“Creativity Rules: How to Get Ideas out of Your Head and into the World” by Tina Seelig (Harper One, $14.99).Seelig, a Stanford University professor, invites you into her “Invention Cycle” class, which helps entrepreneurs focus from inspiration through execution. Here are my class notes:Imagination involves unmet needs, which are often based upon “there’s a void” […]
“Creativity Rules: How to Get Ideas out of Your Head and into the World” by Tina Seelig (Harper One, $14.99).
Seelig, a Stanford University professor, invites you into her “Invention Cycle” class, which helps entrepreneurs focus from inspiration through execution. Here are my class notes:
Imagination involves unmet needs, which are often based upon “there's a void” experiences. Logan Green found a void in the U.S. mobility market while vacationing in Zimbabwe. He observed drivers picking up and dropping off people continually along their route to wherever. Upon his return to the U.S., he started Zimride — which we now know as Lyft.
Seelig advocates for rigid product-development time constraints. Less time forces people to think creatively, which leads to better products. By spending less time (without sacrificing quality) the product comes to market quickly and the company can obtain customer feedback. Customer input can be used to develop “new and improved.”
Visualization (i.e. vivid, highly detailed images and run-throughs of planned actions) plays a critical role. Seelig encourages entrepreneurs to write and illustrate stories about completing their world. As people write, the depth of plot expands as does the detail of the illustrations. She provides a story template.
Creating what's-next stories widens frame of reference because the plot demands more information; you can alter the storyline and the ending based upon the additional information you find. This translates to real-world flexibility and adaptability. As reality unfolds, it's time to write a sequel.
Seelig's message: “Entrepreneurs can do much more than imaginable with much less than seems possible.”
