DOGS ≠ COWS
How Studies of Innovation Misinterpret Creativity.
Creativity and innovation are hot topics right now with many academics rushing forward to present their most recent breakthrough observations.
However, whether it’s tech start-ups, fin-techs, engineering or design, their findings by-and-large, sound like this…
“We observed over 100 innovative companies and this is what we found”…
Forbes — “Innovation is engaged in the ‘bigger picture’, issues outside your walls, creating human behaviour change.”
Harvard Business Review — “(they) challenge invisible orthodoxies”.
Eloops — “Encourage Work Place Games and Activities”.
While the jargon sounds attractive and “classically creative”… it is generic, misguided and paints a cliché picture of what Creativity is and how it behaves.
While useful in deciphering certain metrics, statistical analysis is less effective (if at all) applied to the personal, dynamic, abstract process that is Creativity, leading to innovation, let alone composition, original ideas, problem solving, E.Q, et al…
I am not apologetic in bursting this bubble and here is why it’s false.
The error lies in the language used to translate Creative process.
Standard statistical analysis draws observations by removing data from its context, in order to distill habits or patterns.
From these common denominators academics infer the ‘foundations of Creativity and innovation’… in reality what they present are extensions of apophenia and pareidolia.
Like a layman trying to describe a magic trick, these assumptions lead us further away from the truth and how the effect was actually was achieved.
Where it is commonly accepted that Creativity is an abstract process, applying Linear models to translate an abstract process is nonsensical.
For example, if we were to conduct a study to distill the ‘Top Qualities of Pets’ observing the most common choices of horses, dogs, cats and cows, we could claim…
- “They’re all four legged”.
- “They’re all warm blooded”.
- “They’re all capable of being domesticated”.
Are these generic observations?
Of course.
Though from these findings we can accurately infer from the data….“All Dogs are Cows”.
Any cursory discussion with a Dairy Farmer would illuminate the difference between a Holstein (both red and white), Jersey, Japanese Black*, Brown Swiss, Guenrsey, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn.
*This a trick question: a Japanese Black is a breed of beef cattle… not dairy… it would seem not even all cows are the same.
Academics observing innovation are often no more creative than I am a Dairy Farmer, though you will notice that, according to the data, both of our findings would be true.
Additionally, in order to draw out ‘common denominators’ significantly more data is required to be omitted than that which would give us greater insight into how each subject actually behaves.
This is what studies fail to recognise, fail to value and equally fail to translate; quite simply, Creativity it is a language they do not understand.
If academics genuinely wished to understand Creative process, you think perhaps they would include Creative industries within their sample.
Perhaps compare the innovation and originality of David Bowie to Steve Jobs. They do not — why?
Because every Creative knows… “my process is not like theirs”.
Actors understand their process, skills and technique are dissimilar to the Singer that shares the same stage, ie: dogs are not cows.
Even every individual actor knows their process is dissimilar to other actors, ie: not all cows are cows.
In a scientific field of study, there is no stable they can test against; a requirement for standardised Linear assessment.
If we truly wish to foster Creativity in all its forms, then a fundamental understanding of what Creativity is (equally what it isn’t) and how it behaves, is critical to our ability to adapt and thrive within the current challenges that face us and will do so in the future.
Rebel Creative; Author, Speaker and Founder of Applied Creativity, Christopher. S. Sellers is a foremost leader on Creativity + Innovation — www.cssellers.com
