The Creativity Dice

Flow

The steps in this activity are presented below to apply to individual play. The same steps can be used for team play.

Select a topic. Write down a word, phrase, or a short sentence that identifies the target of your creative thinking. Some people choose a problem. You can be a contrarian and begin with a solution. Don't spend too much time trying to select this stimulus or to specify it in clear, measurable terms. Actually, a fuzzy statement works best.

Alan writes “Bingo” as his stimulus word. He does not know what made him choose this particular word—and he does not care.

Get started. Roll the die and start the activity associated with the number that turns up. Here are specific instructions for each number that you may roll:

1. Specification - When you roll a 1:
• Set the timer for 3 minutes.
• For the next 3 minutes, identify the goals you want to achieve. Make a list of broad goals, specific standards, and criteria for your creative package.
• Write these items on the Goals sheet. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, or neatness. Your notes are for your eyes only. So scribble fast and use cryptic abbreviations.
• Work rapidly. Don't evaluate the goals that pop into your mind.
• Stop your specification activity when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 1, ignore it and roll again.
• Here are some sample items from Alan's Goals sheet:
• The bingo game should be intellectually stimulating.
• The game should be user-friendly.
• The trainer should be able to modify the game to suit a variety of instructional topics.
• The game should not end too quickly. It should provide an opportunity for the participants to answer several questions.
2. Investigation - When you roll a 2:
• Start the timer for 3 minutes.
• Recall bits of factual information you know about the stimulus.
• Write these items on the Facts sheet. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, or neatness. Your notes are for your eyes only. So scribble fast and use cryptic abbreviations.
• Work rapidly. Don't evaluate the goals that pop into your mind.
• Stop the investigation activity when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 2, ignore it and roll again.
• Here are some sample items from Alan's Facts sheet:
• Bingo is an interesting game.
• People use a 5 x 5 grid to play bingo.
• Some people buy more than one bingo card.
• The object in bingo is to mark five squares in a straight line.
• The first person to mark five squares in a straight line yells, “Bingo!” and receives a prize.
• Each square in a bingo card has a different number.
• A specific range of numbers is used for each column of the bingo card.
3. Ideation - When you roll a 3:
• Start the timer for 3 minutes.
• Brainstorm interesting, creative, and practical ideas associated with the stimulus.
• Write these items on the Ideas sheet. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, punctuation, or neatness. Your notes are for your eyes only. So scribble fast and use cryptic abbreviations.
• Work rapidly. Don't evaluate the goals that pop into your mind.
• Stop the ideation activity when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 3, ignore it and roll again.
• Here are some sample items from Alan's Ideas sheet:
• Bingo can be converted into an instructional game.
• The squares in the bingo cards may contain different questions.
• Instead of questions, the squares may contain answers. The facilitator can read different questions and the players can mark the squares with the correct answers.
• Not all bingo cards should contain the same set of answers.
4. Incubation - When you roll a 4:
• Start the timer for 3 minutes.
• Stop thinking about the stimulus. Spend the next 3 minutes in some activity that distracts you.
• Stop your incubation when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 4, ignore it and roll again.
• Alan rolls a 4, and thinks of taking a quick shower. He changes his mind and decides to straighten up the desk. He becomes engrossed in moving papers around. When the timer goes off, Alan drops the papers and goes back to his die.
5. Iteration - When you roll a 5:
• Check to see if you have written some items on at least one of your three sheets. If all three sheets are blank, roll the die again. Otherwise, continue with the steps listed below.
• Set the timer for 3 minutes.
• Review the items on the three sheets. Think about each item and see if you can come up with another related item. Write the new items down on the appropriate sheets. Skip from one sheet to another in a random order.
• Work rapidly. Don't evaluate the ideas that pop into your mind.
• Stop your iteration activity when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 5, ignore it and roll the die again.
• Alan rolls a 5. He reads this item on his Facts sheet:
• The middle cell in a bingo card is free.
• This suggests two ideas that are somewhat inconsistent with each other. But Alan writes down both of them anyhow:
• The bingo card should not contain any free squares.
• Each participant should be permitted to freely mark any one square on his or her bingo card after marking the first two squares.
• Next, Alan reads this item on his Goals sheet:
• The bingo card should be inexpensive to produce.
• This suggests these additions to the Ideas sheet:
• The participants draw their own bingo grid on a blank sheet of paper.
• The facilitator dictates a list of short answers. The participants write them down in different squares of the card in any random order.
6. Integration - When you roll a 6:
• Check if you have written some items on each of your three sheets. If one or more of your sheets are blank, roll the die again. Otherwise, continue with the steps listed below.
• Set the timer for 3 minutes.
• Spend the next 3 minutes reviewing the items on your three sheets and combining them into an integrated package. Build on the facts, ideas, and goals from the sheets. Keep reviewing the items and thinking of a total package.
• Stop your integration activity when the timer goes off at the end of 3 minutes.
• Roll the die again to choose the next activity. If you roll another 6, ignore it and roll the die again.
• Alan rolls a 6 on his die. Looking at a single item on his Idea Sheet, he visualizes a bingo package that can be used by trainers to review reading assignments or lecture presentations. Alan decides that the “package” will consist of a set of handouts explaining how to create and conduct the bingo review game.

Variations

As you become proficient in playing the Creativity Die Game, you may shorten or lengthen the time for each activity. However, be sure to follow the time limits and rapidly shift from one mode of thinking to another.