it is working on developing that ability. Once we learn how to easily channel creativity, it becomes second nature to us, as easy as breathing.
   
3.  Problems are in our life to make it more difficult- Problems of any kind are the key to learning. No matter how unpleasant they might be, we learn from every problem we encounter in our life.
   - By using creative problem solving, we not only find the solutions to the dilemma we are facing, but also develop our creativity in the process.
   - Without problems in our life, we would not advance as a society. Problems force us to find solutions and improve our life as a result.
   
4.  I am not creative.
   - There is no such thing as people who are not creative. If you feel that creativity comes to you with a lot of effort, it is more likely that your creative ability is in a dormant state.
   - Creativity works similarly to muscles in our body. When we use them all the time, the muscles are toned and fit. As soon as we stop exercising, the muscles become flabby and our body accumulates fat around them for protection.
   - To have creativity easily accessible to us, we should use it on a regular basis. The more we use it in our daily life the easier it will flow.
   
5. Innovation is the domain of geniuses.
   - It is true that many of people whom we call geniuses are highly creative as well. It seems that because it comes so easily to them, they are almost blessed with special abilities.
   - Behind every great innovation however, are many years of hard work. We often do not see this but if you talk to anybody who truly succeeded, you will find out that they did so after many hardships and struggles.
   
6. I have to have brand new ideas in order for me to be considered creative.
   - This is the greatest secret that no creative professional talks about.
   "There are no new ideas!!"
   Most great ideas are a combination of old concepts presented in a fresh, new package that provides us with a sense of novelty. There are exceptions when an idea is truly unique.
   - Those do happen, but majority of creative endeavors are improving upon concepts into a new combination.
   
7.  Brainstorming is hard work.
   - Yes, but it also can be a lot of fun. If one brainstorming technique isn't working, all we have to do is try another one.
   - As a matter a fact there are as many techniques to spark creativity as there are people who use them.
   - For some people structured techniques work better and others perform best in a free flow atmosphere. The trick is to find one that works for you.
   
8.  Only artists need to be creative.
   - I am an artist by background, and I was trained to think in creative terms. But I use creativity in almost all aspects of my life.
   > I use it in cooking.
   > I use it when I can't figure out how a new high tech gadget that I purchased works.
   > I use it to try and keep the relationship with my significant other fresh and inventive.
   > I use it to come up with new business ideas, dealing with people, exercise
   > I also use it when I do art.
   
9.  Writer's block is a greatest obstacle in the creative process.
   - It is one of the obstacles, but not the biggest one. The biggest obstacle is when we deny this part of us totally
   - When we pay no attention at all to our creative ability, we literally put it to sleep. It becomes extremely difficult for us to be creative.
   Inaction is a far bigger obstacle in the creative process and a more difficult one to overcome. As soon as we kick-start our creativity, the more we use it the easier it comes to us.
   
10.  Using structured creative techniques will hinder my ability to be creative.
    - Some brainstorming techniques are pretty complex. If this isn't what you are comfortable with, and it isn't giving you the results that you are looking for, do not use it.
    - Find some other technique that you respond better to. And if you do like using more structured techniques, go ahead and continue using them.
    - Since everybody is different, you have to find what works with you. There is no difference in the quality of one technique over another, only in the personality of the person who is using it.
    - All the brainstorming techniques do the same thing - spark your creativity.

Week 3 but 1st lesson

What i understand in the class?
Errr... I understand that, "thinking" is not what we normally thought of.
"Thinking" actually is something which is answer must a bit of creativity but not too much.
And a creative answer can make a person laugh or he angry with you or etc...
For example a maths answer solution,
traditional thinking: 4+4= 8
creative thinking: 8= 4+4
                               = 6+2
                               = 4x2
                               = 24/3

The meaning of a very common word has such a deep knowledge
It makes me become so pressure.. =.=
But creative studies class will not as bored as last sem subject though.
Cause we need to be CREATIVE!!!!! =P