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The Art of Ideas: Creative Thinking for Work and Life
Great ideas don’t just happen. Innovation springs from creative thinking―a method of the human mind that we can study and learn. In The Art of Ideas , William Duggan and Amy Murphy bring together business concepts with stories of creativity in art, politics, and history to provide a visual and accessible guide to the art and science of new and useful ideas.
In chapters accompanied by charming and inviting illustrations, Duggan and Murphy detail how to spark your own ideas and what to do while waiting for inspiration to strike. They show that regardless of the field, innovations happen in the same examples from history, presence of mind, creative combination, and resolution to action. The Art of Ideas features case studies and exercises that explain how to break down problems, search for precedents, and creatively combine past models to form new ideas. It showcases how Picasso developed his painting style, how Gandhi became the man we know today, and how Netflix came to disrupt the movie-rental business. Lavishly illustrated in an appealing artistic style, The Art of Ideas helps readers unlock the secret to creativity in business and in life.
In chapters accompanied by charming and inviting illustrations, Duggan and Murphy detail how to spark your own ideas and what to do while waiting for inspiration to strike. They show that regardless of the field, innovations happen in the same examples from history, presence of mind, creative combination, and resolution to action. The Art of Ideas features case studies and exercises that explain how to break down problems, search for precedents, and creatively combine past models to form new ideas. It showcases how Picasso developed his painting style, how Gandhi became the man we know today, and how Netflix came to disrupt the movie-rental business. Lavishly illustrated in an appealing artistic style, The Art of Ideas helps readers unlock the secret to creativity in business and in life.
128 pages, Paperback
Published November 19, 2019
2 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 21, 2019
Refreshing, readable and practical - there are lots of 'creative thinking' books out there, and in some ways this doesn't really say anything wildly different. But it brings together the key elements of creativity simply, helpfully, and beautifully, marrying Duggan and Murphy's clear conversational prose with the draughtsmanship of illustrator Laura Dabalsa.
Three stand-outs for me, that are pure gold for anyone engaged in the creative task of writing a business book, as most of my clients are:
1. don't be fooled into thinking that to qualify as creative an idea must be entirely original. Creative solutions come from new combinations - of existing ideas, practices, technologies etc. So creativity isn't about removing yourself from the world and thinking new thoughts, it's about walking through the world with curiosity and presence of mind (a key phrase in the book).
2. replace both negative and positive thinking with creative thinking - there's a hugely helpful table that contrasts negative thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, it proves you're not worthy. Give up and try something easier instead.') with positive thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.') and creative thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, study why and consider changing your goal.') Positive thinking might make for good memes, but creative thinking is likely to make for better outcomes.
3. replace networking with idea networking. This is particularly dear to my heart - it's the philosophy behind my podcast, The Extraordinary Business Book Club, though I hadn't articulated it in this way. Start with a question, and identify the best person in your current network to discuss it with. Listen carefully to their answer, thank them, and then ask them who else you should take your question to. Keep going, and you will not only learn a huge amount about the topic you've chosen, you'll build much richer and more rewarding relationships with people along the way.
It's a short book - I read it in a day or so - but very much worth the read.
Three stand-outs for me, that are pure gold for anyone engaged in the creative task of writing a business book, as most of my clients are:
1. don't be fooled into thinking that to qualify as creative an idea must be entirely original. Creative solutions come from new combinations - of existing ideas, practices, technologies etc. So creativity isn't about removing yourself from the world and thinking new thoughts, it's about walking through the world with curiosity and presence of mind (a key phrase in the book).
2. replace both negative and positive thinking with creative thinking - there's a hugely helpful table that contrasts negative thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, it proves you're not worthy. Give up and try something easier instead.') with positive thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again.') and creative thinking ('If at first you don't succeed, study why and consider changing your goal.') Positive thinking might make for good memes, but creative thinking is likely to make for better outcomes.
3. replace networking with idea networking. This is particularly dear to my heart - it's the philosophy behind my podcast, The Extraordinary Business Book Club, though I hadn't articulated it in this way. Start with a question, and identify the best person in your current network to discuss it with. Listen carefully to their answer, thank them, and then ask them who else you should take your question to. Keep going, and you will not only learn a huge amount about the topic you've chosen, you'll build much richer and more rewarding relationships with people along the way.
It's a short book - I read it in a day or so - but very much worth the read.
September 25, 2020
Interesting little book/large pamphlet about creative thinking. I like the idea of a booklet with graphics and text that outlines an idea and walks you through it but this doesn’t quite pull it off for 4 or 5 stars. The content is fine. A simple but nonetheless important and thought provoking outline of how creativity works to produce solutions. Important in an age of workaholics and constant distraction. The font was hard to read and the overload of gray wore on me. I also couldn’t shake the thought that it made everything just a tad too simple.
Yet another book I wish I could give a 3.5 stars to...
Yet another book I wish I could give a 3.5 stars to...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews