Creativity and Design Thinking

The continuous growth of competition and the complexity of the business environment are often quoted as the main reasons for wanting to enhance creativity and therefore support innovation processes within organisations. IBM 2010 Creative Leadership Study found that leaders who embrace the dynamic tension between creative disruption and operational efficiency can create new models of extraordinary value. Meanwhile creativity is a complex phenomenon which reveals an ambiguity when we talk about it in the management field. This course has been designed to introduce you to the concepts of creativity and its importance within organisation. In addition, the course places emphasis on design thinking and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methods and how these methods help the ideation process through unleashing individual and collective creativity. Furthermore the course looks at how creativity and innovation relate to leadership. Of particular importance are the design thinking and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® workshops which will be highly practical. The team processes and outcomes are also examined to support learning from practice.

After the training the participant will be able to:

• understand the fundamentals of creativity as embedded in the knowledge system, particularly its importance at early stages of innovation processes (ideation)
• understand and apply creativity Design thinking and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® methodologies
• analyse how creativity and innovation relate to leadership and team dynamic
• develop creative solving skills and the ability to work constructively with peers

Session 1

Development views and definitions of creativity: In part 1 we will consider the complex nature of creativity and examine what creativity is and why it is important. You will be introduced to the concept of mapping method in ideation processes and asked to framework and reflect on the interrelationship between creativity and other concepts such as innovation, sustainability…

Session 2

Part 2 focuses on collective creativity.
You will be introduced to the fundamentals of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and Design Thinking Methodologies and asked to use these methodologies to work on a project dealing with various ambiguities and dilemmas. You will work as a team following an approach of experiential learning (learning through doing). Your team task will be to framework the issue and extract guiding principles to help you to deal with the case study. Case study and brief will be provided.

Session 3

Part 3 draws the link between creativity, innovation and leadership.
You will be introduced to the concepts of creative leadership and leadership for innovation. You will also be introduced to a creative approach to finding ideas to solve problems and develop new products or services and asked to apply this approach to a practical organisational challenge.
Activities, discussions and videos will be used to create a favorable and interactive working environment for successful learning. This gives participants the opportunity to think, ask questions and discuss.