August 10, 2011

Last week I spotlighted websites that take an academic, research-oriented approach toward creativity. This week I thought I’d take a different focus and share three sites that are more, well, creative in nature. What all of them have in common is that they’re sure to spark new ways of looking at your business and finding creative solutions.

Creative Think

Blogger Roger von Oech is a longtime creativity expert, author, inventor and consultant who’s probably best known as the author of A Whack on the Side of the Head. That 1983 book focused on ways to stimulate creativity with unusual ideas like asking “what if,” being illogical and learning to play. Von Oech was a pioneer in the creativity-in-business field, and some of his ideas are now commonly accepted business wisdom. But his website is still a great place to get the “whack” you need to jumpstart your business creativity. With blog post topics such as “Think Like a Fool,” “Edible Clothing,” and “What Is the Meaning of Life?”, it’s safe to say that every click of your mouse on this site will bring something new to jolt you out of your ordinary way of thinking and stimulate your creativity. You can also buy von Oech’s tools and books on the site.

GoCreate

While it may not appear that way at first glance, this little site is a treasure trove of news and tools to stimulate your creativity. GoCreate is a bare-bones-looking site (think Craigslist) but, kind of like Craigslist, it links you to a just about endless world of resources. The offerings are broken down into four areas: Problem solving, idea generation, training and education, and news and information.

You’ll find a “Creativity Toolbox” with everything from the Web 2.0 Domain Name Generator to “Naming Prompts,” which helps you name products or companies, and “Star Force” which asks how famous people might have solved the problem you’re struggling with. You can access webinars and get a constant stream of creativity-sparking news and information on everything from the latest talks at TED to why jokes help our brains cope with tragedy. Finally, check out articles and books by site founder Peter Lloyd.

Brainzooming

Hosted by innovation consultancy Brainzooming, this site describes itself as a catalyst for businesspeople needing to successfully identify and implement strategic, innovative ideas. Brainzooming’s focus with its consulting clients is on question-based innovation processes that help clients get results without getting bogged down in a lot of jargon about planning or following specific innovation systems. That approach comes through in the Brainzooming blog. Although the posts cover a wide range of thought-provoking topics (such as pinpointing the 100 people who define you, creating an extreme creativity makeover team and creativity lessons from celebrity news shows), one thing they all have in common is that they pose questions you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished reading. Bonus: You can also download Brainzooming’s free innovation e-book.

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• Technology

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Anita Campbell, Article, innovation, GoCreate