Creative Acts for Curious People
by Sarah Stein Greenberg
Key Concepts
Bias Towards Action
Learn by doing and making, rather than just planning or theorizing.
Embrace Ambiguity
Start with messy, ill-defined problems to uncover deeper insights and true needs.
Build to Think
Physical prototypes and tangible artifacts accelerate understanding and discovery.
Iterate Relentlessly
Refine ideas through continuous testing, feedback, and improvement cycles.
Curiosity First
Frame challenges as questions to explore, not problems to immediately solve.
Action Items
Start with a 'How Might We' question to frame challenges openly and broadly.
Create low-fidelity prototypes quickly to test assumptions and gather early feedback.
Actively seek diverse perspectives and feedback throughout your creative process.
Run small, rapid experiments to learn about user needs and potential solutions.
Document your learning and insights, not just your final outputs.
Core Thesis
Creativity is a learnable, iterative process accessible to everyone, driven by hands-on experimentation and a curious mindset.
Mindset Shift
Creativity is not an innate talent but a practical skill developed through deliberate practice, experimentation, and a willingness to embrace failure as learning.