What Does Innovation Sound Like To You?

Jane Mackays “Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto”

 

While reading, feel free to listen to a song I just wrote entitled “Innovation 1A” – it’s what innovation sounds like to me.

There is an excellent blog post here about a doctor who was able to discern the urine of a healthy person from the urine of a diseased person through translating the chemical makeup into sounds – a symphony of sorts.

When trying to come up with creative solutions to sticky problems, often it helps to look at the problem in a whole new way, as if through another sense.  In other words, ask the following:

1. What color is this problem? How can this problem be translated into color? What color would you prefer the problem to be and how do you get there.
2. What does this problem taste like? How can this problem be translated into taste? What taste would you prefer the problem to be and how do you get there.
3. What does this problem sound like? How can this problem be translated into sound? What sound would you prefer the problem to be and how do you get there.
4. How would you  describe the problem with regards to touch (Smooth, rough, round, sharp)? How can this problem be translated into touch? What tactile sensation would you prefer the problem to be and how do you get there.
5. What does this problem smell like? How can this problem be depicted with smell? What smell would you prefer the problem to be and how do you get there.
6. What emotion(s) does this problem elicit? How can you translate the problem into an emotion? What emotion do you want it to be and how do you get it there?

You can translate problems in other ways by resorting to the following list of types of synesthesia (Greek for Union of the Senses) from a lecture by Professor Leanne Boucher.

So I ask you, what does Innovation sound like to you?