I find that my un/sub-conscious mind is much more creative than my
analytical/conscious mind. When I've got a particularly difficult problem to
solve (lately, software analysis/design problems, but math and physics are
also amenable to this technique), I usually try to familiarize myself with
all the details, then just forget about it. Later, usually during my morning
s**t/shower/shave routine, some semblance of a solution comes to me,
completely unrequested. Happily, these gut-level/instinct solutions tend to
be pretty close to correct, and I then try to rationally justify why it is
the "best" solution. That's when discussions with my peers are the most
beneficial. A devil's advocate can be your best friend. If said advocate
can poke holes in my idea, it's usually because I hadn't grasped all of the
pertinent facts when I put the problem on the back burner. Sometime, I can
consciously incorporate these new forces into the problem, but sometimes it
requires another sleep-on-it session before I get another idea.
I've never been able to switch on the "creative" mode at will -- other than
by going to sleep, an activity that isn't encouraged in most office
situations. How do others accomplish this?
John
--- John Feiler jjfeiler@relief.com