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Bounded creativity in higher education: what can responsible innovation learn from jazz improvisation?
A Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoECI) project
The Conservatorium van Amsterdam (Research Group ‘Musical Learning Cultures’) and Inholland (Research Group ‘Societal Impact Design’) are collaborating to explore how principles of jazz improvisation can be applied to responsible innovation, using the concept of 'bounded creativity'. The aim is to develop practical design tools that can be directly implemented in higher education.
Background
Given the complex challenges facing contemporary society, from climate transitions to the digitalization of daily life—commonly referred to as ‘wicked problems’—it is crucial to develop innovative approaches to tackle these issues. Social design offers a framework where creativity plays a vital role in discovering sustainable and responsible solutions to these multifaceted problems.
Wicked problems are defined by their complexity, uncertainty, and the fact that they cut across multiple disciplines and stakeholders. Creativity is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool for generating innovative and effective solutions to such challenges. As a result, innovation ecosystems have placed growing emphasis on design methods like design thinking, frame innovation, and co-design, which equip students with the skills necessary to address these complex issues.
Creativity, both in society at large and in higher education, is often seen as thriving best in open and unrestricted environments. It is frequently associated with 'out-of-the-box' thinking, divergent brainstorming (where as many ideas as possible are generated), and 'unbounded randomness' (Thompson & Leo, 2003; Hamel, 2001; Baskerville et al., 2016). In the context of innovation, a popular solution for wicked problems, the prevailing view often echoes Silicon Valley’s mentality, where innovators or creatives are thought to achieve optimal results only when granted complete freedom, free from the constraints of regulations or ethical considerations. This positions creativity and responsibility as opposing forces (Steen, Sand & van de Poel, 2021).
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This perspective often manifests in temporary, rule-free spaces such as living labs, where unrestricted experimentation and innovation are encouraged. However, it’s crucial to recognize that innovation must always be responsible and ethically sound. Ethical frameworks can, in fact, stimulate creativity and offer a guiding structure, often referred to as guidance ethics (Verbeek & Tijink, 2020).
A parallel notion exists in jazz improvisation, where the long-held belief that improvisation is synonymous with creating music spontaneously, without prior planning, still predominates. However, this belief is only partially accurate. Jazz improvisation, a highly diverse practice, generally operates within predefined musical structures. A well-trained jazz musician dedicates many hours each week to mastering tonal and rhythmic relationships across various harmonic and rhythmic systems. This deep preparation enables jazz musicians to fluidly apply their expertise during real-time performances (Torrance & Schumann, 2019).
This research project aims to critically examine these existing assumptions. It draws on the PhD research of Anouk Geenen (2023) and Carolien Hermans (2022). Geenen’s study suggests that ethical frameworks in responsible innovation projects are often perceived as restrictive and advocates for a shift toward 'positive ethics', where ethics are seen as an enhancement rather than a limitation. Hermans’ research highlights how, in artistic practices like dance and music improvisation, improvisation is still too frequently linked with creating something entirely new in the moment, without prior preparation, structures, or constraints. Both studies combine theoretical, philosophical, and empirical insights.
Through this project, we aim to broaden and refine current views on creativity. Our focus is on the concept of 'bounded creativity' (Cummiskey & Baer, 2018; Bareville et al., 2016). By comparing this idea with the principles of jazz improvisation, we intend to explore how ethical thinking and action frameworks can stimulate creativity, particularly in fostering innovation, and contribute to positive ethics. Additionally, we aim to develop concrete tools that can be immediately applied in educational and professional settings. We view these tools as necessary additions to existing ones. This project seeks to further integrate design methods into responsible innovation projects, with the ultimate goal of promoting bounded creativity and fostering innovation for a sustainable, responsible, and resilient society.
Literature
Baskerville, R., Kaul, M., Pries-Heje, J., Storey, V.C., & Kristiansen. E. (2016). Bounded Creativity in Design Science Research. ICIS 2016 Proceedings 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2016/ISDesign/Presentations/5
Cummiskey, B.M., & Baer, M. (2018). Bounded creativity: A theory of the effects of constraints on the production of new ideas. Academy of Management Proceedings.
Hamel, G. (2001). Innovation's New Math. In: Fortune. Time Inc., pp. 130-132.
Steen, M., Sand, M., & Van de Poel, I. (2021). Virtue ethics for responsible innovation. Business and Professional Ethics Journal, 40(2), 243-268.
Thompson, L., & Leo, F.B. (2003). Improving the Creativity of Organizational Work Groups. The Academy of Management Executive, 17(1), 96-111.
Torrance, S., & Schumann, F. (2019). The spur of the moment: what jazz improvisation tells cognitive science. AI and Society, 34(2), 251-268.
Verbeek, P-P., & Tijink, D. (2020). Guidance Ethics Approach: An ethical dialogue about technology with perspective on actions. ECP | Platform voor de InformatieSamenleving.