Dissertation the Creative Synthesis Inventory
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DISSERTATION THE CREATIVE SYNTHESIS INVENTORY: CONSTRUCTING QUANTITATIVE MEASURES CAPTURING ATTRIBUTES OF DESIGN THINKING Submitted by Sarah Badding School of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Summer 2017 Doctoral Committee: Advisor: Gene Gloeckner Co-Advisor: Katharine Leigh Carole Makela Laura Malinin Copyright by Sarah Bianca Badding 2017 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT THE CREATIVE SYNTHESIS INVENTORY: CONSTRUCTING QUANTITATIVE MEASURES CAPTURING ATTRIBUTES OF DESIGN THINKING Stimulated by Lockwood’s discussion of design thinking, creativity, and innovation and their impact on new business growth (2009), this research project sought to develop quantitative measurement of factors and attributes contributing to increased innovation in organizations; specifically within the context of creative synthesis encompassing the design thinking environment. Creative synthesis is the process or leap of faith and intuition leading to the achievement of an effective and creative problem solution. The development process resulting in the Creative Synthesis Inventory (CSI) considered the six step framework developed by Schmiedel, vom Brock, and Recker’s (2014). The development process incorporated three phases and used responses from professional and industry experts and over six hundred student participants. Checkpoints were used at the conclusion of each step and the research design used mixed methods resulting in validation of a 19-item instrument. The CSI is intended to enable organizations and consultants to locate strengths and weaknesses for specific factors and attributes related to the constructs within the creative synthesis process. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible if not for the support and encouragement of many throughout different divisions of my life. First and foremost, I must thank my Doctoral Committee: Gene Gloeckner, you have taught me so much more about research methods than I ever thought possible. You inspired me in our conversations, and you’ve always believed in me. Katharine Leigh, you are a curator of my thoughts and one of my best friends. Over the many years of working with you, you have never given up on me. You help to push my limits and pull the words from my mind when I couldn’t think of them myself. Thank you for all that you have done for me so selflessly. Carole Makela, I writing this knowing I am only one of hundreds that wouldn’t be sitting here today if it wasn’t for you. You are a true believer in all of your students, who help us to see what we often struggle to see for ourselves. Thank you for your persistence and patience as I worked through this research project. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to my outside committee members. Laura Malinin, you have always been encouraging and insightful. It has been a great joy to work with you throughout this journey. Thank you for all that you have given to me over the years. Anna Perry, thank you for your thoughts and insight. The short time that I have spent with you has been a pleasure. I am indebted to the dozens of professors who helped to bring my ideas to fruition. I hold your names in confidentiality, but you know who you are. To the hundreds of students who provided feedback pivotal to the success of this study - if not for your willingness to help me, I truly would not be sitting here today. With all my heart to each and every one of you, thank you for your assistance. iii I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to thank my graduate support group. Michele Marquitz, I met you on the first day of my graduate studies, and knew then how lucky I was. You have been a wonderful friend and support system through the years and I am grateful to all that you have done. Jerry Zellers, you encourage me daily to never give up. I am so happy to have met you, and I am thankful for all that we have shared. You are truly remarkable. Sara Colorosa, I have benefited tremendously from the insightful, challenging conversations we have had over the years. All of your support of my success helped to manifest my ideas and clarify my thoughts as I developed the research for this dissertation. Dan West, you are a deeply sincere, intelligent, hilarious, and talented man. You are my adventure buddy, my partner in crime, my most favorite person. Your undying support has had a profound impact on my life in the past year. Thank you for your patience, late night walks, and idea-sparking questions. You have helped to nurture my thoughts when I needed it most, and for this I am deeply indebted to you. Katelynn Martinez, what a joy it has been to get to know you. I can only hope this achievement inspires you to continue your education. You are a talented woman who has so much to offer in this world. If I can teach you one thing, I hope it is to continue to push yourself in your pursuit for what sparks your imagination and emboldens you to search for more. Tina Little, you have showered me with nothing less than love and support since the day I met you, and words cannot express what this has meant to me. Thank you for loving me the way I am. To all my Friends and Family, too many to mention here, you have been on this ride with me since the beginning. Thank you for remaining in my life, excusing me from weekends, family iv vacations, and holidays when my research had to take precedence. Thank you for your love, support, and patience while I chased my dreams and worked through this immense endeavor. v DEDICATION This work is dedication in memorandum to my mentor, Theodore Chamberlain, a man who has shown me the invaluable lessons that come with the pursuit of education. Your words gave me the strength and encouragement I needed to be sitting here writing this today. Your stories forever live in my mind, and your vivacity for life inspires my dreams and reminds me to never hold back in the chase for fulfillment- whether that is in the rice fields of Asia or in the depths of the Pacific Northwest. I hope to look at those who surround me and know I’ve inspired them in the same ways you once inspired those who surrounded you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................. vi LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................................x LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... xii TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ...................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE OF STUDY ..................................................................................................................... 3 Research Questions ................................................................................................................. 4 ASSUMPTIONS .............................................................................................................................. 4 PERSPECTIVE OF THE RESEARCHER .............................................................................................. 5 DELIMITATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 7 DESIGN THINKING........................................................................................................................ 8 DESIGN THINKING IMPLEMENTED IN ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................. 10 EXAMINING MODELS OF DESIGN THINKING............................................................................... 13 Design Ladder, Danish Design Center (2003) ...................................................................... 13 Balanced Score Card (2005) ................................................................................................. 15 The Three Gears of Business Design (2009) ........................................................................ 16 Design Organization Continuum (Bubble Model, 2009) ...................................................... 18 Design Management Staircase (2009) .................................................................................. 20 Integrated Design Management Process (2009) ................................................................... 22 A Design-Driven Innovation Management Model (2010) .................................................... 23 Knowledge Funnel (2010) .................................................................................................... 25 Design Value Scorecard, Design Management Institute (2013) ........................................... 26 Summary of Design Thinking Models .................................................................................. 28 Design Thinking Instrumentation in Practice ......................................................................