CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Introductions Purpose Learning Objectives

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

PURPOSE: To develop the awareness and the skills necessary to solve problems creatively.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Define creative problem solving. 2. Be familiar with common mental blocks to creative thinking process. 3. Explore ways to be more creative. 4. Know the steps to the creative problem solving process. 5. Be familiar with: Brainstorming, Mind mapping and Multivoting 6. Apply tools to solve a problem.
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Problem Solving
These skills can include:
analyzing a problem identifying missing information

formulating possible solutions

evaluating potential solutions testing the solution

implementing effective solutions

refining solutions using feed-back
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Workshop Outline
A. What is creative problem solving? B. Why dont we think creatively more often? C. How can we be more creative? D. What is the creative problem solving process? E. What are some other specific creative problem solving tools and techniques? F. Application of learning.
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

What is creative problem solving?

Some Additional Thoughts

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.
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DEFINITION
Creative problem solving is -

DEFINITION

Creative problem solving is - looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.

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EXERCISE

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A SOLUTION

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LETS TALK ABOUT:

Why dont we think creatively more often? What are the barriers that get in our way?

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MENTAL BLOCKS

Mental blocks are reasons (attitudes) why we dont think something different.

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MENTAL BLOCKS

1. The _______ answer. 2. Thats not _________. 3. __________ the rules. 4. Be ______________. 5. ________ is frivolous.

6. Thats not my _____. 7. ________ ambiguity. 8. Dont be _________. 9. __________is wrong. 10. Im not __________.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 1
1. The right answer.
Only one?

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MENTAL BLOCK # 2
1. The right answer.

2. Thats not logical.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 3
1. The right answer. 2. Thats not logical.
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.
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3. Follow the rules.

MENTAL BLOCK # 4
1. The right answer. 2. Thats not logical. 3. Follow the rules.

4. Be practical.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 5
1. 2. 3. 4. The right answer. Thats not logical. Follow the rules. Be practical.

5. Play is frivolous.

When do you get your best ideas?

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MENTAL BLOCK # 6

6. Thats not my area.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 7
6. Thats not my area.

7. Avoid ambiguity.

AMBIGUITY

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MENTAL BLOCK # 8
6. Thats not my area. 7. Avoid ambiguity.

8. Dont be foolish.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 9
6. Thats not my area. 7. Avoid ambiguity. 8. Dont be foolish.

9. To err is wrong.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 10
Thats not my area. Avoid ambiguity. Dont be foolish. To err is wrong.

6. 7. 8. 9.

10.Im not creative.

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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__________!!!
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Golden Rules of Creative Thinking (Continued)

6. _________ on what you can reasonably do. Trying to do too many things at once compromises the effort and may take away from the results. 7. _________creative thinking for today as well as tomorrow. 8. Include other people in the creative thinking process with you. __________fosters creative thinking. 9. Include _______ and ______ in your creative thinking process as well as ___________. 10. Keep ________________.
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

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.
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

STEP 2. Gather facts, feelings and opinions.
What happened? Where, when and how did it occur? What is its 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.

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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

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.

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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

STEP 4. Identify alternative solutions.

Generate ideas. Do not eliminate any possible solutions until several have been discussed.
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

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?
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

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?
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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

STEP 7. Evaluate the results.

Test the solution against the desired results. Make revisions if necessary.

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10 Questions To Encourage Ideas

1. What if? 2. How can we improve? 3. How will the Optimist Member and/or the community benefit? 4. Are we forgetting anything? 5. Whats the next step?
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10 Questions To Encourage Ideas

6. What can we do better? 7. What do you think about? 8. What should we add? 9. What should we eliminate? 10.What other ideas do you have...?
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TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

BRAINSTORMING Purpose: To generate a large number of ideas in a short period of time.

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BRAINSTORMING
Rules for Brainstorming:
The more ideas the better! No discussion No idea is a bad idea Build on one anothers ideas Display all ideas

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BRAINSTORMING GUIDELINES
Remember Creative Thinking

1. Practice question: How Do We Motivate Our Local Optimist Club Members?

Re-state the question to keep the process going

What did you mean by that?!!!

2. Clarify understanding. Once all the ideas have been generated (it may take approximately 5 to 6 minutes), review ideas offered.

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BRAINSTORMING GUIDELINES
Lets combine ideas!!!

3. Combine items that are similar and/or eliminate duplicates.

Are we done yet?

4. Completion.

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TOOLS & TECHNIQUES MULTIVOTING

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.

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MULTIVOTING
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.
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MULTIVOTING Steps (Continued)

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.
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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.
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Mind Mapping Exercise

Think freely!!

Over-sized blank sheet of paper. 1. Initial Tumble of Select word, phrase or problem statement to serve as a focus for discussion. Ideas. Print it in the middle of the paper. Enclose it in a box or oval. Let a word pop out of your mind. Print it anywhere on the paper. Underline it and connect the line with the problem statement (or key phrase or word) you are working. Record the next idea and connect it to original focus point or the prior thought. Continue printing and connecting words.
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Mind Mapping Exercise

EXAMPLE

Optimist International

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Mind Mapping Exercise -- Helpful Hints

Keep your printing

large and easy to read. Feel free to use symbols and or pictures. Have some fun using different colors.
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COMPLETED MAP
Draw over clusters of similar thoughts that are associated with the main focus point. Have fun using a different color highlighter with each cluster of words. How do the variety of ideas relate to one another? Do you notice any common causes of the problem? What are the most important causes? You are now ready to brainstorm solutions!
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Have Fun Drawing Your Own Mind Map!