Mon, Jun 14 2010
In our second installment of creativity-killers, we’re going to explore the dreaded “topic fixation.”
Topic fixation is human nature to dangerously focus on whichever idea is first projected, especially if it’s met with popularity. The results? The exclusion of all others. And that’s not the worst part (dun, dun, dun)… truth is, no matter how well-trained we are in managing our creative outputs, the latest research reveals that we are all susceptible to conforming our ideas and possibilities.
Researchers from Texas A&M University performed three experiments in which group creativity was proven to be an overestimated method of generating ideas. In observing the phenomenon, lead researcher Nicholas Kohn explained that, “Fixation to other people’s ideas can occur unconsciously and lead to you suggesting ideas that mimic your brainstorming partners. Thus, you potentially become less creative.”
Say it ain’t so. Well, it doesn’t have to be, Quirks, because we’ve found an antidotal solution:
1. Perform individual brainstorming exercises, like these written creativity drills.
2. Devote time to simply reading and considering the value of the ideas of others.
3. Be open minded and aware of the tendency to conform.
4. Take influence breaks to improve the quality and quantity of your ideas.
By combining the four tips above you too can add to a more vibrant, fresh discussion on Quirky with a wider range of product solutions. Kind of magical, huh?
Greetings Quirks! Check this out:
What you’re seeing here is a map of visitors to Quirky.com for the month of May 2010 from Google Analytics. In the 31 days of May, Quirky.com received visitors from 181 countries around the globe.
Don’t take the colors in this map too seriously though. While the US does make up about 66% of our traffic, our distribution over the rest of the world isn’t as even as it looks here. For example, Japan makes up 2.7% of our total traffic, while Chile contributes more like 0.08%.
The word is spreading around the globe, but domination remains elusive. Something about those white spots rubs me the wrong way. So if you happen to know anyone from Turkmenistan, Somalia, or the northern islands of the Svalbard archipelago with some awesome invention ideas, send them our way.
Welcome to Global Quirky!
Great news! Petal Drops is getting ready to launch soon. Although the packaging does not have room to list all of the influencers, we want to thank everyone for the abundance of great ideas which made this product possible!
Pieter Laga,39.94; kelly saglibene,7.55; david einar,7.08; Bill Burton,5.23; Jenny savariego,1.15; Mindy Kaufman,1.10; josh Spear,0.89; Dan Matarazzo,0.79; Kathleen Lydon,0.79; Catherine Burnett,0.77; quirkyjeff,0.65; Michael Cavada,0.64; Jenny Heil,0.63; Ryan Quarles,0.61; Brian Bouwman,0.60; Chris Tutor,0.60; Matthew Poprocki,0.60; Matthew Toghill,0.58; Micah Goodman,0.58; Ezra Glenn,0.57; Susan Childress,0.55; Ezra Karger,0.55; daniel horton,0.55; HSIN-YI CHOU,0.55; Jeff Jarosch,0.55; L. Downing,0.55; Erik Cohen,0.55; Elad Meshulami,0.55; michael harris,0.55; Mark Howson,0.50; Arezou Beirami,0.50; Christi Helsel,0.50; ethan,0.50; Rees Maxwell,0.50; Darya Gol,0.50; Hamed Nilforoshan,0.50; Spencer Battle,0.50; Michael Manning,0.50; Bruce Bussing,0.49; Scott Galloway,0.49; Renny Fong,0.49; yael miller,0.47; Benjamin Sheung,0.47; regina gelfo,0.46; Jared Fiorovich,0.46; Laurie Fox,0.46; Sandra Lehr,0.43; Delphine Dumon,0.35; Judi Sigler,0.32; Lee Novich,0.28; Paul Natland,0.24; olivier sepulchre,0.23; Wivine Packeu,0.23; David Parker,0.23; mitch lowe,0.19; Ruth Mortensen,0.16; Yvonne Smith,0.14; Margaret Ashenden,0.14; heather bryant,0.14; Sumit Bohra,0.14; Stephen Johnson,0.13; bruce gilardi,0.12; David Isaacson,0.12; sandra gonzalez-toritto,0.12; joshua meyer,0.12; Stacy McDade,0.12; Patricia Earnshaw,0.12; Scott Kehoe,0.12; Tina Peterson,0.12; Chris Jones,0.12; Andrew Troutt,0.12; Holly Bee,0.10; Simon Novich,0.09; Joseph Antolick,0.09; Cody Whitby,0.09; Helena Martin,0.09; Christine Helfrich,0.09; Novich Simon,0.09; Ben Kaufman,0.09; Da M,0.09; John Lambros,0.09; Kristin Ross,0.09; David Kay,0.09; Liz McKay,0.09; Gabriele Mongardi,0.09; Jamie Thomas,0.09; James Gooden,0.09; Simon Novich,0.09; D M,0.09; Michael Mick,0.09; Lisa Zunich,0.09; Robert Park,0.09; StatusQuirk,0.09; Wade Filewich,0.09; Chris Bohlin,0.09; Vicente Di Cunto,0.09; YAO-TING MAO,0.09; Stephen Stewart,0.09; Rachelle Uy,0.09; Clare,0.09; Brendan Donovan,0.09; Florian Hoeper,0.09; Ian Patrick Co,0.09; Carson Kulp,0.08; Aviva Gutin,0.08; Mark Ramos,0.07; David Walczyk,0.07; Liz Carlin-Smith,0.07; Melissa Havens,0.07; Lucille Berry,0.07; Melinda Battle,0.07; Jimmy Bint,0.07; Luk Van Geldre,0.07; millie sloan,0.07; Michael Mueller,0.07; Paul Maré,0.06; Garrett Gourley,0.06; Jennifer Willis,0.06; dond,0.06; nicolas abdallah,0.06; Terry Long,0.06; Liz Studlick,0.06; Kelli Kent,0.05; Martin Gertsen,0.05; Hannah Williams,0.05; Stephen Tan,0.05; Radek Pall,0.05; Graham Rosendorff,0.05; Rafael Soto,0.05; Bill Andrews,0.05; Patrick Dersjant,0.05; Euan Walker,0.05; madnis 5150,0.05; jake ruesink,0.05; Ant Vance,0.05; Katie Cordrey,0.05; matej pelicon,0.05; zhandra tam,0.05; Ivan Chong,0.05; Adam Rosendorff,0.05; James Canning,0.05; Charlene Cunningham,0.05; Steve Levine,0.05; Melinda Himel,0.05; Homer Trecartin,0.05; matthew restucci,0.05; fernando smith,0.05; Jason Moore,0.05; David Roberts,0.05; Joann Burton,0.05; jimmy banaszewski,0.05; Nik Eastburn,0.05; Spencer Daly,0.05; Leslie Darhansoff,0.05; Jennifer Ammons,0.05; Myrna Harris,0.05; Brian Grays,0.03; David Beegle,0.03; Jonathan Rumore,0.03; Jason Kidd,0.03; James Lee,0.03; Michael Ward,0.03; B Durfee,0.03; Sierra Head,0.03; Shawnee Cook,0.03; William Tylko,0.03; Hannah Cherry,0.03; Vincent Cheng,0.03; Mandy Bowen,0.03; Davis Farris,0.03; JJ Gertler,0.03; Ari Salomon,0.03; Alex de Beer,0.03; Carolyn Thompson,0.03; Anna Lin,0.03; Nathaniel Merriman,0.03; Jene Hullett,0.03; Bobby Heuser,0.03; kristyn woodland,0.03; eric ransom,0.03; Hil Omernik,0.03; Duylam Nguyen-Ngo,0.03; Dave Wood,0.03; Nilson Pascoal,0.03; Samuel,0.03; Craig Rich,0.03; RSpencer,0.03; Ryan Meashaw,0.03; Gareth Browne,0.03; Samuel S,0.03; Brian Curley,0.03; Emanuele Fantin,0.03; Scott Shay,0.03; Daryoush Derakshandeh,0.03; Farès Fayad,0.03; Ruth Murray,0.03; Davis Foster,0.03; Patrick Hiller,0.03; Alison Buhler,0.03; david skora,0.03; Daniel Gary,0.03; Michael Mattox,0.03; Lorie Shaull,0.03; Kaari Jae,0.03; Marjorie Sarnat,0.03; Ruthie Arbeiter,0.03; Roy F,0.03; Matteo Bersan,0.03; dean elazab,0.03; Alex Salkin,0.03; Christopher Chiou,0.03; Sam Cowan,0.03; TroyTess,0.03; Nathan Burkhardt,0.03; karry constable,0.03; Christine Hendrickson,0.03; Eric Richie,0.03; Halldór Nilsson,0.03; David Kirk,0.03; Andrew Scott,0.03; Jennifer Soucy,0.03; Stephen Bozzone,0.03; Matthew Taverni,0.03; Christopher Tom Wong,0.03; Mark Barbolak,0.03; Stalias,0.03; Alison Holbach,0.03; Michael McCoy,0.03; Matthew Bellas,0.03; Joao Mesquita,0.03; Aaron,0.03; Marc Barrer,0.03; graycloud rios,0.03; Graham Lee,0.03; Natalia Rakowski,0.03; Levi Breederland,0.03; Jason D,0.03; Steve Goldberg,0.03; Peter Rust,0.03; James Clevenger,0.03; Matt Kopecki,0.03; Carly Perez,0.03; Toren Shahar,0.03; Ed Abrams,0.03; Ian-Sebastien Sweeney,0.03; Thomas Morgan,0.03; Kristen Shamis,0.03; PattiD,0.03; Sam Mathews,0.03; Sergio Rodrigues,0.03; Daniel DeLong,0.03; Robin Carra,0.03; Kathleen Gannon,0.03; Franziska Luh,0.03; Thane Gill,0.03; Blaine Warkentine,0.03; Roger Tobiasz,0.02; T P,0.02; William Potash,0.02; Wendy Pesce,0.02; Rohan Likhite,0.02; Kim Li`,0.02; Jeanne Jones,0.02; Carol Mangis,0.02; Rand Howard,0.02; Sofia Baptista,0.02; luke schulze,0.02; Chunwan Tseng,0.02; Liyang Ding,0.02; Mark Maggi,0.02; Tyron Haberland,0.02; hari patnaik,0.02; LIEN CHAU,0.02; AARON MCCREA,0.02; Rauno Villberg,0.02; micah spear,0.02; Nate Rumore,0.02; Susan Davis,0.02; Todd Davies,0.02; Anita Stevens,0.02; Fung Chi,0.02; Heather Shaughnessy,0.02; steven mccarthy,0.02; Cody,0.02; Jake Cohen,0.02; jason port,0.02; Wan Tseng,0.02; Tal Sharon,0.02; Bethany Bobo,0.02; Aushvill Damonte,0.02; Jean Starling,0.02; Micheal Abbott,0.02; Ashley Rhinehart,0.02; Lundin Cahill,0.02; Brandon Abbott,0.02; Bill Kobs,0.02; April Davis,0.02; Voravut Ratanakommon,0.02; Stephen Poprocki,0.02; Amber OKeefe,0.02; wing li,0.02; Malice Grant,0.02; Annette Sosic,0.02; Carol Flinn,0.02; Amanda Peters,0.02; marilyn tirpak,0.02; Jill Sharon,0.02; Jessica Ngo,0.02; Jill Israel,0.02; Maryeileen Corcoran,0.02; Cynthia Zeh,0.02; April Rollins,0.02; benny ou,0.02; stephanie Burns,0.02; Harmony Dashut,0.02; maren gandy,0.02; Dave Nowak,0.02; Beverly Gary,0.02; Michiko Charley,0.02; Krisann Gentry,0.02.
It began with a bag of coffee beans, shiny and new and mocking me with its unbreachable packaging. I tugged, I pulled, I came this close to using a hammer on it, but a concerned co-Quirker stepped in with a pair of scissors and common sense in the nick of time.
Next came the grinder. Given the bag debacle, I was understandably nervous about using a machine with moving parts and blades. It took a while, but I escaped with all 8 fingers* intact and a batch of freshly ground beans releasing their dark musky promise of caffeine into the air. The brewing process went comparatively smoothly.
I started to think (after my second cup). My difficulties had stemmed from the fact that I needed coffee before I could function enough to make coffee. In a way, Quirky deals with a similar dilemma during the development of each new product because we create market demand for something which does not yet exist. Our community members submit ideas which solve everyday problems. These are problems that people may have been dealing with for years so their natural response is to want the solution right away. However, Quirky still has to take that idea and make it into a tangible product, and do it in such a way that it lives up to everyone’s high expectations. My coffee bean struggles pale in comparison to this challenge.
This week, as we celebrate Quirky’s first birthday and the incredible goals accomplished thus far, we also look ahead at all the great things we hope to achieve in the future. We are always growing and learning here. And, perhaps it’s the caffeine high talking, but I truly believe that we are building something amazing together, my dear Quirks!
*Yes, 8 fingers. Thumbs are opposable digits. Oh, did I scare you for a second?
Hello Quirks!
After celebrating a fabulous birthday yesterday, we’re ready to move full-speed through another great year. And you know what that means… self-improvement time! Oh yeah, we’re excited too.
Here at the office we thrive off of your ideas. They make us laugh, make us cry (not usually though) and speak to the true innovation of the future. But no matter how moving they may be, it’s not until you send it into our Quirky world that the real magic happens. This magic, my friends, is what we call collaboration. Collaboration is the power behind our social product development. Unfortunately, there are some actions and attitudes that have the power to stop this wonderful process in its tracks.
These are called “productivity blockers.” Studies have found that during most ideation sessions, many good (even great) ideas are lost, forgotten, and thrown to the wayside. I know what you’re thinking; Quirky ain’t no boardroom. Good point… but we can also fall into this dreaded trap if we’re not careful.
Keep yourself, and our community, safe by making sure to never (ever) commit these five PB sins:
1) Thou shall not get distracted. Why? When you want to get an idea out and developed, and do it in an original way, it’s important to focus!
2) Thou shall not repeat inspiration. Creative sparks are one of a kind, so don’t think that going back to that same person/place/thing that inspired you last time is going to help you give birth to your next great idea too. Branch out, explore some (insert noun here) new!
3) Thou shall not second-guess. Say it with us: you are a creative person with worthy ideas. Please share all of them, no matter how weird they may be!
4) Thou shall not rush. We value quality, even over efficiency. Don’t let the pressure dull your innovative thinking, okay? Stop, read submissions and comments from others, and make sure you really think before posting.
5) Thou shall not put thy eggs into one basket. Make sure spread your creative juices across multiple idea developments. Creativity is muscle to be whipped into shape.
By steering clear of these traps, you can also avoid the second creative-killer, “topic fixation”… but more on that later.
Get out and get down with your creative self. Influence away!
Dear Quirks,
This past Saturday, I participated in the Hudson River Pageant to raise awareness of the special ecology of the river and its surrounding areas. The procession began in the marina behind the World Financial Center in downtown Manhattan and meandered northward along the water.
The performers were all dressed in intricate costumes that a team of volunteers had crafted during the year leading up to the parade. In addition to the beautiful clothing, everyone marching was painstakingly hand-painted to match his/her costume. I was dressed as a rainbow, and it took 90 minutes for an artist to paint and beglitter me. Around me, people dressed as aquatic creatures, elements of nature, and plant life rushed around the staging area to get ready.
Once the parade started, we marched to the sounds of a live band, waving and chatting with interested spectators. Along certain points of our route, we stopped for performances which celebrated nature. There was an aria by an opera singer seated on a high cliff wall wearing a two-story long woven dress which hung down a la Rapunzel, a boat dance, and a harmonic chant concert, to name just a few.
As one of the participants, my day started at 8am and ended at 7pm. Rather than feeling tired at the end, I was invigorated! A cast and crew of almost 500 people had come together to make this event happen. It made me think about the power of a community to reach seemingly impossible goals and how fortunate I was to have been involved.
As one of the newest additions to the Quirky team, I feel that same happiness every day I come to the office. This is such a unique online community of people excited to work together to make amazing things happen!
Thank you for inviting me into your world. And please, feel free to share what inspires YOU!
Greetings, Quirks!
My name is Shirley Chan, and I am joining the community as your newest ambassador.
Here’s a little about me. After graduating college, I ran away to London for half a year and earned my beer money with various gigs like being a temp receptionist for a design firm where my head was projected on a 2-story screen to greet visitors a la The Wizard of Oz. Word to the wise: the British find American accents insanely charming. Ironic, huh?
Eventually, the English major in me spoke up (quite eloquently) and pushed me to explore journalism, magazine and book publishing. Within book publishing, I discovered my strengths as a production manager and built up knowledge communicating with authors, editors, designers and book printers. From there, it was a natural evolution to join the passionate group of people at Quirky to help achieve incredible things.
To acquaint myself with this new world, I have been reading the forums filled with your comments and suggestions. Of course, I still have a lot to learn so please feel free to introduce yourselves. Chances are, if you’re an active member, I’m already familiar with some of your thoughts and ideas. Can’t wait to get to know you!
Welcome to the new and improved Quirky forum!
Yup, due to consumer demand, we’ve spiffied up the forum and added the following categories:
Now… let’s discuss. =)
The date is set for our first-ever Quirky Town Meeting:
Friday, April 30, at 6 p.m. EST
We’re excited to engage our community on UStream, using a combination of live video broadcast and chat. We’ll talk more about that a little later, but first… the agenda!
There’s lots we want to discuss, including:
- Product manufacturing updates.
- The idea selection process, and what goes into Quirky staff decisions.
- Our development/design process.
- Our open business model.
Anything we’re missing? Hop to the forum to let us know if there are any other topics you think we should add.
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