Harnessing Creativity for Innovation

Harnessing Creativity for Innovation.

Cumbria Innovations Platform (CUSP II) in collaboration with Barclays Eagles Labs.

How do people come up with great ideas? Often, we assume some people are just naturally creative, but the reality is that most great business ideas come from designing good structures and going through rigorous creative processes that gradually develop ideas into products and services. Creativity in business is not about artistry and nor is it about the ‘lightbulb moment’. Effective creativity is something that can be learned and practiced by anyone.

This session is about learning how to make you and your company more creative. You will learn about how great ideas really develop and what you can do to improve your ability to innovate better. It will be useful for any company that has a current need to develop new products, services or business models, but it will also be useful for anyone wanting to learn these skills for the future.

We start by understanding the aspects of our thinking which prevent creativity and new ideas. We will then look at how to structure your teams and processes so that you can generate new ideas. There will be an introduction to design thinking, which is an approach that seeks to make your customers engage emotionally with your products and services. Design thinking is for every type of business, not just the creative sector, and it is a powerful means of innovation. There will be an opportunity to book 1-1 sessions with a Design Thinking expert so that you can develop your skills further.

• The importance of creativity to your business
• Logic, rationality and best practice: a recipe for failure
• Understanding the creative landscape: customers and markets
• Design thinking: an introduction for small businesses which are not in creative sectors
• Unlocking your creativity: processes and techniques

There will be breaks for networking, and lunch, teas and coffees will be provided. This masterclass is funded through the European Regional Development Fund, so there is no charge for attending: you just need to be a trading SME based in Cumbria .

The event is suitable for innovative start-ups and established Cumbrian SMEs. ERDF eligibility requirements apply*.

Cumbria Innovations Platform: https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/cusp/

For further information, please contact Sarah.allison@cumbria.ac.uk

*SME based in Cumbria with less than 250 FTE employees, turnover less than 50m euros, balance sheet total less than 43m euros.