Creative Problem

Solving
D.Rishaana
EU/IS/2008/MS/57
What is creative problem solving?
Creative problem solving is looking at the same thing as
everyone else and thinking something different
Creative Problem Solving is a proven method for
approaching a problem or a challenge in an imaginative
and innovative way.
Creative problem solving D.Rishaana
Kind of problems
Creative problem solving D.Rishaana
Les Sol!e i"""
How would you arrange matches to
form e!uilateral triangles?
"emove # lines$ so that you end up
with % e!ual si&ed S!uares
"earrange letters to make words
RWAET
KEROJ
MSROPBLE
Creative problem solving D.Rishaana
Sol#ions$
Connect all nine dots
with four (! strai"ht
continuous lines
without #our $en
lea%in" the $a$er



Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Sol#ions %on$.
Water
Joker
Problems
RWAET
KEROJ
MROP!"E
"earrange letters to make words
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Sol#ions$
"emove # lines$ so that you end up
with % e!ual si&ed S!uares
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Sol#ions$
How would you arrange matches to form
e!uilateral triangles?
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Why don't we think
creatively more often?
What are the barriers that get in our way?

Thinking of different, creative ways to do things takes too much time. We

ust have to get the ob done.

The way we have always done things seems to work ust fine, why
change!
"aving a routine helps us do many of the things we need to do without
having to really think about them.
When it comes to dealing with the day#to#day busy aspects of our lives,
we are creatures of habit. We get dressed, read the paper, take out the
trash, wash the dishes, clean the house the same way.

We have not been taught to be creative. $any of us have been taught to

think that the best ideas are in someone else%s head.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
(ental blocks
$ental blocks are reasons &attitudes' why we don%t think
something different
The (ight )nswer.
That*s +ot ,ogical.
That*s +ot $y )rea.
To -rr .s Wrong.
.*m +ot Creative.
Play is /rivolous.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
&o' %an 'e be more %reai!e(
.t is not possible to change the way we think about everything.
Target specific areas in which you would like to try creative
thinking techni0ues.
1nderstand that creative thinking re0uires time, but it is worth it22
(emember that creative thinking is both hard work and fun2222
Trying to do too many things at once compromises the effort and
may take away from the results.
Practice creative thinking for today as well as tomorrow.
.nclude other people in the creative thinking process with you.
3eep innovating.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
)reai!e *eople
4. .ntelligence
5. 3nowledge
6. $otivation
7. )n encouraging environment
8. )n appropriate thinking style
9. )n appropriate personality
#or $reativit% all si& attrib'tes m'st (ork. )* the in+ivi+'al ha+ *ive an+
not one ,intelligen$e-. $reativit% (o'l+ not (ork.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
What is the creative problem
solving process?
4. )reai!e hin+in,.
2. Define he problem.
-. .ssess he problem.
/. 0rainsorm ideas.
5. E!al#ae ideas.
1. Implemen he de%ision.
7. E!al#ae he res#ls.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step )* State what appears to be the
problem+
The real problem may not surface until facts have been
gathered and analy:ed. Therefore, start with what you
assume to be the problem, that can later be confirmed
or corrected.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step ,* -ather facts$ feelings and
opinions
What happened!
Where, when and how did it occur!
What is its si:e, scope and severity!
Who and what is affected!
.s it likely to happen again!
;oes it need to be corrected!
Time and e<pense may re0uire problem solvers to think
through what they need, and assign priorities to the more
critical elements.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step .* "estate the problem+
The facts help make this possible and provide supporting
data. The actual problem may, or may not, be the same
as stated in Step 4.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step #* /dentify alternative solutions+
=enerate ideas. ;o not eliminate any possible solutions
until several have been discussed.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step %* 0valuate alternatives
/ Which will provide the optimum solution!
What are the risks!
)re costs in keeping with the benefits!
Will the solution create new problems!
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step * /mplement the decision+
Who must be involved!
To what e<tent!
"ow, when and where!
Who will the decision impact!
What might go wrong!
"ow will results be reported and verified!
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Step 1* 0valuate the results+

Test the solution against the desired results.

$ake revisions if necessary.

Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
)reai!e problem sol!in,$
)le< >sborn and Sidney
Parnes conducted e<tensive
research on the steps that are
involved when people solve
problems, the result of which is
the following 9 steps that are
broken down into 6 stages?
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
)reai!e problem sol!in, pro%ess
2b3ective 4inding 0 Idenif2 3oal4 5ish or %hallen,e
4act 4inding73aher Daa
Problem 4inding 5)larif2 he *roblem
/dea 4inding73enerae Ideas
Solution 4inding 1 Sele% and Sren,hen Sol#ions
7cceptance 4inding8*lan for .%ion
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
2ther specific tools and techni!ues8+
What are some other specific creative problem
solving tools and techni!ues?
4. Ten 0uestions to encourage ideas.
5. @rainstorming.
6. $ultivoting.
7. $indmapping.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
)9 :;0S</2=S <2 0=C2;"7-0 />07S+
4. What if...!
5. "ow can we improve...!
6. "ow will the >ptimist $ember andAor the community
benefit!
7. )re we forgetting anything!
8. What%s the ne<t step!
9. What can we do better!
B. What do you think about...!
C. What should we add!
D. What should we eliminate!
4E. What other ideas do you have...!
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
0R.I9S:;RMI93
0rainsormin, is a ,ro#p a%i!i2 desi,ned o in%rease he <#ani2 of
fresh ideas..
Purpose of ?rainstorming
To generate a large number of ideas in a short period of time.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
MUL:I=;:I93
>efinition*
) way to vote to select the most important or popular items
&alternatives' from a list.
Purpose*
To help a group of people make a decision with which they
are all comfortable.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
MI9D M.**I93
>efinition*
) visual picture of a group of ideas, concepts or issues.
Purpose*
/ "elps us unblock our thinking.
-nables us to see an entire idea or several ideas on one
sheet of paper.
"elps us to see how ideas relate to one another.
)llows us to look at things in a new and different way.
-nables us to look at an idea in depth.
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana
Creative problem solving
D.Rishaana