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13 Creative Problem Solving OK

The document outlines the six stages of the creative problem solving process: 1) explore the challenge by identifying goals and gathering data, 2) clarify the problem, 3) generate ideas, 4) select and strengthen solutions, 5) plan for action, and 6) implement the plan. Key aspects of generating ideas include deferring judgment, encouraging wild ideas, and building on other ideas. Techniques for selecting solutions include highlighting promising ideas, praising ideas, card sorting to rank options, and using an evaluation matrix to systematically analyze ideas against criteria.

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Eliz Md Zainal
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106 views

13 Creative Problem Solving OK

The document outlines the six stages of the creative problem solving process: 1) explore the challenge by identifying goals and gathering data, 2) clarify the problem, 3) generate ideas, 4) select and strengthen solutions, 5) plan for action, and 6) implement the plan. Key aspects of generating ideas include deferring judgment, encouraging wild ideas, and building on other ideas. Techniques for selecting solutions include highlighting promising ideas, praising ideas, card sorting to rank options, and using an evaluation matrix to systematically analyze ideas against criteria.

Uploaded by

Eliz Md Zainal
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Creative Problem Solving: An Overview

Identify the Goal, Wish or Challenge Gather Data Clarify the Problem

Generate Ideas (Diverging)

Select & Strengthen Solutions (Converging) Plan for Action

Explore the Challenge

Generate Ideas

Prepare for Action

DIVERGING & CONVERGING

Whatever idea comes to mind, go with it. Dont evaluate ideas while you are generating them. The ideas can be evaluated later.

The more ideas you have, the greater chances of getting a good one. Lay out all the usual approaches to the problem, then push to consider new ideas.

Freewheel - the wilder the ideas the better. Its easier to tame a wild idea than to invigorate a weak one. (Osborn) Stretch your thinking to create some wild ideas.
If at the first the idea is not absurd, there is no hope for it Albert Einstein

Let one idea spur other ideas. Build, combine and improve ideas.

1st Stage
Divergent
What if? Why not? What associations can we find What rules can we break? What assumptions are at work? What is this like? What analogy could we use? What metaphor suggests itself? Suppose the problem were a solution?

2nd Stage
Convergent
Will it work? Can we do it? Has it been tried before? Does it fit in? Have we got the resources? Is the timing right? Who can help? How much will it cost? Suppose it fails?

Explore the Challenge Identify the Goal, Wish or Challenge State a variety of goals, wishes or challenges. Choose a goal, wish or challenge where you have ownership, motivation and a need for imagination

Explore the Challenge Gather Data Explore all data around the goal, wish or challenge. Identify all the relevant data Use Journalists questions 5Ws & 2Hs Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? How much?

Explore the Challenge Clarify the Problem State the problem in as many ways as possible. Choose a problem statement to work on.

Generate Ideas Think up a wide variety of ideas to solve the problem. Choose the most promising ideas.

Prepare for Action


Select & Strengthen Solutions Evaluate and refine the ideas you selected. Select the most promising solution(s). Many similar ideas Restate & PPCO One idea PPCO

Diverse Ideas Evaluation Matrix


Many ideas of equal worth Card Sort

Prepare for Action


Plan for Action List a series of possible actions for implementation. Form a specific plan for action. Select key actions to implement. Create a plan that details who does what, by when, reporting completion to whom.

Prepare for Action


Goals Action By Whom By When Reporting completion to whom

Immediate
Short Medium Long Term

Brainstorming Brainwriting Forced Connections Visual Connections SCAMPER Ladder of Abstraction Word Dance Random Word Excursions Focus Alternatives Challenge

Highlighting Praise First (PPCO) Card Sort Evaluation Matrix

Highlighting

3 steps of highlighting
Hits

Cluster

Look for ideas that are interesting, promising, compelling, intriguing, innovative or on target. Mark or hit those ideas with a check, star or colored dot. From the hits, see if any share a theme or reiterate the same idea. Group or cluster of those related ideas. For each cluster, try to synthesize the different ideas into a single statement. Try to capture the essence and paraphrase the ideas into one concise phrase.

Restate

Praise First (PPCO)

Pluses

Potentials Concerns

What do you like about the persons idea, work, proposal, or performance right now? Be direct, honest and specific.

What opportunities might this idea open up? It might


Express your concerns as open ended questions that offer a possible future direction. How to Review your list of concerns. Brainstorm to generate ways to overcome each concern.

Overcome Concerns

Card Sort

Helps to compare, rank and prioritize promising ideas. It can be used to rank ideas, solutions, problem statements or criteria.

Continued..

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Card Sort directions Write each idea on a separate card (3 x 5) and arrange the cards in a row. Count how many cards (ideas) you have. Identify the option you like the least. Write the number that equals the total number of cards you have. Put the card off to the side. Of the cards remaining, identify the option you like the best and write 1 on it. Put it off to the side.

Evaluation Matrix

A systematic way to analyze ideas. Directions:


Generate Criteria
Select Criteria Create a rating scale Set up the matrix

Fill in the blank boxes


Compare their strengths & weaknesses Overcome low criteria ratings

Evaluation Matrix
Rating Scale: Good 5 Average 4 3 2 Fair 1

option1 option2 option3 option4 option5 Option6 criteria1 criteria2 criteria3 criteria4 criteria5

summary

Explore The Challenge

1. Identify the Goal, Wish or Challenge. 2. Gather Data 3. Clarify the Problem

Generate Ideas Prepare for Action

4. Generate Ideas 5. Select & Strengthen Solutions

6. Plan for Action

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