Introduction to Creative Thinking in Business

DSM4600

Title	Introduction to Creative Thinking in Business
Code	DSM4600
School	RBS
Module Level	4
Module Code	DSM4600
Available Summer	N
Semester	1
Credits	6
ECTS Credits	3
Contact Hours	48
Course Length (wks)	12
Course Leader	Dr. Noemi Sadowska
Lecturers	Helen Johannessen
Course Aims	The module aims to: Clarify the importance of creativity and creative thinking to business organisations. Contextualise the value of creativity and creative thinking as a component of innovation and present links to design practice and its implications for business success. Provide a hands-on experience of implementing creative ideas into organisation through application of selected professional design tools to generate business suitable outcomes and promote innovation.
Course Content	Problem solving and analysis Teamwork Written and oral communication Use of information technology
Learning Outcomes	On completion of this module, students should be able to: LO1 Demonstrate a broad understanding of creativity, creative thinking and its relation to business as a key ingredient in innovation, whilst being aware of its links to design practice. LO2 Assess design outcomes as examples of creative thinking/practice and their suitability to a defined business context. LO3 Demonstrate an ability to cite examples of creative thinking which resulted in innovative products or services within a global context. LO4 Demonstrate an understanding and ability to use a selection of design tools and processes that allow creative ideas to become business suitable products or services. LO5 Understand the importance of creativity to innovation and its implementation within business organisation as it applies to the student’s personal context.
Presentation	Teaching will be through lectures, guest speaker seminars and in-class tasks.
Reading Recommended	The following books are regarded to be classics in this field, despite earlier publication dates. DE BONO, E. (1986): Six Thinking Hats. Viking DORST, K., CROSS, N. (2001). Creativity in the Design Process: Co-evolution of Problem–solution. Design Studies 22 (5). (pp 425-437) KAO, J. (1996): Jamming: the Art and Discipline of Business Creativity. Harper Business KAO, J. (1989): Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Organization: Text, Cases, and Readings. Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs, NJ MAJARO, S. (1992): Managing Ideas for Profit-The Creative Gap. McGraw-Hill MAUZY, J. and HARRIMAN, R. A. (2003): Creativity Inc.: Building an Inventive Organization. Harvard Business School Press. NELSON-JONES, R. (1997): Using Your Mind. Creative Thinking Skills for Work and Business Success. Cassell OSBORNE, A. (1993): Applied Imagination. Schibner
Reading Required	SIU, K. W. M. (2003): Users’ Creative Responses and Designers’ Roles. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Design Issues: Volume 19, Number 2 Spring 2003. (pp 64-73) VON STAMM, B. (2003): Managing Innovation, Design and Creativity. John Wiley. Chichester
Pre-Requisites	None
Asseseement Methods	Project A - Week 4 - 35% Project B - week 8 - 35% Process Diary - Week 12 - 30%
Weekly Schedule	Defining creativity Developing an understanding of creativity, its importance to business as a key ingredient in innovation, its implications in design. Considering cross-cultural context and its impact on creativity. Exploring the link between creativity and design. Embedding creativity in business Using design process as a tool to implement creativity in business. Exploring in depth various aspects of design process from the design practitioner’s perspective. Using a series of practical tasks, providing students with a platform to experience the use of a spectrum of design tools, explore the challenge of working with a design brief, arrive at design solution and reflect on their work. Evaluating creativity through questioning of design outcomes Investigating what constitutes quality in design. Creating taxonomy of values that could qualify design as successful. What is ‘good’ design from the design discipline perspective versus what general public conceives as such.