What is the link between creativity and play?

Tags: Design, Creativity, Innovation, Ted, Prototypes
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What I enjoyed about this TED video is that it isn't restricted to marketing/innovating of products. The same concepts carry over to other aspects of life.

Did you know that the creative innovation behind the computer mouse was a roll-on deoderant bottle? The prototype for a surgical instrument was a marking pen, 35mm film canister and clothes pin all taped together.

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At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play -- with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn't).

Tim Brown is the CEO of Ideo, a design firm founded by David E. Kelley in 1991. Brown carries forward Ideo's mission of fusing design, business, and social studies to come up with deeply researched, deeply understood designs and ideas. Ideo is the kind of firm that companies turn to when they want a top-down rethink of a business or product -- from fast food conglomerates to high tech startups, hospitals to universities. Ideo has designed and prototyped everything from a life-saving portable defibrillator to the defining details at the groundbreaking Prada shop in Manhattan (IDEO designed those famous see-through dressing rooms).

Ideo's website sandboxes are a fun browse (recommended: Kid & Play, focused on children and fun). And check out the Global Chain Reaction for a sample of how seriously this firm takes play.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/392

When are you at your most creative best?

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[+1] - ossobuco - 11/12/2008I've written about this before but don't want to go look it up - in fact the key discussion for me was probably between JLNobody and myself on the old abuzz forum. I might define "play"...

@Butrflynet,

I've written about this before but don't want to go look it up - in fact the key discussion for me was probably between JLNobody and myself on the old abuzz forum. I might define "play" as a little different than present common assumptions, seeing exploration as almost an equation with play..

but, anyway, to me it's a key part of art and design and the prime reason I'm interested in art and design process. I changed my life towards art and design while I was still working in medical labs because of the satisfaction of the play component. I'll grant some med research involves play, but I wasn't personally in that stratosphere, though my bosses were.

Of course I also often like the visual or aural results of my and others' "play", so the process and the results work as a pair to me... well, they work as a pair whether or not I think the results are great at the time.

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@Butrflynet,

You should ask THIS Ted.

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/crossfade/Ted%20Nugent.jpg

He's the ebodiment of the two.

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What is the link between creativity and play?

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