Entrepreneurs and executives now face a challenge to always be both creative and available, increasing pressure on executives in companies large and small. Being on 24/7 has become the new norm. Software solutions now offer help for busy business leaders, via “Associative Thinking” – using uncommon associations and focused questions to quickly reach creative solutions… though many leaders may keep that card close to the vest.
Portland, OR, November 17, 2008 — Eric Kinney is a busy guy, and he needs all the creativity he can muster, every day. At any moment he may need to create a web site that pulls in lots of traffic, or craft a bit of eye-catching copy, or develop an AdWords campaign that will bring immediate results for his clients. He can’t afford the down-time that results from a creative drought. By adding Associative Thinking software to his creative toolkit, Eric has become a problem-solving machine, supporting the marketing efforts of more than a dozen companies.
“I used to HOPE for inspiration to strike like lightning, but not anymore. I can’t afford to have a dry spell. So now I go ‘Associative Thinking’ using a scratch pad and ThoughtOffice software,” says Kinney, President of Access Communications in Spokane, Washington. “I am now confident that, at any time, I can grab my computer, start ThoughtOffice, and within 15 minutes I’ll have some pretty serious solutions to work into my designs and web sites. And with the creative pressure off, I can focus more on developing my business, instead of hoping for the inspiration to create a killer marketing program. This is gravy, compared to the old days of writing my ideas on the shower door. That was my favorite creativity space for many years.”
Associative Thinking is the process of starting with a well-defined problem, and using associative materials to help “connect the dots” of an idea. That might mean leafing through a pile of magazines, marking up a whiteboard with stream-of-consciousness ideas, one leading to the next, or using software to speed up the process. The ThoughtOffice creativity program ( http://www.thoughtoffice.com/?page_id=5 ) has gained attention through its ability, in a short amount of time and with limited input from the user, to help develop dozens – even hundreds – of very useful results. Additionally, the program can “capture” that brainstorming process, allowing the user to repeat and build on it at any time. It is also infinitely expandable to address any number of specialty niches, from advertising to writing business plans.
“First-timers to the creative process are stunned at what it can take to be truly innovative. Though the end result may seem simple and obvious, it may have taken more than a hundred attempts, to turn a rough idea into a polished final product,” points out Mark Alan Effinger, ThoughtOffice Corporation CEO, and a seasoned creative himself. “Even more interesting, is the fact that we have many users out there, but few business leaders feel open to talking about using a third-party software solution to solve their problems, or help them be more creative. It’s as though we leaders are expected to be creative at all times. But after you’ve spent a 60-to-80-hour week hunched over spreadsheets, or grinding away at other mundane tasks, keeping a creative edge is what it’s all about. Your creative edge is your competitive edge. So this closely-held ‘secret’ could benefit from a more ‘open source’ distribution, especially within the framework of a corporation, regardless of its size.”
Mr. Effinger offered an example of the power of the word-association engine: searching for associations with the word “Red”. The ThoughtOffice program’s Associative Thinking engine provided over 700 results for Red, including Rose, Fire Truck, Ferrari, Stop Light and Laser. ( http://www.thoughtoffice.com/?page_id=7 ) Any search result may be either the key to another associated term, or lead directly to a solution.
Users can also drill-down on a subject or task using tailored plug-in modules consisting of 240 to 2,400 specific questions in a variety of disciplines. With these tools, in less than an hour, an individual may be able to develop more than a dozen worthwhile end products that are creative, focused, and unique. A listing of the available Topic Modules ( http://www.thoughtoffice.com/?page_id=4 ) can be found at the ThoughtOffice Web Site. The software is available for Windows XP / Vista and for Macintosh OS X.
About ThoughtOffice:
ThoughtOffice is a software and consulting firm which develops innovation and creativity solutions for executives, life coaches, instructors, inventors, and consultants. Based in Vancouver, WA, the company has been creating and managing technology and fast-growth companies since 1998, from Irvine, California to Vancouver, British Columbia. The company can be reached by e-mail at [email protected], on the web at http://www.thoughtoffice.com, or by calling 360-450-6888
Press Release submission By PressReleasePoint
Contact:
Mark Alan Effinger
ThoughtOffice
5640 SE Riverside Way
Vancouver, WA 98661
360.450.6888
[email protected]
http://www.thoughtoffice.com
