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Solution Manual for Introduction to Creativity and Innovation for Engineers, 1st Edition

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    1 SOLUTIONS COMMENTARY and TACTICS FOR FITTING CREATIVITY/INNOVATION INTO AN ALREADY FULL CURRICULUM FOR FACULTY USING INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION FOR ENGINEERS Authored by Stuart G. Walesh and published by Pearson Education, 2016 SOLUTIONS COMMENTARY (Note: For some ideas about possible additional exercises refer to the section at the end of the Chapter 4 exercises.) CHAPTER 1: WHY SHOULD YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION? 1.1 USES OF PAPER CLIPS: Have one or more teams do Exercise 1.1 while one or more other teams do Exercise 1.5 and then compare the results. Does the stimulation provided by visualizing items in the list of objects generate more uses? My experience suggests that it does. 1.2 ALTERNATING GLASSES: As noted by Restak (2009), “The correct solution to this puzzle requires the solver to overcome two limiting assumptions. ” The first is that “ moving ” necessarily means rearranging the glasses. The second limiting assumption is that any glass moving must occur in a horizontal plane. He goes on to say: “ Buying into either of these assumptions prevents a successful solution to the puzzle .” The solution is to pick up the second glass and pour all of its water into the fifth glass. We often, unconsciously and unnecessarily limit the range and depth of our thinking. See the discussion of the Einstellung Effect in Section 3.4. 1.3 EQUATIONS: The “equation s ” exercise encourages students to see common things in new ways such as Roman numerals as parts of equations and plus and equal signs as each being composed of two moveable “sticks.” Trying to see what we have not seen before is part of creativity/innovation. Solutions to the equation challenges follow: 1) III = III + III III = III = III 2) IV = III + III VI = III + III

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    2 3) V = III – II V – III = II 4) VI = VI + VI VI = VI = VI 5) VIII = VI – II VIII – VI = II 6) IV = IV + IV IV = IV = IV 7) II = III + I III = II + I 8) VII = II + III VI = III + III 9) VI = IV – II VI – IV = II 10) IX = VI – III IX – VI = III 1.4 EQUILATERAL TRIANGLES: The “triangles” exercise encourages us to not get locked into one way of thinking, especially when we experience success. For example, just because two- dimensional thinking works for Parts b and c doesn’t mean we should rule out three -dimensional thinking for Part d. The solution to Part d is shown here: 1.5 USES OF PAPER CLIPS WITH STIMULATION: Note the number of ideas generated by the Exercise 1.5 teams relative to Exercise 1.1 teams. I generally find that the ratio is roughly 2:1. Why do teams who are assisted by the list of objects do so much better? In doing Exercise 1.1, team members probably focused on the paper clip and making a list. This is a natural left-brain approach. In contrast, members of a team doing Exercise 1.5, while thinking about the clip and the list, were also picturing various items in the array and envisioning how a paper clip could relate to some of those items. Exercise 1.5 teams were collectively thinking more visually, which is a right-brain process, than is the case with Exercise 1.1 teams. Exercise 1.5 team members

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    3 were simultaneously drawing on both of their brain’s hemispheres. They were applying whole - brain thinking. Advice: When trying to take a creative/innovative approach to addressing an issue, solving a problem, or pursuing an opportunity, do something visual so that you engage both cranial hemispheres and your most powerful sense, which is vision (as explained in Section 2.4.2). This advice applies whether you are working alone or with a group. Many of the whole-brain methods offered in this book have a strong visual aspect. 1.6 GEOMETRIC SHAPES AND EQUAL PARTITIONS OF THEM: “Despite the fact that the last question is the eas iest one, most students can’t solve it. Their minds simply ‘get stuck’ due to their expectation for an [even more] difficult question.” Each time we approach a challenge, we should try to have a fresh look. Quote and idea from Raviv (2004). 1.7 CONNECT THE DOTS: As noted by Restak (2009 ), “The instructions did not state that you couldn’t extend the lines beyond the arrangement of the dots to solve the puzzle.” Therefore, a solution is: One message of this challenge is that we need to be open to literally and figuratively “thinking outside of the box.”

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    4 1.8 SHRINKING SQUARE: One solution is: 1.9 CHANGING DIRECTION: The solution is: 1.10 CREATIVITY/INNOVATION, NATURE OR NUTURE: At this early stage in the book, the reader is likely to be ambivalent about the origin of creativity/innovation, that is, the nature versus nuture issue. Discussing the matter with others may lead to some introspection and, that thinking plus the summary reports may stimulate class discussion. Much later, in Section 5.3, I

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    5 make a strong case for nurture with this book being one example. However, at this point in the book/course, I suggest encouraging lively discussion. 1.11 SUCCESS AND SIGNIFICANCE, YOURS: This exercise uses the success and significance concept introduced in Section 1.2 and the creativity-innovation theme of this book, before really getting into that theme, to urge students to reflect on where they are and where they want to go. Engineering students are smart and most are willing to apply themselves. Therefore, most of them have great potential. However, like Yogi Berra said, “You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going ‘cause you might not get there.” By encouraging the success-significance thinking process, you will help students decide where they want to go and how to “get there,” at least for the near future. You can also provide a way to help them reconcile selfish, self-serving intents with altruistic ones. Furthermore, the process may generate some insightful and helpful discussions, within and outside of the classroom, including the role of creativity and innovation. A similar exercise appears at the end of Chapter 7 (Exercise 7.12). Assigning that exercise after you and the students have worked through most of the book will indicate whether students have changed their approach to taking on challenges. More specifically, do they enthusiastically and productively apply one of more of the bo ok’s whole -brain tools? 1.12 CAPABILITIES OF TOMORROW’S ENGINEER , YOU: This exercise ’ s purposes are set forth in the exercise description. You may want to modify the exercise in that it is designed mostly for first-year engineering students. Given the exe rcise’s personal nature, you may decide not to require a submittal to you. Instead, consider an in-class discussion on the day the exercise is due, which enables sharing by those who want to. CHAPTER 2: THE BRAIN – A PRIMER 2.1 BOOK REVIEW: I suggest giving each student wide latitude in selecting the book he/she will review because this tends to enhance the student’s enthusiasm about the book review project. On the other hand, I recommend providing structure for the final product, as indicated in Task c of the instructions because this will address a common student concern and enable them to focus on reading the book and thinking about its content. I also suggest sharing pragmatic writing tips with the students while this and other writing projects are underway. (Twenty-one such tips are offered in my book Engineering Your Future: The Professional Practice of Engineering, Chapter 3, “Communicating to Make Things Happen, ” Wiley, 2012). Clearly, a book review project has benefits for the student beyond what they learn from the book, such as researching, critical thinking, and writing. 2.2 ORIGINS OF A FAVORED FACILITY/PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Expect a wide array of topics. In one class, students selected the ballpoint pen, lenses for eyeglasses, and the shape of the lead unit on a high-speed train. Collectively, these assignments discovered fascinating stories of

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    6 persistence, luck, and creativity-innovation. I and the other students learned as a result of each submittal, and some of what I learned appears in this book so others can learn from it. Besides what each student learns about their selected topic and the creative/innovative process that produced it, this project provides him or her with widely applicable benefits such as finding and using various sources, a glimpse at the value of history, planning the writing project, critical thinking, and writing and re-writing. 2.3 RESEARCH PAPER (INDIVIDUAL STUDENT VERSION): As with the book selection in Exercise 2.1, I suggest giving each student wide latitude in selecting their topic and, as with that exercise, I recommend providing structure for the final product because this will diminish a common student concern and allow them to focus on their research. I also suggest sharing pragmatic writing tips with the students while this major writing project is underway. When a student prepares a research paper early in his or her engineering studies, the resulting experience may motivate later undergraduate research, capstone course topic selection, and graduate study. In my experience, assigning engineering students (mostly sophomores and seniors) major research projects culminates in written reports that are well done. Success factors seem to be freedom in topic selection, carefully critiquing an early draft chapter, offering writing tips, and reminding students that effective writing is necessary for successful and satisfying professional practice. 2.4 RESEARCH PAPER (TEAM VERSION): See the comments for Exercise 2.3. In addition, this exercise gives students practice with the way reports are commonly prepared in engineering practice, that is, by a team. With that in mind, urge each team to select an editor up front and start their report early – during the first week of the project – by, for example, drafting the table of contents, the first chapter, and a glossary. 2.5 MUCH MORE THAN A COMPUTER: Some say that the human mind is just a glorified computer. While a programmed computer could take on the destruction assignment oblivious to feelings, the human would be able to think of destructive means while struggling emotionally with the idea of destroying a favored object (Adams 1986). 2.6 ONE AT A TIME: The items will have to be recalled sequentially and not simultaneously. We cannot do two or more conscious task s at the same time. As noted in Section 2.9.3, “ While the conscious mind can think of only one topic or thing at a time, the subconscious mind is a parallel processor.” This simple, quick exercise can help drive home that point for your students (Adams 1986). 2.7 HABIT CHANGE: As stated in the exercise, doing this exercise is likely to be a personal matter and, therefore, you are unlikely to assign it in the sense that you ask to learn the results. However, I urge you to encourage your students to try the exercise. Only the most disciplined will succeed and, when they do, they will have learned a powerful tool that will help them achieve their desired mix of success and significance, as discussed in Section 1.2. Yes, we are, as they say, creatures of habit. However, we do not have to be victims of bad habits.

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    7 2.8 TAKING MULTITASKING TO TASK: Students, and maybe you, are enthusiastic multi-taskers. And, like many of our habits, once we’ve acquired them, we rarely examine them. This exercise challenges students to examine their likely multi-tasking habit and ask themselves: Does this make sense? ______________________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 3: PRELUDE TO WHOLE-BRAIN METHODS 3.1 RECOGNIZING THE EINSTELLUNG EFFECT TRAP: This exercise drives home the unfortunate reality of considering only old solutions to new problems. While previously successful solutions are often appropriate, habitually considering only them lulls us into omitting creative/innovative approaches. Given the potentially personal nature of this exercise, you might not ask students to submit it to you. 3.2 FORTUITOUS ERROR OR ACCIDENT (BY OTHERS): As noted in the exercise’s introduction, it is intended to be done by individuals and to further illustrate the possible positive role of errors and accidents in the creative-innovative process. Given the search capabilities available to students, each should be able to find an example. The collection of results, if shared with everyone in the class, will prove to be enlightening and useful. 3.3 FORTUITOUS ERROR OR ACCIDENT (BY YOU): We can learn so much by taking action, by doing, as opposed to overly contemplating what we might do, even when the result is an error or accident (hopefully not serious). This exercise stresses that concept and sharing of student results could provide some interesting, insightful, and helpful ideas. 3.4 YOUR TURN TO FACILITATE: Frankly, having sat through many fruitless -- or at best ineffective meetings -- like those referred to in this exercise, my hope is that the exercise will plant in student minds that this is not how things have to be. One way to increase meeting effectiveness, especially when the group is faced with a major challenge, is to use an outside facilitator. Ample facilitation advice is offered in Section 3.8. High profile meetings aside, for a comprehensive discussion of meeting orchestration, see my book Engineering Your Future: The Professional Practice of Engineering, Chapter 4, “Developing Relationships,” (Wiley, 2012). 3.5 HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN TO BE CREATIVE/INNOVATIVE? Thinking in terms of personal and organizational situations, we might be motivated to be much more creative/innovative when:  We are bored, individually or organizationally  An “insurmountable” challenge threatens the health and well being of many  We want to distinguish ourselves or our organizations  Resources are declining and we have to do more with less  We just received an unexpected windfall and want to use it wisely  Our organization enjoys continued success and we are being lulled into thinking that this will go on forever

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    8 I offer the preceding as examples – your students, working as individuals or teams, will suggest more. ______________________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 4: BASIC WHOLE-BRAIN METHODS 4.1 PREPARING FOR MEETING WITH A CLIENT (ASK-ASK-ASK): The overriding intent of this exercise is to help the student get into a question-asking mode or frame of mind. As stressed in Section 4.2.1 and informed by experience, I conclude that too many engineers are reluctant to ask probing questions. If you agree, you can use this assignment, variations on it, or other exercises to stress the importance of asking questions and show them how to do it. 4.2 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF A “GREEN” BRIDGE (BORROWING BRILLIANCE): The purpose of this exercise is “turning the students loose” to “think outside of the box.” If Students have the opportunity over a period of days to search the internet, they are likely to come up with a wealth of material from which they can borrow and for which they offer credit. 4.3 ATTRACTING CITIZENS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS (BORROWING BRILLIANCE): This exercise illustrates the value of drawing on – borrowing from – everyday experiences when trying to creatively/innovatively address a professional challenge. During brief breakout sessions, practitioners, students, and faculty suggested the following tactics: Announce that there will be entertainment, arrange for refreshments, offer “freebies,” em ploy social media, involve a celebrity, personally invite high and low-profile individuals who collectively represent a wide range of views, provide door prizes, present useful and interesting information suggestive of personal and public benefit, target advertising to specific groups, and use an exciting venue. Drawing on my work, I’ve learned that another way to get citizens at meetings is to take the meetings to them. Instead of scheduling the meetings at the typically distant city hall or county building, hold them in the affected neighborhoods. Use schools, libraries, buildings owned by religious groups, and private residences. I recall, as a consultant to a municipality, being the presenter at a meeting about a flooding problem where the gathering, well attended by neighbors, was in the living room of an affected homeowner. The troublesome creek was just outside the window. 4.4 MULTIPLE USES OF HIGHWAY MEDIAN BARRIERS (BRAINSTORMING): You might have some student teams do this exercise, which uses Brainstorming, and others do Exercise 4.9 (same topic but uses Mind Mapping) to see if, over a period of time, one method proves more effective than the other. 4.5 POSSIBLE CAUSES OF BRIDGE FAILURE (FISHBONE DIAGRAMMING): This exercise gives a student team experience with Fishbone Diagramming, which, as noted in Section 4.5.1, is an excellent early-on diagnostic tool, especially if used by a group.

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    9 4.6 ASSESSING UNEXPECTED FLOODING RISKS (FISHBONE DIAGRAMMING): This exercise:  Stresses the idea that a well-defined problem is half solved, an idea often mentioned in this book. While the team is not asked to solve the potential problems, members will begin to see solutions, but they should defer that discussion.  Illustrates the Medici Effect, that is, the synergism that inevitably occurs when members of a diverse group work together using a visually stimulating tool.  Suggests a follow up exercise during which the group would take the identified problems one at a time, in prioritized order, and seek solutions to them. Most of the whole-brain methods described in this chapter could be used to seek solutions. You could, of course, specify some flood-prone facility other than a water treatment plant. 4.7 TEAM FORMATION (MEDICI EFFECT): Because you are likely to form student teams, or ask them to do so, in some of your courses, I urge you to experiment with the Medici Effect. My experience suggests that Medici-based heterogeneous teams will have a more difficult time getting started than more typical homogeneous teams but will be much more productive if the goal is creative/innovative results. If you or your students form teams based on Medici Effect principles and then struggle, urge them to consider the advice in Section 4.6.5, “Four Steps for Successful T eam Development.” 4.8 YOUR PERSONALITY PROFILE (RELATED TO THE MEDICI EFFECT): If your students have not been profiled, I strongly urge you to use this exercise as a means of doing so. As noted in the exercise, “p ersonality profiles – ours and others – help us understand and deal with our feelings and needs and those of the people we work with and serve.” Two additional thoughts:  The exercise notes that the results should be confidential unless the profiled person wants to share them. Some of us consider our personality profile to be confidential – to be similar to medical records. One of my clients required profiling and shared the results, within the organization, a practice that would have made me uncomfortable if I were an employee.  A contrary element of an individual’s psychological type or profile does not mean they are disqualified from certain functions/positions. They are, however, alerted to a potential weakness/liability. I, as a mildly introverted person, once served for eight years as an en gineering dean. At times, I needed to be “extroverted.” Knowing I wasn’t naturally so, caused me to compensate. 4.9 MULTIPLE USES OF HIGHWAY MEDIAN BARRIERS (MIND MAPPING): I’ve observed student and practitioner groups do this exercise with Mind Mapping and also with Brainstorming, as in Exercise 4.4. Examples of potential barrier uses they collectively identified are: Advertising; art/murals; botanical gardens; channels and sand filters for stormwater runoff; emergency oasis; heat source to eliminate ice; lighting; noise mitigation; observatory; pedestrian bridge to it; picnic areas; signage; storage of sand, salt, rock, and equipment; system to spray salt brine on the pavement; traffic update signs; utilities (electricity, gas, communication, water); vending machines; and wind protection.

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    10 You might have some student teams do this exercise, which uses Mind Mapping, and while others apply Brainstorming (Exercise 4.4) to see if, over a period of time, one method proves more effective than the other. I believe Mind Mapping will “win” in the long run. This exercise also offers an opportunity to apply What If? That is, stimulate student imaginations by saying what if traditional constraints, like finances, were temporarily inoperative. 4.10 APPLICATIONS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (MIND MAPPING): One group that did this exercise rapidly generated these ideas : Bridge or tunnel for animal and/or people crossing; water collection/storage; construction parts/elements (e.g., doors, roofs, walls); helipad; mobile heath laboratory; sea wall; and shelter for animals. 4.11 APPLICATIONS OF SHIPPING CONTAINERS IN PUBLIC WORKS (USING MIND MAPPING): A group of practitioners did this exercise and quickly generated these ideas: art, barricades, a bridge, center for distribution of supplies, disaster command center, emergency shelter, festivals, mass burial, meeting space, metal recycling container, morgue, public messages, tool/equipment storage, trench box, triage center, and tunnel. 4.12 EMERGENCY FLOODPROOFING OF A MANUFACTURING FACILITY (MIND MAPPING OR FISHBONE DIAGRAMMING): As noted in the exercise, this was an actual emergency situation (Walesh 1982). Part of the solution was installation of a wall membrane, with the lower end buried in a shallow ditch, as shown here:

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    11 Another component was this temporary wooden wall with membrane around the electric substation: Examples of other recommended measures, most of which were implemented at prescribed flood levels as the floodwaters rose were:  Attach temporary flood shields to all exterior doors  Maintain a 10 foot-wide snow-clear path around the building  Fill a buried 12,000 gallon fuel oil tank  Caulk cracks, holes, and other openings in exterior walls  Stockpile flashlights, life jackets, waders, rubber boots, rubber gloves, lengths of rope, and hard hats  Notify local police, fire, public works, and civil defense officials  Evacuate all people from the building with the exception of the team designated to assist in implementing the remainder of the floodproofing measures  Elevate readily movable flood-prone equipment and materials by setting on desks, tables, shelves, and other high areas or surfaces in the building; placing on blocks or other supports; suspending from columns, walls, and other supports; or moving outside of the building to higher ground  After emptying molten aluminum holding furnaces, raise each with a fork lift truck and set them on a support to reduce the probability of damage to motors or heating elements

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    12  Shut off the municipal water supply and natural gas supply and activate the back water control on the sanitary sewer lateral  If flood waters rise more than 3.5 feet above the building floor, flood the building to prevent wall collapse I’ve had student and practitioner teams take on this assignment and they arrived at some of the above floodproofing measures and some new ones such as: concrete or sheet pile floodwall, earthen berm, inflatable barrier, snow berm, raise floor, re-route/divert the river channel, sand bags, upstream control, and waterproof finish. Incidentally, the floodwaters rose to within about one foot below the surface of the plant’s concrete floor and then receded. Many of the measures had been implemented but were not needed. The client was pleased with the project because they viewed the engineering, materials, construction, and other costs as an insurance policy premium and because the plan could be reused if needed. 4.13 IMPROVING A TRADITIONAL PROCESS (OHNO CIRCLE): This exercise can produce useful outcomes for the student in that he or she is asked to choose a process of personal interest. Or, you could direct them to a problematic process within your office, department, college, or university. 4.14 IMPROVING A CONSTRUCTION OR MANUFACTURING PROCESS (OHNO CIRCLE): In contrast with the previous exercise, this one requires more effort partly because the student needs to make some formal arrangements. It can also help him or her explore a particular engineering discipline or to investigate one in more detail. Students could be asked to, in writing or orally, share their findings with the class so that all could benefit. 4.15 GENERATING IDEAS (STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS WRITING): For this exercise, whether done in the individual or group mode, I suggest that students have the option of keeping the results confidential. Knowing that, the individual student or the student team is more likely to take on a meaningful IPO. While I have personally used Stream of Consciousness Writing, I do not have experience with the group use of the method. However, given the likelihood that a diverse group of students would select a real IPO and given their collective intelligence and experience, I expect insightful and useful results. 4.16 ANALYZE YOUR TEAM OR GROUP (SWOT): This involved and challenging exercise can benefit students in at least two ways. First, conducting a successful SWOT analysis will require interpersonal skills that are often best learned by doing. Second, the results of the analysis and resulting recommended actions may improve the team or group that the students selected for the exercise. I have one experience observing groups of engineering students apply SWOT, and I facilitated it many times in my consulting work. Once the process gets going, essentially all participants

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    13 contribute, and the result is a thorough understanding of the topic of interest, which, in turn, leads to insights into how to build on strengths and opportunities while resolving weaknesses and threats. Your students will have many opportunities during their careers to use SWOT, provided they learn how to use it now. 4.17 DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY (TAKING A BREAK): Given the prevalence of social media, this exercise should interest students. On taking on the issue, they are likely to be torn between their desire to use social media when, where, and how often they wish and their basic understanding of the organizational productivity and confidentiality issues raised in the exercise. 4.18 MANAGEMENT OF DISASTER WASTE AND DEBRIS (WHAT IF): A small group of practitioners worked on this exercise for about 10 minutes. They developed these What If? responses: A huge sink hole opened up, the material could be sorted and then recycled, if near an ocean it could be barged away, burned for energy, everybody has to take some, rail it out, use it to build something else, and sold for souvenirs. When done correctly, What If? typically produces some zany results, some of which, on further reflection, motivate more realistic ideas. For example, consider the preceding “use to build something” result. This might lead the group to consider using some of the materials to construct a sledding hill at a local park. 4.19 RENOVATION/REUSE OF A MAJOR STRUCTURE/FACILITY (WHAT IF): Most communities/areas have at least modest examples of structure/facility reuse. To help one or more student teams get started on this exercise, mention some of those reuses or ask the students to do so. Two groups I worked with composed of students, faculty, and practitioners collectively and quickly identified the following possible uses for a soon-to-be abandoned motor vehicle bridge in an urban area: Biking and hiking trail, botanical garden, bungee jumping, express lane, fish habitat and fishing, historic structure/park/architectural feature, private bridge, residences, restaurant, and wind turbine and other energy sources. A team of practitioners offered these ideas for renovation/reuse of an outdoor swimming pool complex: Contemplation garden, engineered wetland, entertainment/amusement complex, fish farm (aquaculture), playground, rescue training facility, and vegetable garden. Another practitioner team listed these potential new uses of a ski jump: Amusement park ride, cell tower, community garden, hang gliding facility, pumped storage, solar panel/array, storm water treatment/biofilter, waterfall/restaurant, and water slide. Consider the preceding imaginative results very quickly provided by several groups in mostly hypothetical situations. Because of that and other experiences, I am confident that more diverse groups given an actual soon-to-be-abandoned structure or facility would produce a wide range of ideas, some of which would prove to be very fruitful. ADDITIONAL IDEAS FOR EXERCISES: Assume you are contemplating ideas for developing more exercises that will provide additional opportunities to use the tools in this chapter and in Chapter 7. Perhaps some of the following ideas will be helpful:

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    14 a) Unusual cathedral dome: If you have one or more students interested in creative/innovative structural design, then steer them to the Italian, Filippo Brunelleschi and his massive and unusually shaped dome for the iconic Florence C athedral. While the church’s foundation was laid in 1296 and the church was largely completed in 1418, a “gaping hole remain ed where the dome had been planned.” B runelleschi innovatively figured out how to design and construct a double-layered dome, which was largely completed in 1436. Challenge your students to discover the source of Br unellschi’s ideas and how he used them for the dome. (Source: Isacoff, S. 2015. “Architectural Epiphany in Tuscany,” The Wall Street Journal, May 23-24, 2015) b) Physical therapy devices: Physical therapists devise and/or purchase a wide variety of devices intended to apply tension, compression, and torque on various parts of their client ’ s bodies. These devices, each of which is tailored for a specific situation, range from simple- looking casts to complicated mechanisms having many modes of motion. For examples of some of the more complicated mechanisms, research Lantz Medical. Consider having some of your students visit a local physical therapist, observe the devices they use in treating patients, and learn about the therapist’s needs. Your student’s knowledge of forces and materials coupled with the possible occurrence of the Novice Effect (Section 4.6.4) may result in some useful and satisfying creative-innovative ideas. This kind of exercise also illustrates the productive possibilities of medical profession – engineering profession teamwork. Awareness of that intersection, some of which are described in this book (e.g., cardiac pacemaker, Section 3.6.1; baby incubator, Section 6.8.1; neural prostheses, Section 8.4), might stimulate engineering students to take on additional medical- related projects or devote graduate studies to that topic. c) Other health needs: The preceding idea could also be applied to other parts of the health field such as various medical specialties, dentistry, and nursing home care. d) Uncommon thinking about common things: Ask individual students or student teams to select common, frequently used items and generate ideas for improving them. Some examples are a music stand, backpack, computer mouse, and eyeglasses. Recall, as described in this book, putting wheels on luggage, although, unfortunately after we put a person on the moon (Section 3.2.4); enabling a water container to roll (Section 6.2.1); adding lower handles to a common door (Section 6.2.2); and combining the fork and spoon and integrating the gas cap into the door that accesses it (Section 4.12.4). e) Creativity/innovation sometimes results from what is left out: The creative/innovative process often generates many and varied ideas perhaps using some of the Chapters 4 and 7 methods. That divergent thinking is then followed by convergent thinking as we strive to arrive at an optimum result. Consider one way to illustrate how creativity/innovation may flow from subtraction, from leaving things out. Ask students, as individuals or in groups, to arbitrarily take a page of text from say a newspaper or magazine. Then gradually subtract, by blacking out, many words ultimately finding and leaving a thoughtful or even profound sentence or expression. This exercise also suggests metaphorically that creative/innovative materials lie

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