SkillSoft Glossary

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analogy: When you say that something is like something else, for example "The brain is like a computer." Analogies can be useful for helping to clarify and explain a creative or innovative idea, a process, or a procedure.

barrier: Something that gets in the way of or stifles creativity in an organization. The barriers may relate to people, resources, management, or organizational structure.
brainstorming: A technique for generating or "piling up" creative ideas developed in 1941 by the advertising executive Alex F. Osborn.
build: A process whereby coworkers add to each other's ideas.

creative block: When you can't generate new ideas any longer, or you stare at a blank piece of paper with no inspiration. You need to take action to help you move on to new ideas, and become creative again.
creative process: A five-stage model designed to guide creativity. The stages are research, generate, incubate, verify workability, and implement.
creativity: The ability to develop something new. It relates specifically to the art of being creative – seeing things in a new and different way.

extrovert: A person who is typically confident, gregarious, and outgoing. The introversion-extroversion scale has long been associated with personality testing and assessment. See also introvert.

hotdesking: When no one has a designated desk at work, but office space is used on a first come, first served basis. A team can come together for the duration of a project, and then disband again at the end.

incubation: Also known as hothousing, where your original idea is put aside for a time, before it is exposed to evaluation. This time lapse often allows variations to be found, and the idea to be built on, improving the quality of the initial proposal.
inertia: When the project stalls, then progress slows down, and eventually everything grinds to a halt. This may be due to problems with the leadership of a project – the leader may not be decisive enough, or have the confidence to make tough decisions. Alternatively, inertia may be the result of the team involved in the project.
innovation: Often the end result of being creative. When creative ideas are implemented, this results in innovation.
introvert: A person who is typically withdrawn, shy, and inward-looking. The introversion-extroversion scale has long been associated with personality testing and assessment. The theory was made popular by Hans Eysenck, and other psychologists. See also extrovert.

Nominal Group Technique: A highly structured team technique that is used for generating creative and innovative ideas. It was first developed by Andrew Delbecq and Andrew Van de Ven in 1971.

role playing: A creativity-boosting technique that involves the performing of imaginary roles, or the acting out of real-life situations. Role playing is often used to simulate real-life events.

sabotage: When an inventor deliberately or unintentionally ruins a creative project by stalling, withdrawing support for the idea or criticizing it, or being pessimistic.

visionary: A person who sets the vision, mission, and goals that the creative team should follow; gives a sense of purpose to others' creative efforts; is personally creative and thinks up ideas; and has the power to act and make key decisions.

workable: Refers to an idea that addresses the identified need and supports the organization.