A New Enemy of Creativity? "Search First" Makes Teams Mediocre — It's Time for "Offline Brainstorming"

1. The Era When "Search First" Became the Norm

A quarter-century has passed since Google was born in 1998. Whenever a question arises, we tap on keyboards or smartphones to instantly get a list of suggestions. But is this convenience a trade-off with creativity? Recent research from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is causing a stir.phys.org

2. Understanding the "Fixation Effect" with Umbrellas and Shields

The research team employed the Alternative Uses Task, asking 244 participants to devise alternative uses for "umbrella" or "shield." In Condition A, Google search was allowed, while in Condition B, it was prohibited. Individual scores showed little difference, but when grouped nominally (randomly composed pseudo-groups), the results changed dramatically. The search group concentrated on typical ideas like "umbrella→rain protection→parasol," significantly lowering the diversity score. It is believed that the "examples" shown in search results strengthened the fixation of templates in the brain.phys.orgpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Particularly for umbrellas, which have abundant examples online, the duplication rate increased. On the other hand, shields had fewer examples, leaving some variability even with search allowed, which is intriguing. Professor Danny Oppenheimer, the lead researcher, states, "The internet doesn't make us dull; it's about how we use it. The key is designing offline divergence→online convergence."phys.orgearth.com

3. Reactions Spreading on Social Media

• X (formerly Twitter)

  • "Search has become a 'verification device.' I admonish myself for Googling first" (Writer @MrEwanMorrison)twitter.com

• Reddit/SEO Board

  • "Google is now an Answer Engine, not a Search Engine. Even if you rank in the top 3, no clicks mean no creativity or motivation."reddit.com

• Reddit/LLMDevs Board

  • "LLMs appear 'creative' but it's just fast remixing. If humans start thinking in remixes, it's over."reddit.com

These posts reflect dissatisfaction with search engine quality and a sense of crisis over the "hollowing out of original ideas." Practical strategies like "5-minute timer before searching" and "using a whiteboard" are shared, accelerating movements to rethink corporate workshop designs.

4. Comparison with Related Research

• Online Search and Truth Judgment: A Nature paper (2024) suggests that searching for information to verify truth may actually increase the credibility of misinformation.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• AI and Creativity Gap: Wharton research points out that "ChatGPT users generate many ideas but with narrow diversity," aligning with CMU's findings.axios.com

• Analogical Search Engines: Existing research reports attempts to ensure diversity by introducing "analogical search."scholars.cmu.edu

5. Implications for the Business Field

1. Two-Step Approach: Offline Brainstorming→Online Research

   • Conduct initial divergence with paper, sticky notes, or whiteboards, and set a "no-search time" for a certain period.

2. "Contrarian" Search Words

   • For example, instead of "umbrella alternative use," explore with keywords like "objects unlike umbrella" or "anti-rain device without fabric."

3. Crafting AI Prompts

   • Even when using generative AI, explicitly request diversity by stating "exclude existing ideas" or "avoid synonyms."

6. Application in Education and Training

Associate Professor Mark Patterson of CMU suggests teaching the habit of "moving hands before searching" from early childhood education. Some companies are beginning to introduce the "First 10 by hand" rule (prohibiting search until the first 10 ideas are written on paper) in corporate training.earth.com

7. Future Challenges and Prospects

• Reproducibility in Multicultural and Multilingual Environments

• Effect Measurement When Using Generative AI

• Assigning "Diversity Weight" in Search Algorithms

The future where search companies implement a "duplicate idea warning feature" is not far-fetched.

8. Conclusion

Internet search is convenient but not omnipotent. If you aim to enhance creativity,

"Think first, search later."
This simple mindset might be the shortest route to reviving a team's creativity.