Hello everyone!

Last time we promised you a creativity method which could be a good supplement and a potential alternative to Brainstorming. Some of you already know it, because we like to apply it in our trainings. It is known as the „Disney method“.

This wonderful creativity method is – as the name already implies – based on Walt Disney. Disney was a person with distinctive dreams and visions, otherwise it would have been hardly possible for him to develop characters and stories that have formed and accompanied entire generations.

Walt Disney, supposedly, used the following method when he became creatively active. Instead of – like with the “common” brainstorming – posing a question (or putting it on a flip chart) and collecting all ideas and answers, which come to mind, Disney first defines 3 positions in the room (or chooses different rooms when possible):

The dreamer – The realist – The critic

Then all 3 positions – starting with the dreamer – are run through several times.

You can imagine the whole like this: let’s assume for example, you want to put on a training about subject XY and are looking for new ideas and conversion variations. First, you take the position of the dreamer. We recommend you separate the 3 positions spatially as far as possible from each other to use the possibility to give enough undisturbed space to the dreaming. The position of the dreamer could for example, be in a corner with a coloured picture or a plant.

Dream big!

In this position, the following is valid: „Dream big! “ – Everything is allowed here. Have you always wanted to offer a training and invite the President as a keynote speaker? Take a flip chart and write down all your wildest ideas. Without restrictions, without criticism without thinking too much.

Creative “idiots”?

Then you move on to the position of the realist. Now you’re contemplating about:

• How can I realise this idea?
• Which steps are necessary?
• In which order must they be done?
• How long will it take, until the goal has been achieved?
• Which intermediate goals would be conceivable?

At the end of this process stands the position of the constructive critic. He asks if this makes sense, if it is a good solution for all and what might not work.

Why do you think critical questioning happens only at the end?

Maybe you have been in situations like this before: Somebody comes up with an idea. And the next moment you hear the following: „That is a nice idea, BUT…“ And this “mighty BUT” destroys all the creative energy that came with the initial idea.

The Disney method does not ignore doubt, but it starts with the notion that everything is possible. The possibility of the implementation is then checked in a next – distinguished – step.

If it seems that changes or refinements are needed, you can go through all positions again until you have come to a satisfactory result and the critic agrees with the goal and its realisation.

You can use this creativity method quite nicely during workshops and trainings. The name of the method alone apparently inspires many to come up with brilliant ideas – try it, we are sure you will not be disappointed!

We hope you’ll have a lot of fun with the implementation!

All the best,
Your BusinessMind team