CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

1
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

• Prof. Vidyanand Jha
• IIM Calcutta
• December 7, 2000

2
PROBLEM SOLVING

• Problem - a discrepancy
• current state-desired state
• Decisions- Choices
• Two or more alternatives
• Decision Making
• process of choice making

3
General model of problem solving

• Identify problem
• Define Objective
• Make a predecision
• Generate alternatives
• Evaluate alternatives
• Make a choice
• Implement choice
• Follow up

4
Types of Decisions

• Programmed
• Simple, routine preestablished routines and
  procedures lower level workers (usually alone)
• Non programmed
• Complex, creative no prescriptions available,
  upper level supervisors (usually in groups)
• Strategic
• high level, non programmed, directions for
  organization

5
Types of Decisions

• Certain vs. uncertain
• knowledge of decision outcomes
• probability of decision outcomes
• information available
• Uncertainty Reduction

6
Types of Decisions

• top down vs. empowered
• decentralisation
• premises
• computers

7
Individual differences in decision making

• Directive
• prefer simple, clear solutions
• make decisions rapidly
• dont consider many alternatives
• rely on existing rules

8
Individual differences in decision making

• Analytical
• prefer complex problems
• carefully analyse alternatives
• enjoy solving problems
• willing to use innovative methods

9
Individual differences in decision making

• Conceptual
• socially oriented
• humanistic and artistic approach
• solve problems creatively
• enjoy new ideas

10
Individual differences in decision making

• Behavioural
• concern for their organizations
• interest in helping others
• open to suggestions
• rely on meetings

11
Moving away from the rational

• bounded rationality
• intuition
• selective perception
• halo effect
• contrast effect
• projection
• stereotyping
• self fulfilling profecy

12
Moving away from the rational

• obvious candidate
• garbage can model
• self interests
• enactment
• training

13
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

• Using divergent as well as convergent modes of
  thinking

14
Creative Problem Solving

• Problem
• goal not achieved
• unwanted symptoms
• Mechanisms
• habit
• logical analysis
• using analogies

15
Creative Problem Solving

• Mechanisms
• generating alternatives
• evaluating alternatives
• looking for information
• Creative
• Use of fantasy and imagination
• Playful connections
• Viewing problem from unusual perspective
• Brainstorming

16
Creative Problem Solving

• Process
• preparation
• incubation
• illumination
• verification

17
Divergent Thinking

• Variety of responses
• Trial and Error Thinking
• Product not completely determined by given
  information

18
Creative Thinking

• Divergent as well as convergent
• Grasping the problem
• After divergent
• categorization, logical thinking, evaluation,
  comparison, analysis
• Cycles of imaginative and rational

19
A model of creative Intelligence

• Problem sensitivity, curiosity
• Sensing of problems, issues, opportunities
• Convergent thinking ability, cause guessing
  ability
• Structuring of problems
• Problem restructuring ability

20
A model of creative Intelligence

• A new understanding of problem that facilitates
  interesting new approaches.
• Divergent thinking, search for alternative
  approaches, solutions
• Fluency
• Flexibility
• Originality

21
A model of creative Intelligence

• Evaluation through convergent thinking
• consequence guessing ability
• elaboration ( idea, approach, solution)
• Refinement through convergent thinking ability

22
Fluency

• Generating more ideas
• Resourcefulness
• More ideas- some good ideas
• associative thinking
• Censorship- silly/impractical
• Generate, then evaluate
• Fluency- flexibility, originality
• Practice situations in daily life

23
Flexibility

• A change
• meaning, interpretation, use, understanding,
  strategy
• Looking from many angles
• implications of multi-dimensional situations

24
Problem restructuring

• Hawthorne Experiment
• Contingency
• naturopathy
• Discarding old ways of looking
• Creative use of deviance
• internal debate

25
Problem restructuring

• data
• going to roots- slums
• A habit of looking for opportunities in problem
  situations
• Shoes, garbage

26
Creative Thinking Techniques

• Ideate copiously
• Create constructive psychological strain-
  familiar to unfamiliar and back.
• Force wide shifts
• Identify most potent idea

27
Creative Thinking Techniques

• Brainstorming
• Attribute Listing
• Synectics
• Checklist of questions
• Structure problem- well understood, identify key
  dimensions
• Separate idea production from evaluation

28
Creative Environment

• Stimulation
• Nurturance
• Low- tension
• Constructive Feedback
• Opportunity to learn
• Diversity of viewpoints
• Freedom with accountability

29
Creative Environment

• Creators as role models
• Facilities
• creative norms and expectations of boss figure

30
Brainstorming

• Defer Evaluation
• Quantity begets quality
• more fantastic ideas
• Hitch hike on previous ideas

31
Brainstorming

• Both groups as well as individuals
• Better ideas in second half
• for problems with multiple solutions
• concrete suggestions
• Specific topic
• Choosing ideas and developing them

32
Attribute Listing

• For designing/redesign specific product/service
• Building up, grafting , modifying
• List basic but modifiable attributes/properties/sp
  ecifications
• Generate alternatives
• Grafting attributes of some other object

33
Attribute Listing

• Abstract/generic attributes
• container, handling convenience, current function
• More specific the better
• separate modifiable from unmodifiable
• List all attributes

34
Attribute Listing

• What may be altered without changing the main
  function
• State as more general/abstract attributes
• What functions the attributes perform
• How critical are they to main function
• prioritizing attributes

35
Checklist of questions

• Questions- Divergent thinking
• ASARAMOMONA
• add
• subtract
• alter
• rearrange
• adapt

36
Checklist of questions

• magnify
• opposite
• minify
• other
• new
• alternative
• Dissatisfaction with status quo