7 Responses

1. Key principles
   Hi Michelle

   Can you give an indication of what you think the key principles are.

   David

2. Principles
   Hi David,

   I was going to centre the course around the following:

   Barriers to creative problem solving
   Skills – e.g. changing perspective, making associations, asking questions
   Techniques – brainstorming, re-labeling, newtons 3rd law

   Thanks
   Michelle

3. Changing perspective
   Hi Michelle

   For changing perspective/assumptions you could try giving them a short paragraph telling a story:

   “A business man had just turned off the lights in the store when a man appeared and demanded the money. The owner opened a cash register. The contents of the register were scooped up and the man sped away. The police were promptly notified.”

   Then they are asked to say whether a series of statements are true, false or neither. e.g The robber was a man.

   Most of the statements are neutral or don’t know, but lots of people say true. It gets them thinking quite deeply about the assumptions they are making.
   If you want a copy contact me via my website: http://www.m1creativity.co.uk

   David

4. Newtons third law
   Hi Michelle

   As a physicist I’d also be interested in how newtons 3rd law works in this context.

   David

5. Creative problem solving
   Hi Michelle

   This is an easy one, My technique is quite simple.

   – Put them into small groups four or five in each.

   – Pose a question, the same question to all groups.

   – The question should be relative to them or their organisation i.e.
   How can we improve the quality of the service we offer? “or” Who are our customers?

   – provide them with a collection of creative stuff such as coloured pens, tinsel, paper plates, glue and other bits an peices you can find.

   – There is only one rule and that is that they must answer the question creatively (take away flip charts, no bullet points)

   – Give them 30 minutes to complete the task

   – Ask them to present their answer to the room.

   – All groups will grade the presentations and the winning group should recieve a reward.

   The reward is crutial to getting their buy in.
   Public sector employee’s are predominantly left brain thinkers and this will force them to use the right side of their brains, they wont like the thought of it as it will take them outside of their comfort zone, however i promis if the reward is good enough they will want to win it. Whats more they will have fun once they get going.

   During this exercise they will use the following skills: Team work, Problem solving, communication, decision making, Idea generation, Planning, marketing and presenting. Whats even more interesting is that they wont even know they have used any of them. Get them to review and reflect at the end. Remenber the reward is crutial.

   We are all born creative, unfortunately as we grow creativity is educated out of us, we are taught to colour between the lines and follow procedures.

   In a global market It is not enough any more for us to be as good or even better than our competitors, what we need to be is ‘different’ and in order to be different we need to be creative

   Regards carol

6. Thanks
   Thank you both for your comments and suggestions. I appreciate it and will get creative!

7. Analytical Problem Solving
   Michelle,

   I have an analytical problem solving technique (process) from years of working with a problem solving a troubleshooting consultancy. I have used it professioinally with call centres, helpdesks and many other organisations.

   Once you understand the process you can build exercises around it.

   However IMHO some people take to the analytical side of things and some to the ‘creative’ side of things. Just be careful that you appeal to both ‘sides’ of their brains!

   Happy to help (01491 411121)
   Simon