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 AdditionalThoughts

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’STALK ABOUT:
• Why don’t we think creatively more often?
• What are the barriers that get in our way?

BARRIERSTHAT 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
4.Be practical.

MENTAL BLOCK # 5
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 CreativeThinking
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 CreativeThinking
(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.

ManagementTheorist 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

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 MAPPING
EXAMPLE

MIND MAPPING
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 “TheThree Greatest Problems / Opportunities
your “Team” faces when a problem arises?
i.e. “How do you motivate yourTeam 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

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