Rethink the Way You Think
In hindsight, every great idea seems obvious. But how can you be the person who comes up with those i... read full description
In hindsight, every great idea seems obvious. But how can you be the person who comes up with those i... read full description
reviews
Jun 25, 2009
Gary Dale
rated it: 
Do you need any new ideas for practical designs? How about when something is wrong with your business and you cannot put your finger on it? Did you ever need to brainstorm but not have anyone else around? Have you ever been stuck with writer’s block and for the life of you could not get back to work? In other words, have you ever been stuck with any mental problem that you felt that you cannot solve? If this is the case I think you should have a look at Michael Michalko’s latest book, Think
More...
Jan 25, 2012
Nathanael
rated it:
Whilst the techniques in this book aren't all original (the Lotus, the CIA's Phoenix etc), they've all been collated and presented in a very interesting and useful way. If you haven't learned creative and visual thinking before this book will absolutely blow you away and change your approach to work and life. You will never utter the word "impossible" again. I also recommend the companion Thinkpak deck of cards based on the SCAMPER technique.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jul 23, 2011
Ken
rated it:
I borrowed this book so had to read through it quickly but I would strongly advise against people from doing it. Like the author says, you should read about each toy and spend time thinking through it and apply it in your life to generate ideas and spark up your creativity.
This is a wonderful book on creativity and idea generation with detailed samples and ways to apply each thinkertoy. It truly questions your perception and help you see through your flaws and makes you reframe your me More...
This is a wonderful book on creativity and idea generation with detailed samples and ways to apply each thinkertoy. It truly questions your perception and help you see through your flaws and makes you reframe your me More...
Jan 26, 2012
Algirdas
rated it: 
This book provides a collection of techniques for improving creative thinking. Doubtlessly most provided techniques can be helpful, and I will refer back to the book when I need an inspiration for an idea.
However when reading book form cover to cover I found style of book somehow dull and provided examples simplistic. Book is clearly meant for business readers as most of the examples on generating ideas are from sales, marketing and management. I personally would prefer more engineering-or More...
However when reading book form cover to cover I found style of book somehow dull and provided examples simplistic. Book is clearly meant for business readers as most of the examples on generating ideas are from sales, marketing and management. I personally would prefer more engineering-or More...
Aug 12, 2011
Richard N.
rated it:
Ever come up with an idea that just made you shiver in giddy excitement? I'm talking "hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck" type "whoa!" thrill? Give the brainstorming methods of this magnificent gem a chance and I can assure you this will be a part of your life.
I've been able to find a spattering of brainstorming methods on the internet. Heck, I even made a couple of my own. However, I was never really satisfied in that no single reference point occupied a dedicated More...
I've been able to find a spattering of brainstorming methods on the internet. Heck, I even made a couple of my own. However, I was never really satisfied in that no single reference point occupied a dedicated More...
Aug 17, 2011
Choesang
rated it:
great read, lots of wonderful ideas on being creative. The idea that I can keep for my self is: harnessing your ideas, write down all the ideas that come to your mind, don't loose those ideas at all. Revise those ideas weekly or any fixed interval and filter them. Those ideas worth retaining, try to implement them. Think of it is a pyramid where good ideas bubble up with passage of time and these good ideas need to be tried and tested.
May 24, 2009
Liz
rated it:
I once believed either we were born creative or an idea person, or we were not. Or that creativity was not something one could develop. This book changed that view. A friend and I are reading it together and talking about tangible ways to use the information. I would recommend this for those in marketing, PR, and business.
Oct 03, 2011
Franco
rated it: 
I loved the CRACKING CREATIVITY while THINKERTOYS was simply too much good for me. Soo many (great) tools i simply got lost. I need a few mental models that i can work with daily which CRACKING CREATIVITY did provide. This book provides soo many tools ... it's not for daily usability, at least not for me.
Feb 14, 2011
Bonar
rated it:
Butuh buku untuk mengasah cara berpikir secara kreatif? inilah buku yg cocok untuk melatih otak untuk bekerja secara maksimal. Dijelaskan step by step yg mudah dimengerti. Good book!
Nov 29, 2009
Derek
rated it:
This book gives more practical brainstorming ideas than you will know what to do with. Be prepared to do mental exercises to get the most out of this book.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Mar 27, 2011
Danita
rated it:
Fantastic book that everyone should have in their collection. I'm already applying several of the techniques with great results.
May 10, 2010
Cheree
rated it: 
Thought this was kind of boring. It might have been ground breaking when it first came out, but I didn't find it that inspiring.
Sep 07, 2011
Reggie
rated it:
Toy with these ideas. One of my favorites is in the chapter on Mind Pumping where we learn to become Travel Junkies (p. 18) - take your mind on a fun field trip without having to get one of those ridiculous passport photos!
Nov 25, 2009
Great for people of all kinds! Fantastic ideas for new ways to think about problem solving!
May 08, 2009
Todd
rated it:
This book was included in my book: The 100 Best Business Books of All Time. www.100bestbiz.com
Sep 04, 2011
Sean
rated it: 
Some of these techniques are good: many are so-so. Perhaps most useful as a toolkit.
Dec 27, 2010
Karl
rated it:
Playfully insightful book on common divergent and convergent thinking techniques.
Nov 09, 2010
Liene
rated it:
Full of exercises that build your creative muscles. Buy this book and use it.
Oct 28, 2010
Mary Louise
rated it:
This book is on my booklist for a course I am teaching Spring Semester 2010.
Jul 04, 2010
Leonkap
rated it:
one cannot help but become unstuck , for bot left and right brainers
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Nov 18, 2011
Maura
rated it:
Same info as 5-Star Mind (lack of originality in creativity ideas?), but much better presentation. Instead of text interrupted with brain-teasers that don't seem to have a point, Thinkertoys presents a single brainteaser at the start of some of the chapters, explains why most people don't "get it", and presents a step-by-step approach to incorporating creative approaches that would overcome such mental stumbling blocks.
4 stars instead of 5 for the wordiness, and because it d More...
4 stars instead of 5 for the wordiness, and because it d More...
Jun 24, 2009
rst5678
rated it:
Tips for stimulating new ideas. Comprehensive.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Dec 17, 2009
Irwan
rated it:
The first book I translated. I happened to be lucky to get a part time job as a book translator for Mizan Publishing in Indonesia, while I was studying at the university. It did help improve my English. Besides, I got to read the book before anyone else in Indonesia :-)
This is a useful book about creativity: how to generate ideas, etc. I use some of the technique I remember in the moments of my life when I need to have some creative ideas. Would love to read it again.
This is a useful book about creativity: how to generate ideas, etc. I use some of the technique I remember in the moments of my life when I need to have some creative ideas. Would love to read it again.
Dec 17, 2009
Femmy
rated it:
I edited a lot of (translated) books about creativity, learning, and education early in my career as an editor at Kaifa, but I think Thinkertoys is one of the best of them all. The book is well-structured, the idea-generating techniques it presents are highly practical, each one clearly illustrated with real examples from the real world.
Nov 19, 2011
Very inspirational, forces you to think in creative new perspectives of the same problem.
Apr 07, 2008
Emily
rated it:
I didn't read it page after page but skipped around - liked it better that way. Had some really interesting suggestions and techniques that I tried and was actually impressed - worth keeping around to reference back to.
Feb 09, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
An interesting workbook for cultivating creativity in your life. I should treat it more like a "workbook" (as is it's intention) but I am just scanning it right now.
May 25, 2008
Ann
rated it:
Mildly interesting, but I didn't feel that any of the exercises had any real value to me. Maybe I was just not trying hard enough.
Jul 27, 2008
I am hoping to get into this one before too long. I looking forward to applying the ideas in this book to my writing.
