Design + Creativity: Interview with Neuroscientist Lila Chrysikou

In an interview with MAD, Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences Lila Chrysikou discusses the cognitive processes behind design and creativity, and offers practical strategies to enhance creative thinking. Intentionality, shaking up familiar categories, taking breaks, and becoming an expert outside one's field are key insights from cognitive research that can unlock creative potential. “I see design as a signature aspect of human cognition,” she says.

By Adelaide Zollinger

Oct 8, 2024

In an interview with the Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Drexel University Lila Chrysikou shares how specific cognitive mechanisms drive design and creativity.

Reflecting on how “design represents cognitive and neural processes that shape our world as humans,” she encourages individuals to approach creativity as a skill that can be developed rather than an innate talent, and lists actionable insights to that end:

  • Being intentional, and simply instructing yourself to “be creative” can improve creative output.
  • Shaking up your categories, spending time thinking of alternative uses for everyday objects.
  • Taking breaks or naps, especially when you're stuck, can spark new ideas.
  • Becoming an expert in fields outside of your own can significantly broaden creative perspective, allowing you to connect seemingly unrelated concepts.
  • Paying attention to every detail of your environment.
  • Being aware of design fixation, acknowledging the tendency to reproduce prior solutions and actively challenge it.
Creativity often comes from the ability to step outside of what we know, challenge existing categories, and reframe problems in ways that allow for new solutions.

Watch more episodes of MAD's Design + ... video series.

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