creative problem solving

CREATIVE

PROBLEM SOLVING

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

What is creative problem solving?

• What is creative problem solving?

• Why don’t we think creatively more often?

• How can we be more creative?

• What is the creative problem solving process?

• What are some other specific creative problem solving tools and techniques?

• Application of learning.


Workshop Outline

Areas which will cover during the Training Session

• Introduction

• Purpose (Why do we need to learn)

• Learning Objectives



Introduction:Creative problem-solving usually

begins with defining the problem.

This may lead to a simple non-

creative solution, or to finding a

"textbook solution". The creative

problem-solving process may also

lead to the discovery of prior art

and of creative solutions by others.


• The creative person uses information to form new ideas.

• The real key to creative problem solving is what you do

with the knowledge.

• Creative problem solving requires an attitude that allows

you to search for new ideas and use your knowledge and

experience.

• Change perspective and use knowledge to make the

ordinary extraordinary and the usual commonplace.

Some Additional Thoughts

DEFINITION


How would you define “Creative problem solving”?

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DEFINITION


Creative problem solving is …..

“looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking

something different.”

EXERCISE



A SOLUTION

LET’S TALK ABOUT:

• Why don’t we think creatively more often?

• What are the barriers that get in our way?



BARRIERS THAT GET IN OUR WAY

• Time

• Why change?

• Usually don’t need to be creative

• Habit

• Routine

• Haven’t been taught to be creative

What are some other barriers that get in our way?


MENTAL BLOCKS

Mental blocks are reasons (attitudes) why we don’t “think something different.”


1. The _______ answer.

2. That’s not _________.

3. __________ the rules.

4. Be ______________.

5. ________ is frivolous.

6. That’s not my _____.

7. ________ ambiguity.

8. Don’t be _________.

9. __________is wrong.

10. I’m not __________.

Questions we ask ourselves when solving problems!


1.The right answer.

Only one?

MENTAL BLOCK # 1


MENTAL BLOCK # 2

1. The right answer.

2.That’s not logical.


MENTAL BLOCK # 3


2. That’s not logical.

3.Follow the rules.

Why rules should be challenged:

1. We make rules based on reasons that make a lot of sense.

2. We follow these rules.

3. Time passes, and things change.

4. The original reasons for the generation of these rules may no longer exist, but because the rules are still in place, we continue to follow them.

MENTAL BLOCK # 4



3. Follow the rules.

4.Be practical.


MENTAL BLOCK # 5



3. Follow the rules.

4. Be practical.

5.Play is frivolous.

“When do you get your best ideas?”


MENTAL BLOCK # 6

6.That’s not my area.


MENTAL BLOCK # 7

6. That’s not my area.

7.Avoid ambiguity.

AMBIGUITY


MENTAL BLOCK # 8


7. Avoid ambiguity.

8.Don’t be foolish.


MENTAL BLOCK # 9


7. Avoid ambiguity.

8. Don’t be foolish.

9.To err is wrong.


MENTAL BLOCK # 10


7. Avoid ambiguity.

8. Don’t be foolish.

9. To err is wrong.

10.I’m not creative.

Optimist International 25


Golden Rules of Creative Thinking

1.Start small trying to discover new ways to be creative, ___________.

2.__________ to abandon the old, obsolete ways of doing things and explore new ways.

3. It is not possible to change the way we think about everything. ________ in which to try creative thinking techniques.

4.Understand that creative thinking requires __________, but it is worth it!

5.Remember that creative thinking is both _______ and__________!!!


Golden Rules of Creative Thinking (Continued)

1._________ on what you can reasonably do. Trying to do too many things at once compromises the effort and may take away from the results.

2._________creative thinking for today as well as tomorrow.

3. Include other people in the creative thinking process with you. __________fosters creative thinking.

4. Include _______ and ______ in your creative thinking process as well as ___________.

5.Keep ________________.



STEP 1. State what appears to be the problem.

The real problem may not surface until facts have

been gathered and analyzed. Therefore, start with

what you assume to be the problem, that can later

be confirmed or corrected.

THE PROCESS


STEP 2. Gather facts, feelings and opinions.

•What happened?

•Where, when and how did it occur?

•What is it’s size, scope, and severity?

•Who and what is affected?

•Likely to happen again?

•Need to be corrected?

•May need to assign priorities to critical elements.


STEP 3. Restate the problem.

• The real facts help make this possible, and provide supporting data.

• The actual problem may, or may not be the same as stated in Step 1.


STEP 4. Identify alternative solutions.

• Generate ideas. Do not eliminate any possible solutions until several have been discussed.


STEP 5. Evaluate alternatives.

• Which will provide the optimum solution?

• What are the risks?

• Are costs in keeping with the benefits?

• Will the solution create new problems?


STEP 6. Implement the decision!

• Who must be involved?

• To what extent?

• How, when and where?

• Who will the decision impact?

• What might go wrong?

• How will the results be reported and verified?


STEP 7. Evaluate the results.

• Test the solution against the desired

results.

• Make revisions if necessary.


Management Theorist have come up with

tools/techniques to tackle such situation:

1. Brain Storming

2. MULTIVOTING

3. MIND MAPPING

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES


Definition : A visual picture of a group of ideas, concepts or

issues.

“Brain Storming”

Purpose :

• Unblock our thinking.

• See an entire idea or several

ideas on one sheet of paper.

• See how ideas relate to one

another.

• Look at things in a new and

different way.

• Look at an idea in depth.

Rules for Brainstorming:

• The more ideas the

better!

• No discussion

• No idea is a bad idea

• Build on one another’s

ideas

• Display all ideas

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING MULTI-VOTING

Purpose:To help a group of people make a decision with which they are comfortable.

Definition: A way to vote to select the most important or popular items (alternatives) from a list.

STEPS

1. Generate a list of items and number each item.2. If two or more items seem similar, they may be combined. 3. If necessary, renumber the items.4. Write down the numbers of the items you feel are the

major cause of the problem.5. Share your votes by a show of hands.6. Eliminate those items with the fewest votes.7. Repeat steps 3 (renumber) through 6 on the list of

remaining items. Continue this process until only a few items remain. If a clear favorite does not emerge, the group may discuss the items listed and make a choice.

MIND MAPPING

Definition : A visual picture of a group of ideas, concepts or issues.

Purpose :

• Unblock our thinking.

• See an entire idea or several ideas on one sheet of paper.

• See how ideas relate to one another.

• Look at things in a new and different way.

• Look at an idea in depth.


MIND MAPPINGCREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

EXAMPLE

Resources

People

Motivating

Members

Hel

ping

Oth

ers

Purpose

Lea

rnin

g

ResultsFun

Methods

How

MIND MAPPINGCREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Keep your printing large and easy to read.

Feel free to use symbols and or pictures.

Have some fun using different colors.

A

Helpful Hints

APPLICATION OF LEARNING

What are “The Three Greatest Problems / Opportunities your “Team” faces when a problem arises?

i.e. “How do you motivate your Team members?”

1. _______________________________________

2. _______________________________________

3. _______________________________________

Some pictures which prove that even ordinary people resolve issues by using

“Creative Problem Solving Skills”!

The Human Resource Department would like to thank you for being a part of the learning culture….

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creative problem solving

Documents

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mental blocks mental