CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

CREATIVE Introductions
Purpose
PROBLEM SOLVING Learning Objectives

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CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Define creative problem solving.

PURPOSE: 2. Be familiar with common mental blocks to creative
thinking process.
3. Explore ways to be more creative.
To develop the awareness and the 4. Know the steps to the creative problem solving
skills necessary to solve problems process.
creatively. 5. Be familiar with: Brainstorming,
Mind mapping and Multivoting
6. Apply tools to solve a problem.

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Workshop Outline CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

A. What is creative problem solving?

B. Why don’t we think creatively more
often?
C. How can we be more creative?
D. What is the creative problem solving What is creative
process?
E. What are some other specific creative problem solving?
problem solving tools and techniques?
F. Application of learning.

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 Some Additional Thoughts DEFINITION

 The creative person uses information to form new

ideas. Creative problem solving is -

 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 EXERCISE

“Creative problem solving is - looking

at the same thing as everyone else and
thinking something different.”

Adapted from a famous quote from a former

Nobel prize winner, Albert Szent-Gyorgi.

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A SOLUTION
LET’S TALK ABOUT:

 Why don’t we think creatively more often?

 What are the barriers that get in our way?

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 BARRIERS THAT GET IN OUR WAY MENTAL BLOCKS

 Time
 Why change?
Mental blocks are
 Usually don’t need to be creative reasons (attitudes)
 Habit why we don’t
“think something
 Routine
different.”
 Haven’t been taught to be creative

What are some other barriers that get in our way?

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MENTAL BLOCKS MENTAL BLOCK # 1

1. The right answer.

1. The _______ answer.
2. That’s not _________.
3. __________ the rules.
4. Be ______________.
5. ________ is frivolous.
6. That’s not my _____.
7. ________ ambiguity. Only one?
8. Don’t be _________.
9. __________is wrong.
10. I’m not __________.

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MENTAL BLOCK # 2 MENTAL BLOCK # 3

Why rules should be

1. The right answer. 1. The right answer. challenged:
2. That’s not logical. 2. That’s not logical. 1. We make rules based
on reasons that make a lot
3. Follow the rules. 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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 MENTAL BLOCK # 4 MENTAL BLOCK # 5

1. The right answer. 1. The right answer.

2. That’s not logical. 2. That’s not logical.
3. Follow the rules. “When do
3. Follow the rules.
you get
4. Be practical. 4. Be practical. your best
5. Play is frivolous. ideas?”

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MENTAL BLOCK # 6 MENTAL BLOCK # 7

6. That’s not my area.

7. Avoid ambiguity.
6. That’s not my area.
AMBIGUITY

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MENTAL BLOCK # 8 MENTAL BLOCK # 9

6. That’s not my area. 6. That’s not my area.

7. Avoid ambiguity. 7. Avoid ambiguity.
8. Don’t be foolish. 8. Don’t be foolish.
9. To err is wrong.

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 MENTAL BLOCK # 10 BEING MORE CREATIVE

6. That’s not my area. How can we be more creative?

7. Avoid ambiguity. Jot down at least 3 ideas that come to
8. Don’t be foolish. your mind.

9. To err is wrong.
10.I’m not creative.

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Golden Rules of Creative Thinking Golden Rules of Creative Thinking

(Continued)

6. _________ on what you can reasonably do.

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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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 CREATIVE PROBLEM

SOLVING PROCESS SOLVING PROCESS

STEP 2. Gather facts, feelings

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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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
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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 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 7. Evaluate the results.
 Test the solution against the desired results.
 Make revisions if necessary.
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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 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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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. What’s the next step?
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10 Questions To Encourage Ideas TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

BRAINSTORMING
6. What can we do better…?
7. What do you think about…? Purpose:
To generate a large
8. What should we add? number of ideas in a
9. What should we eliminate? short period of time.
10.What other ideas do you have...?

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BRAINSTORMING BRAINSTORMING EXERCISE

Rules for Brainstorming: How Do We Motivate Our Local

Optimist Club Members?
 The more ideas the better! Ideas: Freely record your ideas as they come to your mind.
 No discussion
 No idea is a bad idea
 Build on one another’s ideas
 Display all ideas

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BRAINSTORMING GUIDELINES BRAINSTORMING GUIDELINES

Remember 1. Practice question: How Do We Let’s

Creative Motivate Our Local Optimist Club combine
Thinking Members?
Re-state the
ideas!!! 3. Combine items that
question to keep
the process going
are similar and/or
eliminate duplicates.
2. Clarify understanding. Once all the
What did ideas have been generated (it may
you mean by take approximately 5 to 6 minutes),
that?!!! review ideas offered.
Are we 4. Completion.
done yet?

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 TOOLS & TECHNIQUES -
MULTIVOTING MULTIVOTING

 Purpose: Steps
To help a group of people make a 1. Generate a list of items and
decision with which they are comfortable. number each item.

 Definition: 2. If two or more items seem similar,

A way to vote to select the most important they may be combined.
or popular items (alternatives) from a list.
3. If necessary, renumber the items.

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MULTIVOTING Steps (Continued) MIND MAPPING

Definition : A visual picture of a group of

4. Write down the numbers of the items you
ideas, concepts or issues.
feel are the major cause of the problem.
5. Share your votes by a show of hands.
Purpose :
6. Eliminate those items with the fewest votes.  Unblock our thinking.
7. Repeat steps 3 (renumber) through 6 on the  See an entire idea or several ideas on one
list of remaining items. Continue this process sheet of paper.
until only a few items remain. If a clear favorite  See how ideas relate to one another.
does not emerge, the group may discuss the  Look at things in a new and different way.
items listed and make a choice.
 Look at an idea in depth.
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Think
Mind Mapping Exercise freely!! Mind Mapping Exercise

 Over-sized blank sheet of paper.

1. Initial
Tumble of  Select word, phrase or problem statement
EXAMPLE
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
-- Helpful Hints COMPLETED MAP

 Keep your printing  Draw over clusters of similar thoughts

A large and easy to read.
 Feel free to use
 symbols and or pictures.
 Have some fun using
different colors.
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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
Have Fun another?
Drawing  Do you notice any common causes of
Your Own
Mind Map! the problem? What are the most important
causes?
 You are now ready to brainstorm
solutions!
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APPLICATION OF LEARNING

What Are The Three Greatest Problems /

Opportunities Your Club is Currently Facing?

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

1.
2.
3.

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