Online innovation stimulation
| Computer creativity doesn't stop on your desktop. Networking opens a whole
new range of possibilities. Some techniques involve the generation of a chain of
ideas - like the old parlour game of consequences,
where a set of
unlinked thoughts come together to produce a stimulating whole. Such
techniques work very well as electronic chain mail. As originator, you send
a brief description of the technique to your first helper. They make a
contribution and send it on to the next one. After a specified number of
stops, the mail is returned to you. Whether you use this technique with a specific list of contributors, or you ask your first helper to find a second person and so on, it is important to make sure that such mail is not sent to strangers. If you'd like to try this approach, come up with a short word picture which is vaguely linked to your problem. For instance, if you were looking at a better way of taking photographs, you might start off with "a big baboon sat on a tree branch, holding a camera". Now pass this on to a circulation list of around six, asking each contributor to add one short line to your descriptive paragraph. In this particular case, don't tell them what the problem is - the contributions will be more original without knowing the goal. When you get the result back, in a surprising number of cases the paragraph will contain the germ of an idea to solve your problem. It may need a lot of work to turn it into an acceptable solution, but the combination of your seed with some unfettered creativity will have done the trick. A similar approach can be taken with bulletin boards. A forum hasn't got the chain-like structure, but provides the opportunity to hit more people more quickly. Be sure, however, that your request obeys local netiquette - if you offend the regular contributors you are more likely to get flamed than inspired. The web is also an excellent source for creative stimulation. Sketch out on a piece of paper what you are trying to do. Then browse a regularly updated cool site - try http://www.bizniz.com/eurocool/ - looking for anything that sparks an idea. For more information on using creativity, the web can be a great help. Check out the following:
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