Creativity & Growth Mindset

By the end, the learner can

• Novel application design: adapts an existing theoretical framework to a new application domain, such as applying graph-theoretic methods to a biological or social network problem
• Unconventional problem framing: redefines the boundary conditions of a standard optimization problem to expose a reformulation that yields a more tractable solution
• Cross-disciplinary synthesis: combines concepts from mathematics, cognitive science, or physics to propose a research direction that no single discipline would generate independently

Session plan

1. 10 minHow these are scoredWhere this shows up: technology teams and corporate it environments, working with managers, technical teams, users. Conditions to expect: analytical, system-dependent, problem-solving intensive. Entry roles this maps to: Computer Systems Analysts, Computer Systems Engineers/Architects, Computer User Support Specialists.
   • designs IT architecture options that solve business problems in non-obvious ways by combining available technology components creatively
   From Computer and Information Systems Managers (11-3021.00)
2. 5 minSituationsWork the task on your own first. Support is available, but ask for it out loud so the group hears what got you stuck.
   • Tools in play: Development environment software, Web platform development software, Data base user interface and query software.
3. 10 minWhere the group splitCompare answers before the debrief. Where the room split is the useful part — the split usually marks a real judgment call rather than a knowledge gap.
   • Where did two people read the same situation differently, and what did each notice?
   • Which answer would survive a supervisor asking "why did you do it that way?"
4. 10 minThe pattern behind the answersClose the loop: what changed between the first attempt and the last, and what would have to be true for creativity to hold up on a bad day.