The official letter from The Innovation Doctor. Your weekly prescription of practical creativity to get your ideas unstuck.
🎙️ Can you find play in the chaos?
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Hey Reader, I spent the past few days immersed in AfroTech in downtown Houston. Forty thousand people, endless panels, and innovation in every direction. But the moment that stayed with me happened at a small table with a box of beads. More in this week’s lab notes from the studio. Dear Creativity, There was so much to take in this week. The energy was electric—expo halls filled with brilliant designs, company recruiters finding new talent, authors sharing their life's work from the stages. Yet my favorite rendezvous with you happened inside an unexpected pocket of calm: a booth with a Polaroid camera, a tube of glue, and compartments full of tiny colorful charms. With DJ sets pulsing in the background and food trucks filling the air with amazing aromas, I sat down to decorate a tiny picture frame. At first, I had no plan. But then I caught a glimpse of what the woman across the table was designing, and a spark jumped across the table. I borrowed her idea, adapted it, and told her so. She beamed. In the middle of what felt like a 40,000-person temporary university, two strangers found a quiet moment of play. That tiny brain break reset my entire afternoon. We often think the best inspiration comes from the big stages or the loudest moments. But you, Creativity, are just as present in the calm centers we carve out in the middle of the storm. All we have to do is stay open enough to wander and wonder. I wonder where in our busy, high-volume weeks are we forgetting to pull up a chair, pick up the glue, and make something just for the joy of it? Innovatively yours, “From the Studio” is where The Innovation Doctor shares her weekly lab notes. The call-in lines are always open. If you have a question or a story for the Doctor, you can leave a message for her right here. |
The Doctor Is in // Lab Notes From the Studio
The official letter from The Innovation Doctor. Your weekly prescription of practical creativity to get your ideas unstuck.
Hey Reader, As I sealed and signed my election ballot, a tiny detail stopped me in my tracks. It wasn't the candidates or the measures—it was the sticker waiting inside. More in this week’s lab notes from the studio. The moment before my "I voted" sticker moves from the ballot to my journal. Dear Creativity, When I peeled open my ballot envelope, I expected the usual patriotic flag sticker. Instead, I was greeted by a white egret standing among reeds, catching a fish in the wetlands of Santa...
Hey Reader, I just wrapped up teaching a two-week class. It was my third time running it, and while almost the entire curriculum evolved, one cherished activity stayed the same. More in this week’s lab notes from the studio. Data mapping activity from my Data Story Design for Influence course Dear Creativity, Every time I run this class, you show up through my students' hands the moment I take away the easy answers. The assignment is simple in structure, but demanding in practice: each team...
Hey Reader, There's a singing bowl that sits on my desk. I look at it every day, but only play it when the spirit moves me. The other day, something different happened. More in this week's lab notes. A view from my desk. Look right toward the singing bowl. Dear Creativity, I remember the day I bought this singing bowl. The seller explained that to make the tone last, you have to be completely relaxed. For a long time, I struggled. My notes were always short-lived. Then, the other day, it...