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听Develop innovative and creative solutions. Recognize problems and opportunities, take initiative to generate and implement solutions that are effective and efficient. Demonstrate flexibility, tolerance for ambiguity or unpredictability, willingness to take appropriate risks, and interest in exploring the unknown.听

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Jump to section:听Understanding Innovation & Creativity | Cultivating Innovation & Creativity | Quick Guide to Innovation & Creativity听|听Taking Action | Resources | References

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Understanding听Innovation & Creativity听

The process of creativity and innovation occurs in two stages: the creativity stage during which ideas are generated, followed by the innovation stage when those ideas are implemented toward improving existing procedures, approaches, or products 鈥� or creating new ones.听^[]听The notion of Innovation goes beyond that of Invention to involve the diffusion of the novel product or idea.听^[]听听

While aspects of creativity are generally experienced at an individual level, innovation may occur at an individual, team or organizational level and is often linked to an outcome, the result of the implementation process (e.g., economic, educational).听^[]听Fourteen key components of creativity have been identified as part of a proposed model to better evaluate creative practices (Figure 1).听

Why does it matter?

In 2020, the World Economic Forum have ranked Creativity third 鈥� after complex problem solving and critical thinking 鈥� in the top 10 essential skills for success in the anticipated Fourth Industrial Revolution (e.g., emerging breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and The Internet of Things - any computerized device connected to the internet).听^[][]听

As financial, environmental, political and social crises persist, it is imperative to pursue creative and sustainable routes in order to conceive new strategies and tools for solving problems and accomplishing goals (e.g., electric cars to reduce carbon dioxide emission).听^[][]听In fact, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the implementation of technological innovations in the achievement of its 17-goal plan for a sustainable planet and population听^[][]听

In the business world, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) form 60 countries considered creativity as the single, most important personal attribute and a limiting factor for economic growth and future business success.听^[]听

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Cultivating Innovation & Creativity

In educational institutions, organizations, or at home, cultivating innovation and creativity starts by securing a safe and healthy environment wherein individuals are encouraged to share and implement new ideas.听^[]听Promoting healthy habits in the workplace has been shown to increase employees鈥� creativity.听^[]听In fact, top employers such as Google (which has a 鈥淐hief Happiness Officer鈥�) promotes healthy practices by designating break zones for socialization, rest, and gaming;听thus听promoting a culture of creativity, innovation, and productivity.听^[]听

At the individual level, adopting a healthy lifestyle and engaging in recreational activities, such as listening to music, stimulate idea generation and boosts creative thinking.听^[]听While creativity may invoke spontaneous idea generation, being creative in school or at work is rooted in the practical understanding of the problem you are trying to solve. In complex problem solving, creative idea听generation entails the conjunction of two thinking processes: the exploration of many possible solutions to a problem (i.e., divergent thinking), followed by the organization of emerging ideas to听make a decision听on the best solution (i.e., convergent thinking).听^[]听

In his famous work on Creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi highlights the five steps for an effective creative process:听^[]听听听听听

1. Identifying a Problem听鈥� immerse yourself in a compelling problem that you deem worth solving. You may turn a crisis into an opportunity!听听
2. Gathering and Reflecting听鈥撎齩n relevant information and past uninvestigated solutions. Consult with experts听as a way to听get reliable information and perhaps inspiring advice.听听
3. Exploring the Problem听鈥� Discover the roots of a problem by open-mindedly examining all possible layers. Identify the pain points (i.e., perceived or real problem requiring an innovative solution) by communicating with your potential clients/users to reach a satisfactory solution. Consider strategies for defining and assessing a problem: the听5 Whys,听Cause and Effect Analysis, and听Root Cause Analysis.听听
4. Generating and Evaluating Ideas听鈥� Use strategies such as听Brainstorming听to inspire ideas. Remember to maintain an open mind before dismissing ideas. The best discoveries and inventions often occur by 鈥渢aking the road less traveled.鈥� To examine different perspectives, try strategies such as the听Six Thinking Hats听or听The Reframing Matrix. Choose criteria 鈥� such as risks, impact, product quality, or your team鈥檚 tolerance for change 鈥� to guide your evaluation. For instance, ask yourself: does the value of your ideas outweigh the time and money costs of implementation?听听
5. Implementation (innovation)听鈥� commit to your idea(s) and create a business and communication plan to implement it. Get ready to be persuasive in selling your story to various stakeholders, including potential adopters (e.g., internal clients) or investors. Consider an authentic and compelling pitch about who you are as a team and the story of your product. What makes your product better than an existing one? What value does it add? Does it create a new market or solve an old but important problem?听听

A successful execution of your creative effort brings on motivation to repeat this process. Note that creativity is not a linear, unidirectional process. For example, new problems may arise along the way and can be addressed by going back to previous steps. As such, steps 1, 2, and 3 are continuously revisited. However, it is important to know when to stop your reflections and exploration of a problem and move on to the next step.听听

TRIZ (Russian acronym for the "Theory of Inventive Problem Solving鈥�) is a systematic听problem solving听tool to improve a product, process, or system.听^[]听This approach was conceived as a result of studying recurrent problem-solution patterns across various fields (e.g., management, chemical engineering, etc...) and resulted in听听to identify generalized solutions that could be applied to a particular problem. Check out听听and听听for more information on how to use this method.听听

McGill, like many renowned educational institutions, is promoting an interdisciplinary learning approach - which is inherently a creative learning approach - to help students make connections between concepts and apply creative solutions across different disciplines (e.g., Psychosocial Oncology program and听others). Students can spearhead the implementation of innovative ideas and products through available opportunities, where often awards and recognition are given as incentive in promoting innovation (e.g.,听McGill Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship awards,听). Innovation opportunities can also be found at the Faculty level (e.g., the听McGIll Engine听offered by the Faculty of Engineering). Ask your supervisor, department, or faculty about available opportunities in your field.听

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Quick Guide to Innovation & Creativity听

1. Identify potential factors that may be positively or negatively impacting your creativity. To help you get听started,听 here听are examples of some factors known to influence creativity:听听

2. Personal factors: your values, skills and abilities, or the famous Big Five personality dimensions: conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness, extraversion, and neuroticism, all of which influence creativity听^[][]听听

3. Contextual factors: physical environment or your supervisor鈥檚 leadership style听^[]听

4. Cultivate a wide range of idea creation methods and techniques (e.g., brainstorming, mind mapping)听^[]听

5. Develop your听interpersonal听and听presenting听skills so that you can share your innovative ideas persuasively and to overcome potential resistance to change听^[]听

6. Be resilient听and view failure as a learning opportunity听^[]听

7. Challenge the status quo in thinking and the traditional viewpoints within an area听^[]听

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Taking Action

Professional Development & Training听

• :听A听guide听to听learn creative ways听to put your ideas and thoughts to paper and present to听others.听

• :听A听2-day听program听in which participants will learn how to provide more impactful, advanced, and sustainable solutions to complex problems in the business world听

• Participate in听McGill Research and Innovation Workshops and Events听

• Check听for upcoming workshops and programs by searching for events tagged with this category: Innovation and creativity.

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Resources

Websites

• McGill Research and Innovation: This site provides key research guidelines to students, faculties, partners and industry members. The site also听provide听information on the听commercialization听of intellectual property including, patents, copyrights, and trademarks.听

• This organization aims to support innovation and entrepreneurship through their world class laboratory.听

• A Montreal non-profit organization that offers financial support to research and development projects in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).听

• 听by Professor Leslie Owen Wilson: a comprehensive resource for varied creativity topics including levels and types, inspiration, creative thinking.听
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Books & Articles

• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

• Johnson, S. (2010). Where good ideas come from: The natural history of innovation. New York: Riverhead Books.

• Catmull, E. E., & Wallace, A. (2014). Creativity, Inc: Overcoming the unseen forces that stand in the way of true inspiration. Toronto: Random House Canada.

• Kelley, D., & Kelley, T. (2013). Creative confidence: Unleashing the creative potential within us all.

• Kelley, T., & Littman, J. (2001). The art of innovation: Lessons in creativity from IDEO, America's leading design firm. New York: Currency/Doubleday.

• Dyer, J., Gregersen, H. B., & Christensen, C. M. (2011). The innovator's DNA: Mastering the five skills of disruptive innovators. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Press.

• Linkner, J. (2011). Disciplined dreaming: A proven system to drive breakthrough creativity.
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Need Help?

• McGill听Office of Innovation and Partnership.听
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References