Creative Thinking

Creative Thinking

Creativity Techniques • Brainstorming • Nominal Grouping • Delphi Technique • Lotus Blossom

Rules to Creative Thinking • No Criticism • Quantity, not Quality • Piggyback Ideas • The Wilder the Better • Quickness • Objectivity • Be Critical • Criticize/Attack Ideas, not People

Brainstorming • Lateral thinking process approach to problem-solving. • Goals of brainstorming: • Break down problem • Come up with solutions • No criticism of ideas. Judgment and analysis at this stage will stunt idea generation

Brainstorming Process • Appoint someone to write down the ideas. • Use a flip chart. • Define the problem • Lay out any criteria to be met • Keep the session focused on the problem • Do not tolerate criticisms of ideas. • Welcome creativity. Encourage enthusiasm, positive attitudes.

Process Continued… • Welcome creativity. Encourage enthusiasm, positive attitudes. • Ensure no train of thought is followed for too long. • Encourage the use of ideas to create new ideas. • Use a brainstorming tree or map

Mind Mapping • A non-linear problem-solving method • How to mind-map • Write the title of the subject in a circle in the center of your map (paper). • For major subject subheadings, draw lines outside from this circle. • Use a different color marker to help distinguish them. • If you have another level of information belonging to the subheadings, draw these and link them, accordingly. • Use a different color marker to help distinguish them. • For individual facts or ideas, draw lines out from the appropriate heading line and label them.

Example Mind Map Solution 1 Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 2 Issue 2 Issue 1 Solution 3 Solution 3 • DON’T FORGET TO: • Define problem • List contingencies • List resources • Brainstorm ideas • List assumptions Subject

Rules while Brainstorming • Establish Rules • Promote quantity of ideas (regardless of how far fetched they are) • Allow no criticism or evaluation of ideas as they are generated. • Allow only one idea at a time from each person. • Encourage idea-building.

Nominal Group Technique • Individuals develop ideas • Ideas are listed and reviewed openly • All discuss, clarify and evaluate ideas • Individuals vote or rank order ideas • Ideas are polled and preferences emerge • Decision or choice is made

Delphi Technique • Ideas are generated in “rounds” • The technique • Round 1 • Participants are surveyed • Collect and compile all responses • All participants see everyone’s responses • Round 2 • Steps repeated from Round 1 • Repeat rounds until consensus is achieved

Lotus Blossom (a/k/a MY Method) • Developed by Yasu Matsummura (MY) • Technique based upon the lotus blossom flower. • 8 Central Ideas • The core • Ideas, solutions, applications, etc. stemming out from these Central Ideas.

C G F F C G D B B D A E H E A H Group Creativity Techniques Lotus Blossom

Group Creativity Techniques 6-3-5 Method • 6 participants • 3 ideas • 5 minutes Each participant (6?) writes 3 ideas in 5 minutes on a sheet of paper, then passes the sheet to the participant on his/her right. Repeat until original sheet returns.

Group Creativity Techniques Nominal Group Technique • Group members write ideas on separate 3x5 cards (as many as possible in time allotted) • Members in turn post cards on board • Authors give brief explanations, answer questions; no sales pitches allowed! • Participants vote in secret on 1-5 basis

Other Problem Solving Techniques • Role-Playing • All team members act out needs and/or expectations of functional group members • Helps to catch mistakes early • Storyboarding • Visual representation of steps needed to bring ideas to fruition • Enables audience to “see” the idea (vision) and its logical progression

That’s all for now Guys……………. Kiran.............

Creative Thinking