Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success from Coursera

In today’s ever-growing and changing world, being able to think creatively and innovatively are essential skills. It can sometimes be challenging to step back and reflect in an environment which is fast paced or when you are required to assimilate large amounts of information. Making sense of or communicating new ideas in an innovative and engaging way, approaching problems from fresh angles, and producing novel solutions are all traits which are highly sought after by employers.

This course will equip you with a ‘tool-box’, introducing you to a selection of behaviours and techniques that will augment your innate creativity. Some of the tools are suited to use on your own and others work well for a group, enabling you to leverage the power of several minds. You can pick and choose which of these tools or techniques suit your needs and interests, focusing on some or all of the selected approaches and in the order that fits best for you.

The practical approach of this course enables you to acquire an essential skill-set for generating ideas, with plenty of:

- Fun e-tivities and exercises;

- Practical lectures and tips;

- Video representations of the techniques in action.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

- Pick a type of brainstorming you think will be useful to apply to a challenge

- Use alphabet brainstorming in tackling a challenge

- Use grid brainstorming in tackling a challenge

- Use a morphological chart to synthesise a solution to a challenge

- Use the TRIZ contradiction matrix to identify recommended inventive principles

- Apply SCAMPER to a range of challenges

The greatest innovators aren’t necessarily the people who have the most original idea. Often, they are people- or teams- that have harnessed their creativity to develop a new perspective or more effective way of communicating an idea. You can train your imagination to seize opportunities, break away from routine and habit, and tap into your natural creativity.

Join this course and a community of practitioners in CREATIVITY!

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to the Principles of Creativity

In the first week, we focus on the basic principles of creativity and highlight its importance in tackling global challenges. Creativity is explored and applied at two different levels, lower and higher-level creativity.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops creative thinking skills, which are essential for solving problems and generating new ideas in today's fast-paced world

Taught by Peter Childs, an experienced instructor in creativity and innovation

Provides practical tools and exercises to enhance creativity, making it applicable in real-world situations

Suitable for individuals seeking to improve their creativity and problem-solving abilities

Covers various creativity tools and techniques, enabling learners to choose the most appropriate ones for their needs

Reviews summary

Creative thinking techniques & tools

According to learners, this course provides a useful toolkit of practical creative thinking techniques that can be immediately applied to various challenges, both personal and professional. Many found the course well-structured and the exercises and e-tivities engaging, making the learning experience enjoyable. Students frequently highlighted the value of specific methods like SCAMPER, TRIZ, and various brainstorming techniques. While largely positive, some felt it serves primarily as a good introduction and could benefit from deeper dives into complex topics or more advanced applications, suggesting it's best suited for beginners or those seeking a foundational understanding rather than advanced practitioners.

Provides a solid foundation for beginners.

"This course is a great starting point if you're new to structured creative thinking."

"I felt this was a very good introduction to a variety of creative techniques."

"For someone without prior knowledge, it provides a clear foundational understanding."

"It's perfect for beginners looking for an overview of different approaches."

"As a beginner, I found the pace and content accessible and easy to follow."

Exercises and activities enhance learning.

"The e-tivities were fun and really helped solidify my understanding of each technique."

"I found the practical exercises crucial for actually practicing the methods taught."

"The videos demonstrating the techniques in action were very helpful and kept me engaged."

"The interactive elements and exercises made the course much more enjoyable and effective."

"Doing the activities after each tool helped me understand how they work in practice."

Strategies can be used in work and life.

"I've already started using the SCAMPER method for brainstorming new ideas for my projects."

"This course gave me actionable strategies to tackle problems differently in my professional life."

"I feel more equipped to approach challenges creatively in both my personal life and at work."

"The techniques aren't just theoretical; they are practical and applicable right away."

"It helped me see how to apply creative thinking to real-world scenarios I face."

Offers a useful toolkit of creative methods.

"I now have a collection of solid techniques like TRIZ, SCAMPER, and Morphological Analysis I can actually use."

"The course provided me with specific tools and methods for generating ideas."

"I learned practical brainstorming methods that I can apply in group settings at work."

"It's great to walk away with concrete techniques like SCAMPER and TRIZ to practice."

"I appreciate having the different tools laid out clearly with examples."

May lack depth for advanced learners.

"While a good overview, it didn't go into as much depth on some techniques as I hoped."

"For those already familiar with some methods, it might feel a bit basic."

"I wish some sections had explored the complexities or nuances of the tools further."

"It provides a breadth of techniques but perhaps not the depth needed for advanced application."

"Could be more challenging for someone with prior experience in creativity training."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success with these activities:

Review Brainstorming Techniques

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Enhance your foundational brainstorming skills to improve your ability to generate innovative solutions throughout the course.

Browse courses on Brainstorming

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Revisit the principles of brainstorming, focusing on divergent thinking and suspending judgment.
Practice individual brainstorming using various techniques such as mind mapping and freewriting.
Engage in group brainstorming sessions to experience the power of collaboration and diverse perspectives.
Reflect on your brainstorming experiences and identify areas for improvement.

Apply Brainstorming Tools to Real-World Challenges

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Develop proficiency in applying the brainstorming tools introduced in the course to solve practical problems.

Browse courses on Problem Solving

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Identify a specific challenge or problem that you are facing.
Select appropriate brainstorming tools based on the nature of the challenge.
Facilitate a brainstorming session using the chosen tools.
Evaluate the ideas generated and select the most promising ones.
Implement the chosen solutions and assess their effectiveness.

Facilitate Brainstorming Sessions for Others

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Enhance your understanding of brainstorming by guiding others through the process and facilitating effective idea generation.

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Identify opportunities to facilitate brainstorming sessions for peers or colleagues.
Prepare for the session by reviewing the principles and tools of brainstorming.
Lead the session, ensuring a positive and inclusive environment.
Guide participants through various brainstorming techniques.
Facilitate discussion, encourage participation, and capture ideas.

Three other activities

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Participate in Creativity Challenges

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Test your creativity skills and gain valuable feedback by participating in online or offline creativity challenges.

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Identify creativity challenges or competitions relevant to your interests.
Register for the challenge and familiarize yourself with the rules and guidelines.
Brainstorm ideas and develop creative solutions for the challenge.
Submit your entries and receive feedback from judges or participants.
Reflect on your performance and identify areas for improvement.

Develop a Creativity Toolkit

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Create a personalized repository of brainstorming tools, techniques, and resources for future use.

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Compile a list of brainstorming tools and techniques covered in the course.
Research and explore additional brainstorming resources online.
Design a digital or physical notebook or binder to store your toolkit.
Organize and categorize the tools and resources within your toolkit.
Continuously update and refine your toolkit as you learn and grow.

Explore Advanced Creativity Techniques

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Expand your creativity toolbox by learning and practicing advanced techniques not covered in the course.

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Identify advanced creativity techniques that align with your interests.
Locate online tutorials or workshops that teach these techniques.
Follow the tutorials, complete exercises, and apply the techniques.
Share your learnings and insights with others.

Career center

Learners who complete Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Creativity Consultant

The skills of a Creativity Consultant are highly complementary to this course, which offers a range of techniques and tools that empower you to generate innovative ideas and overcome creative challenges. The course's emphasis on practical application enables you to develop a 'tool-box' of creativity approaches that can be customized to specific needs and situations, helping you excel in this profession that thrives on innovation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creativity Consultant

Design Researcher

This course can be a valuable asset to Design Researchers, as it provides a systematic approach to idea generation and problem-solving. The course's coverage of different thinking styles and creativity tools can help you develop the skills necessary to conduct effective user research, analyze data, and generate innovative design solutions that meet user needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Design Researcher

Innovation Manager

This course aligns well with the role of an Innovation Manager, who is responsible for driving innovation within an organization. The course's focus on creative thinking and problem-solving techniques can help you develop the skills needed to identify opportunities, generate new ideas, and lead innovation initiatives that drive business growth.

See salaries and explore the career path for Innovation Manager

Creative Director

This course is highly relevant to Creative Directors, who are responsible for overseeing the creative vision and execution of various projects. The course's emphasis on brainstorming, idea generation, and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to lead creative teams, manage projects, and deliver innovative and effective creative solutions that meet client needs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Director

Product Manager

This course can be beneficial for Product Managers, who are responsible for defining and managing the development of new products or features. The course's focus on creative thinking and idea generation can help you develop the skills needed to identify customer needs, generate innovative product concepts, and manage the product development process effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Marketing Manager

This course may be useful for Marketing Managers, who are responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns. The course's emphasis on brainstorming, idea generation, and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to create innovative marketing strategies, generate compelling content, and manage marketing campaigns that drive brand awareness and customer engagement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Advertising Executive

This course may be helpful for Advertising Executives, who are responsible for developing and executing advertising campaigns. The course's emphasis on brainstorming, idea generation, and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to create innovative advertising concepts, generate compelling content, and manage advertising campaigns that drive brand awareness and customer action.

See salaries and explore the career path for Advertising Executive

Public Relations Specialist

This course may be helpful for Public Relations Specialists, who are responsible for managing the public image of organizations. The course's emphasis on creative thinking and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative PR strategies, manage media relations, and handle crisis communications effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

UX Designer

This course may be helpful for UX Designers, who are responsible for designing user interfaces for websites and applications. The course's emphasis on creative thinking and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative UX designs, conduct user research, and create user-friendly and intuitive interfaces that enhance the user experience.

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Consultant

This course may be useful for Consultants, who are responsible for providing expert advice and guidance to clients. The course's emphasis on creative thinking and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative solutions, analyze complex issues, and provide valuable insights that help clients achieve their goals.

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Entrepreneur

This course may be helpful for Entrepreneurs, who are responsible for starting and running their own businesses. The course's emphasis on creative thinking and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative business ideas, develop business plans, and overcome challenges that arise in the entrepreneurial journey.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Artist

This course may be helpful for Artists, who rely on creativity and innovation to express themselves and communicate their ideas. The course's emphasis on different thinking styles and creativity tools can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative artistic concepts, experiment with different mediums, and create unique and meaningful works of art.

See salaries and explore the career path for Artist

Writer

This course may be helpful for Writers, who rely on creativity and innovation to create compelling stories, articles, and other written content. The course's emphasis on brainstorming, idea generation, and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative writing ideas, overcome writer's block, and produce engaging and effective written content that resonates with readers.

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Teacher

This course may be helpful for Teachers, who rely on creativity and innovation to engage students and make learning more effective. The course's emphasis on different thinking styles and creativity tools can help you develop the skills needed to create innovative lesson plans, design interactive activities, and foster a creative and collaborative learning environment.

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Researcher

This course may be helpful for Researchers, who rely on creativity and innovation to generate new knowledge and solve complex problems. The course's emphasis on brainstorming, idea generation, and problem-solving can help you develop the skills needed to generate innovative research questions, design effective research methods, and analyze and interpret data to advance knowledge in various fields.

See salaries and explore the career path for Researcher