1) The article “The Weird Rules of Creativity” describes several concepts, which aim to enhance creativity in the companies, where innovation is the key success factor. One of the ideas recommended by the author is to hire people, who do not have the expertise, which is usually required in that company. This approach should foster the development of new ideas and provide a different perspective on the current business practices. However, creativity is often defined as a possibility to find new ways and approaches to the already existing processes and to build up on the experience (Lévesque, 2001). Unless an employee possesses previous knowledge in the field, it will be hard for him/her to produce something significant and innovative. Therefore, despite the fact that the idea to hire people from different backgrounds might be effective in some instances, in the majority of cases it is bound to fail.
2) The success of any modern business lies in a profound knowledge of own customers and a continuous improvement of the business practices (Pradhan, 2009). In order to win over the competitors, it is necessary to approach current business from a different perspective and to make innovation an integral part of business. That is exactly what IDEO is trying to teach their clients in the most interactive and “fun” way. The key to IDEO’s success is close cooperation with the clients and their customers, as well as a multifaceted approach to company analysis. The innovativeness of their methods makes them stay far ahead of the competitors and to be much more than just a design company. In their work IDEO employees assume the role of their clients’ customers and try to understand their experience, concerns and needs not only through the accounting results, but by addressing all kinds of possible problem areas. Moreover, IDEO does not only help companies to overcome their current issues, but also teaches them to innovate continuously and in order not to run into similar problems again in the future. Thinking “outside the box” has not only become the cornerstone of IDEO’s success, but also the key message that the company sends to their clients to direct them on the way to future improvements.
References
Lévesque, L. C. (2001). Breakthrough creativity, achieving top performance using the eight
creative talents. Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
Pradhan, S. (2009). Retailing management. (3rd ed.). New Delhi, India: Tata Mc-Graw Hill.
