The backbone of this book (Innovation Generation: How to Produce Creative and Useful Scientific Ideas) can be abstracted with the initialism: PIG In MuD (泥潭之猪).
1.Phrase a question based on your interest, observation, and knowledge;
2.Identify the frames and the alternatives;
3.Generate all possible solutions/ideas;
4.Incubate;
5.Meld your single best idea and validate whether it is true;
6.Disseminate your innovation.
To dissect how to generate innovative ideas, the author firstly discusses what constrains innovation: all sorts of biases caused by cognitive frames.
First of all, we need frames both for understanding the world and for innovation/creation. However, frames also make us the tunnel vision (2021-11-12Frames turn our observations into tunnel vision; to be innovative, be observant first! - (jianshu.com)). So to be innovative, we must consciously be aware of the frames dominating our cognition, and the corresponding pros and cons, such as how cognitive frames bias our observation, thinking, judgement, and decision making (2021-11-15Are you a rational decision maker?Maybe not as you thought - (jianshu.com)), etc..
The key strategy for jumping outside of frames is constructing as many as alternave frames in mind and be observant (2021-11-13Metacognition and the insoluble bugs are the key for keener observation and innovation ... - (jianshu.com); 2021-11-14Observation---The art of scientific investigation - (jianshu.com)). And the key for frame construction is wide, and in-depth reading.
The first part (Chapters 1-11) of this book focus its discussions on the Identification step in the PIG In MuD procedures for innovation generation.
The second part expands the discussion of the other five steps.
Chapter 13 discusses how to propose a right scientific question (2021-11-19How to propose a good scientific question? - (jianshu.com)). It's good that Ness proposing three criteria of a good scientific question: plausible, actionable, useful. But I think She did not really answer the "how" part. It's a matter of art in scientifc investigations. I think two aspects are critical: systematic and wide reading for laying a solid ground of knowledge; imaginative thinking for digging out the hidden connections of distant things. And I believe data-based discussion about how to propose a scientific question will be much more instructive. A qualified researcher should do the digging work by themselves. It's the Phrasing step.
And then Ness discussed how to generative innovative solutions/ideas: by anology, broadening or narrowing views, thinking sideways, brainstorming (2021-11-24Meditation is constructive for incubating innovation/creativity - (jianshu.com)). Another practical approach is closely paying attention to the cutting-edge techniques and their potentials for solving those long-standing questions. Team work is of special significance! It's the Generation step.
Ness believe that meditation is helpful for the synthesis of the most compelling idea (2021-11-24Meditation is constructive for incubating innovation/creativity - (jianshu.com)), which I can not tell. But I buy the idea that proper interruption or occasional switch between distinct brain states should be a good catalyst for innovation, or the aha moment (2021-10-25《元认知》改变思维的工具之一——恰当地使用暂停键 - (jianshu.com)). It's the Incubation step.
For some researchers, idea is scarce; for some abounds. Anyway, how to judge and prioritize the feasibility of ideas? The strategy is making them organized (2021-11-26Make the scientific ideas organized, prioritize them, and focus on The One!!! - (jianshu.com)). The essence is deconstructing the idea into a to-do list, breaking down each item on the list into a multiple-step "bite- sized actions". The plausibility of an idea is scored by how you can move forwards toward the answer to the pre-defined scientific question by each of the "bite- sized action". I think the suggestions are instructive. It originates from Making Ideas Happen (2010), written by Scott Belsky. Maybe we can discuss it in the future. The idea by listing the potential projects on the Backburner notebook is also inspiring. It's the "Meld" step.
After finding something new, Ness stressed that it is necessary to broadcast it, because both science and scientists have the inertia following the conventions and are influenced by Bandwagon effect (从众效应). The key step is to find supports from the right person (2021-11-27How to spread innovative ideas/findings? - (jianshu.com)). It's the Dissemination step.
It takes me 18 days completing the reading of Innovation Generation: How to Produce Creative and Useful Scientific Ideas (2012), written by ROBERTA B. NESS.
Let's learn Writing science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded (2011), written by JOSHUA SCHIMEL in the next month.