3. Awakening One Creative Genius at a Time…a
story about NASA Langley Research Center &
the Ci guy

4. What’s The
Context?

5. Creativity Matters More Than Ever
The world has and is changing
We have moved from the Information Age (a
time of knowledge workers)
to the Conceptual Age
(a time of creators and empathizers).
This means that creativity has become
the key differentiator for businesses,
and that the “right brain” talents
of design, story, empathy, play
and meaning are the key
strengths for an individual
to developed.
Reference: Pink, D. H. A whole new mind: moving from the information age to the
conceptual age. New York: Riverhead Books, 2005.

6. What strategic gap/problem
is the LaRC initiative trying to solve?
 Creativity is stifled in the research to development environment resulting in less
innovation
 Informed risk-taking is constrained due to an aversion to failure
 Lack of open environments where creativity & ideas are able to thrive
 Not enough creativity courses offered within the Agency
 Not using all possible resources due to lack of creative problem solving/thinking
and emphasis on status quo limiting employee input & freedom
 Not enough diversity and inclusion of “all” employees in innovation type training
and problem solving activities, leaving out a large percentage of the population.
Limited grasp of the potential we hold if we use “all” to solve problems versus a
“special” few.
 Lack of a common understand of Creativity & its crucial role in Innovation
 Lack of recognition that we are in the “Conceptual Age” where human ingenuity
and people’s ideas translate into breakthrough technologies and social
improvements that are essential to organizational survival. Large over-controlling
hierarchies will soon be a thing of the past. Passion and trust need to drive
innovation.

7. NASA Langley’s Mission Success
Deliver on Today’s Commitments and Prepare for Tomorrow’s Opportunities
Customer Relations Technical Excellence Efficient Operations
Deliver Systems Solutions to Ensure an Agile, Adaptable
Enable NASA’s Missions and Responsive Langley
(Wycoff/Seaton)
Work with our (Kumar/Marlowe)
Customers to define •Design and Implement Innovation Network
• Institute a process for assessment of ideas at •Identify opportunities for high impact
and solve compelling technology and systems levels Efficiency improvements (Prioritize and
• Develop Center Capability & Technology Roadmaps
national challenges • Center Grand Challenges/RTCs
Implement follow on initiatives)
(Vann/Crisp) • Incentivize Systems-level Innovations
Create the
Foster Continuous Learning, NASA Langley of 2050
•Deploy/Institutionalize Space (Harris/Finelli )
Technology and Exploration Planning Exploratory Thinking and Informed
. Design and Implement the “LaRC of 2050”
team Risk-taking Transformation Plan
•Understand & Influence National (Antcliff/Watson) -Phase 1: Design an integrated concept
Plans and Program content relevant for the “LaRC of 2050”
to NASA •Provide training in Critical Thinking and Creative -Phase 2: Develop and Implement the
• Develop systematic approach for Problem Solving “LaRC of 2050” Transformation
documenting and responding to •Foster Leadership Excellence (Phase 1: Mid-level Plan
External Customer Feedback • People
leadership training) • Processes
•Enhance Engineering Development practices through • Tools
• Facilities ( includes New Town
innovative approaches and methods phase 4-5 and out)
•Benchmark Risk-taking Successes and Apply Best
As of 9-28-2010 Practices
7

9. What was the
Approach?

10. Someone who believes
they can do something
has a lot better chance of doing it.
"When we speak of “a Genius” it puts “those people”
on a pedestal too high for others
to comprehend climbing themselves.
When we teach “genius” as something
that occurs due to persistence and passion
it becomes an attainable goal
we can all achieve.” – Karen Freidt

12. Creativity & Innovation (C&I) Team
• The core members of the C&I Team were already a part of the center’s Navigation
Center
– As word spread about the training initiative other center employees self selected to
participate
• The C&I Team was to : Become experts in Creativity & Innovation
– Read the literature/research on creativity
– Benchmark with other organizations (PLAY)
– Enlist guidance from other creativity experts inside/outside of NASA
– Get involved with C&I Online Groups thru Yammer and other social media
– Enlist other team members with skills sets in instructing adult learners
• The intent was: Create our own courses & teach our coworkers the following:
– We are all creative, we can all be more creative
– The difference between creativity & innovation
– Why creativity and why now
– Understanding & adapting a creative mindset
– The creative process & tools to expand possibilities
• The resulting first course offering was “Enhancing Your Creative Genius”
The Goal: To foster continuous learning, exploratory thinking &
informed risk-taking at the center

13. The Creative Mindset

14. The 5 I’s
There are variations on the creative process. This is just one
interpretation.

15. DAY ONE
Creativity Class Outline
• Introduction
• Lecture – Why this course now?
• Who is it for?
• What is Creativity?
• Define Creativity - What we have found
• Describe difference between Creativity & Innovation
• Myths
• Characteristics of a creative person
• Neurological
• Introduction to Brainstorming
• Mindset
• What is a creative mindset introduction?
DAY TWO The EYCG course is a two day
off-site training experience.
• Introduce Creativity Process
The training includes a field
• Sustainability visit to experience a different
environment.

16. When? Courses are available now. Sign up on SATERN.

17. EYCG Statistics
• The first pilot class was held on February 2-3, 2010.
• Six pilot classes were held between February and August of 2010.
• The first “live” class was held on October 20-21, 2010.
• Seventeen “live” classes have been held to-date.
• Two of the seventeen classes were taught at NASA GRC.
• A total 234 people have attended the EYCG .
• 31 people from outside of NASA have attended.
• We have conducted the class in 12 locations around the Hampton Roads area.

18. Making
Connections!

19. “I would like to thank you for all you have done in
bringing your creativity course to Glenn.
It was a truly excellent course and I have received
a number of comments from the participants on how
much they enjoyed the course.
You have done an outstanding job in developing
an engaging and highly relevant course in the important
area of enhancing creativity, and I am very happy you
are willing to share it with us.”
James J. Zakrajsek
Glenn Research Center,
Branch Chief, Tribology & Mechanical Components Branch
Structures & Materials Division

20. C&I Partners from Museums & the
Arts
•Charles Taylor Art
Museum, Hampton, VA
•Downing Gross, Newport
News, VA
•The New American
Theatre, Hampton, VA
•Hampton History
Museum, Hampton, VA
•Fort Monroe, Hampton, VA
•Virginia Living Museum, Newport
News, VA

21. C&I Partners from Government,
Non-Profit and Industry
•Jefferson Lab, Newport News, VA
•NIA, Hampton, VA
•Hampton Fire station #9, Hampton, VA
•NASA APPEL, NASA HQ, D.C.
•Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
•Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC
•Members of City Counsel, Poquoson, VA
•Spratley Gifted School, Hampton, VA
•Steam Plant, Hampton, VA
•Northrop Grumman, Newport News, VA
•International Communications Group, Newport
News, VA
•Continental Automotive, Newport News, VA

22. C&I Experts as Partners
• Greg Fraley, Creativity and Innovation Expert
– Wrote the CPS book – Jack’s Notebook
• John Sturrock – APPEL Instructor
– Innovative Design for Engineering Applications (IDEA)
• Jennifer Spear, Creativity Expert
– Clean Slate Strategies, Canada
• Ron Fulbright, University of South Carolina
Upstate, Spartanburg, SC
– TRIZ Instructor
• Marci Segal, Creativity Expert
– Creativity Land Inc., Canada

23. What do they think?
Tammy Flynn
City of Hampton Manager for Marketing Inc., Innovation & Collaboration

24. Dacia Hollis, City of Hampton, Information Technologist for Marketing
Inc., Innovation & Collaboration

25. Where Are We
Going?

26. What’s next?
• Working with leaders on KEYS Assessment Results to ensure we
continue to make progress
• New Courses in 2012 (Putting Your Ideas in Writing, Innovation
Simulation, Creative Problem Solving & Innovation, and Moving
Your Ideas Forward)
• Working on bringing in more resources externally to help with
Center Management &Operation funding
• Working with Glenn Research Center to train employees to teach
the course
• Interest from Headquarters Chief Technologist
Office, Goddard, Stennis & Kennedy.
• Speaking engagement at the upcoming Annual Front End of
Innovation Conference in Florida in May
• Working on a collaborative Hampton Roads Creativity & Innovation
Conference for 2012-2013
• Space Act Agreement in works with City of Hampton

27. KEYS® Assessing the Climate for Creativity –
A Footnote
• The KEYS® is a scientifically derived assessment used by organizations
and work groups who want to assess employees’ perceptions of their
work environment for creativity and innovation.
• The KEYS® taps into employee’s perceptions of their work
environment at a particular “snapshot” in time.
• This first administration of the KEYS® provides a center baseline
– LaRC launched the KEYS® on July 12, 2011.
– All civil servants and on-site Contractors voluntarily participated .
– Responses will help identify work environment factors which may be
promoting creativity as well as those that don’t.
• The C&I Team worked with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)
on this effort.
• The CCL extensive database allows comparisons with other
organizations the have taken KEYS®.
• The KEYS® data indicates the current work environment at NASA
LaRC supports creativity and innovation.

30. NASA will
push the human race forward faster if we
are all awake and aware.
We are awakening
more geniuses.
“It is easier to push a car forward
when the people that should be helping
aren’t sleeping inside.” – Karen Freidt

31. Creativity & Innovation Design Team
CORE TEAM EXTRAORDINARY SUPPORT
Sponsor - Rich Antcliff PJ Cormier
Karen Freidt, Lead Donna Phillips
Patricia Pahlavani Laurie Johansen
Dan Cherry Wade Mickley
Charlie Dunton Jeff Pickering
Steve Alter Vince Whitfield
Donna Speller Turner John Bailey
Pam Payne John Kahler
Monica Barnes
Karen Taminger A special thanks to other leaders who continue
Susanne Waltz to support the team’s efforts regularly:
Gayle Burton Charlie Harris, Dennis Bushnell, Steve Craft,
Susan Cooper & Marty Waszak
WJ Rogers
Myisha Tucker And a special thanks to the leaders who have
Gregory Hajos come to speak in the courses too!!!
Brian Luoto
Donna Mizell We also are grateful for our legal support.
Kim Keith The Office of Chief Counsel has been wonderful.
Bill Lamarsh