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Hacking the creative Brain Denise R. Jacobs Future. Innovation. Technology. Creativity. Amsterdam, Netherlands 18 February 2013 Working Better to Create More
Hacking the creative Brain
Denise R. Jacobs
Future. Innovation. Technology. Creativity.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
18 February 2013
Working Better to Create More
Tweeting tall
talesI am:
@denisejacobs
We’re at:
#FITCAms @fitc
I’m talking about how to:
#hackcreativity
I used to have long hair
I’m part Vulcan. Srsly!
Photo: Stefan Nitzsche
I Almost adopted a chicken
I Like to make stuff
After writing this…
I had an epiphany
Empowered & empowering
Intro
Is this all
there is?
Live in Cubicalia
The BossMan
All of the pressure…
Oppressed
“Houston, We have a
problem…”
No, not these…
I mean this
Feel Like this?
Aka: Meh.
Out of Inspiration
Or this?
We need to be Conversant with
“Creativity is newness produced.”
★
“Creativity is the process of
developing original ideas that
have value.”
- Sir Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds
We are alchemists
Even though it feels like it…
“Creativity is magical, but is not
magic.”
- Charles Limb,
“Your Brain on Improvisation” TED
talk
Let’s get our hack on
1
emancipate
2
Adjust
3
Practice
4
Generate
5
Innovate
6
Produce
1
emancipate
Multitasking
Unclosed Loops (ZeigarNik
Effect)
Communication addiction
Busyness
The evil voices in your head
(“false evidence appearing real” or
“f*ck everything and run”)
causes unnecessary inhibitions which
obstruct the generation of new ideas
on a biochemical and neurological
level.
Fear
Banish you inner critic
Impostor syndrome
Comparisons
“An essential aspect of creativity is
not being afraid to fail.”
- Dr. Edwin Land
“Being right keeps us in place. Being
wrong forces us to explore.”
– Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas
Come From
Hack: Reframe #fail
2
Adjust
I’m talking about this
Balance Your Brain
Get your alpha on
Get physical
Hack: Shower
Hack: Be still
Lower cognitive filters
HACK: “Lo-fi” time
HACK: Deliberate
Daydreaming
Biophilia
Negative Stress > Eustress
Hack: Laugh
3
Practice
Eliminate distractions
Exercise discipline
Show up everyday
Clean-up your habit fields
Manage time
Delegate
Be Mindful – Do one thing at a
time
Restructure Work environments
Work standing up
Why? Because
4
generate
Look for problems to solve
Seek chanllenges
Change environments
Incubate to Generate
Gather and Curate
Zootool.com
Gimmebar.com
Pinterest.com
Imgspark.com
Scrnshots.com
Vi.sualize.us
Emberapp.com
Evernote
Diigo
Delicious
Flickr
Trello
Tools
5
Innovate
Do it with others
Bring brilliance together
Ideas are a network
The source of great ideas
Sameness
Diverse environments
Invite others to wonder with you
Share Ideas
Share mistakes
Co-work to collaborate
Parallel platy
IMprovise
Hack: Plus it
6
Produce
Tinker
Make Prototypes
Iterate
• observe
• suggest
• tinker
• review
• apply feedback
• reiterate
The d.school process
Get into the flow
• Cleared space – work area, time, head
• Concept in mind: know what you want
to achieve and what it looks like
• Necessary materials on hand
• Distractions eliminated
• Practice in place
• Willingness in place
All of the pieces in place…
Cavalier creativity
Outro
Easter Eggs
Level Up
Level Up
Joy in work
Creative Confidence
“…the confidence that, when given a
difficult problem, we have a
methodology that enables us to
come up with a solution that nobody
has before.”
- David Kelley, Ideo
“Whatchoo talkin‟ „bout, Willis?”
From this
To this
Full of ideas
Value YOurself
Ultimate outcome
delicious.com/denisejacobs/unfoldyourbrai
n
delicious.com/denisejacobs/creativityhabit
delicious.com/denisejacobs/brainoncreativ
ity
Resources
Articles for further reading (mine)
netmagazine.com/features/four-secrets-enhancing-creative-productivity
alistapart.com/articles/reigniting-your-creative-spark/
alistapart.com/articles/banishing-your-inner-critic/
Americomorales.com
Smashing Books #3  1/3
My chapter:
“Storytelling in Webdesign”
SmashingBook.com
Shameless Self-Promotion #2
The CSS Detective Guide
CSSDetectiveGuide.comtwitter.com/cssdetective
Shameless Self-Promotion #1
InterAct With
Web Standards:
A Holistic
Approach to Web
Design
InterActWithWebStandards.com
twitter.com/waspinteract
Shameless Self-Promotion #3
How to find me
DeniseJacobs.com
twitter.com/denisejacobs
slideshare.net/denisejacobs
Thank you!
