BUY COURSE NOW - online self directed

The Creative Problem Solving workshop will give participants an overview of the entire creative problem solving process, as well as key problem solving tools that they can use every day. Skills such as brainstorming, information gathering, analyzing data, and identifying resources will be covered throughout the workshop.

Course Objectives:

• Understand problems and the creative problem solving process
• Identify types of information to gather and key questions to ask in problem solving
• Identify the importance of defining a problem correctly
• Identify and use four different problem definition tools
• Write concrete problem statements
• Use basic brainstorming tools to generate ideas for solutions
• Evaluate ideal solutions against criteria, including cost/benefit analysis and group voting
• Perform a final analysis to select a solution
• Understand the roles that fact and intuition play in selecting a solution
• Understand the need to refine the shortlist and redefine it
• Understand how to identify the tasks and resources necessary to implement solutions
• Evaluate and adapt solutions to reality

Course Outline:



Creative Problem Solving

Module One: The Problem Solving Method

• What is a Problem?

• What is Creative Problem Solving?

• What are the Steps in the Creative Solving Process?

Module Two: Information Gathering

• Understanding Types of Information

• Identifying Key Questions

• Methods of Gathering Information

Module Three: Problem Definition

• Defining the Problem

• Determining Where the Problem Originated

• Defining the Present State and the Desired State

• Stating and Restating the Problem

• Analyzing the Problem

• Writing the Problem Statement

Module Four: Preparing for Brainstorming

• Identifying Mental Blocks

• Removing Mental Blocks

• Stimulating Creativity

Module Five: Generating Solutions (I)

• Brainstorming Basics

• Brainwriting and Mind Mapping

• Duncker Diagrams

Module Six: Generating Solutions (II)

• The Morphological Matrix

• The Six Thinking Hats

• The Blink Method

Module Seven: Analyzing Solutions

• Developing Criteria

• Analyzing Wants and Needs

• Using Cost/Benefit Analysis

Module Eight: Selecting a Solution

• Doing a Final Analysis

• Paired Comparison Analysis

• Analyzing Potential Problems

Module Nine: Planning Your Next Steps

• Identifying Tasks

• Identifying Resources

• Implementing, Evaluating, and Adapting

Module Ten: Recording Lessons Learned

• Planning the Follow-Up Meeting

• Celebrating Successes

• Identifying Improvements

Module Eleven: Assignment Review / Wrap Up