Creativity Challenge 2002

COMBINATORY PLAY—Thanks Al

Creativity Challenge 2002 #49

Early in THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE CLASS on page 31, Richard Florida talks about "Creativity involves the ability to synthesize." Then he gave Albert Einstein for calling his own work "combinatory play," or deliberately combining unrelated "data, perceptions and materials to come up with combinations that are new and useful."

The ability to synthesize is one of the mental traits often measured by researchers of creative thinking abilities and often discussed by authors about creative people as one of their strongest traits. It has often been assigned to the "right brain" as one of its natural skills.

Let's expand our creative thinking skills by synthesizing through "combinatory play" this week.

To be systematic consider combining things from different fields.

Begin your preparation by making a quick list of occupations a to z

A artist B baker C cabinet maker D dentist E educator F finance officer G gold digger (actual or metaphorical) Etc.

MONDAY
Combine occupations C and L and W and list some possible new products.

TUESDAY
Combine occupations X and O and F and list some possible new services.

WEDNESDAY
Combine occupations M and E and G and list some possible ways they might improve middle school education if they were brought in as possible consultants.

THURSDAY
Combine occupations A and K and S and list some possible new sports they might create if they went into business together.

FRIDAY
Combine occupations J and Q and W and list some possible new candies they might create if they went into business together.

Please share some of your results and ideas.

Have a fantastically combinatorily creative week.

Alan

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