WHAT IS CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING?

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a structured process for solving problems or finding opportunities. Use it when you want to go beyond conventional thinking and arrive at creative (novel and useful) solutions.

WHAT IS CREATIVITY?

Creativity is novelty that is useful. It is disruption with a purpose. It is the first stage of any innovation and change initiative: creativity is generating something novel and useful, and innovation is putting that something to work.

You can, of course, choose to solve problems in conventional ways. Indeed, most problems are solved using known solutions. Creativity is solving problems in new and better ways. Creativity is how your organization becomes truly innovative, and how it and uncovers new, different, and market-making opportunities.

IS CPS A CREATIVE WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS?

The word "creative" in the title refers to the results you seek: novel and useful solutions, not just tried and true and traditional ones. But is CPS itself creative? It is not new - it has been is use since the 1950s - but it remains novel when compared to other problem-solving models. CPS uses both divergent and convergent thinking at every stage of the process. Most other processes reserve the divergent thinking for the generating ideas stage, but use it nowhere else. CPS multiplies the power of divergent thinking by making it part of the entire process.

Using CPS also has an interesting side effect: it makes you re-think the way you thiink, and not just when you are solving problems

CPS STAGE: FACILITATE

ABOUT THIS STAGE

The CPS process includes one meta-process, Facilitate, which is the act of managing the process itself. This is necessary because the CPS process is organic; it is adapted to each situation, and does not always follow a linear path.

The CPS facilitator (working in concert with the problem's owner) continuously assesses the situation and manages the CPS process. For instance, the facilitator decides whether to use CPS versus another process; where to enter the process; which tools to use at each stage; which directions are worth pursuing; and when to exit the process.

USING A NEUTRAL FACILITATOR

While the problem owner or other interested party can serve as the CPS process facilitator, we recommend that a neutral party serve as facilitator. The reason: to separate process from content.

The problem owner, and the resource group assembled to help with the thinking, should have all of their focus and energy on the content: on the problem itself and its solutions. The facilitator should have all of his or her focus on the process: on managing the use of CPS to address the content and the needs of the problem owner. The best facilitators stay completely out of the content. When one person tries to be both participant and facilitator, one role invariably suffers.

NOW WHAT

Here are some choices:

• Learn more about CPS facilitation or roles in a CPS session.
• Click any part of the model above to examine that stage in more detail.
• Continue the tour in a linear way by moving on to Imagine the Future.

CONTACT US WHEN YOU ARE READY

When you're ready to talk to us about teaching you this process or facilitating a problem-solving session, just holler.