Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Creative Problem Solving

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Creating a Climate for Creativity

• Challenge and involvement• Freedom• Trust and openness• Idea time• Playfulness and humor• Constructive conflict• Idea support• Discussion• Risk-taking

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Problem Solving StylesThree dimensions of problem-solving styles:

• Orientation to Change• Manner of Processing• Ways of Deciding

Source: Creative Approaches to Problem Solving(Isaksen, Dorval, & Treffinger, 2011)

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Orientation to Change Explorer Developer

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Prefers abstract tasks Prefers defined tasks

Generates lots of new and unusual ideas; likes to create something new

Generates practical, realistic, and useful ideas, improves existing solutions

Tends to wing-it Tends to plan

Easily adopts and abandons ideas Prefers to complete a task before jumping to something else

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Manner of Processing External Internal

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Engages others to help with decision Thinks independently before making a decision

Takes quick action and involves many people

Takes action after planning an approach

Wants to start building or solving building before a plan is in place

Needs time for reflection and planning before starting a task

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Ways of DecidingPerson Focus Task Focus

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Is concerned about how the team feels and how the decision will affect everyone

Looks for the most promising and logical solutions when generating ideas

Ensures that everyone is heard and provides input

Uses though and reasoning to make decisions

Will seek consensus before finalizing decision

Focused on results

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Rules for Creative Problem Solving • No idea is too crazy or far out• Don’t linger – keep ideas flowing• Write everything down• Defer Judgment - There are no wrong answers

and no right answers• Quantity (not quality) counts• Piggyback on other ideas• Combine ideas• Ignore limitations• Listen

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Six steps to Creative Problem Solving!

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Explore the Challenge

1. Objective Finding (identify the goal, wish or challenge)

2. Fact Finding (gather the relevant data)3. Problem Finding (clarify the problems

that need to be solved in order to achieve the goal)

Generate Ideas 4. Idea Finding (generate ideas to solve the identified problem)

5. Solution Finding (move from idea to implementable solution)

Prepare for Action 6. Acceptance Finding (plan for action)

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Systems Engineering Process• Generate Requirements• Brainstorm solutions • Evaluate Ideas• Design/Plan – check against requirements• Build a model /Test• Create the actual solution• Test and evaluate final solution

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Most Important Step!

Problem Definition &

Requirements!10

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

What IS the Problem?• Goals and vision of the team• Overall requirements of the challenge• Specific requirements for each element of the

challenge• Requirements for components within each

element• Requirements for characters, costumes, side-

trips, songs, script, etc…11

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Goals and Vision of the Team• This is the first item to explore• What is their definition of success?• Have them imagine walking into the tournament site:– What do they see?– What are people saying?– What kinds of props etc. are they bringing in with them?

• Now have them imagine themselves on the stage:– What do they see?– What is surrounding them?– What theme have they used?– What kind of story do they present?

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Solving the Challenge…• Points of interest - overall requirements• Central Challenge – outlines elements and

components of challenge• Within each element are components to

solve.

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Indentify Problems…What Flips? What is the first point of view?

What is the second point of view? Who experiences the flip?

What/who is the puppet? What is the story?

Where is the story? Who is the non-puppet character?

What type of art? How will the art depict the flip?

What other characters are there? What will the set look like?

What theatrical method will we use?

How will we present the flip?

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Determining Requirements• Team sets requirements for each “problem”

they defined• For example – Puppet

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Requirements in Challenge Team determined requirements

Artificial figure controlled by team member

Needs to be taller than our tallest team member

Must be controlled live Must have moving arms, legs and mouths

No preset behavior or speech The puppet experiences the flip

The movement is controlled remotely by team member

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

NOW you can Generate IdeasGenerating Tools• Brainstorming• No judgment• List/hear all ideas• Get as many ideas as possible• Use ideas to generate more ideas

• Methods• Speak ideas out loud and make list• Work individually writing on sticky notes

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

More Generating ToolsRoll the Dice

(dice)• Use the roll of a dice to determine which

direction to look at your challenge.1. Enlarge or reduce the challenge.2. Substitute elements in the challenge.3. Combine elements of the challenge.4. Modify the challenge.5. Find another use or purpose.6. Adapt or change the challenge.

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Generating…Attribute Listing is a good tool when…• The team has a good idea, but doesn’t quite meet

the requirements• A task/idea can be broken into several parts or

steps where any part can change• The team wants to take an idea further or stretch

the boundaries but maintain the essence of the idea

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Generating…Attribute Listing:1. Define the task or topic2. List all the possible attributes of the topic or

parts of the task3. Select one of the attributes and ask “How

might you change, modify, or improve this attribute?” “How might it work differently?”

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Task or topic description: Crane Machine Puppet

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Attributes Possible Changes or Modifications

Coin slot Side, front, large, actual size

Crane Claw, hand, fingers, really moves, stationary

Sign

Prizes inside

Appearance

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Generating…

ABCs• Take each letter of the alphabet in sequence to

look for new connections suggested by words beginning with that letter.

Force-Fitting• Take two ideas from a list and ask the team to

brainstorm ways for the ideas to work together:Frog and a measuring tape becomes a frog that measures

things with his tongue

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Generating…SCAMPER– Substitute– Combine– Adapt– Modify / Magnify / Minify– Put to new use– Eliminate– Reverse

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Evaluation/Choosing Tools• Hits and Hot Spots

(sticky notes, colored sticky dots, pencils, large paper to write out the challenge, colored markers)

1.Using a brainstormed or generated list2.Have the group review the list3.Give each team member dots to mark their favorite

ideas (HITS)4.Group like ideas together. The groups with the most

dots are HOT SPOTS.

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Evaluating/Choosing tools• For large lists – allow team members to

eliminate 1 or 2 ideas that they won’t do• ALOU– Advantages– Limitations and how to overcome them– Unique features or potentials

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Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Choosing…• Mix and Match (also can be used to generate

more ideas after lists have been brainstormed)

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Hero Villain Conflict Setting Twist

Hair Eyes Job Clothing Looks Mannerisms

Element 1 Element 2 Element 3 Element 4 Element 5

Creativity* Teamwork* Problem Solving

Things to Remember.…• Everything ties back to the requirements… Does this solution meet

the defined requirements?• Generate multiple possibilities and then narrow them down. Think

of it as a funnel. You throw in a bunch of ideas and the very best drops out of the bottom.

• Don’t become attached to the first idea you throw out – chances are very good it’s the very same idea every other team came up with. In fact the first ten ideas are likely to be the same ten ideas that every other team came up with. Dare to be different!

• If you can’t be different – At least make it original. Take that same idea and give it a creative twist.

• Begin brainstorming statements with: What if…. Wouldn’t it be nice if….. Can we….. When brainstorming begins with “I” statements it then becomes possessive.

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