On Creativity and Organization

Jonah Lehrer is a journalist who often writes about neuroscience and psychology, and he is probably the smartest person I've ever met. I listen to his contributions to Radiolab all the time. He's not infallible, but he is a multi-disciplinary thinker and he makes some compelling arguments.

I recently read a New Yorker article he wrote on the subject of creativity and professional organization. It's a fascinating read and I highly recommend it. You can find it here: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_lehrer?currentPage=1

Hit the jump for more thoughts on it...

I have never liked using the brainstorming method, and I was very happy to hear a person I respect refuting it as the optimal idea-generation method. I feel it produces weak ideas that even the creators aren't particularly attached to. There definitely is validity to submitting 'out-there' ideas for the rest of the group to consider, but ideas should be criticized and refined. The rest of the group is there to help refine and hone the original suggestion. Making the creator defend his good ideas and adapt them to address criticisms, cannot help but yield more applicable results.

Also, I have never experienced the phenomenon described by Osborn (the inventor of the brainstorming method): “Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it in the bud.” 

With the right attitude and group dynamic, a group can make idea generation simultaneously welcoming to the individual and critical of the ideas. Just go into the discussion expecting that most ideas are not going to survive criticism and know that the ones that do are stronger and more valid for having gone through the vetting process.

Instead of getting a brainstorming idea...

I need something that can both stab and shoot. 

...you get a critical thinking idea:

I need something that can stab and shoot and make sense. 

I don't think my aspirations of group dynamics are exactly what Lehrer is proposing, but I believe them to be valid none the less. Brainstorming is certainly useful when generating ideas for projects that have no technical requirements. But in my experience, it seems to be the default method for starting idea generation, no matter the type of project. 

This is most inappropriate in situations where there are significant technical requirements or limitations, as in game design. What may seem like a great game design idea, may not be possible to make with the team (or budget) you have, or may not be consistent with the tone of the game you're already making, or may require technology that doesn't yet exist.

I hope someday to have a new process that can be scaled to be appropriate for a wider variety of projects, situations, and teams. Brainstorming doesn't do it for me.