Teaching Innovation

Alan Dix

Lancaster University

www.hcibook.com/alan

Ministry of Educationmission

“creative thinking skills and learning skills

are essential for the future”

http://www1.moe.edu.sg/educatio.htm

Ministry of Educationdesired outcomes of education

“be innovative”“be creative and imaginative”

“be able to think independently and creatively”

http://www1.moe.edu.sg/desired.htm

why me?

• human–computer interaction– complex (computers and people!)– rapidly changing => innovation

• research– professionals do it– academics know about it… an academic about academia

culture

culture

occidental oriental

individual community

opinion authority

academic

objective

reasoning

different disciplines

• technology– science: objective, reasoning– invention: esoteric, imagination

• fine art– west: inspiration, the muse– east: discipline, study

• music– skill, discipline, interpretation

creative steps – the ant

• lots of small steps• incremental• evolutionary• convergent

creative steps – the flea

• great leaps• unguided• revolutionary• divergent

creativity is hard

avoiding crocophants

Professor Alan’sformula for creativity!

structure + diversity

innovation

structure

everything in its place

• names• taxonomies• dimensions• multiple classifications

using multi-classifications

• to spread literature search

X

using multi-classifications

• to spread literature search• to identify gaps

somator other

thing-amibob

somatelse

?

using multi-classifications

• to spread literature search• to identify gaps• to discover trends

thing-amibob

somatelse

?

?

using multi-classifications

• to spread literature search• to identify gaps• to discover trends• to uncover abstractions

somator other

thing-amibob

somatelse

differentagain

? ?

using multi-classifications

• to spread literature search• to identify gaps• to discover trends• to uncover abstractions• to synthesise solutions

somator other

thing-amibob

somatelse

?

what and why

• what’s good about something• what’s bad about it

• why?

… avoids crocophants …

diversity

imagination and play

what if thinking

imagination = looking ahead

the foundation of science and technology

random metaphors

using PowerPointis like

playing a violin

random

bad ideas

• deliberately silly/bad ideas– e.g. glass hammer

• analyse it– what’s good, what’s bad

• assume it is a good idea– car salesman, pretend it is optimal

why bad ideas

• reduce personal commitment• fun group exercise

• to train critical thought• to inspire good ideas!

plus more opposites …

creative tension

• justification & evaluation• qualitative & quantitative• broad & deep• abstract & concrete• deconstruction & reconstruction