open your mind, open your library (slides): texas library association 2016

OPEN YOUR MIND, OPEN YOUR LIBRARY

M.J. D’Elia | TXLA2016

Photo: “Green on black/black on orange” by jurek d. (cc)

LEARNINGCreative Thinking Strategies

Photo: “Crayons” by Special (cc)

KNOW THE

NOVICE

LearningPhoto: “Crayons I” by peppered jane (cc)

KNOW THE NOVICE: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “find out how to find out” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 77-80

Franklin Lloyd Wright - Guggenheim (NYC)

KNOW THE NOVICE: PRINCIPLES

view situations with fresh eyes (like a tourist)

focus on learning like a beginner (not knowing like an expert)

KNOW THE NOVICE: EXAMPLE

Photo: “juggle” by jes reynolds (cc)

Innovation Boot Camp - Juggling

KNOW THE NOVICE: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Play ‘secret library

shopper’ and observe

Learn an entirely new skill (become

a novice)

“ Sometimes incompetence is useful. It helps you keep an open mind.

Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY

Learning

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY: INTRO

Story source: Daniel Buchner “Redefining Radical Innovation - CPSI 2010” [YouTube]

P&G : Swiffer : Continuum Design

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY: PRINCIPLES

translate insights from outside (steal like an artist)

explore broad adjacencies (follow your curiosity)

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY: EXAMPLE

Photo: “The Hero’s Journey mapping it out” by Lost in Scotland (cc)

User Experience Testing

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Sit in a public place and

watch people (20 mins)

Browse mags that don’t

usually interest you

“The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

Dorothy Parker, American author and poet

DROWN DISTRACTION

Learning

DROWN DISTRACTION: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “pause for thoughtlessness” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 107-109

Claude Monet and “Black mirrors”

DROWN DISTRACTION: PRINCIPLES

pursue what you love to do (find your flow state)

practice being present (forget multi-tasking)

DROWN DISTRACTION: EXAMPLE

Photo: “2010-2011 Planner - Week” by Angela (cc)

The week of no meetings

DROWN DISTRACTION: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Create a space for

daydreaming

Hold no-tech meetings

(put phones in ‘jail’)

“ There are always distractions, if you allow them.

Tony La Russa, Baseball manager

BRAINSTORMINGCreative Thinking Techniques

Photo: “Sticky note decorated elevator” by Pekka Nikrus (cc)

FREE ASSOCIATION GAME

Brainstorming

FREE ASSOCIATION GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Paper and pen ➤Choose one of the following words: ➤Airport ➤Submarine ➤Police station ➤Tattoo parlour

FREE ASSOCIATION GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Insert your word in the blank ➤How is a library like a(n) ___________? ➤Brainstorm ideas ➤Time: 3 minutes

FREE ASSOCIATION GAME: DEBRIEF

➤Reveals interesting connections ➤Surfaces novel insights ➤Forces us to look beyond libraries ➤Highlights stereotypes

ALTERNATIVE USE GAME

Brainstorming

ALTERNATIVE USE GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Paper and pen ➤Choose one of the following objects: ➤Travel mug ➤Fly swatter ➤Sandals ➤Dinner plate

ALTERNATIVE USE GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Brainstorm at least 12 alternative uses for the object you selected

➤Time: 3 minutes

ALTERNATIVE USE GAME: DEBRIEF

➤Encourages examination of other attributes (e.g. color, weight, shape)

➤Surfaces novel insights by forcing us to think for non-traditional uses

BUILDINGCreative Thinking Strategies

Photo: “Red & Blue geometric (7)” by Michael Sauers (cc)

MAKE IDEAS

TANGIBLE

Building

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE: INTRO

Story source: IDEO “Shopping Cart Concept” ABC Nightline (1999)

IDEO: Shopping Cart Challenge

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE: PRINCIPLES

build or sketch rough ideas (think with your hands)

push for tactile experiences (stay away from abstract concepts)

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE: EXAMPLE

Photo: “Learnies Cereal Box Strategic Plan” by M.J. D’Elia (c)

Learnies Cereal Box

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Build a prototype with craft materials

Brainstorm by drawing ‘napkin

solutions’

“ Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.

Edgar Degas, Impressionist painter

GO FOR

EMOTION

Building

GO FOR EMOTION: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “leave an impression” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 81-82

Maya Lin: Vietnam Veterans Memorial

GO FOR EMOTION: PRINCIPLES

design how people should feel (set policies and procedures aside)

turn ordinary into extraordinary (push for more than functionality)

GO FOR EMOTION: EXAMPLE

Photo: “The Simpsons Movie - Trailer #2” by Michael Sauers (cc)

Shooting a “course trailer”

GO FOR EMOTION: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Discuss an emotionally

relevant video

Share extraordinary experiences

“ Better to be without logic than without feeling.

Charlotte Bronte, English novelist and poet

FLATTEN THE

HIERARCHY

Building

FLATTEN THE HIERARCHY: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “open your mind” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 103-106

Andy Warhol and his Open Studio

FLATTEN THE HIERARCHY: PRINCIPLES

consider all ideas (regardless of the source)

germinate ideas at all levels (ideas can come from anywhere)

FLATTEN THE HIERARCHY: EXAMPLE

HatchFest

FLATTEN THE HIERARCHY: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Open projects to the entire

staff for comment

Use questions to invite

suggestions

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.

Sarah Ban Breathnach, American author

VISUALIZINGCreative Thinking Techniques

Photo: “ported my finance review into playdoh” by James Burke (cc)

OBSERVATION GAME

Visualizing

OBSERVATION GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Paper and pen ➤Look at the following photo ➤Record at least 10 observations ➤Time: 3 mins

OBSERVATION GAME: DEBRIEF

➤Distinguish between facts and interpretation

➤Encourages slowing down and paying attention to detail

➤Reveals larger patterns

ORGANIZATION GAME

Visualizing

ORGANIZATION GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Paper and pen ➤Think of your library ➤What is your role? ➤Who do you interact with? ➤How do you relate to leadership?

ORGANIZATION GAME: INSTRUCTIONS

➤Draw a picture of the library’s organization as you see it in your head. Put yourself in the picture.

➤Time: 3 mins

ORGANIZATION GAME: DEBRIEF

➤Surfaces patterns and perceptions ➤Visualizes relationship dynamics ➤Reflects on informal organizational

structures

PRACTICINGCreative Thinking Strategies

Photo: “Kids bicycle” by 5th Luna (cc)

BREAK ROUTINES

Practicing

BREAK ROUTINES: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “go from A to B via Z” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 232-234

Andy Warhol and his Open Studio

BREAK ROUTINES: PRINCIPLES

take the long route (efficiency is not your friend)

alter your personal patterns (all habits are bad)

BREAK ROUTINES: EXAMPLE

Photo: “untitled” by JohnBFenn3 (cc)

Standing meetings

BREAK ROUTINES: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Do standing (or walking)

meetings

Shift your work hours

(or work location)

“ If you want to change your art, change your habits.

Clement Greenberg, American essayist

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM

Practicing

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM: INTRO

Story source: Open IDEO “The Story of Doug Dietz: Creative Confidence in the MRI Suite” (2013)

Doug Dietz and his MRI Design

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM: PRINCIPLES

push things forward (small steps matter)

make challenges as opportunities (more chances to be creative)

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM: EXAMPLE

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Impose constraints and micro-deadlines

Frame obstacles as new creative challenges

“You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.

Jodi Picot, American author

BE POSITIVE ABOUT

NEGATIVES

Practicing

BE POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVES: INTRO

Story source: Rod Judkins “be positive about negatives” The Art of Creative Thinking, 2015, p. 29-30

Roy Liechtenstein

BE POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVES: PRINCIPLES

turn adversity into attention (the status quo is not a story)

find truth in the criticism (criticism really can be constructive)

BE POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVES: EXAMPLE

LibGuides

BE POSITIVE ABOUT NEGATIVES: TWO SUGGESTIONS

Post negative comments up on the wall

Share and celebrate

failure regularly

“ Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.

Winston Churchill, British politician

Photo: “Green on black/black on orange” by jurek d. (cc)

KNOW THE NOVICE

OBSERVE OBSESSIVELY

DROWN DISTRACTION

MAKE IDEAS TANGIBLE

GO FOR EMOTION

FLATTEN THE HIERARCHY

BREAK ROUTINES

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM

BE POSITIVE

Photo: “Green on black/black on orange” by jurek d. (cc)

If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?

T.S. Eliot

Photo: “Green on black/black on orange” by jurek d. (cc)

OPEN YOUR MIND, OPEN YOUR LIBRARY

M.J. D’Elia | TXLA2016

mdelia@uoguelph.ca @mjdelia