The Creative Method & Systems Toolkit

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Creative
Methodand systems
The Creative Method & Systems v2 JasonTheodor.com
The Creative Method and Systems v2
a toolkit for the age of ideas
JasonTheodor.com

the
Creative
Methodand systems

the
Creative
Methodand systems
@jted
Jason Theodor
Creative Director

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Creative
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The Creative Method & Systems — Chaos & Creativity edition

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Creative
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I facilitates ideas. I direct the
creation of communications so that
they solve a speciﬁc client problem
or need using the appropriate
digital channels, and then I oversee
the output of designers, art
directors, copywriters, information
architects, user experience experts,
programmers, planners and
marketing scientists, all the while
keeping the bigger vision in mind.

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[crickets]

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The Creative Method & Systems
is my attempt to describe creativity

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Methodand systems
Creativity means
not copying.
Jacques Maximin, chef
JasonTheodor.com

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Creativity is
effective novelty
Michele & Robert Root-Bernstein,
Psychology Today

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Creativity is
coming up with
something new
by letting go of
convention.
Kenneth Heilman, neurologist

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Creativity is
the ability to
restructure one’s
understanding of
a situation in a
non-obvious way.
Dr. John Kounios

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Creativity is
kind of like
pornography—
you know it
when you see it.
Dr. Rex Jung

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Unlike many
phenomena in
science, there is no
single, authoritative
perspective or
deﬁnition of
creativity.
Wikipedia

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The Scientiﬁc Method
Focus
Observe
Hypothesize
Experiment
Evaluate

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The Scientiﬁc Method
is expressed from the outside in,
trying to understand existing things,
and put them in a tidy box.

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Creativity is not like that.

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The Creative Method
is expressed from the inside out,
trying to make new things, and
forget there ever was a box.

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It’s about the
ACTION
of creating something
that never existed.

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It’s about the
CONNECTION
of this act to our
culture and humanity

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It’s about
DEVIATION
from the default path
by forging a new one.

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Focus
Act
Connect
Deviate
Evaluate
Creative Method
Scientiﬁc Method vs Creative Method
Two very different approaches
Focus
Observe
Hypothesize
Experiment
Evaluate
Scientiﬁc Method

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Recipe for Creative Success:
Have a focus.
Just do it
Find meaning
Think different
Stay on target.

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Induction Phase
Brainstorming Quantity
Action Methods used to
break barriers
The Creative Method & Systems v2
Analysis Phase
Organizing Quality Ideas
Connection Methods used to
strengthen bonds
Synthesis Phase
Creating a uniQue Expression
Deviation Methods used to
escape default settings
Evaluation Phase
Judge and Purge IdeasAgainst Focus
Creative Success Meter used to
rate and rank creative work
The Creative Method
Preparation Phase
Definition of Problem or Goal
Focus Methods used to
provide insight and direction

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Elements of Science
ExperimentationObservation Hypothesis

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Elements of Creativity
DeviationAction Connection
do glue skew

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‘do’
Quantity
breaking barriers
leads to simple, smart, well-crafted work
Pablo Picasso
created over 50,000 works
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Action

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the
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‘glue’
Quality
strengthening bonds
leads to familiar, resonant, shareable work
Pablo Picasso’s Guernica
depicts the anguish of civil war
Connection

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‘skew’
uniQueness
forging new paths
leads to original, ﬂexible, challenging work
Pablo Picasso’s Bull Sketches
go in unexpected directions
Deviation

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Elements of Creativity
Put the three elements together and you have magical powers
Deviation
Action
Connection
magic

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Not all of us have these
3 elements in equal measure

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StrengtheningWeaknesses
bash barriers,strengthen ties,take unmarked paths
barriers superficiality default

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barriers superficiality default
Some of us have a hard time getting things started.
There are simply too many barriers in our way.
We are weak on action.

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barriers default
Some of us have a hard time giving things real meaning.
We focus on the superﬁcial instead of the fundamental.
We are weak on connection.
superficiality

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barriers default
Some of us have a hard time being original.
We default to status quo, the ‘normal’ way of doing things.
We are weak on deviation.
superficiality

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What are your strengths &
weaknesses?
I have identiﬁed 8 general
creative types.
Which one are you? Let’s take
a quick test.
Get out a pen & paper*
*If you don’t have a pen & paper, see “Capture,
Catalogue, Review” in the Focus section.

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CreativeTypeAnalyzer
Taker Mimic Empath Crazy
Dreamer Outsider Producer Maker
which creative type are you?

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a) Immediately start creating
something
b) Take it all in, but do nothing.
c) Ponder its intrinsic meaning
d)Imagine how you would have
done it differently.
1. When you see great creative
work you:

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a) That I’m doing it
b) Nothing — it’s not a priority
c) That it resonates with other
people
d)That nobody has ever done it
before
2. The most important thing
about my creative work is:

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a) Never have difﬁculty getting
started
b) Give up because you don’t really
know what to do
c) Do a lot of research (you <3
Wikipedia)
d)Experiment with a large variety
of options
3. At the start of a new project you:

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a) I always have a creative project
on the go
b) I prefer to relax by watching TV
c) I ﬁnd it easy to empathize with
others
d)If people knew all of my ideas
they would probably lock me up
4. Which statement(s) do you
identify strongly with:

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a) I usually ﬁnish what I start
b) I’m not a very creative person
c) I am very interested in other
races, cultures and religions
d)I wear ‘strange’ like a badge of
honour
5. Choose all that apply
(answer truthfully!):

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a) I make many, many versions of
my art before I’m satisﬁed
b) I’m just glad to get a project
over with so I can watch a game
on the Television
c) I’m never happy until a project
‘feels’ right
d)If something I’ve made has been
done before, I change it or set it
on ﬁre
6. Choose all that apply:

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Add up your totals:
a=___ b=___ c=___ d=___
Now subtract b from a, c and d:
a-b=___ c-b=___ d-b=___
Your creative type:
If your total for a letter is 0, 1, 2 or 3 use a lowercase letter (a, c, or d).
If your total is 4, 5, or 6 than use an uppercase letter (A, C, or D)
___ ___ ___
a or A c or C d or D

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Your creative type:
___ ___ ___
a or A c or C d or D
___ ___ ___
Taker
___ ___ ___
Mimic
___ ___ ___
Empath
___ ___ ___
Crazy
___ ___ ___
Dreamer
___ ___ ___
Outsider
___ ___ ___
Producer
___ ___ ___
Maker
a c d
A c d
a C d
a c D
a C D
A c D
A C d
A C D

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The 8 CreativeTypes
Taker
acd
Mimic
Acd
Empath
aCd
Crazy
acD
Dreamer
aCD
Outsider
AcD
Producer
ACd
Maker
ACD

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Taker
watches gameshows
A Taker just consumes what
is put in front of him. He is
rarely interesting in creating
anything but a sandwich.
(eg. most North Americans)
a c d

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Mimic
mimic
A Mimic can copy anything,
but doesn’t understand a
work’s greater signiﬁcance.
He has a hard time coming
up with ideas on his own.
(eg. Counterfeiter)
A c d

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Empath
more than a feeling
An Empath has an intimate
grasp of culture and the
human condition, but cannot
translate this into concrete
or original ideas.
(eg. That person who cries at
parties)
a C d

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Crazy
mr out of left field
A Crazy is all over the place.
She is constantly thinking,
but her strange ideas have no
focus and are very hard to
relate to. She never ﬁnishes
anything she starts.
(eg. Your cousins kid)
a c D

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Dreamer
nothing but a dreamer
A Dreamer is full of
wonderful, creative ideas but
has a very difﬁcult time
ﬁnishing what they start. He
is often too intimidated by
reality and prefers the warm
solace of his mind.
a C D

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Outsider
always looking in
The Outsider is disconnected
from culture either through
choice or afﬂiction, but this
doesn’t stop him from
creating large quantities of
strange, inaccessible works.
(eg. Wesley Willis, Henry
Darger)
A c D

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Producer
get‘er done
A Producer is very good at
making things happen and
creating things people like,
even if they aren’t very
original. Her work is often
described as ‘churned out’.
(eg. Danielle Steel, Robert
Bateman)
A C d

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Maker
busy making cool stuff you’ll like
A Maker is a rare and
balanced artist who is
proliﬁc, relevant, and
original.
(eg. Lady Gaga, Picasso)
A C D

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Strengthen your weakest elements.
Build creative teams by combining
creative strengths of individuals.

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fight barriers,fight superficiality,fight default
routinize entangle meander

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But before we tackle the elements
individually, you can strengthen all
your creative elements by working on
Focus.

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Focus
‘cue’

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Chance favours
the prepared mind.
Louis Pasteur
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Capture Catalogue Review

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Capture
Carry a fast,omnipresent,accessible capturing device.

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Capture
Plane hitsTruck,Guatemala,1976
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Catalogue
File all ideas to make them findable and useful.

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Catalogue
Piles vs Stacks
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Review
Appraise your ideas regularly.

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Review
Ideas have a shelf life.
JasonTheodor.com

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Focus
a creative brief in 4 parts
Key Message
What is the most important thing to convey?
What
is the challenge?
Who
is this for?
Why
do this?
target audience purpose statementcha$enge statement

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Key Message
The Creative Method and Systems can help you
be a more creative person.
WHAT: Challenge Statement
Deﬁne creativity. Help others identify their
creative strengths and weaknesses. Provide
tools for improving and enabling creativity.
WHO: Target
Anyone intent on making interesting original
things. Could be an artist, musician, art director,
designer, writer, entrepreneur, investment
banker, inventor.
WHY: Purpose statement
To inspire and enable better creative output in
the universe.

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1. Find a dark, relaxed space and mute
all your equipment.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Concentrate on breathing deeply
4. Ignore your own thoughts as if they
were clouds.
Darkroom
Studies show that people are better prepared for insight into a
problem after a short mental break.In this era of ubiquitous
connectivity,email,IMs,and social media saturation it does your brain
well to reboot on occasion.
1. Find a dark, relaxed space and mute
all your equipment.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Concentrate on breathing deeply
4. Ignore your own thoughts as if they
were clouds.

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How to BS* Better
a simple guide to better *brainstorming
Bring enough supplies (pens, paper, stickies, food)
Appoint a neutral Facilitator to keep the group on
task and draw out full participation (group option)
Work in short bursts with immediate deadlines
(timeboxing) to create a false sense of urgency
Get out ALL ideas: reserve censorship & judgement
Create lots of ideas. Build on them. Bend them.
Capture everything
flickr photo:‘Playingwithbrushes’

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The Creative Method & Systems v2 JasonTheodor.comThe Creative Method & Systems v2
How to BS* Better
a simple guide to better *brainstorming

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Types of BS*
Quantity,Quality,and uniQueness
Ideation (induction)
Brainstorming for Quantity
Problem Solving (analysis)
Connecting & Grouping Quality Ideas
Innovation (synthesis)
Pushing Ideas into uniQueTerritory

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‘do’

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Action is about doing.
The act of creation.
It is about learning how to fail well.
It is a journey of ten-thousand steps.
It is moving forward.

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If Action is about doing, than
the weakest of us— the Empaths,
the Crazies, and the Dreamers—
need to break our inertia and
build up momentum.

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Common barriers:
Time
Doubt/Fear
Procrastination
Distraction

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To break down barriers
you need one of these.

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Barrier vs Routine
Pesky barriers are resistant to random attacks
0 1
Barrier

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Barrier vs Routine
But a barrier cannot hold up to a persistent routine
Routine
0 1

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Systems

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I must create a
system or be
enslaved by
another man’s.
William Blake
JasonTheodor.com

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DavidAllen’s System
getting things done

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Scott Belsky’s System
the action method

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TwylaTharp’s System
a cardboard box
great ideas

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The Creative Method & Systems v2 JasonTheodor.comJasonTheodor.com
Ben Franklin’s System
Focus & Reflection
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Once you break through your
barriers (or get around them,
or use them) you can use that
momentum to improve
your craft.
Action begets genius.

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10,000 hours is
equivalent to
roughly 3 hours a
day, or 20 hours a
week, of practice
over 10 years… No
one has yet found a
case in which true
world-class expertise
was accomplished in
less time.
Malcolm Gladwell quoting
Daniel Levitin

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As you put in the hours of doing…
Your work becomes simpler to execute, and
to explain due to your increased exposure.
Your work becomes smarter as you learn
best practices from previous failures.
Your work becomes well-crafted because of
the sheer time put against it.

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Gladwell Genius DevelopmentTracker
Use this handy dandy chart for the next decade.Print on non-yellowing acid-free paper.
Only 9083 more
hours to go!

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ActionMethods

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focused on quantity
break inertia
aid in ideation
provide variety

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1. Start a creative exercise.
2. Don’t judge, censor, hesitate.
3. Don’t let yourself stop until the time
is up, usually 10 minutes to an hour.
Streaming
“Just do it.” Don’t think,just do.No judgement,no self-censorship,no
hesitation,no stopping until the allocated time is up.

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When I [hear] the
word “stream”
uttered with such a
revolting primness,
what I think of is
urine and not the
contemporary novel.
James Joyce on the Stream of
Consciousness writing method

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1. Block off 10 minutes of
uninterrupted time and start the
clock
2. Write one or more ideas every
minute for 10 minutes straight
3. Every idea counts and you must
write down something even if it is
‘bad’ or doesn’t make sense
10 Ideas in 10 Minutes™
This exercise is a great way to push over the barriers of time,
procrastination and distraction in one concentrated sprint of ideation.

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10 Ideas in 10 Minutes
Ways to Illustrate Creative Elements
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1. Spend the time to write every single
idea you can think of around the
focus. Then think of more.
2. Exhaust all possibilities, then think
of more.
3. When you get to 100 ideas (per
person) you can stop.
The Law of 1%
Mass quantity eventually yields quality.
Helps build up Connection and Deviation skills as well,because it
forces you to dig deeper to find stronger connections,and to forge
new paths to find more ideas.

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Genius is 1% inspiration,
99% perspiration.
ThomasA.Edison
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The Law of 1%
photography
I am impressed
with what
happens when
someone stays in
the same place
and you took the
same picture
over and over
and it would be
different, every
single frame.
Annie Leibovitz, photographer
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#1: Stewbuilder Dennis #2: Cholly the Yegg #3: Holden the Expert Dreamtwister #4: The Rza #5: Jack Skunk #6: Jack Skunk Fils #7: Lord Dan X. Still-Standing #8: Marlon Fitz-fancy #9: Bazino Bazino, The Kid Whose Hair Is On Fire
#10: Whispering-Lies McGruder #11: Nit Louse #12: Dan'l Dinsmore Tackadoo #13: Hobo Zero #14: The Silver Jacket Man #15: No-Shoulders Smalltooth Jones #16: Sistery Brothery Nabob #17: Name Withheld #18: Staniel the
Spaniel #19: Frederick Bannister, the Tree Surgeon #20: Tarnose Cohen #21: Mr. Wilson Fancypants #22: Floyd Dangle #23: Shane Stoopback #24: Wicked Paul Fourteen-Toes #25: Normal-Face Olaf #26: Tearbaby Hannity Stoop
#27: The Damned Swede #28: Pierre Tin-Hat #29: Ol' Barb Stab-You-Quick #30: Mr. Whist #31: James Fenimore Cooper #32: Twistback John, the Scoliosis Sufferer #33: Sweet Daddy Champagne #34: Senator Cletus Scoffpossum
#35: Horus, the Bird-Headed Fool #36: 50-Tooth Slim #37: Monk, the Monkey Man (which is to say: "the Man") #38: Thad the Bunter #39: Balloonpopper Chillingsworth #40: All-but-Dissertation Tucker Dummychuck #41: Finnish Jim
#42: Flemish Jim #43: Foreign Tomas, the Strangetalker #44: Roadhouse Ogilvy and Sons #45: Jokestealer John Selden #46: Giancarlo, Master of the Metal Trapeze #47: Dr. Bill Stain-Chin, the Boxcar Medic #48: Boxcar Ted #49:
Boxcar Mick #50: Boxcars [sic] Timothy Twin #51: Boxcar Jones, the Boxcar Benjamin Disraeli #52: Boxcar Aldous Huxley #53: JR Lintstockings #54: Gila Monster Jr. #55: Irontrousers the Strong #56: "X," the Anonymous Man or
Woman #57: Orphaned Reynaldo, the Child with Haunting Eyes (while there were children hoboes, Reynaldo took this when he was 45; prior to this, he was known as...[See #58]) #58: Reynaldo Reynaldoson, Who Will One Day Kill
His Father #59: Thoughtless Harry Hsu #60: Clinical Psychiatrist Huga Rivera #61: Peter Ox-Hands #62: Ponytail Douglas Winthrop #63: Lil' Jonny Songbird, the Songbird-Eater #64: King Snake: The Eternal Mystery #65: Ghostly
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the Colchester Kid #74: Maria the Pumpkin-Patch Crooner #75: Bix Shmix #76: Vice President Garrett Hobart #77: Stun Gun Jones #78: Prostate Davey #79: Flea Stick #80: Niles Butterbal, the Frozen Turkey #81: Todd Four-Flush
#82: Stick-Legs McOhio #83: The Unanswered Question of Timothy #84: Mickey the Assistant Manager #85: Guesstimate Jones #86: Goofus #87: Gallant #88: Sir Roundbelly DeDelight #89: Newton Fig #90: Chicken Nugget Will
#91: Parlor Peter, the Sneak Thief #92: Ovid #93: Bathsheba Ditz #94: Alan Pockmark, Esq. #95: Lolly Hoot Holler #96: Von Skump #97: Lonnie Choke #98: Chisolm Chesthair #99: Freak Le Freak, the Freakster #100: Rex Spangler,
the Bedazzler #101: Randall Mouth-Harp #102: Chrysler LeBaron #103: The Fishin' Physician #104: Persuasive Frederick #105: Celestial Stubbs #106: Teary-Eyed Fingal #107: Mairah Nix #108: Cthulhu Carl #109: Del Folksy-Beard
#110: No-Banjo Burnes #111: Chainmail Giles Godfrey #112: Lois "Charles" Ladyfinger #113: Plausible Zane Scarrey #114: Huckle Smothered #115: Mmmmm Dandy Dundee #116: Mountain-Humper Edgar Ames #117: Spasmodic
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Thom, the Drunk #127: Terry Gross #128: Spooky-Night Spooky Day #129: Zipgun Gloucester Gluck #130: Human Hair Frum #131: Sherlock-Holmes-Hat Carl III #132: Patrick Intergalatic #133: Abmidextrous Stang #134: Yum-Yum
Sinclair Snowballeater #135: Ponzi-Scheme Jeremiah Ponzi #136: Toodles Strunk #137: Monkeybars Matthew Manx #138: Pineneedle-Jacket Jericho Fop #139: Robert the Tot #140: Robert the Child-Size #141: Robert the
Minuscule #142: Robert the Wee #143: Robert Fits-in-a-Case #144: Robert Eats-for-Free #145: Robert Is-He-an-Elf? (The seven Silk brothers, all named Robert, were also known for the small stature and predictable bitterness.)
#146: Dennis Big-Ear Fox #147: Jethro the Pagan #148: Asterix the Gaul #149: Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans #150: Strictly Local Henry Bobtail #151: Manny the High-Ranking Mason #152: Fry-Pan Jim Fry #153: Slo-Mo
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the Human Tunneler #170: Redball Charlie Dickens #171: Twink the Reading-Room Snoozer #172: Microfiche Roy, the Side-Scroller #173: McGurk, Who May Be Found by the Card Catalogue #174: Booster D'Souza #175:
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#207: Genius L. Cravat, the Gentleman #208: Giant Bat Wings Roland #209: Nick Nolte #210: Salty Salty Friday #211: Fatman and the Creature (note: there was no creature) #212: Cecelia Graveside #213: Hoosegow Earl French
#214: Stymie Stonewrist #215: Roadrunner "Meep Meep" Fabong #216: Bruised-Rib Johansson, the Beefer #217: Joachim Bat-in-Hair #218: Food-Eating Micah #219: Rubbery Dmitry, the Mad Monk #220: Honey Bunches of Donald
#221: Crispy Morton #222: Feminine Forearms Rosengarten #223: Two-Headed Mike Hoover #224: Manny Stillwaggon, the Man with the Handlebar Eyebrows #225: Bean-Hoarder Newt #226: Texas Emil #227: The Moor of Venice
#228: Averroes Nix #229: Human Hair Blanket Morris Burnes #230: Canadian Paul Tough #231: Crooner Sy #232: Manuel Pants-Too-High #233: Sylvia Patience Hidden-Forks #234: Sung, the Land Pirate #235: Opie, the Boston
Bum #236: Hard-Flossing Hope Peak #237: Stingo the Bandana Origami Prodigy #238: Franklin Ape and His Inner Ear Infection #239: Questionable-Judgement Theodore Stomachbrace #240: Thermos H. Christ #241: Sir Mix-a-Lot
#242: The Nine Doctor Whos #243: Lord Winston Two-Monocles #244: The Freewheelin' Barry Sin #245: Diego the Spark-Spitter #246: American Citizen Zane Pain #247: Abraham, the Secret Collector of Decorative China #248:
Linty Sullivan, the Lint-Collector #249: Socks Monster #251: Pappy Churchill #252: The Young Churchill #253: The Young Churchill's Hated Bride #254: Churchill-Lover Phineas Redfish #255: Crispus T. Muzzlewitt #256: Stain-Sucker
Duncan #257: Dick the Candy Dandy #258: Albuteral Inhaler Preson McWeak #259: Longtime Listener, First-Time Caller #260: Mastiff Mama #261: Tennessee Ernie Dietz #262: Sharkey, the Secret Cop #263: Gooseberry Johnson,
Head Brain of the Hobosphere #264: Weekend-Cicular Deborah #265: Marcus Chickenstock #266: Stunted Newton #267: Magnus Shortwave #268: U.S. Fool #269: Manatee the Railyard Toreador #270: Utah Manfred Succor-Munt
#271: Laura Delite #272: Edwin Winnipeg #273: Eyepatch Resse Andiron #274: Tom False-Lips Real-Teeth #275: Fabulon Darkness #276: Cricket-Eating Charles Digges #277: Pally McAffable, Everybody's Friend #278: Sully
Straightjacket #279: Half-Dollar Funk Nelson #280: Whitman Sampler #281: Chili-Mix Wilma Bensen #282: Sting, the Glowing Blade #283: Professor Challenger #284: Lil' Shorty Longhorn #285: Rumpshaker Phil #286: Swing State
Myron #287: Alistair Crowley, the Devil #288: Gutthrower Sy Salt #289: Sweetback Barney, the Dilettante #290: The Car-Knocker Killer #291: The Chamberlain #292: The Emperor #293: The Ritual-Master #294: The Garthim-Master
#295: The Scientist #296: The Gourmand #297: The Slave-Master #298: The Treasurer #299: The Scroll Keeper #300: The Ornamentalist #301: Captain Slick-Talk #302: Sackfist, the Tapdancing Trombo #303: Souvenir-Selling
Mlodinow #304: Blind Buck and "Woozy," the Invisible Seeing-Eye Dog #305: Roundhouse Farter #306: Red Ball Pnutz #307: Fake Cockney Accent Alan Strippe #308: Air and Whiskey Dale McGlue #309: Johnny RC Airplane #310:
Narcotic Morgan Suds #311: Sir Francis Drank #312: Mahayana Mike #313: Miniyana Geoffrey #314: Three-Bean Otz #315: Maury the Monsoon #316: Czech Czarlie Czill #317: Sssssssssssssssss, the Hisser #318: Thanatos Koch
#319: Henry Eatsmelts #320: Modem-Sniffer Gunderson #321: Half-Albino Alejandro #322: Gluttonous-Slim #323: Ragweed-Allergic Matt #324: Amorous Luminous Dirk #325: Moray Eel Ken Elmer #326: The Railbender #327:
Antonio the Ombudsman #328: Karl Solenoid IV #329: Czar King Rex the Glorious Leader #330: Andy Bunkum #331: Plastic-Moustache Mortimer Tall #332: Samuel Gel Insole #333: Lemuel Gel Insole #334: Amanda Until #335:
Crispy Whiskery #336: Robert Louis Stevenson, the Pirate #337: Hobo Overload #338: Leopard Print Steven Kane #339: Astonishing Shaun Eyelash #340: Billy Creak Knees #341: Owlie #342: Anwar, the Bionic #343: Reasonably
Priced Motel Resse Unger #344: Ribery Dana #345: Cranberry Sauce Oppenheimer #346: Nancified Frederick #347: The Loon #348: Itinerant Jane #349: Holy Hannah Hottentot-Smythe #350: Fleabottle Boone #351: Amazin' Jack
Caroo #352: Stupefying P, the Riddle-Maker #353: Todd Flaky-Palms #354: Waspwaist Fritz #355: Judge Roughneck #356: Slam Dance Dooze #357: Mariah Duckface, the Beaked Woman #358: Count Mesmerize #359: Sonny-Boy
Oedipus Acre #360: Pick Mama Susan Xavier #361: Chelsea Bacon #362: Archie Axe #363: Sally Hoot-Hoot #364: Mr. Pendleton #365: Saves-Receipts Dave #366: Sir Walter British #367: Elmer, the Crankscout #368: Golden Neck
#369: Marinated Alex Pons #370: El Boot #371: Shapeshifting Demon #372: Jeremiah Tip Top #373: Amanda CeeCee Stobelight #374: Irving Alva Edison, Inventor of the Hobophone #375: Leather Apron #376: Lead Apron #377: Foil
Apron #378: Burnt Goathead #379: Saint Sorryass #380: Overly Familiar Fung #381: Chalmers, the Bridge Champ #382: Elephantine McMoot #383: Neekerbeeker Perry Toenz #384: Teattime BB Stiles #385: Coalie T #386: Hubbel
"I Predicted Lindy Hop" Deerblind #387: Hubie Hewitt, the Broadway Legend #388: Huge Crybaby McWeepy #389: Poo-Knickers Elias #390: Elffriend Weingarten #391: Forktongue Nigel Fork #392: Woodeye Apfel #393: Hairlip
Mikhail #394: Solid First Draft Patton Taylor #395: Prettynickels, the Lamb #396: Not-Only But-Also Pete #397: Pentheif Hickock #398: La Grande Mel #399: Applebee O'Bennigan McFridays #400: Ladry Jerry Lardo #401: Low-Carb
Aleks Stovepipe #402: Hugo Stares #403: Eldred Splinters #404: Oliver, the Train-Oyster #405: Pring, Ultralord of the Hobo Jungle #406: Utz, the Crab Chip #407: Salt-and-Pepper Chest #408: Beverly Hills Buntz #409: Mississippi
Barry Phlegm #410: Matter-Eater Brad #411: 49-State Apthorp, the Alaska-Phobe #412: New Hampshire Todd #413: "Taxachusetts" Glenn #414: Hydrocephalic Jones #415: Vermont "Greenmountain Boy" Phil Marijuana #416:
Alaska Mick the Crabber #417: Arizona Ludwig #418: California Ainsley Shortpants #419: Collegeboy Brainiac, the Hobo Einstein #420: Dr. Zizmor #421: Silas Swollentoe (2 illustrations) #422: Slimneck Holden Fop #423: Aspiring
Jaster #424: Illinois Obama #425: Sammy Austere #426: New Mexico Anselm Turquoise-Eater #427: Caboose-Fouling Ferris Ntz #428: Prayerful Stan, the Bent-Knee Yahoo #429: Four-Fisted Jock Socko #430: Buttery-Cheeks
Anton #431: Shadow ("Blinky") Preston #432: Godigisel the Vandal #433: Gunderic Godigiselson #434: Panzo the Spiral-Cut Ham #435: Smoke-Collecting Reg #436: Hot Gnome Jimmy Jackson #437: Pontius Cornsilk-Heart #438:
Sanfor Who Lacks Fingerprints #439: Treesap-Covered N. Magruder #440: Thor Hammerskold, the Mexican #441: Bingo-Balls Nick Chintz #442: Bleedingtoe the Barefoot 'Bo #443: Hondo "Whatever That Lizard Is That Walks on
Water" #444: Salami Sunshine #445: Fourteen-Bindelstick Frank #446: Oregon Brucie Shunt #447: Pirandello, the Many-Bearded #448: Quinn and His Quaker Oats Box Drum #449: Fatneck Runt #450: my-e-hobo.com #451:
The Law of 1%
700 Hobo Names

jasontheod
or.com
The Law of 1%
700 Hobo Names

the
Creative
Methodand systems
‘glue’

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Connection is the ‘glue’, the meaning,
that bonds the fabric of our culture, of
our emotions, of our humanity.
It is imagination and empathy.
It is the threading of things together.
It is the right pieces to make a
greater whole.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
If Connection is about bonding,
than the weakest of us— the
Mimics, the Crazies, and the
Outsiders— need to get past the
superﬁcial, the anti-social, and
explore deeper meaning.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Common bonding agents:
Imagination
Empathy
History
Culture

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Trendy vs Legendary
Thin shallow (superficial) content cannot compete longterm with rich deep content.
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Trendy

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Trendy vs Legendary
Thin shallow (superficial) content cannot compete longterm with rich deep content.
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Legendary

the
Creative
Methodand systems
vs

the
Creative
Methodand systems
As you strengthen the bonds…
Your work is familiar because it
contains universal truths.
Your work is resonant as it taps
into basic human emotion.
Your work is shareable by virtue
of being a great story.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
ConnectionMethods

the
Creative
Methodand systems
focus on quality
link ideas
strengthen the message
tell great stories

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Pick a focus
2. Connect that focus to a few other ideas
3. Each idea might branch out into new ideas.
4. Follow each thread until you ﬁnd something
unexpected
Connect-the-Thoughts
Choose a focus.What comes to mind?Write these words down and connect them to
the focus.Now what do those words remind you of?Try to exhaust either your brain
or the available space.Explore the edges for more interesting,connected stories or
threads.Works withThe Law of 1%

the
Creative
Methodand systems

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Tangentagram
Tangentometry
The imprecise geometry of rabbit holes.We all go off on tangents sometimes.Connect
the thoughts is about controlled connections but sometimes we jump from idea to
idea,especially online:clicking from link to link to link as we do‘research’.This is also
called a rabbit hole,perhaps after the hole inAlice inWonderland that’s full of random
objects and feels completely endless.
Tangentagon

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Begin with a research topic or focus.
2. At every juncture, or tangent,
capture it.
3. Ask yourself if it relates back to the
original topic or focus.
4. If it does, connect it to create a
closed loop, a strange wandering
story that doubles back on itself.
5. If it doesn’t, keep going.
Tangentagon
Natural progression.To make tangents useful you have to tie them up
and make them eat their own tail.If done correctly it can become a
great story that makes you look quite clever.
Tangentagon

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Tangentagon
Gravitons andAlchemy
focus: science is still a mystery
Gravitational force still cannot be
fully understood
Gravity is represented by an apple
An apple represents temptation in
Judaeo-Christian mythology
The snake did the tempting and
was punished to crawl on his belly
for eternity
There is an ancient symbol of a
snake eating its own tail
Ouroboros has come to represent
alchemy
Alchemy is the blurry line
between science and magic

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Tangentagon
Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were Masters of theTangentagon

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Tangentagram
Forces you to make connections between objects,to imagine new
scenarios,to tell new stories. Also strengthens Deviation.
1. Take an arbitrary collection of
images/objects/ideas.
2. Use all objects in a linear story that
ends with the ﬁrst object used
Tangentagram

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Tangentagram
Forced Progression

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Choose a focus.
2. Write down scenarios that would
make your idea or project fail. Write
down your worst, most destructive
ideas.
3. Examine which of these ‘bad’ ideas
you could ﬁx and make work in your
favour.
Through the Looking Glass
This is an exercise in perspective.Choose a focus,now instead of
trying to find solutions,try to make it worse.How could you alienate
people? How could you make this terrible?What would it take to
destroy this project and have everyone hate you? Do the opposite.
Thought reversal.Psych!
Works with: Action Method

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Sun Fizz annimated mascot is terrifyingly real

the
Creative
Methodand systems
‘skew’

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Deviation is the ‘skew’ that knocks
your work on its own angle.
It’s about breaking default.
It’s about not being normal.
It’s about taking the path less travelled.
It’s about expressing yourself in unique,
unexpected ways by altering
(or ﬁnding) your voice.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
If Deviation is about new
pathways, than the weakest of us
— the Mimics, the Empaths, and
the Producers— need to take the
time to explore directions we’ve
never taken before.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Common Anomalies:
Lying & Make believe
Forced Perspectives
Distortion Lenses
Mutations

the
Creative
Methodand systems
What is an Outlier?
Learn how to be an outlier,a statistical anomaly.Be an original. A beautiful and unique
snowflake.Not all mutations are good.Most die off.But the right ones can change the
course of evolution.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Intelligence vs Creativity
Our entire lives we are trained to be smart.Smart at school,smart at work.Smart
means fast and efficient.It means quick,correct answers to specific questions.
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Inte$igence

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Creativity is slow and meandering.It needs time to percolate and permeate.It needs
time to wander and explore,to discover. And sometimes it doesn’t want to stop at
the intended destination or answer.
0 1
Creativity

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Creativity is slow and meandering.It needs time to percolate and permeate.It needs
time to wander and explore,to discover. And sometimes it doesn’t want to stop at
the intended destination or answer.
0 1
Creativity
2

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Two roads
diverged in a
wood, and I—
I took the one
less traveled by,
And that has
made all the
difference.
Robert Frost
the
Creative
Methodand systems

the
Creative
Methodand systems
As you forge new the paths…
Your work is original because it hasn’t
been expressed that way before.
Your work is ﬂexible because you have
viewed it from every angle.
Your work is challenging because it
transforms those who experience it.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
DeviationMethods

the
Creative
Methodand systems
focused on uniQueness
make things up
break default
look at things anew

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Everyone gets a piece of paper.
2. Write a question on the paper. Any questions.
The ﬁrst one that comes to mind.
3. Fold paper in half and pass it to the person on
your left.
4. Take the new paper and on it write the answer
to your previous question(without opening it).
5. Pass to your left again.
6. Open the paper and read the strange
combinations out loud.
Asynchronous Q+A
Answer a different question,just like politicians.This is a preparation
exercise,not ideal for coming up with ideas,but good for making the
mind more malleable.
Q≠A

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Asynchronous Q+A
You didn’t answer my question.
Why is the sky blue?Is there a
human soul?
The atmosphere
ﬁlters out all but
the blue spectrum.
It depends who
you ask. It’s very
hard to prove.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Prepare 30+ small scraps of paper
2. Write 10 random objects (eg TRAP)
3. Building on those 10 objects, in a separate pile
write the function of each of these objects. What
does it do? (eg CATCHES MICE)
4. Building on the same 10 objects, and in the last
pile, write a description of each object. What
does it look like? What is it made of? (eg WOOD)
5. Draw one random scrap from each pile.
6. Put together and describe your new invention.
Shining NewThing
A trap (object) that catches mice (function) and is‘better’ (description).
This is another exercise for pushing your brain in new directions.
function
description
object

the
Creative
Methodand systems
toaster
Shining NewThing
Picking the random Object,Description,and Function
stem cells
mobile phone
steel
palm-sized
cultured
transfer images
crisps bread
reverse aging
Objects Descriptions Functions

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Shining NewThing
Introducing the MicroDerma FaceToaster

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Make sh*t up
Misassociationalism
the art of telling a big fat lie
∞
Works with: Action Methods Streaming, 10 Ideas in 10 Minutes
and Connection Methods Connect the Thoughts, Through the Looking Glass

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Misassociationalism
John Hodgman:lier lier pants on fire extraordinaire

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Misassociationalism
Pretend you are four years old. What would these signs mean to you?

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Misassociationalism
Pretend you are four years old. What would these signs mean to you?
ice cube elfget big or little box

the
Creative
Methodand systems
1. Take any existing idea and look at it
through a different ‘lens’
2. This lens could be an unrelated
genre, topic, or structure.
3. Express the old idea in a new way
through this new lens.
4. Examine the unexpected results.
Content on Content
Content on Content
Works with: Action Method 10 Ideas in 10 Minutes
and Connection Method Through the Looking Glass

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Content on Content
Hello Kitty Bones by Michael Paulus
Cartoon Characters filtered throughAnatomy

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Content on Content
Toon Museum by Hyungkoo Lee
Cartoon Characters filtered throughAnatomy filtered through Dinosaur Museum

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Garfield minus Garfield by DanWalsh (with Jim Davis’ blessing)
Main Character filtered out of the content.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Content on Content
Public domain defiled

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Content on Content
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by JaneAusten and Seth Grahame-Smith
Classic Literature filtered through Horror filtered through iPhoneApps

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Evaluation
‘review’

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Capture all of your ideas and scraps
and brainstorming debris. Put the best
ones forward.
Look for Quantity Quality uniQueness
Are they genius? Are they magical?
It’s time to judge them.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Does this idea/project/solution/work of
staggering genius relate back to the focus?
NO
Throw it back into another brainstorming
session, or catalogue it for later review.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
MAYBE
Go through the Creative Method a few more
times and polish it up a bit.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
YES
Mark your work against the
Creative Success Meter

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Simple
Smart
Well-crafted
Magical
Familiar
Resonant
Shareable
Bonus
Original
Flexible
Challenging
TOTAL
Idea or Execution: _______________________________________
Check the attributes that apply to the idea/execution you are measuring.
Score one point per strong attribute.If you love the idea,one point for magic.
Bonus can be applied against an exceptionally strong attribute for total of eleven.

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Simple
Smart
Well-crafted
Magical
Familiar
Resonant
Shareable
Bonus
Original
Flexible
Challenging
TOTAL
Idea or Execution: _______________________________________
Check the attributes that apply to the idea/execution you are measuring.
Score one point per strong attribute.If you love the idea,one point for magic.
Bonus can be applied against an exceptionally strong attribute for total of eleven.
The Creative Method Presentation
x
x x
x
x
x
x
x xFlexible 9

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Conclusion

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Go fromTaker to Maker
Use the creative method for better ideas
do
fight barriers
with routine
glue
fight superficiality
with entwined meaning
skew
fight default
with exploration
ACTION CONNECTION DEVIATION EVALUATIONFOCUS
reviewcue

the
Creative
Methodand systems
For continuing conversation and participation:
facebook.com/creativemethod
The Creative Method and Systems
is still in beta

the
Creative
Methodand systems
some of these images are copyright protected by their respective owners
Credits
Angel Tears font
by Billy Argel
Sun Fizz Sprite Commercial
by Lee Garﬁnkel, c1995
Vitruvian Homor
by Matt Groening
Russell
from UP! by Pixar
GTD: The Workﬂow Map
by XPLANE
Scott Belsky
from Behance by Scott Belsky

the
Creative
Methodand systems
some of these images are copyright protected by their respective owners
Credits
Graviton
by Jan-Henrik Andersen, 2005
William Blake
1809 portrait by Thomas Phillips
Ouroboros
by Theodoros Pelecanos, 1478
Garfield Minus Garfield
by Dan Walsh (with Jim Davis’ blessing)
Garfield
83-10-19 by Jim Davis
Portrait of Malcolm Gladwell for TIME
by Bill Wadman

the
Creative
Methodand systems
Stay inTouch
I'd love to hear your feedback and ideas
jason.theodor@gmail.com
JasonTheodor.com
@jted

the
Creative
Methodand systems
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