Connected Creativity

If there is a constant in the world, it is that it is constantly changing. We are living in a revolutionary period, where technological, cultural, social and political forces continuously push us forward and change the way we live. Because of this, organisations across the world are urgently in need of a creative workforce: people that are flexible, adaptive and inventive.

This minor aims to empower you, independently of your discipline, on creativity skills, methods and attitudes. As the name indicates, the minor Connected Creativity strives to connect different disciplines in an interdisciplinary manner, both in terms of your (the students’) backgrounds but also in terms of how we will combine knowledge from different domains. “Connected” in this case can be understood from multiple dimensions:

• Connecting a diverse set of people: across disciplines, backgrounds, cultures, experience, etc.

• Connecting theory and practice.

• Connecting the context, organisations, individuals and society.

• Connecting individual creativity and group creativity.

• Connecting technology, innovation and creativity.

• Finally, Connected Creativity expands on the notion that creativity cannot exist in a vacuum; it is always connected to something in order to result in something novel, useful and meaningful.

Therefore, this minor will support you in embracing a deliberate creative process, connecting multiple domains of knowledge to answer challenging complex problems; current and future ones.

The minor is built up in two parts:
The first quarter of 15 ECTS is block A —‘Ignite’; and is all about the basics of Creativity. The courses are:

• Deliberate Creativity (7.5 ECs): This is a practical course in which you will learn about how to deliberately apply creativity in individual- and group settings. In the group settings, the iCPS-approach (Integrated Creative Problem Solving) will be applied through real cases from different domains and topics. The focus of this course is building hands-on creativity skills and attitudes.

• CreativiTree (4.5 ECs): This is a knowledge-based course in which you will learn different theoretical perspectives of creativity, and relate creativity theory to your own creative practices.

• Creative Path (3 ECs): This is a course focused on reflection and on the development of your creative confidence, from the individual to the team level. We will do this by reflecting on your experiences and on creativity as a cognitive and social phenomenon.

The second quarter (also 15 ECTS) is block B—‘Electrified’; here we will dive deeper into the topic and can only be attended after participation in block A. The courses are:

• Practice of Creativity (6 ECs): In this course you will leverage the knowledge gained in Block A to explore the dynamics of creative capacity within organizational settings. Working in interdisciplinary teams of 3 or 4, you will engage with real cases and organizations.
• Recontextualising Creativity (7 ECs): This is a knowledge and research-based course, where you will be confronted with creativity theories/practices in social, political and technological contexts. Driven by your curiosity, you will investigate how creativity has interacted with(in) a variety of topics and fields.
• Creative Path (2 EC): This course is a continuation of CP in Q1. It will include the Personal End Project of the minor, which is about becoming a future ready creator.

By the end of Q1 ‘Ignite’, you will be able to:

• Evaluate best practices in relation to individual and team’s creative path.

• Research and compare different creativity theories.

• Apply creativity attitudes and skills, working both in teams and individually.

• Apply a deliberate creative process, methods and techniques, in all stages of the integrated creative problem solving process in an interdisciplinary context.

By the end of Q2 ‘Electrified’, you will be able to:

• Apply a deliberate creative process in a real, interdisciplinary context, by connecting creativity and innovation in organisations.
• Indicate success factors and barriers of creativity in organizations.
• Investigate how creativity is situated in social, political and historical contexts.
• Take a critical stance on different scientific perspectives on creativity.

This minor is for those who are interested in applying deliberate creativity in an interdisciplinary context. The course asks for a certain level of curiosity and investment of on-campus time and energy which we expect all students to have, but prior knowledge on creative processes is not necessary.
As we aim for an interdisciplinary approach, we hope to welcome students from different disciplines and universities. From engineering to psychology. From German literature to astrophysics.

We are a selection minor in the sense that we aim for a balance between disciplines. We might select students to keep the following balance:

• 1/3 from the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (TU Delft)
• 1/3 from other TU Delft faculties
• 1/3 other disciplines

No additional information needs to be submitted for the selection procedure.

Part of this minor is developing skills and attitudes. This is something that can be done by practicing and experimenting a lot. In addition, we try to develop a creative climate in class. Therefore, we expect you to come to class to practice and to contribute to this creative climate. Therefore, take into account 3 on-campus days a week!

In addition, this minor is known for its fun, but intensive deepdives. These will take place the first week of Q1 and the first week of Q2. During these 2 weeks full of activities, your presence is strongly recommended and highly appreciated by your peers.
The minor is a full-time program, so it cannot be combined with other courses.
For additional information on this minor, visit the TU Delft minor page.

Student at Leiden University, TU Delft or Erasmus University Rotterdam?
Check the eligibility matrix to see if your bachelor’s degree programme offers access to this and other minors at https://www.tudelft.nl/minor

Student at another educational institution?
External students cannot register via EduXchange. Interested in this minor, read the whole registration procedure at https://www.tudelft.nl/minor

In this minor, you will embark on a journey towards deliberate creativity in everyday, interdisciplinary contexts. This means that we will support you to experiment and reflect upon your knowledge and disciplines, making you aware of your own assumptions and willing to approach problems from other perspectives. Learning activities include but are not limited to experiments, workshops, creative sessions, creative interventions, seminars and (guest) lectures.

Prepare for 3 days a week on-campus class. Since the learning curve is so steep due to the hands-on activities and learning experiences in class, we’ll expect you to come and join all classes in person.

Examinations include project reports, (oral) presentations, reflection assignments, teach-backs and research papers. Some courses have mainly group deliverables, while other courses focus more on individual assignments or a combination of the two.