Visual and Creative Thinking What
we learned from Peter Pan and Willy Wonka Kelsey Ruger, Pop Labs

There is no life I
know to compare with pure imagination. Living there, you'll be free if you truly wish to be. Willy Wonka

creativity: cre·a·tiv·i·ty n. the ability
to use imagination to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods.

visual thinking: vis·u·al thin·king adj.
the practice of using pictures to solve problems, think through issues, and communicate clearly.

Life in the fast lane:
In an increasingly fast paced world we don’t make time for creative activities.

Keeping up with the competition:
It’s getting harder to innovate, produce new ideas and communicate at this pace.

What About Creativity? This can
be overwhelming for many professionals because many of the “standard” we put in place actually limit creative ability and competitiveness.

Wake-up latent childhood abilities As
children our world is dominated by stories, pictures and imagination

Visual and creative thinking techniques
can help reawaken natural visual and creative skills in adults

nurturing creative and visual thinking
in your organization • Learning and removing the myths that prevent creativity • Start using visual and creative thinking

First - You Don’t Have
To Be An Artist Visual thinking and creativity aren’t really about drawing. Drawing isn’t what makes it a creative activity.

The Myths of Innovation Scott
Burken - 2007

The Myths of Creativity

MYTH 1: creativity always comes
from an epiphany

MYTH 2: there is always
a clear path to creativity

MYTH 3: creativity is the
result of the lone innovator

MYTH 4: creativity always results
in greatness well great ideas anyway...

MYTH 5:
I’m not creative

MYTH 6: being creative is
a waste of time

MYTH 7: creativity is not
for adults or people with serious careers.

A Beautiful Mind Understanding Why
These Myths Exist

Beliefs are powerful: The beliefs
we have about how the world works often have very emotional origins. These emotions can change how we make decisions, form habits and develop skills.

our need for consistency is
stronger than just about any other intrinsic need we have. People will behave in a manner that is consistent with their previously existing self-concept, even when this behavior is unrewarding to them otherwise. Prescott Leaky

Do you have any sacred
cows? Sometimes an idea loses it’s meaning over time, but isn’t abandoned because of the investment in it’s past. These ideals are often so immune to criticism that those who challenge them are ignored or marginalized.

How do you overcome the
power of the creative myths? File Number: 4471239

Are you smarter than a
5th grader?

The chief enemy of creativity
is quot;goodquot; sense.” Pablo Picaso

The di erence between Peter
and the boys at this time was that he knew it was make-believe, while to them make-believe and true were exactly the same thing.

Overcoming the Myths of Creativity

Visual Thinking: Using images to
solve problems and communicate

• 80% of the brain
is dedicated to visual processing • Visual processing is not new, it’s part of our history • Written language originated from drawing and sketching

Tips for starting visual thinking

Visual Thinking Tip 1: Create
an environment for creativity

Visual Thinking Tip 2: Start
the habit of drawing

Visual Thinking Tip 3: Create
a personal visual library Text Text From “Mapping Inner Space” by Nancy Margulies, Nusa Maal, and Margaret J. Wheatley

Visual Thinking Tip 4: From
“Mapping Inner Space” by Nancy Margulies, Nusa Maal, and Margaret J. Wheatley Create a personal metaphor library

Visual Thinking Tip 5: Take
creative and visual thinking breaks

Visual Thinking Tip 6: Practice
Creativity

Visual Thinking Tip 7: Read
more ction literature

Visual Thinking Tip 8: Start
a visual thinking school • Schedule it - Set aside dedicated time • Be holistic - It’s not just drawing, not just brainstorming • Set objectives - What do you intend to learn

Getting Started: A Basic Visual
Thinking Toolkit • Diamond (Decision) • Vertical Lines • Spiral (Change in Direction) • Horizontal Lines • Circle (harmony) • Circles • Direction (arrow) • Spirals • Straight • Wavy Lines • Triangle (Relationship) • Jagged Lines • Star (success)

Kelsey Ruger
kruger@poplabs.com
www.poplabs.com
www.themoleskin.com