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The 46 Rules of Genius

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by Marty Neumeier




  THE 46 RULES OF GENIUS

  An Innovator’s Guide to Creativity

  Text and illustrations by Marty Neumeier

  New Riders

  Find us on the web at www.newriders.com

  To report errors, please send a note to errata@peachpit.com

  New Riders is an imprint of Peachpit, a division of Pearson Education

  Copyright © 2014 by Marty Neumeier

  Acquisitions Editor

  Nikki Echler Mcdonald

  Proofreader

  Liz Welch

  Production Editor

  David Van Ness

  Design Director

  Marty Neumeier

  Designers

  Brooke Klass

  Cya Nelson

  Irene Hoffman

  Beryl Wang

  Author Photo

  courtesy of Content Magazine

  Notice of Rights

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact permissions@peachpit.com.

  Notice of Liability

  The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

  Trademarks

  Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

  ISBN 13: 978-0-133-90006-4

  ISBN 10: 0-133-90006-1

  9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Printed and bound in the United States of America

  Text and

  illustrations

  by

  Marty Neumeier

  In honor of

  Saul Steinberg

  and

  E. B. White

  WHAT IS A GENIUS?

  To most people, a genius is someone with a towering IQ—say 140 points or higher. This is simplistic. A genius is more than that, but also less. In practice it only takes an IQ of 125 to become a genius. What you need beyond that is a facile imagination and the skills to apply it, driven by a passionate will toward a focused goal.

   A genius doesn’t start out as a genius at every-thing but a genius at something. For example, you can be a genius at molecular biology, or a genius at reading people’s feelings. You can be a genius at programming software, or a genius at broken-field running. This puts genius-hood within the reach of nearly everybody. Over time, a genius may connect several somethings into a semblance of everything, but this is optional in the definition of genius.

   In my recent book Metaskills, I laid out five talents we’ll need to thrive in an age of increasing man-machine collaboration. These talents, which I’ve called metaskills, are feeling, or empathy and intuition; seeing, or systems thinking; dreaming, or applied imagination; making, or design talent; and learning, the ability to acquire new skills. None of these needs a high IQ. What they need is a high regard for creativity. The rules in this book are creative rules. They’re general guidelines to help you envision, invent, contribute, and grow.

   Then what’s a genius? Here’s my working definition: A genius is any person who turns insight into innovation, and in the process changes our view of the world. In other words, it’s someone who takes creativity to the point of originality. The philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer said it best: “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.”

  The rules in this book are as timeless as they can be. None of them are new, yet they can help you create something new. Michelangelo didn’t invent the hammer and chisel, but by using these tools he sculpted the Pietà. Just as you can’t shape a block of marble with your bare hands, you can’t shape ideas with your bare mind. You need rules. Rules are the tools of genius. Use them when they help; put them aside when they don’t.

   I’ve purposely written a concise book. Most of the creative people I know are consumed by their projects, and reading a long book is a luxury they can’t always afford. So here’s a slim volume with bite-size advice. You can reach into it randomly, underline its salient points, return to the rules as needed.

   I make no claims of completeness for The 46 Rules of Genius. Instead, I’ve chosen to focus on the principles most often ignored, forgotten, or heedlessly broken. It starts with some advice on strategy—or how to get the right idea. It continues with practical tips on execution—how to get the idea right. From there it moves to building your creative skills over time, and finally to putting your brilliance to work in the larger world.

   Caution: The 46 Rules of Genius is not for everyone, for the simple reason that not everyone can be a genius. This is not usually a failing of native intelligence. It’s more likely a lack of a) will, or b) skill. I presume you have a good supply of a), or you wouldn’t have this book in your hand. As to b), you’ll need a little help—and a healthy appetite for work. Happily, work is not really work when you’re investing in what you love.

   My fondest wish is that you’ll combine the desire you already have with these time-tested principles to ignite an endless cycle of creative growth: your desire will drive your learning, and your learning will fuel your desire. This is the magic that makes a genius. If you accept this as a central premise, the rest will follow.

  —Marty Neumeier

  CONTENTS

  Part 1 How can I innovate?

  Rule 1 : Break the rules

  Rule 2 : Wish for what you want

  Rule 3 : Feel before you think

  Rule 4 : See what’s not there

  Rule 5 : Ask a bigger question

  Rule 6 : Frame problems tightly

  Rule 7 : Think whole thoughts

  Rule 8 : Stay in the dragon pit

  Rule 9 : Approach answers obliquely

  Rule 10 : Wait for the jolt

  Rule 11 : Use beauty as a yardstick

  Part 2 How should I work?

  Rule 12 : Design quickly, decide slowly

  Rule 13 : Use a linear process for static elements

  Rule 14 : Use a dynamic process for reactive elements

  Rule 15 : Work to an appropriate structure

  Rule 16 : Express related elements in a similar manner

  Rule 17 : Match form to function, function to form

  Rule 18 : Don’t be boring

  Rule 19 : Put the surprise where you want the attention

  Rule 20 : Apply aesthetics deliberately

  Rule 21 : Visualize with sketches, models, or prototypes

  Rule 22 : Embrace messiness

  Rule 23 : Test your ideas in realistic situations

  Rule 24 : Simplify

  Part 3 How can I learn?

  Rule 25 : Learn how to learn

  Rule 26 : Start with curiosity, not belief

  Rule 27 : Do your own projects

  Rule 28 : Keep a hero file

  Rule 29 : Invest in your originality

  Rul
e 30 : Learn strategically

  Rule 31 : Shore up your weaknesses

  Rule 32 : Spend long hours in the joy zone

  Rule 33 : Make educational mistakes

  Rule 34 : Seek instructive criticism

  Rule 35 : Fuel your passion

  Rule 36 : Develop an authentic style

  Rule 37 : Practice

  Part 4 How can I matter?

  Rule 38 : Overcommit to a mission

  Rule 39 : Stay focused

  Rule 40 : Follow through

  Rule 41 : Do good design

  Rule 42 : Build support methodically

  Rule 43 : Don’t blame others

  Rule 44 : Join a network

  Rule 45 : Become who you are

  Rule 46 : Make new rules

  About the author

  Part 1

  HOW CAN I INNOVATE?

  There is

  no great genius

  without a mixture

  of madness.

  —Aristotle

  Rule 1

  BREAK THE RULES

  You’ve probably heard that it’s unwise to break the rules until you know how to use them. You’ve probably also heard the opposite—there are no rules—it’s the job of innovators to disregard convention. Which of these is true?

   Oddly, both. This is the Genius Paradox. You have to disobey the rules of creativity to obey the rules of creativity. And in obeying the rules of creativity, you automatically disobey the rules of creativity. That’s because the number one rule is to break the rules.

   Creative rules are not rigid dictates but rough principles—patterns that a variety of artists, scientists, and thinkers have used for centuries as the scaffolding for their inventions. You shouldn’t be a slave to them. You don’t need to keep them in your conscious mind. But having considered them will broaden your repertoire for any creative challenge that calls for a full response.

   Here’s how to resolve the Genius Paradox:

  1) React to the rules by embracing them or breaking them.

  2) Observe the results.

  3) Rewrite the rules from your own experience.

  You’ll find that there are rules for creativity—your rules. They may not be the ones that others follow, but they’ll be true and useful to you.

   One caveat: Make sure your new principles are not just scars from a previous experience—it’s easy to draw the wrong conclusion from a single failure. Weigh your newly forged rules against the rules of the ages to make sure they have the heft and hardiness to do the job.

  Rule 2

  WISH FOR WHAT YOU WANT

  Wishing is like a warm-up sketch for problem solving. When you let your mind wander across the blank page of possibilities, all constraints and preconceptions disappear, leaving only the trace of a barely glimpsed dream, the merest hint of a sketch of an idea. To start wishing, ask yourself the kind of questions that begin:

  How might I...?

  What’s stopping us from...?

  In what ways could I...?

  What would happen if...?

  From there you can ask follow-up questions like:

  Why would we...?

  What has changed to allow us to...?

  Who would need to...?

  When should I...?

  At this stage there’s no reason to place limits on your wandering. What’s the can’t do that you wish were a can do? The future problem you could start solving now? The half-baked notion you’d like to see a reality? Where’s the place where the suddenly possible meets the desperately necessary? Wishing allows you to leave the realm of limitations, if only for a few moments, to imagine a future worth pursuing.

  Rule 3

  FEEL BEFORE YOU THINK

  Don’t jump into planning as soon as you’ve sighted a goal. Learn to be still and listen. Pay attention to the nagging voice. The uneasy stomach. The barely felt longing. Your subject may have something to tell you.

   Resist the temptation to impose a cookie-cutter solution on an intriguing problem, or a groundbreaking solution on an insignificant problem. Hold back until you’ve had enough time to sort through your feelings and consider the issues. Depending on the nature and scope of the challenge, this could take five seconds or five days. It takes what it takes.

   Have you ever noticed that when you’re searching for facts, you’ll cast your eyes downward as if the information were on the table? And when you’re trying to invent an answer, you’ll look upward as if the solution were on the ceiling? These are commonly observed tendencies in problem solvers. But when you’re trying to access your intuition, looking won’t help at all. You’ll need to feel.

   Feeling your way to a solution is like an athlete deciding his or her next move. It happens more in the body than the brain. It gives you direct access to your intuition so you can bypass the usual fears, distractions, default solutions, and ego traps that can make your work less than brilliant. Feeling lets you forge a connection with your subject that mere thinking can’t reach.

   Close your eyes and drift with the problem. Let it talk to you. Imagine you’re a psychologist, and the problem is your patient. Listen carefully. Give it your deepest empathy and fullest attention. Be available to the problem. Don’t try to fix it. Feel your way forward.

  Rule 4

  SEE WHAT’S NOT THERE

  One of the skills that separates a leader from a follower is the ability to see what might be, but so far isn’t. Most people can see what’s already there. You don’t need magic glasses to see that the Eiffel Tower is a popular tourist destination, or that the area of a rectangle is the product of its height and width, or that millions of people will pay extra for a fancy cup of coffee. But you do need magic glasses to see what’s still missing from the world, since by definition what’s missing is invisible.

   The trick is to notice what artists and designers call negative space. It’s the plain background of a painting, the white space on a printed page, the silence between lines of a play, or the rests within a musical score. In the world of art, these are purposeful elements of composition. In the market-place, these are crevices that harbor opportunity.

   Try these three techniques for discovering the negative space in a marketplace, a problem, or a situation.

   Sift through threats for hidden possibilities. Every threat carries with it the potential for innovation. The problem of obesity contains the possibility of new kinds of nutrition. The problem of global pollution contains the possibility of new energy sources. The problem of high unemployment contains the possibility of new educational models. The list is endless, if you can learn to see what’s not there.

   Examine sectors for uneven rates of change. The future is already here, goes the saying—it’s just distributed unevenly. Look for areas that have changed, then look for similar or adjacent areas that haven’t changed. Search for pockets of resistance to successful new ideas. Chances are, it’s only a matter of time before change comes. Why not be the catalyst?

   Imagine how a growing trend might affect an established norm. Make a list of nascent and dominant trends, then mentally apply them to industries, businesses, and activities that haven’t changed for a long while. What will the trend toward organic farming mean for fast-food restaurants? What will mobile payments do to retail shopping habits? How might nanotechnology change the energy market? How will always-on computing change the college experience?

   To find out what’s not there, look for the job not done, the road not taken, the product not made. These are the magic glasses that let you see the invisible and conceive the inconceivable.

  Rule 5

  ASK A BIGGER QUESTION

  Figure out what type of problem you’re solving. Is it a simple problem? A complex problem? A structural problem? A communication problem? A technology problem? A political problem? A leadership problem? A design problem? A budget problem? Unless you know what type of problem you’re solving, your solution will be wrong, no matter how we
ll you seem to solve it.

   For most of us, the problems we tackle are given to us by someone else—a boss, a teacher, a client, a committee, an organization. While the problem may seem logical in the way it’s stated, a little bit of probing may reveal a faulty framework.

   The framework is the boundary drawn around it, the “rope of scope” that keeps it from sprawling to infinity. It narrows the focus, suggests a direction for the work, limits the investment, and determines how success is measured. If the framework is wrong, everything else will be wrong.

   Your first impulse may be to accept the problem as stated. Resist. Be curious. Ask questions. Probe further. While it may seem disrespectful or annoying to pester your problem-giver with too many questions at once, that doesn’t mean you can’t raise them mentally and marshal your thoughts for a later conversation. In fact, you may not even have any questions at first. Sometimes questions need time to surface.

   As you become more proficient at accepting assignments, you’ll find questions like these helpful:

  Have we seen this problem before?

  What do we know about it?

  Are the boundaries the right boundaries?

  Are we even solving the right problem?

  Should we solve a bigger problem instead?

  If we succeed, what will be improved?

  What will be diminished?

  What will be replaced?

  What opportunities will it spawn?

  Who stands to gain and who stands to lose?

  Do we need to solve the problem at all?

  Who says? So what? Why not?

  By asking these types of questions, you may find that the boundaries of the problem were drawn too small—the actual problem was more important, and the only reason to minimize it was to shrink it to fit a budget, a time frame, a job description, or a skill set. While these may be issues, it’s better to face them head on and make them part of the brief.

 

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