Finally a great creativity app

Source:Adobe

Isabel Treidl

CEO - Founder 0f Ideas Dispenser

I found myself from time to time searching and looking for interesting topics and ways to better promote creativity and innovation. When I was asked to teach a course in creativity and innovation, I remember by that time I was teaching undergraduates at a private school in Colombia and this topic was a passion, something I incorporated into my courses and classes I taught by then. I remember the course was posted already and the person who was going to teach it was suddenly not available. The institution (EAFIT) contacted me since I was known to be creative among my students and colleges at the university. Since the material was already promised to a company, I was excited but stressed at the same time, so I decided to start reading and looking for material in this field and I have to admit I got frustrated. I noticed the material presented on creativity lacked creativity itself...so the topic was explained in absence of the essence.

As we all know the topic has been researched over the past decades and researches from many fields, psychologists, marketers and scientists have been trying to figure out the brain activity and hemispheres involved when experiencing creativity (left brain vs right).

I have taken many different creativity tests such as Guilford, Torrance, Meeker and even the Kellogg Northwestern University. But this year, I encountered the Creative test by Adobe. I remember the first time I opened it, it was fresh and captivated my attention not just by the colors, shapes and senses involved, but also because of the simplicity and results.

I used this app to finish a lecture I gave at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) in Los Angeles. I have to admit I love the app. My colleges took the test and shared later with their students who loved it as well.

The test is simple and has a binary way of answering. It captures three basic ideas or components to determine if you are an extrovert vs introvert, an intellectual-dominant vs emotional dominant and a doer vs a dreamer. This foundation combined with a creative team results in the essence of creativity by itself. The test has a binary system with only 15 questions and results in 8 creative types, including the Artist, Thinker, Adventurer, Maker, Producer, Dreamer, Innovator, and Visionary. One element to keep in mind is the language barrier. As a foreign person I have to admit I have encountered some limitations when answering some of these tests because language and misinterpretation can result in the wrong answer. An ideal scenario will be to have this type of tool translated into other languages such as Spanish, French, Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), Russian German and Arabic.

Interesting fact: I took it and even though I changed some answers (I believe 1 or 2 that I wanted to double check due to the language barrier), still the outcome was the same. I asked some close friends and family members to take it and they liked it.

Finally, it is important to remember that life is not black or white and we all do have different gradients. And creativity is the same...it comes in different shapes and flavors but still there is one essence that dominates and this test I believe it is a good start

Take the test

Even though I love Adobe's creativity app I am also providing other quizzes that may help you to determine your level and better fill in your gaps.

http://www.testmycreativity.com/

http://www.testmycreativity.com/