In the past few decades, psychologists and business people alike have discovered that successful problem solvers tend to use the same type of process to identify and implement the solutions to their problems. This process works for any kind of problem, large or small. This 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.
Course Pre-requisites
None!
Course Summary
The Problem Solving Method
Information Gathering
Problem Definition
Preparing for Brainstorming
Generating Solutions I – Idea Genetaing Techniques
Generating Solutions II – Additional Tools
Selecting a Solution
Planning next steps
Recordning Lessons Learnt
After attending this program, you should be able to
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
Use idea generating tools, such as affinity diagrams, word chaining, the box method, the six thinking hats, and the blink method
Evaluate potential 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 re-refine it
Understand how to identify the tasks and resources necessary to implement solutions
Evaluate and adapt solutions to reality
Follow up with solution implementation to celebrate successes and identify improvements