I met Delphine Batton in a project open innovation between two major French companies and I had the chance to share our creative practices and especially to participate in one of his animations. Delphine is a consultant in creativity, in his account, and its catalog offers training, benefits of animation or individual coaching. It also Olwen Wolfe, a collaborator of director of the company Wordling . Creative-Network: How did you come to move from telecom engineer at Orange Labs in professional facilitator and in what context did you start to train you to creative ways?
Delphine Batton: Actually at startup, it happened quite by chance. My position does not please me, I wanted to change. Two former colleagues were themselves parties in an entity called the R & D Creative Studio. I followed them there. In this entity, we were working on the design of future possible services to horizon 15 years for the France Telecom group: a mixture of day, foresight and creativity to imagine what could be the future of ICT products and services. Naturally, part of our work was based on methods of creativity to imagine, conceive these famous products and services. I'm so interested in these methods, then gradually I got trained, first at the European Conference of creativity CREA Conference in Sestri Levante, while practicing a lot in the business , then University Paris Descartes, and it is never completely finished! This constant alternation between intense practice on various topics and varied (from design of products and services, I am also spent on issues of strategy, management, communication plan ...) and training with industry experts (Guy Aznar, Rene Barnechea, Todd Lubart, Olwen Wolfe, Stephen Ely, Sylvain Courcelles and so on ...) was very rich for me and allowed me to do my job.
CN: What is the major argument in favor of creative methods? What is the argument that would convince a director of R & D engineers to train them in these practices?
Delphine Batton: The Argument ! They are many:
- provide engineers with practical tools to help daily in advancing their ideas and realize them;
- allow these engineers to work better together (the methods of creativity, even if they are used alone have a true collective strength);
- open the possibility of multidisciplinary working, with others, whether they be marketers or vendors, or external speakers are experts in particular areas, or customers.
Delphine Batton: I do not think so. Everyone has a creative potential, it applies to an area or another. Being a computer programmer for example requires great creativity : You have to analyze the needs, ideas for responding, develop these ideas into a robust software and implement it. It is the same for all application areas. At the moment there is a question that has no single immediate response, and where one is motivated to find solutions, then creativity can occur. And there is no profile it is cultural, occupational or other more "creative" than others. All about how and what is applied creativity. Tools like Foursight show very well.
CN: What techniques do you apply? Have you found more effective techniques in some research?
CN: What are the pitfalls to avoid when you get into animation? Imagine a manager or colleague who would like to start looking for an original idea, what advice do you provide him?
Delphine Batton: Not to underestimate the start, the establishment of rules which are fairly general news in the way of working, and good group dynamics (even with a team that knows it) is a phase that can be rushed and make things difficult later. From
think that creativity is ultimately to have original ideas, news, and achievable, and therefore phases of convergence are as important as the phases of divergence. In a word, animate a group of creative, not just sit around a table and make a lot of ideas (image that is often the brainstorming).
Delphine Batton: Not to underestimate the start, the establishment of rules which are fairly general news in the way of working, and good group dynamics (even with a team that knows it) is a phase that can be rushed and make things difficult later. From
think that creativity is ultimately to have original ideas, news, and achievable, and therefore phases of convergence are as important as the phases of divergence. In a word, animate a group of creative, not just sit around a table and make a lot of ideas (image that is often the brainstorming).
CN: I noticed when one of your animations, you generally applies the technique of brainstorming (Enumeration, consolidation, selection) and you add some variation. We can see that you use user profiles (personas) often used in the design, you sometimes uses the senate, sometimes put into perspective. You still have this process or do you adapt yourself according to the feedback or non-reaction group that animates you?
Delphine Batton: There is always a first phase with the carrier for clarification of the issue, the "client". In this phase, I try to collect data on subject in itself, but also on the group (multidisciplinary or not? team made of or who do not know? persons familiar with the methods of creativity or not ?...), on corporate culture in which j am speaking, and so on. It is from this and clarified the request of the client that I can choose the ingredients, techniques that I will deploy. Then, during the meeting, obviously I adapt to what happens in the group, having to thread the request of the customer: how best to assist the group to move towards one or more solutions to the objective. The answer to your question is: I use not not always the same techniques, for cons, the overall process (from a fusion of artistic and scientific processes) remains the same: Clarify the purpose, produce solutions, Prepare for Action (CPS Creative Problem Solving ...). What changes in the process is that the clarification is sometimes face to face with a project manager or team, or in "small group", or with the entire group, and this is true for each step.
Delphine Batton: There is always a first phase with the carrier for clarification of the issue, the "client". In this phase, I try to collect data on subject in itself, but also on the group (multidisciplinary or not? team made of or who do not know? persons familiar with the methods of creativity or not ?...), on corporate culture in which j am speaking, and so on. It is from this and clarified the request of the client that I can choose the ingredients, techniques that I will deploy. Then, during the meeting, obviously I adapt to what happens in the group, having to thread the request of the customer: how best to assist the group to move towards one or more solutions to the objective. The answer to your question is: I use not not always the same techniques, for cons, the overall process (from a fusion of artistic and scientific processes) remains the same: Clarify the purpose, produce solutions, Prepare for Action (CPS Creative Problem Solving ...). What changes in the process is that the clarification is sometimes face to face with a project manager or team, or in "small group", or with the entire group, and this is true for each step.
CN: You also used practices such as most original theatrical techniques to help leaders. What are the contributions of these techniques levels of your participants and especially how you convince them to follow you. You encounter resistance?
Delphine Batton: The aim is to vary the possible angles of attack, involving participants maximum, varying modes of expression to reach all the preferences (I work a lot with Foursight and profiles Herrman preferences and modes of thought). Hence the need sometimes more technical "original". The benefits for the participants are diverse and varied: to give them other means of expression than speech or writing, help them to "let go" allow them to express the unspoken, offer fun and fun too (engine efficiency and envy) ...
I almost never happens of resistance. At the moment, as facilitator, we are confident in the techniques chosen, we know that it is useful to advance the group, it is effective, it happens quite easily lead the group. But it's also why the introduction of a good momentum, a good climate for starting is important. It does not bring any technique at any time!
Delphine Batton: The aim is to vary the possible angles of attack, involving participants maximum, varying modes of expression to reach all the preferences (I work a lot with Foursight and profiles Herrman preferences and modes of thought). Hence the need sometimes more technical "original". The benefits for the participants are diverse and varied: to give them other means of expression than speech or writing, help them to "let go" allow them to express the unspoken, offer fun and fun too (engine efficiency and envy) ...
I almost never happens of resistance. At the moment, as facilitator, we are confident in the techniques chosen, we know that it is useful to advance the group, it is effective, it happens quite easily lead the group. But it's also why the introduction of a good momentum, a good climate for starting is important. It does not bring any technique at any time!
CN: You brings together two of my favorite interests centers since you are both creativity facilitator and entrepreneur. I can not help but ask yourself this question, how you're using your knowledge of creativity to develop your business? Do you or have you seen there among entrepreneurs, some peculiarities that make these characters sort of creative opportunist?
Delphine Batton: Everyday, I practice the fundamentals: listening, rebound, curiosity, or problems as opportunities. In my work with Olwen Wolfe at Wordling , we use the CPS and creativity methods to move forward on our own sites (for site design, setting up breakfasts, etc.)..
Delphine Batton: Everyday, I practice the fundamentals: listening, rebound, curiosity, or problems as opportunities. In my work with Olwen Wolfe at Wordling , we use the CPS and creativity methods to move forward on our own sites (for site design, setting up breakfasts, etc.)..
regard to contractors, I do not know. I think some are idea man, who can surround themselves so that their ideas come true. Others are very creative within the grounds of implementation, etc.. I do not know if there is an archetype of the entrepreneur in terms of creativity. That deserves a thesis topic at university!
CN: I would like to tour books that inspire you in your practice. And in conclusion if you had to recommend one method and one book to an audience facilitator?
Delphine Batton: I have three bedside books in this field. That of Olwen Wolfe I innovate as we breathe, as it is comprehensive, simple, practical, and gives keys on the method I use mainly the Creative Problem Solving. One Guy Aznar Ideas: 100 creativity techniques to produce and manage 
for technical Guy and panorama of the early book on the different methods and schools. That of Todd Lubart , Psychology of Creativity 
because it illuminates on fundamental notions for a professional facilitator who are ... Fundamental:) I will recommend how
by that of Olwen Wolfe, especially since the end of the book, it gives a guide to use for himself or both, and which therefore allows to practice and experiment.
for technical Guy and panorama of the early book on the different methods and schools. That of Todd Lubart , Psychology of Creativity because it illuminates on fundamental notions for a professional facilitator who are ... Fundamental:) I will recommend how by that of Olwen Wolfe, especially since the end of the book, it gives a guide to use for himself or both, and which therefore allows to practice and experiment.
