Book Description
THINKERTOYS will teach you how to generate new ideas for businesses, markets, sales techniques, and products and product extensions. Packed with fun and practical tools and exercises, it outlines 30 practical linear and intuitive techniques that can be used by individuals or groups to tackle and solve business problems in fresh, creative ways.
An updated edition of the best-selling business creativity book, with more than 30 brainstorming techniques and hundreds of creative-thinking tips and tricks. Revision includes new techniques, examples, and sections on group brainstorming and endgames.
Customer Reviews:
Most useful book I have read.......2007-10-16
If a significant portion of your life requires creativity that is attached to solving real-world problems, this book is tremendous. It offers tons of techniques with great details on how to get the ideas you need. It's a wonderful and useful read. In fact, it is, without a doubt, the most useful book I have ever read.
Valuable Tool for Brainstorming.......2007-08-10
Thinkertoys has proven to be an excellent resource guide and valuable addition to my library on creativity. Not only does it provide a variety of different brainstorming techniques, but it lays them out with an easy writing style. I have used this book in an applied creativity workshop taught to graduate management students and have found it to be very helpful.
Not the final approach to creativity, but useful, espesially for building confidence.......2007-08-01
My method of creativity: Take something you're not satisfied with. Start thinking what in it is unnecessary, what could be removed. Compare it to other such things and incorporate their features if necessary. Start combining the parts to all kinds of wholes that match your inner models of their ideal function. Keep on evolving, adding branches, developing, destroying. Ultimately you have arrived at something completely different.
In my opinion the only worthwhile creative practices are:
1. Being aware that you can be a creative person and that you have creative modes of thought that can always be accessed. Basically doing things that are weird and creative helps. Like I've been developing new writing systems for English and Finnish. There's no practical use for them really (even though they're already a lot better than the Latin alphabet). Just for the sake of being creative. You don't have to be artistic. That mostly means learning self expression and technique. The trick is to see that anything at all is really helpful in moving you towards new things. You just have to keep moving in all possible ways, use all areas of thought, and ultimately you'll arrive at something. Creativity is your friend.
2. Practicing knowing what your customers/target group are looking for. You have to be there earlier than they even know what they actually want. What this means in practice is just things like watching TV and being on the net and reading and following the trends. Be like they would be in 5 years. Have a sense of design that's better than their taste.
3. Practice things that have nothing to do with creative problem solving like dancing or whatever. Whatever you're motivated to do at the moment. Be familiar with all cultures, not only what's mainstream or popular at the moment. It all affects the way you think and generally you should be able to do and like and be confident of just about everything possible.
What this book does is make you aware that it's possible to ask questions from yourself and to work towards solutions from perspectives that seemingly have nothing to do with it. After a few pages you'll get the formula. Basically doing something like watching cartoons to solve your problems works just as well as any single thinkertoy. The key is that whatever you're using for inspiration, it cannot be too complicated. It has to be something that can be reduced to simple concepts. And the area that is in need of creativity also has to be reduced to simple concepts. So it's useful not to look at the whole thing at once, but identify some key areas and issues and work on them.
There's a practically infinite number of thinkertoys you can use. You can come up with them yourself too whenever you want to. Maybe this book will make you aware of the fact. If you already are, there's no use to refer to it really. You're already carrying a lot better and easier to customize thinkertoys inside you.
After working with creative problems for a while you'll develop a routine. It helps to keep you sane and flowing all the time. There will never be a dead end where you'll have no way of moving forward. Just abandon, restate, do something dramatic like macroevolution. But keep your ideas manageable at all times. You don't have to really memorize any creative thinking techniques. There are about a 1000 questions this book tells you to ask yourself when you need to be creative. And it's far from complete. Opening a random page when you encounter a dead end hardly gives you the best new approach. It's like dancing about architecture.
So I'd like to stress that the function of this book is to rather make you aware of your creative intuition than to provide techniques of surpassing it. There are no such techniques and you can't memorize them. This book is not the environment you'd like to be at when faced with a creative task. It's mainly useful for clearing blocks in your mind about the limits of what can be used creatively. If you know how it's done already, this book will be rather repetitive.
If you have trouble about seeing randomizing as a useful technique, read about dada. If you can't use things like sound in association to problem solving, become really interested about music. If you aren't comfortable with all areas of human experience, you can't really use them in problem solving either. Being aware that they can be used isn't enough. You have to have the intuition too.
That said, this book is really important to me too. But I just like to offer the other side. That creativity is like walking. There are no ways to reduce it to a successful formula that always works. But still, it's so essential that you really should read about it, a lot. I think if you're buying just one book from Michalko, Cracking Creativity might be better. Not entirely sure though. Just make sure you'll read and do a lot of other creative stuff as well, it really does pay off after some time.
Very good collection of "thought toys".......2007-07-30
Thinkertoys is a wonderful collection of tools for creative thinking. I am an engineer and purchased the book to help me stimulate new ideas. The techniques in the book open up places in the brain where one would not typically look for these ideas. I found the tools inside quite useful to stroke the imagination and, many times, look at old problems in new and different ways
Works!.......2007-07-21
When a book goes into its second edition of its print run, you can be sure it have a solid message to convey.
Kishore Dharmarajan
Author of Eightstorm: 8-Step Brainstorming for Innovative Managers
Average customer rating:
- Simplistic description - poorly written
- THE textbook for basic TRIZ education
- Interesting
- A brilliant model of problem solving
|
Simplified TRIZ: New Problem-Solving Applications for Engineers & Manufacturing Professionals
Kalevi Rantanen
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Entrepreneurship
| Small Business & Entrepreneurship
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Software
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
| Business
| Databases
| Directories
| E-mail
| General
| Introductory Guides
| Mathematical & Statistical
| Natural Language Processing
| Optical Character Recognition
| Personal Finance
| Spreadsheets
| Voice Recognition
| Word Processors & Editors
Methodology
| Software Engineering
| Computer Science
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Industrial & Technical
| Chemistry
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Nanotechnology
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Innovations
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Manufacturing
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mechanical
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Materials
| Chemical
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Research
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
And Suddenly the Inventor Appeared: TRIZ, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
-
Innovation on Demand: New Product Development Using TRIZ
-
40 Principles Extended Edition: TRIZ Keys to Innovation
-
40 Principles: TRIZ Keys to Technical Innovation (Triztools, V. 1)
-
Innovation Algorithm:TRIZ, systematic innovation and technical creativity
ASIN: 1574443232 |
Book Description
As customers and shareholders demand better products faster, more pressure is felt by technical professionals to develop it now and develop it right the first time. Considered the breakthrough design and inventive problem-solving approach of the past 100 years, TRIZ is a unique, algorithmic approach to problem solving that allows engineers, planners and managers to formulate the best possible solutions for technical systems problems and predict future product needs based on technology evolution and competitive advantages. Developed in Russia, the popularity of TRIZ is now spreading to Europe, the United States, and Japan, but until now no comprehensive, comprehensible treatment of the topic has been available in English. Simplified TRIZ: New Problem Solving Applications for Engineers and Manufacturing Professionals not only demystifies TRIZ, but it also shows how it can be used in new ways to enhance Six Sigma, Constraints Management, Supply Chain Management, QFD, and Taguchi methods to gain innovative and technological competitive advantages. This practical how-to guide teaches you how to solve problems creatively, and more importantly, shows you how to find and foresee the evolution of problems in the future. It provides many exercises, worksheets, and tables to further illustrate the concepts of this multinational method. Implement the same problem-solving tool that many Fortune 500 companies are already using with Simplified TRIZ.
Customer Reviews:
Simplistic description - poorly written.......2006-10-05
The method itself is extremely interesting, unfortunately the authors repeat the same examples over and over again. Very annoying. The style borders on boring. I would recommend definitely reading the book from Savransky as a much better example of TRIZ
THE textbook for basic TRIZ education.......2005-10-27
Simplified TRIZ provides the theoretical foundation for the beginner to learn the practical application of the TRIZ methodology. Domb and Rantanen present a cohesive and structured breakdown of the basic components of TRIZ: the Ideal Final Result and Ideality, Contradiction Theory, Resources, and the Patterns of Evolution. The book's importance is such that I use it as a supporting text for my basic TRIZ curriculum. The students find it easy to understand as well as demonstrative enough to teach application.
Dr. Domb's credibility (international TRIZ evangelist and editor of the TRIZ Journal, www.triz-journal.com) in the quality and innovation communities is such that this book MUST be studied if you are serious about TRIZ.
Interesting.......2005-08-02
I found the book very interesting, even if I was not able to apply it to real problems we face yet.
A brilliant model of problem solving.......2003-07-05
Using a perfect model, this books first introduces characteristics of GOOD solutions, then step by step, it describes triz problem solving tools (and strategy development tools as well) all integrated into each other.
As stated in the title, it's a simplified book so you can't find some advanced tools like su-field modeling in it.
Book Description
Written and field-tested by practicing consultants, The Consultant’s Tool Kit will save consultants both time and money-as it makes their work with clients much more effective. Each tool or activity is designed to solve a common consulting problem. Reproducible worksheets, exercises, and questionnaires are easily downloaded from the web and customized by consultants to fit the exact needs of each client—and help them effectively implement the solutions.
This collection of field-tested tools, customizable questionnaires, and techniques for working with clients provides crucial problem-solving help in areas such as:
• Managing and leading change
• Organizational initiatives
• Assessing team and organizational functioning
• Improving relationships between departments and business units
• Creative problem-solving techniques
Mel Silberman, Ph.D., (Princeton, NJ) is a best-selling author and editor. A professor of adult and organization development at Temple University, he is the author of Active Training.
Download Description
Written and field-tested by practicing consultants, The Consultant's Tool Kit will save consultants both time and money-as it makes their work with clients much more effective. Each tool or activity is designed to solve a common consulting problem. Reproducible worksheets, exercises, and questionnaires are easily downloaded from the web and customized by consultants to fit the exact needs of each client¿and help them effectively implement the solutions.
Customer Reviews:
A Solution Seeking A Problem?.......2007-09-08
A good book with some solid approaches to consulting that many have found to be useful.
The only downside, if you can call it that, is that quite a number of the solutions may not work well in a good number of real-world consulting assignments.
Overall not a bad read and worth further investigation if you're looking for something to lead you step-by-step through solving certain client problems.
Worth the Price.......2007-02-19
Part of my consulting practice is to create and facilitate group learning for various situations. I enjoy leafing through this book to both remind myself of tools, techniques and concepts I have explored in the past, and also to expand my options to incorporate new material into the mix. It is a bit like hanging out with a bunch of other consultants for a day to share ideas.
Valuable Book.......2006-07-17
This is a wonderful book that combines the expertise of a wide range of experts in the consulting field. Due to the different styles of the authors, the reader is bound to find several that really address their concerns.
The book is a useful toolkit as it has templates that one can easily adapt to meet their needs. Most of the common consulting problems are addressed. Among the readily useable tools are the various exercises, questionnaires and reproducible worksheets and techniques for working with clients, among others, which make this a very user friendly book that makes life easier for a consultant, particularly those like me that are relatively new to the profession.
This is a well written book that is easy to follow and understand and that should be a valuable tool to both the seasoned professional and the novice. It is certainly a very valuable reference book that can be used as a checklist when delivering services.
Awesome for Actionable Purchase.......2006-02-19
This book led me to synergist my P2P bottom-line best practices, to synergize both inside and outside the box, to leverage a value-added, results-driven mindset for their B2B core competencies in which their historical trends have led me to conclude that by doubling or even tripling their efforts of efficiency on the office front, it will yield a new entity of massive synergistic proportions.
A Good Thought Jogger.......2005-03-30
Silberman has brought together 45 different tools to help the consultant carry out a variety of projects. The book is probably due for a new edition, but many of the tools are as relevant now as they were when the book was published.
Because the book's scope is broad, it's best used as a way to frame your thinking on how to solve a problem, or to suggest a summary approach to a client issue. It's a good reference to be sure you're not leaving things out that you should think about, rather than a comprehensive guide to engagement problem-solving.
This is an ambitious book with lots of great ideas.
Michael McLaughlin, coauthor with Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants.
Average customer rating:
- Good book
- Lecturer and Engineer
- Fantastic Book: Not For Cry Babies
- Well organized, and entertaining intro to problem solving
- Surprisingly poor book considering the topic: Thinking!
|
Strategies for Creative Problem-Solving
H. Scott Fogler , and
Steven E. LeBlanc
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall PTR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Chemical
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Psychology
| Behavioral Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Science
| Behavioral Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General & Reference
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Social Aspects
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive Psychology
| Behavioral Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Behavioral Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Cognitive
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Intelligence
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
How to Model It: Problem Solving for the Computer Age
-
Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
-
MATLAB for Engineers (ESource Series)
-
Laboratory Inquiry in Chemistry (Brooks/Cole Laboratory Series for General Chemistry)
-
A Kick in the Seat of the Pants
ASIN: 0131793187 |
Book Description
Designed to help problem solvers improve their street smarts, this hands-on guide examines the components of problem solving, and presents a series of graduated exercises — drawn from a variety of industrial applications — to familiarize, reinforce, challenge, and stretch readers creatively in the problem solving process. Leads readers step-by-step through a complete problem-solving process — from encountering an ill-defined problem to identifying the real problem, effectively exploring constraints, planning a robust approach, carrying it through to a viable solution, and then evaluating what has been accomplished.
MARKETS: For students, new professionals, and practitioners.
Customer Reviews:
Good book.......2006-06-12
I used either this book or a similar one for my freshman engineering class. The reading and technical difficulty was appropriate for me in that class. Having worked at TRW, a little at GM, and now at Intel, I believe the concepts taught in this book are quite useful, and are practiced often by engineers at "engineering" companies. The problem is this book is usually read by students in their 1st year, then for the following 2 - 3 years of undergraduate schooling, students essentially sit in lecture classes learning concepts of science and technology. Come senior year, students are then expected to implement the lessons from this book as part of doing their capstone project, as if they even remember this book.
Written by two engineering professors as a book for beginning engineering students, the problem solving concepts contained in this book are appropriate for anyone working in any field; not just engineering. The problem is it does not introduce students to the reality of life as a working engineer and does not help students choose which field of engineering they like to join. The question begs then as to what is the reality of life as an engineer... Excluding engineering professors, here is what I picture as the realities of being an engineer:
1) Technology constantly changes. Part of being an engineer is always deciding which changes to adopt and which to ignore. For example, at my biweekly group meeting in Intel, our manager shows us new automation software that we as a group must decide whether or not we want to adopt. We don't write these software, but we have to decide whether or not we want to use them.
2) Our skills are not needed. Doctors will always be needed, because people always get sick or hurt. Teachers will always be needed, because people always need to be taught stuff. But as engineers, many of the services and expertise we offer society can be done without. If the price of gasoline keeps going up, a lot of engineers who specialize on combustion engines are going to find themselves obsolete. Likewise, the rank of analog engineers working at Motorola have dwindled over the past decade. Therefore, part of being an engineer is having to constantly learn new skills.
3) We are very replaceable. For example, a family physician obtains and sustains his business by spending quality time with each and every of her patients. Very few people, once they find a family physician they like, will switch to another one. The same concept applies to dentists, car mechanics, hairdressers, tailors, vets, babysitters, home repairmen, insurance agents, etc...
But engineers by and large work on producing a physical item; i.e. a computer, a car, a knee implant, a radio, etc... Outside of bridges, airplanes, power plants, etc... the final purchaser of our product will never come into contact with any of the engineers who helped designed or produced it. Therefore, price becomes more important in the purchasing of engineered products. The products engineers make must therefore improve with time. Continuous improvement is the key phrase here.
4) Related to the previous item, the personal relationships engineers work with are quite different than those of other occupations. Specificaly, if I am a vet, and one of my customers does not like my work, she won't come back again. Simple as that. In extreme cases I might get sued. Likewise if I am a teacher, and students and parents constantly complain about my teaching, I might get moved to another school, or assigned to teach different classes, before I get fired.
But as an engineer, a) our skills are so specialized and b) the products we produce can be so easily quantified in metrics, we in general are subjected to more (not necessarily harder) standards and guidelines. As an engineer, my customer is not Joe on the street, but is another engineer farther down the "assembly line" who has certain specifications he has for the product/service he expects, but who does not have the ability to fire me or find a different supplier. Therefore, engineering companies have produced a whole system of procedures, data collection systems, automation software, tracking software, and work practices oriented around quantifying and qualifying the work of engineers. The goal of course is to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of every thought, word and motion by evey employee. This is something that many individuals find hard to respect or appreciate when they first join Intel. In essence, working as an engineer means working not in a fishbowl, but in an aquarium tank; multiple eyes can and will look over you while you navigate the waters with other fishes present.
5) Automated devices and machinery. Engineers by and large are constantly working with automated tools of various sorts, sizes and dangers. Many of these tools are worth more to the employer than the engineer; so discipline and the ability and willingness to follow specific operating procedures is an absolute must for practicing engineers. At Intel, engineers get fired for operating a tool without having the proper certification, permission and documentation.
These then are the facts of life for engineers, and none of these are covered in Fogler's book.
Lecturer and Engineer.......2004-07-27
I would highly recommend any engineering student to read this book. It is worthy to buy and keep it on your library. This will be one of many most useful books you have ever considered in your engineering career.
Fantastic Book: Not For Cry Babies.......2003-07-30
This is mainly a to stress that problems can be solved with an open minded approach such as the authors recommend. Unlike the cry baby whose essentially useless review shows that he has not and never will solve any real world problems. Probably a disgruntled ex student who got a D-.
Well organized, and entertaining intro to problem solving.......1999-08-30
This is a systematic and well organized introduction. I used it with managers and students not just engineers. What was important was not just to follow an algorithmic approach but to imbue a way of thinking. It simply is not true that everyone has formed the discipline to use their mind following these or similar heuristics. We may stumble on them naturally, I agree. But for many people this is a useful revelation. In addition to the book, they have produced software to engage you in learning the problem strategies. Compared to many other books on the subject, this book has enough real world examples and strategies that it is not just pop psychology or wishful thinking or one more brainstrom with web-like diagrams.
Surprisingly poor book considering the topic: Thinking!.......1999-08-19
I read about half of this book before setting it down in disgust. The book is targeted to working engineers that are confronted with unique challenges on regular occasion. As such, I would have expected the authors to know a bit more about real word problem solving.
The authors basically postulate that any person, of any ability can solve any problem if they employ a problem solving heuristic. While a nice idea, and certainly politically correct, this is simply not the case. A good (adequate) engineer looks at a failed design or unique problem and without sitting down in a group brainstorming session or plotting his creative solution process on paper, she mentally decides what is important and then asks the necessary questions, performs the necessary calcs, researches the appropriate topics, etc.. I've never seen a talented engineer plot his problem solving approach on paper when confronted with a problem. Those engineers that actually employed a heuristic never solved the problems presented to them and ultimately lost their jobs. Either you know your material or you don't. You're either creative or your not. You have a strong work ethic paying sufficient attention to detail, or you don't. Period. Exercises (like those that the authors suggest) to increase your capacity for creativity are foolish, unnecessary and ineffective. (If you don't believe me, check out the book. You'll get a good laugh.)
The authors are clearly young academics that have no real information to offer the public in this book. While I believe that they meant well, I truly believe that neither of them has actually ever solved a real problem and they are therefor not qualified to sell a book on this topic. The accurate information that they do present is obvious to the most average of high school students. Consequently, this material can hardly be used in an argument to redeem this book's worth.
One good thing about the book: The authors include quite a few real-world examples and case histories that are both entertaining and insightful. The authors should have published a collection of these stories and omitted their useless dribble. (About 60% of the examples are useful. The remaining examples are over-simplified with significant details omitted. The authors regularly neglect important factors including: economic factors, regulatory body concerns, availability of resources, and others when they cast blame on the problem solver. This further indicates that the authors read a lot, but don't actually have any breadth of experience to draw upon) (If, indeed, the authors do have real problem solving experience; then I wonder how effective they were in industry. The way they tackled the problem of writing a book, I wouldn't hire either of them to sharpen my pencils.)
One last point to counter their foolishness: As dangerous as it is to make assumptions when a problem statement is sufficiently vague; it is the in-effective (and unemployed) engineer that doesn't draw upon his experiences to form a reasonable set of assumptions. The engineer that does otherwise takes three months to fold a drawing. I'd really like to see the author(s) work in the field; I need a good laugh.
Book Description
Looking for a unique invention, an untapped market for an existing product, or a new solution? Stretch your imagination with Thinkpak, a creative-thinking tool designed by Michael Michalko, author of the groundbreaking book Thinkertoys. This deck of illustrated idea-stimulating cards distills one of Michalko's proven methods, allowing you to view challenges in a new light. Shuffle, mix, and match the cards to spark fresh insights, then use the critical evaluation techniques to test, shape, and refine your ideas into realistic creations. Filled with thought-provoking questions and examples of the techniques put to use, Thinkpak provides endless creative fuel to fire up the imagination.
Customer Reviews:
Take this along on your next business trip!.......2007-06-19
Michael Michalko's "Thinkpak" cards are a handy little adjunct to his book, Thinkertoys. While the book provides you with in-depth instructions and sample anecdotes, however, the cards act as a quick, portable, self-contained brain-stimulator.
The deck includes an introductory card, a card of instructions, an explanatory booklet, 45 "idea stimulator" cards, and 9 evaluation technique cards. The introductory card and the booklet delve into something originally explored in "Thinkertoys"-a method represented by the mnemonic SCAMPER. The idea stimulator cards are similarly divided into these nine types of questions-with the backs of the cards color-coded by category-so that you can pick a card at random, pick a card from each category, or pick a card from a specific category.
The book includes a couple of games for group brainstorming, as well as examples of the SCAMPER ideals in general use and the specific prompts from the cards in use.
I believe the deck is best used after reading the book. The prompts on the cards are quick, simple keys to help you brainstorm, and I think these will work best once you've gotten a bit of a handle on how to brainstorm in general. Also, there are many in-depth exercises in the book that of course wouldn't fit onto cards.
The cards, however, have some wonderful applications apart from the book. They're portable and self-contained, making them easy to take along in your luggage, briefcase or purse. They're easy to distribute among the members of a class or team. They lend themselves well to randomness, which can help to spark ideas when you truly have no idea where to start. They're also fun to play with, which can help to loosen people up and get them into a more playful and creative mood.
The book was better.......2007-01-10
I purchased both the Think Pak cards and the book Thinkertoys. The cards are a good adjunct to the book if the group is familiar with the various techniques the author espouses. As a stand alone, the cards are only as good as the person who is faciltating the group. The cards do offer good ideas for taking brainstoriming to the next level or opening up your mind to new ways of viewing an old situation.
A delight.......2006-11-04
Fresh from reading 'Thinkertoys' and 'Cracking Creativity,' and without any foreknowledge of what lay in store, I purchased Thinkpac. I am thrilled. Based on the author's SCAMPER technique in Thinkertoys, Thinkpac is presented as a creative approach to brainstorming. The result is a valuable tool that is a delight to manipulate and amazingly effective. Thanks to Mr. Michalko's contributions to creativity, I have experienced a remarkable odyssey.
Review by Lee Say Keng "Knowledge Adventurer".......2006-10-19
Reviewer: Lee Say Keng "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURER/TECHNOLOGY EXPLORER" (Singapore) - See all my reviews
Thinkpak is just an extension of one of the creativity tools (SCAMPER) outlined in 'Thinkertoys'. It's just a pack of cards, but they are very powerful idea triggers.
The first time I encountered 'Thinkertoys' it was actually the first edition released during the early 90's, when it was also about the time I began to explore the various options with regard to my mid-life transition. In fact, I had initially spotted an interesting review in the Entrepreneur magazine.
I managed to trace the publisher & had immediately ordered the first 100 copies for my debut bookstore. It became the best seller in my store for many years. Then came 'Cracking Creativity' a few years later as well as the accompanying brainstorming card deck, Thinkpak, to 'Thinkertoys'.
What impressed me most is not so much the creativity tools outlined in both books. In fact, the most productive learning experiences I got out of both books are a few very important things, which I would like to share with readers.
Let's take a look at Thinkertoys. In the Introduction, the author started off with a visual puzzle: 'Can you identify the figure below?'
Only by shifting your focus, you can then see the hidden word within the figure.
In the author's own words, "...by changing your perspectives, you can expand your possibilities..."
Let's move to 'Cracking Creativity'. In the Introduction, the author introduced a simple arithmetic equation: What is half of thirteen?
The subsequent passages as outlined in Part I: Seeing What No One else in Seeing, & Strategy I: Knowing How to See, by the author revealed the secrets to getting many possible answers (or perspectives) to the above equation.
No creativity tool outlined in the above two books (or elsewhere in the world, for that matter) can help you to become more creative until you fully understand - & appreciate - what the author is trying to drive home in his two books.
In a nut shell, it basically boils down to one important thing: Use - & enhance - your power of vision! or power of observation!
The author may not be the first person to postulate this crucial aspect of creativity.
I would consider Leonardo da Vinci to be the first person to have understood & practised it religiously. He said, among a few other things, LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD. In fact, he put a lot of emphasis on using your senses, especially your sense of sight.
Edward de Bono had also broached this valuable concept in his groundbreaking series of lateral thinking books, starting with 'Mechanism of Mind' in the 70's.
I have always believed that you can't do things differently until you can see things differently.
Learning to see the world anew & from different perspectives is imperative if one wants to be more creative.
According to de Bono, creativity starts at the perceptual stage of thinking. He terms it, First Order Thinking. He added very beautifully: "This is where our perceptions & concepts are formed, & this is where they have to be changed. Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic."
The creativity tools, whether they are from the author's books or elsewhere, will then automaticlaly fall into place & make more sense when you have first exercised your power of vision or observation.
Using any tool is a piece of cake, but changing one's perception - & maintaining fluidity of perception as well as having multiple perceptions - takes concerted efforts.
It is also important to take note that when things (or tactics) don't seem to work out as planned, always remember to check out your observations of the world first. Simply ask:
- what do you CHOOSE to see?
- where do you DIRECT your attention?
The second most productive learning experience I got from the above two books is realising that all thoughts are simply feats of association &/or juxtapositions - & the crux of creativity (in fact, also learning) are making associations &/or juxtapositions. [Tom Peters, in his wonderful book, Liberation Management, drives home with this insightful nugget: "The essence of creation - in all endeavours - is chance connections between ideas and facts that are previously segregated. Entrepreneurship is the direct by-product of chance, of convoluted connections among ideas, needs and people." According to Leonardo da vinci, everything is connected to everything else. My question: CAN YOU SEE IT?] The creativity tools outlined by the author are specifically designed for this purpose.
The third most productive learning experience for me is understanding the differential between productive & reproductive thinking. To paraphrase the author: "...in productive thinking, one generates as many alternative approaches as one can, considering the least as well as the most likely approaches...in contrast, reproductive thinking fosters rigidity of thought..." More relevant aspects about the significance of & more specific strategies to develop productive thinking are excellently covered by the author in 'Cracking Creativity'.
To end this review, & in the light of what I have written, I would consider the author's two books as the dynamic duo...to be among the best in the genre! It will be really worth your while to get & carry the Thinkpak in your pocket at all times.
Great.......2006-10-19
ThinkPak is 56 individual cards used to create new and innovative ideas. Not only can the cards be used individually but also with groups, co-workers, teammates, family, children, etc. First let me demystify ThinkPak, ThinkPak is basically the technique of SCAMPER, but with some great additions. If you have not read the books Thinkertoys, or Cracking Creativity, SCAMPER is merely a way to create new ideas.
SCAMPER
S = Substitute?
C = Create?
A = Add?
M = Modify
P = Put to other uses?
E = Eliminate?
R = Rearrange or Reverse?
You merely get an idea or a problem and expand on them using the individual SCAMPER cards. In addition, you then can evaluate your ideas with the "evaluation" cards. Sound simple? Yes it is, but all too powerful!
Let me also start by properly labeling how the cards are separated, and put together into 4 different uses. From the ThinkPak booklet,
Card No. 1 is an easy -reference list of the nine principle strategies.
Card No. 2 outlines the basic techniques for using ThinkPak.
Cards No. 3 through 47 are idea stimulators, i.e. SCAMPER
Cards No. 48 through 56 are techniques that help you evaluate your ideas. i.e. "evaluation" cards
What makes the cards very nice is they are sort of "bullet-items" for SCAMPER, so the cards can do the walking. One side of the cards is some creative diagram visually labeling the card sets (just visual, nothing to use). The backside of the cards is where the information is. All of cards are numbered and the cards are filled with questions and examples, useful to understanding and using SCAMPER.
ThinkPak also comes with a small 61-page booklet with instructions on how to use the cards. The booklet is also great, I have read both of Michael's books and the little ThinkPak booklet gave me some new examples on how to use SCAMPER. Also in the booklet Michael gives some great examples on how people used ThinkPak in real life creative situations. There is a lot more in the booklet as well, including an area on how to use ThinkPak in-groups.
Lotus Blossam is also mentioned in the ThinkPak booklet. Another one of my favorite techniques for creating new ideas. Lotus Blossam is merely a special diagram you draw on a piece of paper that you expand your ideas with. You merely start with a central idea and you expand it outward from a central starting point. The diagram is expanded and is shaped somewhat like a flower (although with squares), hence the name Lotus Blossom. For an in-depth explanation of the Lotus Blossom, check out Cracking Creativity. One of my all-time favorite books, and a great addition to ThinkPak.
Two minor, but noteworthy quivers that I do have concerning the ThinkPak card deck.
No. 1 problem is the size of the individual cards. The cards measure at about 3" x 4 3/4" in size. This makes the cards rather bulky and not extremely pocketable. I would like to have seen the cards been a little smaller in size, something akin to regular playing cards. There is a lot of text on the cards and this is the possible reason for the size? The cards are a little large, but they are handleable. However, they are great size for business groups, or group brainstorming. They can be easily scattered on a table and then selected by your group, or thrown into a box and shaken vigorously. I usually separate my card deck into two piles and then select individual cards. The evaluation cards (48-56) I use mainly after creating new ideas, so they are usually always separated from the main deck.
No. 2 problem is the cards are essentially thin paper. I was curious if the cards would be laminated or not, sadly they are not. I enjoy my cards so much I merely fixed this problem by laminating my cards. Your local Kinko's will laminate the cards. Kinko's offers two different types of lamination (light or heavy) for all sorts of cards, layouts, pictures, etc. Rather inexpensive to laminate but well worth the time and effort. Now my cards are practically waterproof, pocketproof, and childproof :-)
These are only minor complaints for ThinkPak! I love my card deck and I find them very helpful. I also have always liked SCAMPER, and find it very idea-friendly. With SCAMPER, evaluation cards, Lotus Blossam and other ways to create ideas, be prepared to have a notepad ready because ideas will come so fast you may not be able to write them down fast enough! Yeehaww!
Book Description
Professionals today, whether scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, or managers, need to maximize their effectiveness. Real world problems are complex and must be tackled with adequate conceptual tools. Hard work and motivation are not enough. Professionals need to think strategically in order to choose the right problem to solve, to solve it in a cost-effective way, to use resources efficiently, and to be innovative and productive. Written in a concise, accessible style, Thinking Strategically goes beyond brainstorming motivational books to provide the power tools needed to dissect problems and to find innovative solutions. These tools are based on an understanding of the power of bottlenecks, paradox, scale and perspective constraints, and feedback as leverage points for getting a grip on the problem. The result is a practical book for managers and other professionals about the strategic use of effort that can lead to astonishing levels of productivity.
Customer Reviews:
An Outstanding Professional Guide.......2005-01-22
This is a must-have guide for anyone in, or preparing to work in, a professional field involving scientific discovery, creating things, or solving complex real-world problems.
What are the three pillars of professional productivity?.......2001-07-16
Knowing how to increase my productivity has benefited me in several ways: monetarily, satisfaction, competitive advantages for myself and clients, etc. Leohle explains why skill, motivation, and strategic use of time and effort results in professional success. Worthy library addition for any thinker.
Interesting ideas on how we can be our own guru.......1999-08-25
Politicians have trusted advisers and strategists who guide them in their every move. There are, however, many professions that require innovative thinking and decision making, and whose practitioners have to be their own strategists. Of course, people in such occupations could do what most people do, which is to use a trusted colleague as a sounding board for their ideas. However, many times a colleague is not available, and even if one were, there is no guarantee that he or she will have the level of discernment needed for a particular problem. It is possible to circumvent the lack of a guru, a spin doctor or a discerning friend, by verifying our own ideas before implementing them. Loehle's book Thinking Strategically: Power Tools for Personal and Professional Advancement, teaches us how to condition our intellect to think ahead so that we can plan a strategy to attain that which is important to us. Naturally, this includes choosing the best path whilst avoiding pitfalls, side-tracking and even derailment from the path. For that, we must learn how to study the particular, while keeping an eye on the whole, and to keep in perspective several logical and causal connections simultaneously. Then, when we master how to think by ourselves, we must learn how to be our own sounding board, that is, how to check our results against all possible errors that can occur during the thinking process and compare them objectively against a known standard. This aspect of strategic thinking is referred to as reality check. The author distinguishes two types: internal and external. The former is important because many of the patterns we perceive are not real but artefacts of our imagination or, may have resulted from an array of potential errors of thinking such as faulty generalization, bad use of logic, incoherence and bad risk checking. The external reality check is like scientific hypothesis testing or the test drive of a new car, and it requires us to submit our result to an array of tests to discredit it, and finally to peer review. One does not need to be a book worm to fully appreciate this book but being reasonably well-read in scientific and technological matters will help to fully appreciate the examples taken from the great innovators. Thinking Strategically is a cornucopia of rich pickings of allegories, common sense and wisdom tempered by the amusing illustrations of Richard Loehle. I recommend this book for anyone challenged to provide novel ideas or solutions to problems still untackled by routine manuals. pires.obrien@netmatters.co.uk
This book show you how to be your own guru........1999-08-24
Politicians have trusted advisers and strategists who guide them in their every move. There are, however, many professions that require innovative thinking and decision making, and whose practitioners have to be their own strategists. Of course, people in such occupations could do what most people do, which is to use a trusted colleague as a sounding board for their ideas. However, many times a colleague is not available, and even if one were, there is no guarantee that he or she will have the level of discernment needed for a particular problem. It is possible to circumvent the lack of a guru, a spin doctor or a discerning friend, by verifying our own ideas before implementing them. Loehle's book Thinking Strategically: Power Tools for Personal and Professional Advancement, teaches us how to condition our intellect to think ahead so that we can plan a strategy to attain that which is important to us. Naturally, this includes choosing the best path whilst avoiding pitfalls, side-tracking and even derailment from the path. For that, we must learn how to study the particular, while keeping an eye on the whole, and to keep in perspective several logical and causal connections simultaneously. Then, when we master how to think by ourselves, we must learn how to be our own sounding board, that is, how to check our results against all possible errors that can occur during the thinking process and compare them objectively against a known standard. This aspect of strategic thinking is referred to as reality check. The author distinguishes two types: internal and external. The former is important because many of the patterns we perceive are not real but artefacts of our imagination or, may have resulted from an array of potential errors of thinking such as faulty generalization, bad use of logic, incoherence and bad risk checking. The external reality check is like scientific hypothesis testing or the test drive of a new car, and it requires us to submit our result to an array of tests to discredit it, and finally to peer review. One does not need to be a book worm to fully appreciate this book but being reasonably well-read in scientific and technological matters will help to fully appreciate the examples taken from the great innovators. Thinking Strategically is a cornucopia of rich pickings of allegories, common sense and wisdom tempered by the amusing illustrations of Richard Loehle. I recommend this book for anyone challenged to provide novel ideas or solutions to problems still untackled by routine manuals. pires.obrien@netmatters.co.uk
Good content, bad writing.......1998-03-01
This book was higly recommended to me by a colleague, and after reading it I realize that the content is indeed very good. But the aridity in the author's writing style sometimes jeopardize the content. The text should be more pleasant to read, with more passion and more fun, but instead, it reads like a scientific thesis, with almost no emotion. The few times the author tries to throw a little humor into the text, it looks like it's out of context. But, again, it is worth reading for the very well structured message about strategic thinking tools and techniques, even if ater a while you become a little bored.
Book Description
Scenario planning allows companies to move away from linear thinking and better understand external change. Eight years (and 30,000 copies) after publication Scenarios is still acknowledged as the definitive work in the field. Now, Kees van der Heijden brings his bestseller up to date, following up on his original case studies and adding significant new material. The Second Edition changes focus slightly by providing more in-depth analysis and application of the concept of the 'strategic conversation'. While maintaining the underlying rigour of the first edition, van der Heijden revisits the text to make it far more practical and accessible, and in doing so gives you the tools you need to set out and negotiate a successful future course for your organization in the face of significant uncertainty.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive and Practical.......2007-03-08
I have found this book a delightful and enlightening read. I've been a fan of Scenario Planning since reading Peter Swartz's "Art of the Long View." This if the first book on the subject that i've read that actually provides the level of detail i wanted to see such that i could begin to practice scenario planning and incorporate the tools and language into my work environment. Great stuff.
Packed with Knowledge!.......2005-07-14
Many business books provide just enough information to whet executives' appetites for more advice accompanied by high consulting fees. Author Kees van der Heijden has written an exception. His comprehensive volume puts scenario building in historical context, explains its relationship to forecasting and tells you how to introduce scenario planning to your organization. Once you understand your corporate identity and your fundamental "Business Idea," he says, you can establish and enact informative scenarios that will prepare your company for several different versions of what lies ahead. In that way, scenario planning generates better decision making. We strongly recommend this book to top managers, strategists and planners, especially those who sense they're making decisions on the fly without having a structure for thinking deeply about future implications.
Written in stone, not in sand.......2005-05-27
I agree with the other reviewers, it is not a business novel. Fifteen pages per hour is a good score. However it is worth every minute. I recognise the strategy meetings that indeed most often strand in tactics at the very best. The idea of the Business Idea and the huge importance Kees lays on the need for an original, differentiating business element was for me the most important lesson. I am working for a 50 year old company, active in a domain that is under severe pressure of a rapidly changing business model,
after years and years of 'innovation' around the same theme. This work was an eye opener.
More than just scenarios, a book on strategic thinking & mgt.......2005-02-18
Disclaimer: This review is one of the assignments in a graduate course on forecasting.
First, I should say that this is an amazing book, but not necessarily an easy read. However, it repays the effort needed. A previous reviewer commented on the difficulty of the writing. I find the same thing, but it can be marked down to the Dutch/German writing style, which is both compact and tends toward longish sentences. Essentially this means that some sentences have to be read twice before the idea is absorbed. Let me be clear, this activity is well worth it!
This book is more than just about scenarios, offering a convincing and comprehensive understanding of how scenarios can and should be used as a form of strategic management.
Along the way, the reader is treated to clear and helpful explanations of such things as "the business idea of an organization" (ch. 3), "articulation of the business idea" in scenarios (ch. 8), "option planning" (ch. 11), and "the management of change" (ch. 12), among others.
Overall, scenarios as practiced and understood by Van Der Heijden (who spent 35 years at Shell and 6 years as an academic before writing this book), are useful tools. They are foremost organizational tools which are best used by entire organizations, not the solitary planner at their workbench.
If you want to understand how the future can be more accurately perceived (though not predicted), and how organizational learning can actually happen, then this is a worthy addition to the library of any management strategist or student of the future.
Great content but writing style makes for hard reading.......2002-10-17
Frankly I'm surprised at all the glowing reports without someone mentioning that this isn't the easiest book to read. Not that the language is difficult. Rather the sentences are long and often unclear, and there are too many reference to past and future chapters.
I'd suggest reading a few paragraphs before purchasing the book. You might find that this book is not for you -- it didn't do anything for me. I gave up half way through the book, maybe there was more value in the second half.
Average customer rating:
- fun team challenges
- A wide variety of great ideas.
- 3 activities with 1001 variations
- From the Creativity Editor at BellaOnline.com
- Must have! Wish I'd had it years ago!
|
Team Challenges: 170+ Group Activities to Build Cooperation, Communication, and Creativity
Kris Bordessa
Manufacturer: Zephyr Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Baby-3
| Ages 4-8
| Ages 9-12
| Animals
| Arts & Music
| Books on Cassette
| Books on CD
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Computers
| Educational
| History & Historical Fiction
| Issues
| Literature
| Obsessions
| People & Places
| Popular Characters
| Reference & Nonfiction
| Religions
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Series
| Sports & Activities
| Audiobooks
Experimental
| Contemporary Methods
| Education Theory
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Decision Making & Problem Solving
| Education Theory
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instruction Method
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Creativity & Genius
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Reasoning
| By Topic
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Family Activities
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Education
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Team-Building Activities for Every Group
-
104 Activities That Build: Self-Esteem, Teamwork, Communication, Anger Management, Self-Discovery, Coping Skills
-
The Big Book of Team Building Games: Trust-Building Activities, Team Spirit Exercises, and Other Fun Things to Do
-
Quick Teambuilding Activities for Busy Managers: 50 Exercises That Get Results in Just 15 Minutes
-
More Team-Building Activities for Every Group
ASIN: 1569762015 |
Book Description
Team Challenges promotes effective communication skills and teamwork. Designed to offer teachers, facilitators, and parents a wide variety of activities to cultivate children's problem-solving skills while fostering cooperation between group members, the activities in the book utilize common household items and recycled materials, and require no more than 10 minutes, start to finish. Presented with a challenge from this book, kids work cooperatively to solve open ended problems which can incorporate structure building, improvisation skills and physical tasks. The challenges will teach children to experiment with building methods, discover new uses for everyday items, try on new personas, and express themselves as they work together toward a successful solution. Team members are required to think outside the box, communicate clearly, and cooperate with each other in order to complete each task.
Activities include building structures from materials such as index cards, drinking straws, paper clips and sticky dots; moving items from one location to another without directly touching them; or presenting a skit portraying their solution to a hypothetical dilemma. Children will learn not only from each other, but also from observing how other teams navigate each task.
Pass some creative problem solving skills on to the kids (and adults!) in your life with the fun activities you'll find in Team Challenges. Adults who work with children will find this to be a great addition to their repertoire.
Ever found yourself with five extra minutes to spare, but nothing to discuss in that short amount of time? Turn to Chapter Five, and you'll find questions such as these:
*Name things that you carry on your back (a backpack, a baby, a monkey)
*Name things that you take out (garbage, Chinese food, an opponent)
*List things that are printed (newspapers, the alphabet, T-shirts)
Need a simple activity to occupy the kids and encourage them to work cooperatively? Challenge them to one of the Tiny Tasks, found in Chapter Four:
*Build a structure as tall as possible using 5 marshmallows and 10 drinking straws
*Create a bridge that will span 18" using 3 sticky notes and 10 cotton balls
*Create a continuous line as long as possible using 1 envelope and 5 recycled bottle caps
More detailed challenges are found in subsequent chapters.
Customer Reviews:
fun team challenges.......2007-08-14
I am a Destination Imagination team manager who is looking forward to getting my kids working on these team challenges. There are a variety of challenges in this book that are easy to prepare and set up for but they look fun, interesting and challenging. They are sure to make my kids brains work! Book contains good tips too!
A wide variety of great ideas. .......2006-12-16
This book offers all kinds of great activities that will help foster cooperation, communication and creativity within whatever group of people you're using it for. The tasks range from mental activities to physical ones and are easy to understand, fun to execute and can be completed with objects that you usually have around the house. The book is a great tool for your own children, birthday parties, classrooms and it's also a perfect teacher gift!
3 activities with 1001 variations.......2006-11-23
Essentially, this is a book for people with little-to-no experience with group games or team building. All of the activities listed were ones I already knew, and the large number in the title comes from the number of variations for each of 3 activities: building things out of everyday items (see how high you can build a tower with the given items), common physical challenges (get the group from one side of the room to another using various props), and improv/word games. If you have a small imagination and very limited knowlegde of common team building activities, you might like this book, but if you're already in the field and looking for a book of new ideas, keep on looking. This isn't it.
From the Creativity Editor at BellaOnline.com.......2006-05-11
Team Challenges is a resource book packed with ideas and activities for encouraging and developing children?s creativity, lateral thinking, and communication skills.
It's easy to see how these challenges could help to develop a child's confidence as well as exposing children to career and skill development options. Solutions are not necessarily guaranteed and children can be encouraged to continue thinking a problem through when the time is up and to present further ideas later, or even try the task again.
The challenges in this book emphasise creative and imaginative thinking and I'm very impressed with the author's ideas.
Must have! Wish I'd had it years ago!.......2005-12-21
We're a homeschooling family, and have started using this book in our co-op. It's so amazing to watch the idea of "team" unfold as we go along. This book is fantastic, so well organized and well written, and full of so many different ideas, you're bound to find something unique that works for every personality. We've participated in Oddessey of the Mind in the past, and I think this book should be on every group leader's book shelf. If you like helping kids and adults learn to work together, this book will take you to new levels of cooperation, and will likely teach you more about yourself than you ever thought possible.
Book Description
For true innovation, you may need to think outside the box-and outside the company.
Innovation is vital to the success of an organization. But often, "GroupThink" and "ExpertThink" stifle new ideas. This book presents the idea of using outsiders-people who are not a permanent part of a particular group or constrained by its preconceptions-to stimulate innovation. They may be employees from other parts of the company, consultants, or even people borrowed through "swaps" with other, noncompeting companies. These outsiders share three characteristics:
* related expertise: knowledge without the burden of "the way we've always done it" * renaissance tendencies: varied interests and experiences, with the ability to put ideas together in new and useful combinations * psychological distance: they are not tied to the hierarchy of the group, making it easier to propose unpopular ideas
Outsiders can help defeat the kind of thinking that can overcome teams and kill true innovation. The author reveals how to find and work with the right people and shows, through fascinating real-world examples, the huge difference they can make.
Customer Reviews:
Fresh innovation advice: think outside the gravity.......2007-04-05
This is a lively book. As befits its central image, the "Zero-Gravity Thinker," it moves lightly, traveling without friction through the challenging thicket of innovation. Cynthia Barton Rabe defines innovation simply and focuses on its human side. While her book does not provide specific guidance about what processes to use, or tell you how to innovate in your industry, it is an immediately applicable, solid introduction you can use to promote innovation. Rabe's creative successes (she was part of the team that introduced the Energizer Bunny) illustrate her points well. Her stories about skilled leaders who failed to innovate though they had the right training and personnel go a long way toward proving her central claim: Organizational attitudes blocking innovation are the main reason people don't innovate more often. We recommend this book to all those who are eager to innovate, and ready and willing to shake up their organizational structures to do so.
A good book for those commit to innovate!.......2006-12-28
The author, an innovation and strategy consultant, promoted in this book her concept of bringing in Zero Gravity Thinkers (outsiders with "psychological distance" from the team, "renaissance tendencies" (broad interests and capabilities) and "related expertise") to stimulate innovation by disrupting GroupThink (tendency to make decisions like the people with whom we work most closely) and ExpertThink (tendency to go along with the tried and true methods of experts). Frankly, I like very much her detailed elaboration and good choice of cases (esp the Naked Emperor and the Bluetooth). However, I doubt whether those companies in need of innovation the most could accept this concept and undertake the change. Quote from JC Penny, "The theory is splendid, but until put into practice is it valueless." Anyway, this is a good book for those who commit to innovate. Recommended!
p.s. Below please find some of my favorite quotes in the book for your reference:-
Insanity in individuals is something rare - but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs, it is the rule. Friedrich Nietzsche pg 23
Alfred Sloan, who ran GM from 1923 to 1956, was onto something when he said at a meeting, "Gentlemen, I take it that we are all in complete agreement on the decision here. Then I propose that we postpone further discussion...to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about." pg 39
The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress. - C.F. Kettering pg 143
The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile. - Plato pg 157
Promotes the concept of the 'zero-gravity thinker'.......2006-10-16
Companies rely on established procedures and knowledge to streamline and drive business - but what happens to innovation in the process? Often it's squashed, taking with it flexibility and quick responses, risk taking, and acceptance of change. THE INNOVATION KILLER: HOW WHAT WE KNOW LIMITS WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE-AND WHAT SMART COMPANIES ARE DOING ABOUT IT promotes the concept of the 'zero-gravity thinker' not weighed down by group processes or expert opinions. Chapters provide case histories to illustrate the hidden costs of conducting business in manners too routine to encourage innovation.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
How to overcome GroupThink and ExpertThink.......2006-10-13
Rabe defines innovation as "an application of an idea that results in a valuable improvement." Her definition emphasizes that the ability to think innovatively should be a goal for every function in an organization - not just the new product or technology team. As she correctly observes, there is a process by which ideas become reality in most organizations. "First there is typically a challenge or opportunity to be addressed. Then someone comes up with an idea for addressing it. A stage of development or fine-tuning typically follows (this can be very short or, in the case of some product or technology innovations, very long) in order to apply the idea. The final result? An innovation." One of her most interesting - and most valuable - concepts is of what she calls "Zero-Gravity Thinkers." The title of her book refers to the most common barriers to innovation: practicioners of GroupThink ("the strongest force on earth") and ExpertThink ("GroupThink on steroids"). They establish and then vigorously defend all manner of "filters" to diminish if not "kill" any perceived threats to the status quo. Rabe concedes that Zero-Gravity Thinkers aren't a "magic solution" to such barriers because "there is no cure-all for a stuck-in-the mud organization." However, they are a high-value tool when recognizing and then responding effectively to the aforementioned "filters."
Of special interest to many readers is what Rabe has to say about the leadership required when "going where no one has gone before." She does not limit her attention to leadership at the senior-management level. On the contrary, she convincingly explains why innovation leadership must be present at all levels and throughout all areas of an organization. Moreover, given the well-entrenched and highly-efficient "filters," the nature of the leadership required must itself be innovative. It must take into full account, for example, the perils of challenging traditional chains of authority and channels of communication. This is precisely what Jim O'Toole has in mind when discussing (in Leading Change) what he characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." The power of GroupThink and ExpertThink must never be under-estimated. When necessary, effective leaders of innovation initiatives are courageous enough to ignore convention and act on their own intuition and rational arguments of those outside the given organization. Also, they are prudent but not risk-adverse. They never state or even imply that innovative thinking is acceptable only without the possibility of failure. What Rabe offers in this volume is a rigorous and thorough examination of who and what can "kill" innovation...and offers practical advice as to how to respond effectively and productively when opposed by them.
Good start to help innovation.......2006-09-22
There are some good key points to take away from Innovation Killer. Cynthia Rabe spent much of her career in Intel then left to start her own innovation firm. The book uses basic ideas that can take away from or lead to innovation. The book was a quick read which I would recommend based on the fact that people tend to get caught hung up in the mistakes that take away from innovation.
The ideas that bother her the most are GroupThink and ExpertThink which she describes "as groupthink on steroids". Groupthink is the idea that everyone in the group will follow the majority. The weaker group members will not dissent because the majority commands the choices. ExpertThink means the same thing except there is a person that is highly qualified that leads the group into a bad idea. The group will not speak up because the "expert" could be there boss. These are two common mistakes and Rabe shows plenty of examples to get her point across.
The entire premise of the book focuses on Zero Gravity Thinkers. A Zero Gravity Thinker (ZGT) is well rounded in three areas that set him/her apart from the group. The first is psychological distance. This means there is an objective thinker set apart from the group so his/her decision is not influenced by the group (groupthink). The next is renaissance tendencies meaning the person is well rounded is several areas and never stops learning new ideas. This is good because the ZGT can link ideas together easier than other group members. Then to finish the cycle there is related expertise. This is the one that does not flow with the other two areas. Rabe says that it is good to be naïve sometimes. The related expert can link his field with the group's field then it is good for innovation.
The last section of the book details how a ZGT fits into the group and can help innovation. She discusses Big Picture problems that a ZGT can help with and that hiring consultants can help innovation. The ninth chapter in the book tells how to work with a ZGT. She discusses a process that should be followed or include some of the steps to help promote innovation. The last chapter tells the reader how to help become a ZGT.
The book as a whole became repetitive at times, but it was a quick read that can help many people that are stuck in a rut and will not move. The book is definitely easier to read if you have studied innovation and the other ideas discussed in the book. I would recommend the book because it can help and everyone should understand how to avoid killing innovation. I take a star away because the book did a get repetitive that is the only reason; the repetition does not slow the book, but I have studied these ideas for the past year so I became a little bored with it.
Book Description
NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming)trainers and authors O'Connor and McDermott unlock the mysteries of systems thinking and offer practical suggestions, exercises, and tips.
Customer Reviews:
It is the fundamental approach to Systems Thinking.......2006-06-13
This book got me into systems theory in a basic and safe manner without the jargon, the phylosophical mumbo-jumbo or esoteric theories, it accomplishes what the authors goal was, a practical no-nonsense guide for inmediate applications.
If you are new or have been confused by other approaches then you will be in goods hands with this book
Good read but kind of light.......2004-04-08
"Art" of Systems Thinking was an illuminating book about the abstract concept of systems, and applying it to different practical instances. Overall it was interesting, but I expected it to be more mathematical and rigorous, instead of being more psychology based.
poorly designed book: not adequate for its' subject.......2004-01-24
It's hard to know what to say. There wasn't enough juice to this book that it kept my interest. The writing style is dull and pedantic, the examples are trivial, the illustrations useless. There is something fundamentally wrong with this entire genre of *thinking skills* books. The authors usually show little ability to relate complex, real world problem solving to higher models or theories. It appears that there are two classes of writer: those with much practical experience and good war stories who rely on instinct and intuition, and those who read like they have been up in their ivory towers and do nothing but trade academic papers back and forth. For some reason the two never meet so we are forced to choose between guys who don't know how to translate the thought processes behind their actions into words OR guys who have no idea of how they could bridge their concepts into profitable, concrete action. This book, regrettably, falls squarely into the second category of think-a-mush. Completely uninspiring. Typical of books that are forced on unfortunate college students. Save your money for something better, whatever that might be.
Great Introduction to system thinking - but read the title.......2004-01-14
I think the title of the book sums it up.
For the word Art: read ART. Expect broad brush stokes about concepts, lots of story telling. Ideas, big picture stuff. Great framework for stimulating thought, getting a feel for the ideas and going on to explore them. You may be disappointed if you expect rigorous maths or science or much detail about the mechanics of system dynamics.
Essential skills - expect broad real life applications for the ideas, lots of questions to challenge and update your mental models Maybe don't expect to be able to map the ecosystem in your front garden or solve world hunger (yet)
Creativity and Problem solving - the emphasis here is on applying systems thinking as a skill. The tone is very much 'thinking about thinking'. That is 'what mental model do I hold about thinking'. How does the model of reality I am creating in my head effect the system. Does the reality create my thinking or my thinking create reality (or is this a loop?)
If all of this system's stuff has anything to offer, then the application of its own thinking would suggest more people need to have these thinking skills at their disposal. Hope to see a pop up/colouring in/video game version soon.
excellent.......2003-09-24
this book really gives different focus about the way we think, and help to improve our life.
Books:
- To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design
- Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems
- War Without Mercy: Race and Power in the Pacific War
- What Is A Scientist ?
- A Wrinkle in Time
- Ace the IT Resume!
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
- Biology: Concepts & Connections with Student CD-ROM (5th Edition)
- Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management
- Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- W. E. Gladstone III: Autobiographical Memoranda, 1845-1866
- The Mother of All Pregnancy Books: The Ultimate Guide to Conception, Birth, and Everything In Betwee
- The Almond: The Sexual Awakening of a Muslim Woman
- Stearn's Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners: A Handbook on the Origin and Meaning of the Botani
- The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus
- Regression Methods in Biostatistics: Linear, Logistic, Survival, and Repeated Measures Models
- The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls
- God's Dog: The North American Coyote
- Riding West: An Outfitter's Life
- Busted: A Vietnam Veteran in Nixon's America
Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius
Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck
Six Thinking Hats
Creativity Games for Trainers: A Handbook of Group Activities for Jumpstarting Workplace Creativity (McGraw-Hill Training Series)
Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step (Perennial Library)
