The purpose of the 2009 World economic forum was to “shape the post-crisis world”. It was obviously an overoptimistic goal, maybe in an attempt to sparkle optimism in a period of deceptiveness.
But how to find solutions to problems such as the economy slow down, spreading illnesses, climate change? This is where creativity techniques can be used effectively, techniques which facilitate the emergence of creative solutions. Everybody agrees that today’s challenges cannot be resolved by tempered actions. They require innovation and radical change. Here are some creative techniques that have been applied during the forum.
Restating the problem
Resolving a problem is often about taking it at the right angle. A technique to find this angle is problem reformulation. To take a very simple example, ‘how do we stop children for making noise’ takes a very different shape if it is stated ‘how do we help children wait patiently’. Here are some reformulations proposed by the facilitator of the debate ‘Is emissions trading the carbon solution?’:
o In the middle of this economical crisis, can carbon market still be the answer to tackle climate change?
o How can we all, and people around the world, make sense of this very complicated issue?
o Can we save ourselves from ourselves?
o How do we encourage the cooperation of all nations to bring down carbon emissions?
o What sort of financial incentives will attract all countries to get involved, and entrepreneurs to get involved?
o What sort of technologies offers promises?
o How do we persuade to innovate on behalf of a low carbon economy?
Each of those reformulations has very different answers. It is important not only to find creative solutions to a problem, but also to creatively reformulate the problem. Problems can even become opportunities using such techniques.
Notice that the facilitator revealed his personal belief that carbon trading was the solution, before even starting the debate. This narrows down considerably creative reformulations. It is a shame that the World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum cannot collaborate at least on some brainstorms. Creativity usually happens when confronting different personalities and ideas. It is understandable that not everyone agrees on a solution, but this should not stop us working together at understanding creative options.
Brainstorm
The brainstorm was animated by Maria Bartiromo (somehow related to Citigroup by the way). The goal was to understand how global economic deterioration happened. People where split in 20 tables, and had 30 minutes to debate the causes. Then, the results were shared and commented. It is a brainstorm in the sense that no idea or opinion was discarded and that everyone could express his opinion whatever his position. However, a proper brainstorm includes a second phase during which the ideas are listed and categorized. This brainstorm didn’t do anything else than letting its participants expressing their views, without any serious attempt to synthesis them. The job is thus half done and it looks more like a executive survey than really an initiative committed to encourage further action. But still, nice event, and leaders can always continue the discussions at their expensive social networking parties.
Idea labs
The forum also organized “Idea Labs“, new sessions designed in collaboration with universities, where ideas, trends and concepts are presented by intellectual and entrepreneurs. This encourages communication between experts, creativity on how technologies could be combined and intellectual cross pollination: trying to apply a concept, technique or solution from one field to another, even if remotely related. The Idea Labs seemed however very small compare to the other activities of the forum. They were apparently not very interactive either. They could have been followed by an exchange of ideas from world leaders of different backgrounds, so that momentum could be built. Right now, it looks like everyone is speaking to his own audience of experts, basically selling his technology. It looks more like lobbying than really trying to apply an expertise to creative debates.
Michael Cima on using electronics to improve health care management, earlier in the illness treatments.
Paul Fairchild on Stem cells researches
Transparency
Creativity is about sharing ideas, not being scared of expressing them, and not being scared of having them being challenged either. The more knowledge is available and debates are transparent, the more it is possible for everyone to play a constructive role in the process. All the presentations of Davos are on YouTube.
The 2009 World Economic Forum used creativity techniques that can facilitate the emergence of new solutions. But most of them were half executed. Davos has the choice to be either simply a forum where everyone can express his views and then go back home, or to be a true international facilitator, a leading event for those wanting to resolve the global challenges we face.
What is your opinion? What could be done in terms of creativity to resolve today’s global challenges? Has Davos any role to play in this process?
