thinking skills

There is no logic in connecting an office copier with 'nose'. That is to say, there is no 'logic' in our normal undertanding of logic. This understanding is based on passive surface information systems. There is, however, the logic of active surface information systems, and that is the logic of a patterning system. In such a system, the putting together of 'copier' with the random input 'nose' is perfectly logical.

At the same time, the juxtaposition is a logic of action. Our normal logic is a logic of description. We are usually concerned with 'what is' rather than with 'what can be'. The purpose of the juxtaposition is to 'make something happen'.

JUXTAPOSITION
As many readers will know, the random juxtaposition is one of the many tools of lateral thinking. With all of them, there is the underlying logic of self-organising information systems. This is a very different approach to creativity than the notion that it is only a matter of 'being liberated'. Too often we mistake 'crazytivity' for creativity. Just being different is not enough unless value is produced. So what happens with the juxtaposition? 'Nose' suggests smell.

• What has smell to do with a copier?
• What is smell?

Smell is a sensation. What is special about the sense of smell? It can operate in the dark. It goes around corners. There is less dilution by competing sensations - as there might be with sound. It does not interfere with other sensations. These aspects begin to be interesting.

• What could smell be used for?

When copiers run out of paper or toner, there is usually a light signal - perhaps a red light. You can only see this if you are standing by the copier. Such a signal is of no value at a distance. An alarm signal would be obtrusive and would interfere with other sounds, like a telephone.

SMELL SIGNAL
What about a 'smell signal'? A solid rod of 'smell' would be inserted in a slot. When the signal needed to be given, this rod would be heated up, and a smell would be generated. The smell would waft around the office.

There could be different smells for different things. Lavender could mean the need for more paper. Mint could mean the need for more toner. If the signal was one which demanded immediate attention, then there could be a 'bad smell'. This would compel instant attention, in order to turn it off. This now opens up the whole concept of using smell as an alarm signal. This could be applied to any kind of situation where there is a need to get attention.

MOVEMENT
The above example illustrates the process of 'movement', which can be practised until a skill is built up in this operation. There is no contradiction between using a deliberate technique and creativity.

For example, one way of getting movement is 'to extract a concept, principle or feature from the provocation' and to work with that. In the above example, the key concept was 'indicator', which than changed to 'attention-getting'.

Fluency, flexibility and fluidity with concepts form a key part of any creativity. If you cannot work with concepts, you are very unlikely to be creative in a sustained way. You might have one or two ideas, but that is all. Yet in education we make little effort to teach concept fluency. Perhaps that is not surprising, since education makes so little effort to teach thinking.

RANDOM
Suppose that, as a travel group, we were looking for a new way to sell holidays. The random word is 'snow'. This is a difficult word to use, because the connection between snow and holiday is so obvious; holidays in the snow, skiing holidays, etc.

There is no point in using so obvious a connection. There is nothing new in it. On the other hand, if we pick and choose which random word we want to use, then the effect is not really 'random' at all, but selected.

One idea is to couple a winter holiday with a summer holiday in one package so that the total cost is much less than each separate holiday. This might mean forming an alliance between travel companies which sell winter vacations and those that sell summer holidays.

A feature of snow is that it 'covers' everything. This suggests holidays where every detail is taken care of. Each meal in each restaurant is pre-chosen and pre-paid. Many people go on cruises because everything is organised and they do not have to make choices.

This concept can be taken and worked with. At the same time, this is not really an idea on 'selling holidays', but more of an idea about a type of holiday.

CONVERSION
Snow melts and turns into water. The concept is 'conversion'. A travel agent could offer to accept any incentive programme points as part payment for a holiday. It would not matter whether the issuer of those incentive points agreed or not. If proof of the points could be provided, then the travel agent could take them into account. It is no one else's business.

Snow is always white. Holidays are always advertised as being wonderful and enjoyable for everyone. Perhaps a new approach would be to tie holidays more exactly to personalities and needs. A personality and needs programme could be set up (perhaps on the Net), and then holidays suited to that profile would be recommended.

The random entry technique is not a matter of 'connecting ' things. There is no point in thinking of an idea and then pretending that the idea came from the provocation. Even if such a bridge is skilfully constructed, it is useless. The purpose of the provocation is to generate new ideas, not just to link up ideas.

STANDARD
In thinking we usually seek satisfaction, stability, 'closure', recognition, certainty. That is what logic and judgment are all about. How quickly can we identify this standard situation so that we can apply a standard solution?

Creativity also has an end-point of problem solution or delivered value. But on the way there we seek 'to open up possibilities' rather than to close down on certainties. In fact, there is a continuous oscillation taking place between closing down and opening up.

• What is the concept here?
• How can we use that concept?
• What values are suggested?
• How can we deliver such values?

FAILURE
Creativity can fail in three ways.

1. We may find that we keep channelling back into an existing idea. If the idea is already in use, then there is no merit in arriving at that idea, even when the route to the idea might indeed have been creative. An idea is always judged on its merit - never on how the idea has been achieved.

It is true that the phrase 'the same as...' may claim that an idea is similar to an existing idea when there are, in fact, important points of difference between the two of them. So it is worth focusing on the difference.

DEAD END
2. A creative effort may run into a dead end. It seems impossible to take the next 'movement' step. This is usually a matter of practice and confidence. Once you get into the habit of trying out different 'movement frames', it becomes easier to keep movement going forward.

It is the energy of creativity that keeps thinking going forward. Some people do seem to have more of this energy than other people.

CRAZYTIVITY
3. The third type of failure is when an apparently 'very creative' idea is produced, but this wonderful new idea actually has little value. This is crazytivity or self-indulgent creativity. It is rather like a surgeon saying, 'What a wonderful operation. Pity the patient died'.

Creative people often solve many problems - except the one they have been asked to solve. The combination of low novelty and high value is always more important than that of high novelty and low value.

NOTE
For further information on training in creativity, etc., refer to the Edward de Bono web site: http://www.edwarddebono.com. You can also fax (44) (0)171 602 1779.