Creative Competence by Tom Kelley
Summary
In Creative Confidence, Tom Kelley (with David Kelley) argues that creativity is not a rare gift but a skill anyone can develop. Through stories, exercises, and principles drawn from design thinking, he shows how individuals and organisations can unlock creative potential by starting with empathy, embracing experimentation, and reframing failure as a step toward success.
The book draws heavily on IDEO’s human-centred design approach, illustrated with examples like transforming intimidating MRI scanners for children into playful pirate ships and spaceships—eliminating the need for sedation. Kelley stresses that creativity is less about one genius breakthrough and more about generating, testing, and refining many ideas.
Key Insights
Believe in your capacity to change things — Creativity starts with the conviction that you can make a difference.
Human-centred design — Identify human needs first; design solutions around them.
Constraints spark ideas — “What if I had only one hand?”; “What if we had no electricity?”; “What if we were underwater?”
Generate lots of ideas — The more “shots” you take, the better your odds of success.
Fear of failure — Often rooted in fear of the unknown and fear of judgement; counter it with experimentation.
Failure résumé — Keep a record of failures, analysing causes and lessons learned.
User feedback — Get prototypes into the hands of real users quickly to see how they actually behave.
Quantity before quality — Quality emerges from repeated effort and iteration, not from waiting for perfection.
Start now — Don’t over-prepare; momentum comes from action.
Bug list — Keep a list of small irritations or problems you encounter—they’re opportunities for innovation.
Continuous improvement — Aim for rapid, ongoing refinement rather than instant excellence.
Creativity is iterative — The best solutions emerge from trying, failing, and learning repeatedly.
Strengths
Encouraging, optimistic tone that demystifies creativity.
Rich, relatable examples from real-world design challenges.
Actionable tools like the “failure résumé” and “bug list.”
Strong emphasis on empathy and user involvement in problem-solving.
Weaknesses
Heavy reliance on IDEO examples may make the approach feel corporate-centric.
Some concepts (like prototyping quickly) are repeated often.
Less focus on systemic or organisational barriers to implementing creative ideas.
Reflections
Kelley’s insistence on starting before you feel ready resonates strongly—perfectionism often delays creative work unnecessarily. The “failure résumé” is particularly valuable as a structured way to reframe setbacks into learning opportunities.
The MRI redesign story encapsulates the essence of human-centred design: empathy, playfulness, and practical problem-solving converging to produce meaningful change. His advice to keep a “bug list” is also a reminder that creativity thrives when we pay attention to everyday annoyances, not just grand challenges.
Conclusion
Creative Confidence is an inspiring guide to cultivating creativity as a habit, not a one-off event. By combining human-centred design principles with a bias for action and a tolerance for failure, Kelley offers a practical roadmap for anyone seeking to innovate in their work or personal life. The book’s core message, creativity grows through doing, makes it a valuable resource for both individuals and teams.
Book Details
Title: Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All
Author: Tom Kelly
Publication Year: 2013
Genre: Creativity
Reference: Skylark Vol. 4, p. 79
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