Trainer, workshop facilitator, husband, father, grandfather, and neighbor with the motto: giving innovation a creative boost!
René Hartman inspires people by stimulating their creative minds. With a career as a consultant, project leader, team leader, branch manager, and even co-author of two books, he has established his credentials in the field of innovation. His passion lies in the fuzzy front-end of innovation.
In 2004, René established his own idea factory as an independent consultant for businesses. With passion and a wealth of experience, he actively seeks innovative ideas every day. During his workshops and training sessions, he guides individuals through the exciting process of creative thinking, always aiming to collaboratively arrive at unique yet realistic solutions.
Trainer, workshop facilitator, husband, father, grandfather, and neighbor with the motto: giving innovation a creative boost!
My assignments are very short, usually lasting one to three days. During my sessions, I try to challenge people’s thinking and help them feel how their brain works. I aim to pull them out of their comfort zones in a safe environment. Together, we create a beautiful and, above all, inspiring day, with a clear goal: by the end of the day, we aim to have three, four, or five concepts to work with moving forward. I ensure that we achieve that goal, so participants don’t need to worry about it. To generate as many different types of solutions as possible, I continually provide different methodologies and working forms, allowing for a constant shift in perspective on the problem or challenge. It can be quite chaotic at times, but from this chaos, the best ideas emerge. It’s my job to provide structure in this chaos.
Like a beachcomber walking along the shore known as the internet, I try to stay up-to-date on the latest trends by reading many books, blogs, and interesting websites. I am also part of a group with colleagues who do similar work. We meet three or four times a year to exchange the latest knowledge and test new working methods or ways to engage people in the creative process. I also work a lot with students, which provides me with countless new insights.
Generating ideas during brainstorming.
In the book "Creative Currents," I discuss my vision of creative thinking, which is primarily based on the work of Raymond Loewy. He formulated the MAYA principle: Most Advanced Yet Acceptable. This principle suggests that creative work should not stray too far from what people are accustomed to, while also being innovative and breaking patterns. That is exactly what I strive to achieve in my work.
I take people on a journey to distant places, beyond their comfort zone. Like an elastic band, I stretch them to the craziest and wildest ideas until the stretch is just right and the band is almost about to break. I am constantly seeking ways to stretch that elasticity as much as possible, hoping that the client ultimately brings a product to market or delivers a service that is truly innovative but still aligns with what the client or the consumer wants.
During the sessions, we try to tackle the problem from various angles together. The challenge is to continually seek out the tension between ideas and look beyond the safe solution, in search of the surprising. You’ll notice that the combination of the craziest ideas can lead to the most successful solutions.
I prepare myself very well for the steps in the process. During the session, I look over the shoulders of the participants to check how far they are in the process of creative thinking. The MAYA story. Are the solutions still within the logical and reasonable, or are the ideas already far into the unusual and the crazy? I try to constantly monitor how far the elastic band has been stretched and what we still need to arrive at a solution we can move forward with. Sometimes I notice that the energy level drops, so I schedule a break or let them do an exercise to refresh things. In the group process, I also ensure that everyone gets a chance to contribute. Are the quieter individuals, who often have good ideas, given enough opportunity to express themselves? It’s about content, energy level, engagement of the participants, and the type of ideas they produce. My key to success is my script. It helps me during the process. I know what the next step is, which means I am always a step ahead of the participants. This allows me to prepare the space well and set everything up in advance. As a result, the participants can continue their creative process without worrying about maintaining an overview because that is what I do.
René Hartman keeps track during the chaos of brainstorming.
The moment when the light goes on in the eyes of the participants when they come up with a great idea gives me the ultimate kick. The result, in the form of a product or service that ultimately emerges from the sessions, is what truly excites me. It’s no coincidence that I regularly stop by for a cup of coffee. Each time, I can admire what has come out of our joint sessions with clients.
I have a passion for horses. As a carriage driver, I enjoy riding for Villa Pardoes. Villa Pardoes offers seriously ill children, along with their parents, brothers, and sisters, an unforgettable experience in and around the Efteling. One of the activities during a week filled with events is a carriage ride through the Drunense Duinen. During the ride, we have a picnic and engage in beautiful conversations. It’s a special combination of pursuing my greatest hobby and giving something back to others. It gives me an incredible amount of energy.
A long time ago, now 30 years, I first came into contact with Jacques (G), Erwin (B), and Jeroen (O) through the brother of the latter. Erik asked me if I would like to be a government commissioner for the graduation of the men who were still studying at the Design Academy. I happily agreed to do that, and since then, we have actually kept in touch. I have seen GBO Innovation Makers grow from study friends in a small attic room to an international design agency. Our relationship has lasted a long time, and we continually find new ways to maintain and expand our contact.
We are known for our distinctive designs, with which we have already won many prestigious design awards. We develop products with the right choices of materials and constructions, using knowledge of the latest technology and always with attention to people and the environment.
