What is Innovative Thinking and how to develop it

Innovative thinking is using your mind to consider something new or in a better way. It is thinking out of the traditional library box to devise better means of doing regular tasks or accomplishing some things and achieving the same or better results.

What is innovative thinking?

Innovative thinking is a creative thought process used to generate ideas and solutions. It is a complex task that involves finding new methods to approach problems or procedures.

Innovation includes the ability to think outside the box to achieve goals or come up with novel solutions to difficult situations using the environment, objects, or circumstances in an unusual way.

The application of elements such as creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and risk-taking; innovative thinking incorporates some or all the following traits such as curiosity, imagination, inventiveness, playfulness, flexibility, and persistence.

Why is innovative thinking important?

We often say that surgery is an art and science of precision, art involves creative thinking and science involves critical thinking. A surgeon must, then, have both, creative and critical thinking, it’s called innovative thinking.

Innovative thinking is about being creative and flexible.

The definition of innovative thinking is the ability to come up with new ideas and novel approaches to difficulties.

As technology is moving fast, your ability to be flexible and to adapt to change is crucial if you want to have a successful, or even long, career.

How to develop innovative thinking

Solve a Problem

Innovating thinking typically results from considering a problem people have, even if they don’t recognize it.

One example is the whiteboard. It's a great tool for brainstorming and a staple in many offices. However, whiteboards aren't always portable because they're attached to walls or cumbersome trolleys. They also become dirty and dull over time.

Be curious about subjects unrelated to your work

Exposing yourself to activities or subjects you’re unfamiliar with can give you a fresh perspective. Knowledge from other fields, even if it is not directly related to your field, helps you think differently.

Use the random word method

This method applies to certain tasks. For example, you need to make a presentation, but you have no idea what style to make it in.

Choose any noun and write ten association words for it. Next, for each association word, come up with three ways you can use this word to solve your problem.

Come up with new ways to use common items

Think about any object and how it’s typically used. For example, a paperclip’s main purpose is to attach sheets of paper.

Next, think about ways in which one cannot use this item. This may not be as easy as you think. You will begin to come up with rebuttals.

Assimov said, "What is needed is not only people with a good background in a particular field, but also people capable of making a connection between item one and item two which might not ordinarily seem connected."

Innovation is about drawing connections between different ideas. You can do this as part of a group or alone. Often, innovative thinking comes from combining popular ideas or products from different disciplines.