What is creativity

UPD: January 8, 2017 article rewritten. it is now clearer and more general, without going into one of the models of the concept

The main thing in the article for neo-promoters: creativity is the creation of qualitatively new material and non-material values. What comes down to the formulation of qualitatively new problems, tasks, their solution, as well as the creation of qualitatively new ways (algorithms) to solve already solved problems. In the post will be considered a model of creativity, a compilation of materials from several authors. For moderate accelerators presentation . I invite the rest to the article.

I thought a lot about what hub to publish. If there is more suitable, please write me a name.

I am writing this article here not only because I often heard: “programming / design / project management is a creative profession” and I am sure that the topic is interesting for local programmers, designers, layout designers, managers, etc. In addition, the local audience will be able to help me improve the model by sharing examples, pointing out errors and materials unknown to me on the topic.

It all started with emotions. I'm kind of like a musician and kind of like doing art. However, there was a feeling that neither I nor a bunch of snobbish musicians, poets, artists, etc. in fact, nothing is introduced into society, nothing at all. In addition, people of art, inventors, scientists, and philosophers were called creative people, talents, and geniuses. And the methods with the main approaches in these areas are different, opposite in many parameters, as are the results.

I began to dig along with a few more interested in this topic. After I reread several books, a bunch of articles, including from the wonderful portal vikent.ru, I spoke with smart people, I was convinced that a lot of myths, some of which have long been refuted by the subject of creativity, art, talent and talent people continue to believe them. But the main thing is that people understand very differently what talent, creativity, etc. are. It seems to me that our works can help to understand this mess.

People understand different things as creativity and talent.

If you dig in the dictionaries and talk to people, it turns out that there are a lot of definitions for this word, including radically different ones:

1. Artistic activity, art (this is not the same thing, by the way, but more on that later)
2. The result of this activity ("here is my creativity" - songs, paintings, etc.)
3. Under-art (out of previous definitions)
4. Creativity is SELF-EXPRESSION! (also transferred from one of the definitions and areas of art)
5. Creating something using imagination
6. Creating something using a new idea
7. Creating something new
8. Non-standard, unusual
9. Etc.

Speech including about similar terms in other languages. All these definitions agree that creativity is an activity. Or its result. Immediately we divide - we will call the activity is creativity, and the result - the creative result. Just for separation, because creative activity implies creative results. Where did we get this from?

Let's sort out the scientifically recognized creative areas

Previously, the intelligentsia mostly talked and wrote about creativity. Naturally, therefore art is considered a creative activity, often and in general all artistic activity.

But in the middle of the 20th century, two more were added to this area, in total:

All these areas of activity are united by the fact that a successful result implies something qualitatively new and valuable. This does not contradict many other common definitions of creativity (not counting those that emerged from “creativity = art”), on the contrary, it unites and supplements them. Including non-standard and originality are completely determined by their qualitative novelty.

Total creativity - the creation of qualitatively new material and intangible values.

What is qualitatively new material and non-material values?

The novelty can be divided into 3 levels:

1. nominal
2. quantitative
3. quality

Let's try to measure the novelty of the piece of furniture relative to the house. The house has only tables, chairs and beds. If we make an exact copy of one of the chairs, it will be nominally new. If the copy is different in quantitative characteristics - for example, the legs are longer, so that it would be more convenient for one family member to sit at the table - the novelty will be quantitative. But if we make a chair without a back, it will lose one quality and get another. Now back not to lean on the back, but we can sit anywhere face. And even this chair will be called otherwise - a stool. Because the chair is characterized by a back, a seat and legs. And if we make a chair or stool without legs and hang on ropes to the ceiling, we get a swing. They have a new quality - the ability to use not only as a seat, but also entertainment.

Or an example in which new and old qualities have clear names. Previously, stockings were attached to cowards in different ways, but then someone thought up to make them one piece, and they turned out to be pantyhose. Previously, clothing for the lower body had the quality “discreteness” (“separability”), and tights got rid of this quality and got “continuity” (“integrity”).

The value is determined differently, depending on the area. But the minimum value is the interest for at least one person. If something qualitatively new at the same time did not interest anyone, then nobody would notice it. And if you notice, do not attach importance and forget.

How to evaluate the level of creative results?

You can explore the number of new qualities in the creative process and the result and reduce it to some quantitative parameters. You can use the approach of patent offices and inventors - for this, use the Vikentiev-Jefferson diagram (creative efficiency):

That is, novelty and benefit (value) only for oneself is also creativity, only of a low level. Possible result with different indicators of utility and novelty. Say, novelty at the country level, and the benefits only for the city.

In addition, the benefit can also be measured in different ways. Sometimes directly for people. But the same machine gun for a huge number of people was harmful. Mortally harmful. Therefore, in some situations, the utility is worth assessing for the field, in this case - the field of arms, military affairs.

We use a systematic approach to more accurately determine the utility and new quality

Creativity in this sense is possible not only in the above-mentioned areas, it is possible in any activity. How to distinguish creative from non-creative? We use the system approach. Any activity is a solution to a problem. But what is the challenge?

Task definition through the concept of a system

There is a system - a set of elements with functions and processes. Function - the connection between the elements. Such that a change in one element generates a change in another. A process is a sequential change in the states of an element, group of elements or system.

The task is the source data, the goal and the solution. Source data is the source system. Solving the problem, we transform the system into a new one that satisfies the specified target parameters.

More precisely, the condition will be the first system along with the indication of subsystems that:

1. need to change
2. can change
3. can't change

We add that in this sense any compatible triple “System-1 → Transformation → System-2” will be a challenge. And they can appear in any order. For example, someone who has long been familiar with some kind of transformation will encounter System-1 and try to apply this transformation to it, and as a result of this experiment will receive the goal of a new task. How much this troika will be in demand and popular depends on the differences in the resulting system.

But what determines the value, relevance of the task? It defines the problem / problems that / which the task solves. Often the problem and creates a problem.

Problem definition through system concept

In the system there may be contradictions. When one function of an element negatively affects the function of the same or another element altogether. In other words, one process adversely affects another process. It may not be realized at all, it may "distort".

These contradictions in the system are called problems.

Problem example, tasks and solutions

There is an enterprise. It employs a lot of women. In the building of the enterprise elevators, which are often used, are mostly employees. But elevators drive very slowly. Employees because of this nervous, frustrated, irritated and drip on the brains of the authorities. The bosses find out that it is impossible to accelerate the elevator in the next two years, too many costs. How to be?

Problem: the features of the function of the elevators (Elevator. Drive ()) affect the function of the elements (or objects) of the type of employee (Employee. Work ()) and through them the supervisor (Head. Work ()). It is necessary to solve the problem for the contradiction between the classes of elements.

Initially, the task is to change the state of the Lift class elements in order to affect the function. But this task has no suitable solution. Then the authorities set another task - to influence the elements of the Employee class. Analyzed information on the class. There is a solution - to redirect employees to other processes while waiting for the elevator and driving in it. New classes of elements are introduced, Mirror, Near Lift and Mirror, Lift. Mirrors are hung on each floor near the elevator door and in each elevator. Disorders and complaints are terminated.

The original problem remained - the slow speed of the elevator affects the work efficiency, the employees have time to do less work because of its slow speed. But the degree of influence decreased to acceptable.

Now imagine that the authorities would see the problem as exactly “the elevator goes slowly”? That is, in fact, saw only the task, not seeing the generating problem? As a result, another two years all this would have continued.

If we can formulate a problem, set and solve problems, what do we get?

We get the opportunity to come up with several ways to resolve the same problem situation:

Note that some formulations do not allow finding a solution, and some severely limit the number of options. This is a consequence of psychological inertia, tendency to stereotype to think, act and feel. To overcome the psychological inertia, G. S. Altshuller (he called it the inertia of thinking) advised to formulate problems and tasks in an unspecific, abstract way, in terms of “gizmo”, “figovina”, etc. To do this, you need a systematic approach in which you can re-name the system with garbage, an element of the system with figovina, a function of communication. And you can not pereazyvat.

Total

As you can see from the example, the ability to correctly set a problem, set a task for it, and be able to create new ways to solve these problems is important. From this we deduced the definition of creativity:

creativity is the creation of qualitatively new material and non-material values: the formulation of new problems, tasks, their solution, as well as the creation of new methods (algorithms) for solving already solved problems.

Authors whose materials were used

• Akimov I.A., Klimenko V.V. (read with caution, a lot of esoteric and unsubstantiated statements)
• Castaneda K. (a lot of esotericism, but I learned a lot about materials and working with them, I do not recommend reading)
• Greenberg D, Padeski K. ("Managing Mood", and indeed I recommend to get acquainted with cognitive psychology)
• Chikszentmihaii M. (flow status materials)
• Vikentiev V.L. (articles, video lectures, and also vikent.ru, the largest base on creativity in Europe, according to him)
• Altshuller G.S. (TRIZ)
• Gladuel M. (materials about myths associated with creative and successful people)
• Yudkovsky E. (lesswrong.ru, materials about effective decision making and working with your own habits)
• Taleb N.N. (materials about the dangers of patterns and how to avoid them)

I didn’t know about Design-thinking ("Design-thinking", "design-thinking") before creating a presentation and an article, after which one of the IT people’s acquaintances told me about it. The impressive part of the model can no longer be refined, but taken from this technique. But basically the technique is painted precisely for creating innovative products with which you can earn, the target audience is programmers and designers. Many other creative people will not understand, reading briefly about this technique, why they need it. In the future, I will study, figure out and include Design-thinking in the model. With all references to sources, naturally.

About plans and how you can help

Materials are ready for several more articles and presentations. If this article is interesting to the habrasoobshchestvu, the next - "Why do we need creativity." There will be painted the role in society and the practical benefits of the use of creativity by the individual.

You can help by giving a link to useful materials (only without esotericism, please, it is very difficult to dig into it and a useful minimum) by asking a question on the topic, pointing out errors and white spots. As well as sharing interesting and unexpected problems, tasks and their solutions from different areas.

UPD The person who advised “Think slowly, decide quickly” - thanks and sorry! I kind of clicked to answer the comment, and he disappeared. Apparently, I accidentally deleted it. The book is interesting, many of my authors referred to it, be sure to read it.