Innovation Therapy

Innovation Therapy

Activity: Cross through all nine dots by drawing no more than four straight lines (without lifting the pencil from the paper)

Can you find more than one way?

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Who are you?

Claire FerraroGraduated from the University of MichiganMechanical Engineer in Patient Care DevicesI like to play tennis and try new restaurants

Lynn DavenportElectrical and Biomedical Engineering degrees from Northwestern University and Purdue UniversityLead System Engineer for Spinal Cord StimulationI have two young sons that keep me very busy (soccer, preschool…)

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Your solutions---how many did you identify?

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What barriers stopped you from coming up with these solutions?

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YOU!And You’re Assumptions!

Use your assumptions as a tool rather than a limitation!

• Production blocking (tendency for one individual to inhibit others)• Team / process overconfidence (cognitive biases)• Ownership / leadership needed to create value from ‘ideas’• Favors extroversion; limits reflection• Culture Dependent• Can feel disorganized if no clear actions or “take aways”

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Power of Identifying Assumptions

“We can’t solve problems by using the same type of thinking we used when we created them.” –Einstein

Assumptions are…• Factual type statements about something someone

could believe to be true or false o they can be contradictory and redundant; they are potential

constraints o statements of potential bias; Statements are real or perceived

facts

Assumption≠

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Assumption Storming

Activity: List assumptions about a coffee maker

Ground Rules….• Ad hoc – respectful, but no turns• No scribes – write, then say your assumption/idea• No experts!

– No assumption is a bad one!

Remember to stretch your mental muscles, it should get uncomfortable at the end

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Coffee Maker Redesigned

http://www.incrediblethings.com/lists/incredible-coffee-maker-designs/

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Keys to a Successful Environment for Ideating

1. Create well-defined problem statements

2. Playful Rules – Be Energetic

3. Build and Jump

4. The Space Remembers – Write everything down

5. Stretch Mental Muscles – Challenge yourself to think differently

6. Get Physical – stand up, walk around, actively participate

Most importantly - No criticizing ideas. Instead, use “Yes, And!”Source – “The Art of Innovation” by Tom Kelley

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How to get started in your workplace?

• Identify a need/topic prior to assumptions• Topics should not be related to participants expertise• Present background information on topic• Start with assumption storming until all muscles are

stretched!• Develop ideas and build on one another• Summarize and document ideas