Everyone has their way of solving problems. Most of us learned how to solve
problems by the time we were five years-old. Very few of us found new ways
after
that.

Having been trained as an engineer I have to take issue with that
statement. I didn't know trig or geometry at age five. Both come
in real handy handy in woodworking - whether you call it trig and
geometry or not.

Uh, I thought we were talking about creativity, not book learning. A band saw
is handy, too. Doesn't mean using one (or a trig formula, for that matter) makes
you artistic. I stand by my original statement. Most people do not learn new
ways of solving problems after about the age of 5.

The difference between regular folk and very creative folk like artists
and designers is that they not only have discovered how they solve problems,
they've also learned new ways, too. It is a conscious effort for them.

OK so conscious awareness is important along with intentionally
making
an effort to use that awareness is important. That's something that
can be learned. Any tips on ways to learn to do that?

Yup. Go to art and design school, take an evening class. Reading design texts
like Pye or ones on design methodology may help, too. A lower cost alternative
is to solve problems, any problems, but especialy 3D problems like Rubics Cube,
or other visual brain teasers. Anything that gets those creative synapses firing
is good. Also, take a different route to work each day. Or write with you
non-dominant hand. These work, too.

The first step is to learn how you solve problems.

I think that's the second step. The first step is to not quit
when problems are encountered. Creativity and Risk Avoidance
don't seem to go together.

Not the way I look at it: Learn how to solve problems, then begin to solve a
problem, then keep at it even when all seems lost. That makes it the 3rd step,
right?

Designers will tell you that way too often the tendency is to jump in and solve
a problem, and many people take the first solution they come up with. I've seen
many engineers (sorry) step into that pitfall, as in, "We'll just add a bracket
to fix that." Designers on the other hand will sketch ten, even a hundred
sketches, throw them all away, and then begin with the design. Artists will
start over repeatedly on a project.

Tossing a handful of designs away is also a good way to remove your ego form the
equation, too.

A more direct way is one I've mentioned here before. Get some low density foam
and turn it with scrapers and files. Set a timer and see how many shapes you can
knock out in twenty minutes. Or turn a foam shape, turn it again making one
slight change, do it again and again, but never returning to a former shape.
Don't stop until you have a hundred.

Finally, a good designer, and this includes home-shop bowl
designers/crafters/turners is one who spends a great deal of time crafting the
design statement before even beginning. "Design a fork" is a lot different than
"Design a personal sustenance device." The first is limiting, the latter
expansive. Expansive is good, it leads to play and creative results.

Hope this helps. Dan