A Process For Random Thinking

Getting to the mindset to thrive your idea: Rational thinking and random thinking

by Scott Hannon

I enjoy the challenge that implies my professional role as a bridge between business and creativity in behalf of customers/persona, but sometimes while itinerating, it is critical that I push the pause button to step out from extreme realism, rational objectivity and data: I need a reality break… I need a less pragmatic kind of comprehension. Enough of rational thinking.

Creative confidence

I rely on my creativity and imagination skills. After years observing and analyzing my own thinking process from a Design Thinking mindset, I know that I need random thinking to advance ideas and as a breakthrough of understanding complexity.
The following is a pattern that works for me. Then again, it is not a system that I have created conveniently: It was already there, therefore I've just detected it and defined it. 

A sparkle of knowledge

After an intense period of analytical concentration I need nothingness in my mind: My rational thinking had its answers now I have to validate with my other self.
When having come to a conclusion after days (or years!) of analysis, or having reached an inner sense of "I see it", "I'm finally getting there" or I've made a connection that lights up my search , what I do is walk away from it. Leave my idea or finding "alone".
I know that intuition is part of DT process and I always consider it in my set of tools, but I don't get carried away by an insight and I try hard not to run into conclusions right away.

Getting in the mood for randomness

I "leave the idea there" and I make the effort to not think about it. 

I give it a rest and....talk to people or do something else...partially true, because what I'm actually doing is confront the world with my new knowledge: Besides talking to people, or engage in small talk, have fun...I also get into a itinerate mindset that implies randomness, wondering, nothingness and image-thinking and go with the flow: I recall any image that has impacted me lately, or it's kept my interest for "no reason",  and I allow me to not to analyze nor rush into conclusions. Instead, I engage in with the world with optimism, knowing by previous experience that I'm heading to the next level of understanding.

Metaphorically speaking, this is a process of building bridges of understanding within yourself.

Is this pattern of thinking universal or not? I don't have the facts, but I do know by experience that this process is a pattern, and going with the flow is part of the Thrownness concept of Heidegger that I relate (in me) to thinking in terms of experience.

I Keep on investigating Design Thinking processes involved in communicating ideas:
More to come.