Design is an inherently creative process, but do engineers have what it takes when it comes to coloring outside the lines?
That was the question at the Design Automation Conference (DAC) as audience and panel alike grappled with issues of creativity-on-demand, risk taking, and just what is required to become an idea machine.
Sponsored by the “Women in Electronic Design” consortium, the panel, for better or worse, displayed a bit of a clichéd gender bias, with an audience made up predominantly of men -- as is the case in most tech tradeshows. But the question seemed no less relevant. “You have to really be your own cheerleader,” said Sherry Hess of AWR Corp., adding that creativity isn't about solving just one problem but a plethora of issues along the way.
While “thinking outside the box” was the phrase of the hour, Hess and her co-panelists were careful not to get too crazy on the creativity front. “I’m reading a book called Disciplined Dreaming,” said Hess, though she admitted she hadn’t made it past chapter three.
There was some discussion on whether people become less creative as they get older. Most, including veteran panelist Dee McCrorey of Risktaking for Success, said it was simply about keeping the “curiosity juices” flowing, whether you’re six or 60. Indeed, most panelists agreed that the greater the amalgamation of genders, ages, and ethnicities in the workplace, the more creativity blossoms, with an influx of different thought processes.
One topic that divided both the audience and the panel was the question of whether creativity could actually be taught or even learned. Some felt categorically that it couldn’t. Some felt the school system beat any creativity out of children before they even reached middle school. And some felt that trying to teach creativity wasn’t an especially creative notion to begin with.
There were some murmurs among the audience that engineers were often socialized into believing they were inherently not creative, due to having a more scientific bent. These murmurs were just as quickly shot down by others who argued that some of the world’s most difficult problems have been solved through the creative application of math and science.
In short, the consensus was that there would never be a consensus on the stereotypical characterization of engineering creativity. What there was agreement on, however, was that it tends to be the more creative people who get ahead in their careers, while those with less imagination tend to tread water in the same position for a long time.
So, we throw the question out to you, dear readers: How do you define creativity in engineering? Are engineers inherently less creative? And can creativity be taught? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
I took a Psychology of Creativity elective class in college, one of the best courses I ever took, and I would say an individual's creativity can definitely be maximized. Some of the basics of creativity such as the ability to brainstorm multiple ideas, divergent thoughts and to spin variations on concepts are refined through practice and adopting new techniques. Some are much more gifted than others in this area, but most can improve their creative output.
A number of years ago I had a cube mate that couldn't design a fly swatter. He was one of the more brilliant engineers I ever met and was my first resource whenever there was something I couldn't understand. Without hesitation he drop everything, sit down with me, draw some graphs and carefully explain the lost concept. However, when he was called upon to create he could only waste time, hope that the deadline would pass and someone else would get the project. It wasn't long before he finished his PhD and returned to academia as the most gifted professor in the department.
I had a room mate that could reproduce any math problem, but with little variation. When it came to computer programming, he struggled. He was very strong in memorization, but weak in creativity.
Teach to the test seems to be the current method. Standard problems = standard answers. New problems = confusion.
Creativity may not be 'teachable', but creativity can be stifled.
I completely agree with you, Al. I'm not so sure creativity itself can be taught, but the tools in which to foster creativity and spark a certain type of thought pattern can definitely be learned. Acclimating aspiring engineers in the disciplines around collaboration and brainstorming, as well as being open-minded to the ideas of others, is where it all starts.
Being creative is something that can certainly be nurtured and encouraged...or squelched. I think a person's creativity is also partially a result of his or her cultural influences. I agree that diversity in the workplace stimulates creativity because it brings new perspectives to light. I don't think an engineer is inherently less creative than anyone else, just because they are an engineer. Brilliant engineering solutions have been due to creativity. Just like any other skill or ability, each of us has been uniquely formed and some of us will naturally be more creative than others.
Some of the examples remind me of a musician and how the lines blur when talking about creativity. Some musicians can play a song that will bring tears to your eyes but can't compose a note on their own. Other musicians are brilliant composers. Some engineers intuitively understand any circuit or design that you place in front of them, but can't design one of their own. Others can design things that no one has ever thought of...
One thing that I have always tried to drill into my kids is that just because you are good at science and math doesn't exclude you from being artistic. A successful web page designer writes code and does graphic design. You can do anything that you set your mind on and desire to achieve. Maybe not as brilliantly as someone with a natural talent, but you can make up for natural talent in other ways...you just have to have the "want to."
I agree that creativity can not really be taught, but the right tools can spur creativity. Utilization of quality CAD systems can help to create designs through relatively free trial and error of different concepts before publishing the final design.
If creativity can be taught, then we should be seeing Thomas Edisons graduating every year. If one can take a class in it, then there should be hundreds of Steve Jobs cranking out devices we didn't know we had to have, changing the world every day.
In my opinion, "creativity" cannot necessarily be taught, but it can be encouraged. Having worked with numerous PhD types, I realize that many of them have been encouraged to be quite "creative". Unfortunately, just creativity alone does not alway result in a problem solved or a good product design. Creativity must intersect with logic at some point. Unfortunately, only a few of the afforementioned PhD types could routinely produce creative ideas that could pass the logic test.
I read Edward de Bono's book, "Serious Creativity", about 30 years ago. This book helped me learn creative thinking and it has made a significant improvement in my creativity. I really don't think you can teach creativity very effectiviely but I do believe it can be learned as has been proven by many that have used de Bono's information.
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