Generally, this is how I think I think.
The first step I tend to approach situations is identifying that there is a problem. From there, I gather all the possible solutions that could solve the issue at hand, based on past experience. Then, I step back to think about the objective. It’s important for me to think about what I want to achieve, since becomes the criteria for assessing the best option. Lastly, I act upon my reasoning.
To my understanding, this is a well-structured thinking framework for the rational thinker. When I read Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind a year ago regarding his astonishing argument for the right side of our brains, I became worried. In fact, I almost panicked. From growing up in today’s society, being raised in a typical family, receiving an university education, and among other social norms – I had no idea how to train up the right side of my brain, even with all of Pink’s half-a-book’s worth of recommendations. Furthermore, I’ve never been able to pick up a pencil and draw anything identifiable or with any hint of beauty. But I knew I needed to change something, and that’s when I started to become more observant.
Whether out of fear of being left behind from the movement towards right-brain thinking or from seeing the power of integrating design and creativity in our everyday lives, I gradually began paying closer attention to our surroundings and making observations. In particular, I’d like to mention my discovery of Pinterest. The online pinboard has amazing pictures and posts of a wide range of ideas. There is so much creativity that exists on that site, and I’ve been able to apply some of the ideas to my benefit as well. For example, I recently bought a new laptop that I intend to use at home as well as bring to school. However, I need to unplug all the wires for my iPod, printer, speakers, mouse and battery cable before leaving the house every morning and plug them in again when I come home. In this case, my rational thinking would conclude the best solution is to keep all the wires on or close to my desk, so I can easily reach them as I need them. However, Pinterest gave me a better solution.
via Kristi Hammond
I found this picture when browsing on the site one day. I starred at the picture for a long time, and I could not imagine why I hadn’t thought of it earlier. To use office clips to organize and appropriately situate all your wires, how does someone even think of that? It’s a neat, organized, easy, simple and low-cost method that solves your issues in a fully functioning manner.
As I listened to Roger Martin deliver his mystery-heuristic-algorithm discussion, I thought it explained many of the things I wondered about. My most common question is, “how do people come up with that?” Martin made me realize that I always ask that question because of the mystery. There are infinite mysteries around us in our everyday lives, but they aren’t mysteries until we single out the key question and make a specific inquiry about it. Back to the example of the office clips, I identified the problem that I needed a place to put my wires. Instead, the person who came up with the office clips solution came up with the question, “how can I organize these wires in a neat manner, so that it requires the least amount of time for me to find all the ends and the most readily available resources?” I came to the conclusion that I need to remember that there are times when I can leave out what my left-brain tells me, and let something new and previously un-imagined to be born.
