Creative activities to promote innovation (Blue Slip)

Let’s return to these series of articles I have dedicated to businesses innovation by remembering some of the techniques I have mentioned, in order to have creative employees in our company. The first one I presented is very popular and is called brainstorming. The second one I exposed called morphological analysis is not that popular but is really useful. I invite you to read my last two articles where I described these techniques and explained how to use them Today I will present a new tool named Blue Slip.

This tool was developed by Dale Clawson and Rolf Smith in the innovation office of the Air Force of United States. This technique invites to think outside the box, writing ideas in cards that answer some intelligent questions. It is recommended to work this exercise in groups of at least 5 persons, but if the group is smaller it is not a problem. It is also required to have time to think in an individual way but also in group, and time to write the ideas in the cards.

Once the group is complete and ready to start, they need to be given several cards, where they will write the answer to some questions that will be asked. On this cards they will need to write a short title that will give sense to the answer and then write their answer. They will also need to be given time to do the exercise, but once the time ends the cards must be collected. The cards can be stored or posed in a board, so that all the group can read them. It is recommended that based on these first answers the group develop more ideas and action plans by commenting them.

All type of questions can be asked, but some popular examples are the next: what would you change if you where the boss? how would you establish a better communication between employees? What would you change of the actual product? The role of the activity organizer is very important because he is the one that will invite people to think and analyze. He must create a comfortable environment, invite them to participate and promote new ideas.

¡On my next post a new tool in order to promote our employees’ creativity!

Image taken from  Flickr.com