There are all sorts of limiting behaviors that hold back our creativity<\/a>. Lack of experience, for example, may cause you to think you\u2019re not yet qualified to share your ideas. In hierarchical organizations, it can sometimes be uncomfortable to offer a suggestion that you think would address an existing problem or pain point. But it\u2019s important to realize that these are self-imposed constraints. It\u2019s the kind of fearful thinking that allows bad ideas to be adopted because nobody in the room had the courage to point out that the emperor isn\u2019t wearing any clothes.<\/p>\n Creativity is all about redefining the boundaries and scope of what\u2019s possible<\/a>. Whether out of habit or fear, it\u2019s very easy to allow the realm of possibility to narrow. We cling to the same old policies and procedures not necessarily because they\u2019re the best way of doing things, but because \u201cthat\u2019s the way we\u2019ve always done things.\u201d In order to design truly creative solutions, you need to stop for a moment and reconsider your assumptions. Instead of saying \u201cWe have to do it this way,\u201d you should be thinking \u201cHow could we do this differently\u201d or \u201cWhy do we do it this way?\u201d<\/p>\n In the world of improv theater, performers always fall back on the concept of \u201cYes, and\u2026\u201d when they\u2019re playing off one another. The idea is that when one person presents something, you have a responsibility to accept it and then add something to it in order to keep the performance going. This allows performers to riff back and forth, with each person driving the scene forward while the audience comes along for the ride. If everyone just said \u201cNo\u201d all the time, the scene would never go anywhere and devolve into a boring, disjointed mess.<\/p>\n Design ideation operates in a similar fashion. When an idea is presented, it should have a chance to live, breathe, and grow. Even if the concept ultimately doesn\u2019t work out, the process of working through various versions of it and shifting perspectives on the problem can help lead to other creative solutions.<\/p>\n People love options. Choosing between clearly-defined options is safe and easy to manage. As consumers, we know how to weigh the costs and benefits of choices. But it can also be quite limiting. The world isn\u2019t purely black and white. When we think about the design process as a matter of choosing between predetermined (and often mutually exclusive) options, we shut down the potential for true creativity. Sometimes, the best solution to a problem is found in the gray area between those choices.<\/p>\n While creativity is typically depicted as a riot of color, it\u2019s actually more appropriate to think of it as a sea of gray. Devoid of color and texture, gray represents endless possibility. It could be shaped and sculpted into anything, with any color imaginable added to it along the way. Thinking creatively is all about living in this gray space between the options we already have. It\u2019s an expansive way of thinking that reframes the creative process, shifting it away from the simple cost-benefit analysis of making choices and opening up a potential universe of options no one has yet considered.<\/p>\n Nothing kills the excitement of an ideation session faster than someone crossing their arms and saying \u201cThat\u2019s a good idea, but we can\u2019t do that because (insert excuse here).\u201d It\u2019s an understandable response, and it usually comes from a well-intentioned place. After all, wouldn\u2019t it be irresponsible to waste valuable time and energy developing an idea that would cost too much or be too difficult to implement?<\/p>\n Um\u2026actually, no.<\/p>\n Creativity is all about being irresponsible. It\u2019s about thinking big and redefining possibility. Confining ideas and solutions to the same old constraints is going to lead to the same old results in most cases. If you enter every ideation session constrained by practical considerations, it will be difficult to find the inspiration to think beyond the status quo. It\u2019s an approach that might be able to address a lot of symptoms, but it doesn\u2019t effectively solve the root cause of a problem.<\/p>\nLet Go of \u201cNo\u201d<\/h2>\n
Live in the Gray<\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t Be \u201cRealistic\u201d<\/h2>\n
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