Fredrik Härén Coaches on Creative Thinking at PMI’s Asia Pacific Congress

Nearly 400 people gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 9 February for the opening session of PMI® Global Congress 2009—Asia Pacific. PMI congresses are important gatherings for project professionals to gain knowledge and new ideas, and this event was no exception.

Fredrik Härén, the founder of interesting.org and the author of The Idea Book, kicked-off the congress by motivating attendees to generate ideas, be more creative and tap into innovation.

Mr. Härén described an idea as taking two established things and combining them in new ways. He illustrated this point through examples such as combining a parachute with a ship, a design that is now in use by leading-edge transportation companies to reduce oil consumption.

Idea generation, he said, can be expressed with a simple mathematical formula:

X Ideas = P (K+I). Ideas are generated when people (P) multiply their knowledge (K) plus information (I).

As evidence, Mr. Härén pointed to the exploding number of people worldwide who now have access to formal education. He predicted that the number of ideas would increase dramatically as more people in developing countries take advantage of educational opportunities.

He asserted that compared to people who live in the developed world, those who live in developing nations have three significant advantages: they can see change, they are consuming knowledge more rapidly than others, and they still use their imaginations.

Compare Kim, a young woman in Beijing, with Ana, a young woman in Stockholm.

Kim sees change happening every day in Beijing — construction of innovative new buildings and infrastructure, and the availability of English language education. She speaks Chinese and English.

Ana sees the same Stockholm skyline she saw 20 years ago. She speaks only Swedish.

Who has the advantage when it comes to embracing change?

People in developing nations understand their own culture and the culture of the West.

For example, Beijing residents enjoy Chinese entertainment plus movies, music and sports imported from Hollywood and around the world.

For the first time in Olympic history, medals designed for the winners of the Olympic Games held last summer in Beijing combined the gemstone jade with the traditional metals of gold, silver and bronze. For many people, this symbolized the combination of East and West.

When it comes to combining known things in new ways, who will have the knowledge advantage?

Change, however, remains a problem, said Mr. Härén.

People all over the world, and throughout history, are terrible at seeing change. We all recognize that we should change, and want to change, but we cannot; we’re stuck.

Most adults, when asked where they would like an extra pair of eyes, respond in “the back of my head.” That’s due to the phrase, “she has eyes in the back of her head,” which is known in nearly every language.

Children are much more creative. 

When asked the same question, most children say “on their finger,” because it gives them the flexibility to see around corners and in small dark places, as well as in front and in back.

The point, said Mr. Härén, is that adults must make an extra effort to tap into the innovation mindset.

“Don’t let what’s impossible today stop you,” he said. “Most of what was impossible 20 years ago is possible today. There has never been a better time in history to innovate. Put on your sneakers and do it now.”

In a Q&A session with PMI President and CEO Gregory Balestrero, Mr. Härén pointed out that you need not innovate all the time. “All you have to do is be a little bit better than your competition.”

Mr. Härén’s final advice to attendees: “… spend more time defining the problem and less time on the solution. Most of what you discover through the problem definition will lead you to a more creative solution.”

Following the keynote address and opening session, attendees moved on to the heart of the congress, the educational sessions, which spanned 12 categories that ranged from new trends to advanced skills. PMI credential holders earned Professional Development Units (PDUs) to maintain their credentials, and all attendees sharpened their skills to compete in a challenging economy.

Evening receptions were times for participants to relax, enjoy the company of peers and expand their contact networks — a most important and rewarding part of every PMI congress.

The next opportunity to attend a PMI Global Congress occurs 18–20 May in Amsterdam. Find out more.

PMI extends a special thank you to the sponsors and exhibitors of PMI Global Congress 2009—Asia Pacific. We are deeply grateful for your participation.