The official letter from The Innovation Doctor. Your weekly prescription of practical creativity to get your ideas unstuck.
🎙️ Does freedom need a container?
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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. 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 receives a box filled with random, everyday objects. Their challenge is to classify that "data" along a continuum—with one strict rule: they cannot use the obvious metrics like size, weight, or color. They have to invent a new spectrum. Left without the usual defaults, one team created this: "How useful these objects would be if you were stranded on an island." Suddenly, a narrative took flight. A lanyard wasn't office swag; it was fishing line. A 20-sided die wasn't a game piece; it became a tool for making life-or-death decisions. A bendy straw became a siphon for coconut water. I didn't give them an island scenario. I just gave them a box of scrap and a rule against the obvious. The container did the rest. We often convince ourselves that we need wide-open, boundless freedom to do our best thinking. But I am reminded every time I teach that you, Creativity, crave constraints. When the container is designed just right, the limits don't box us in—they force the genius out. What messy ideas are we all holding right now that don't actually need more freedom, but a braver container to help us see what they could become? 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, 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...
Hey Reader, I went to see Phantom of the Opera for what must be the fifth time, expecting a nice afternoon but no real surprises. I should have known better. This week's lab notes are about what happened next. One more to add to the collection of playbills (Broadway San Jose -Phantom of the Opera) Dear Creativity, On my way into the theater, I was carrying all the usual static of the world—annoyance at the woman who tapped my bumper in the parking garage, the frantic rush to get to our seats....
Hey Reader, I needed a logo for a new high-end offering, and the process became a powerful experiment in modern creativity. I want to share the story of my new favorite creative partner. More in this week's lab notes. Iterations of logo development for The Idea Studio Residency. Dear Creativity, I found myself needing a logo for a new offer—one that could capture luxury, the bridge between the Lab and the Studio, and a sense of childlike wonder. It was a tall order. So, I assembled my...