23 Collaboration magnifies creativity
![two hands touching between buildings.](https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/app/uploads/sites/243/2023/05/toa-heftiba-_UIVmIBB3JU-unsplash-300x200.jpg)
Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success. — Unknown
Being creative with other people can help you complete challenges and solve problems more effectively and efficiently. Although you can complete the creative process on your own, when you collaborate with others who share the same objectives, each step of the creative process can be magnified in its power to complete tasks. For examples:
- More resources can be identified when collaborating.
- More ideas can be generated through collaborating.
- Better criteria for selecting the best idea can be applied.
- Better plans can be made when collaborating.
- Executing plans is easier when you have more people to share the tasks.
- Assessing the success of projects is easier when collaborating.
No one is as smart as everyone. — Unknown
![the world is yours LED sign with the y burnt out.](https://pressbooks.openeducationalberta.ca/app/uploads/sites/243/2023/05/charlesdeluvio-eR8qaAM6k1U-unsplash-300x189.jpg)
Method 6–3–5 (BrainWriting) https://youtu.be/TR1i1PPd8ZU
Collaboration works because everyone in the group brings different points of view, life experiences, knowledge, and skills to the table. This diverse pool of knowledge, skills and experiences can make each step of the creative process more powerful. Who would be the best people for you to collaborate with?
If you have a choice, do you prefer to work alone, or to collaborate with others? Why?
A different way of collaborating is to build on the work of other people. Click here to watch this interesting mashup that is a composition of the artistic works of many people.
The Creative Commons is an interesting licensing strategy that makes it easier for the owners of creative works to share and give permission to others to build on their works. Watch this video description about the Creative Commons.
An easy way to find creative works that are licensed through the creative commons is to go to http://search.creativecommons.org/ and use this search engine.
Not everyone is interested in collaborating with others. They may choose to not share their works and ideas with others, nor build on the works or ideas of others. What are the hazards of this approach? What are the benefits?
This book is licensed under Creative Commons. As well, I have built it on many ideas and creative works of others. Do you find value in a book like this?
I am open to collaborating with anyone interested in helping me further develop this book. Are you interested or do you know someone who would be? Some students from past terms have contributed to this course. You may have found their items already embedded in the pages of the book and there are larger pieces in the appendix.
Do you use the creative works of others in your creative work? Do you share your works for others to use?
Watch the following Ted Talk presentations about how collaboration and exchanging ideas drive innovations.
Consider why collaboration is important and valuable.
Challenge:
Find at least two people to collaborate with as you work on completing the challenge or problem you selected to work on in the previous few pages.
Be with people who knows your worth. You don’t need too many people to be happy, just a few real ones who appreciate you for exactly who you are. — Unknown