creative problem solving entrepreneurship

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Chapter 5 – Creative Problem Solving

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the difference between adaptive and innovative problem solving models
• Describe the three types of problem solvers
• Identify the five stages in the empathic design cycle

Creative Problem Solving

Innovative entrepreneurs are essentially problem solvers, but this level of innovation—identifying a pain point and working to overcome it—is only one in a series of innovative steps. In the influential business publication  Forbes , the entrepreneur Larry  Myler notes that problem solving is inherently reactive. That is, you have to wait for a problem to happen in order to recognize the need to solve the problem. Solving problems is an important part of the practice of innovation, but to elevate the practice and the field, innovators should anticipate problems and strive to prevent them. In many cases, they create systems for continuous improvement, which Myler notes may involve “breaking” previous systems that seem to function perfectly well. Striving for continuous improvement helps innovators stay ahead of market changes. Thus, they have products ready for emerging markets, rather than developing projects that chase change, which can occur constantly in some tech-driven fields. One issue with building a system for constant improvement is that you are in essence creating problems in order to solve them, which goes against established culture in many firms. Innovators look for organizations that can handle purposeful innovation, or they attempt to start them. Some innovators even have the goal of innovating far ahead into the future, beyond current capacities. In order to do this, Myler suggests bringing people of disparate experiential backgrounds with different expertise together. These relationships are not guarantees of successful innovation, but such groups can generate ideas independent of institutional inertia. Thus, innovators are problem solvers but also can work with forms of problem creation and problem imagination. They tackle problems that have yet to exist in order to solve them ahead of time.

Two Problem Solving Models: Adaptive and Innovative

There are two prominent established problem-solving models:  adaptive  and  innovative . A renowned British psychologist, Michael  Kirton , developed the  Kirton Adaption-Innovation (KAI) Inventory to measure an individual’s style of problem solving. Problem-solving preferences are dependent on the personality characteristics of originality, conformity, and efficiency, according to Kirton. The KAI inventory identifies an individual’s problem-solving approach by measuring agreement with statements that align with characteristics, such as the ability to produce many novel ideas, to follow rules and get along in groups, and to systematically orient daily behavior. The results categorize an individual as an innovator or an adaptor. Innovators are highly original, do not like to conform, and value efficiency less than adaptors.

The first and more conservative approach an entrepreneur may use to solve problems is the adaptive model. The  adaptive model  seeks solutions for problems in ways that are tested and known to be effective. An adaptive model accepts the problem definition and is concerned with resolving problems rather than finding them. This approach seeks greater efficiency while aiming at continuity and stability. The second and more creative approach is the  innovative model  of entrepreneurial problem solving, which uses techniques that are unknown to the market and that bring advantage to an organization. An innovative problem-solving style challenges the problem definition, discovers problems and avenues for their solutions, and questions existing assumptions—in a nutshell, it does things differently. It uses outside-the-box thinking and searches for novel solutions. Novelty is a shared trait of creative entrepreneurship, and it’s why entrepreneurs gravitate toward this method of problem solving. According to Dr. Shaun M.  Powell , a senior lecturer at the University of Wollongong, Australia: “Creative entrepreneurs are notable for a distinctive management style that is based on intuition, informality and rapid decision making, whereas the more conventional thinking styles are not in accord with the unique attributes of creative entrepreneurs.” This way of problem solving doesn’t alter an existing product. It is the creation of something entirely new.

Vyv: Innovative Problem Solving in Healthcare

Healthcare facilities have long been known as a source of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus  (MRSA), a deadly infection that can have long-term effects on patients. Adaptive solutions to MRSA include established processes and protocols for prevention, such as having doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers clean their hands with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after patient care, testing patients to see if they have MRSA on their skin, cleaning hospital rooms and medical equipment, and washing and drying clothes and bed linens in the warmest recommended temperatures.

Vyv , led by Colleen  Costello , has developed white light technology that effectively disinfects healthcare facilities by targeting a molecule specific to bacteria. The light, safe to humans, can burn constantly to kill regenerative bacteria. An adaptive problem-solving model would seek to minimize harm of MRSA within a hospital—to respond to it—whereas Vyv is an entirely new technique that seeks to eliminate it.

Types of Problem Solvers

Entrepreneurs have an insatiable appetite for problem solving. This drive motivates them to find a resolution when a gap in a product or service occurs. They recognize opportunities and take advantage of them. There are several types of entrepreneurial problem solvers, including self-regulators, theorists, and petitioners.

Self-Regulating Problem Solvers

Self-regulating problem solvers are autonomous and work on their own without external influence. They have the ability to see a problem, visualize a possible solution to the problem, and seek to devise a solution, as the figure below illustrates. The solution may be a risk, but a self-regulating problem solver will recognize, evaluate, and mitigate the risk. For example, an entrepreneur has programmed a computerized process for a client, but in testing it, finds the program continually falls into a loop, meaning it gets stuck in a cycle and doesn’t progress. Rather than wait for the client to find the problem, the entrepreneur searches the code for the error causing the loop, immediately edits it, and delivers the corrected program to the customer. There is immediate analysis, immediate correction, and immediate implementation. The self-regulating problem solvers’ biggest competitive advantage is the speed with which they recognize and provide solutions to problems.

Theorist Problem Solvers

Theorist problem solvers see a problem and begin to consider a path toward solving the problem using a theory. Theorist problem solvers are process oriented and systematic. While managers may start with a problem and focus on an outcome with little consideration of a means to an end, entrepreneurs may see a problem and begin to build a path with what is known, a theory, toward an outcome. That is, the entrepreneur proceeds through the steps to solve the problem and then builds on the successes, rejects the failures, and works toward the outcome by experimenting and building on known results. At this point, the problem solver may not know the outcome, but a solution will arise as experiments toward a solution occur. The figure below shows this process.

For example, if we consider Marie  Curie  as an entrepreneur, Curie worked toward the isolation of an element. As different approaches to isolating the element failed, Curie recorded the failures and attempted other possible solutions. Curie’s failed theories eventually revealed the outcome for the isolation of radium. Like Curie, theorists use considered analysis, considered corrective action, and a considered implementation process. When time is of the essence, entrepreneurs should understand continual experimentation slows the problem-solving process.

Petitioner Problem Solvers

Petitioner problem solvers (see figure below) see a problem and ask others for solution ideas. This entrepreneur likes to consult a person who has “been there and done that.” The petitioner might also prefer to solve the problem in a team environment. Petitioning the entrepreneurial team for input ensures that the entrepreneur is on a consensus-driven path. This type of problem solving takes the longest to complete because the entrepreneur must engage in a democratic process that allows all members on the team to have input. The process involves exploration of alternatives for the ultimate solution. In organizational decision-making, for example, comprehensiveness is a measure of the extent a firm attempts to be inclusive or exhaustive in its decision-making. Comprehensiveness can be gauged by the number of scheduled meetings, the process by which information is sought, the process by which input is obtained from external sources, the number of employees involved, the use of specialized consultants and the functional expertise of the people involved, the years of historical data review, and the assignment of primary responsibility, among other factors. Comprehensive decision-making would be an example of a petitioner problem-solving style, as it seeks input from a vast number of team members.

Empathic design cycle

One approach to creative problem solving is through empathy. Empathy is the human ability to feel what other humans are feeling. Practicing empathy enables us to relate to people and see the problem through the eyes and feelings of those who experience it. By expressing empathy, you can begin to understand many facets of a problem and start to think about all of the forces you will need to bring to bear on it. From empathy comes the ability to proceed to the second step, defining the problem. Defining the problem must be based on honest, rational, and emotional observation. Third in the process is brainstorming solutions, or coming up with as many solutions as possible without judging the feasibility. The next step is building a prototype and last you need to test it. Once you apply this process to developing a product or service, you need to return to the empathetic mindset to examine whether you have reached a viable solution and, thus, an opportunity.

Many entrepreneurs start companies because they are also the consumer of that particular product or service. When you are able to empathize with your customers (because you are one), it makes it easier to understand how they use your product, what goals it helps them to accomplish, and what challenges they have. However, there are a multitude of businesses where the entrepreneur is not the customer. The ability to examine a potential idea from the customer’s perspective is why spending time during the first stage in the Empathic Design Cycle is so important.

Project Focus

What type of problem solver are you? How has that impacted the way you interact with your group?

Have you shown empathy when considering the potential customers you plan to target with your product/service? Has that been an easy or difficult process?

Attribution

This work builds upon materials originally developed by OpenStax in their publication “ Entrepreneurship ,” which is licensed under CC BY 4.0 .

Introduction to Entrepreneurship Copyright © 2024 by Jenn Woodhull-Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Creative Problem Solving for Entrepreneurs

Introduction.

Welcome to the guide on Creative Problem Solving for Entrepreneurs! As an entrepreneur, problem-solving skills are essential for your success. Whether you are starting a new business or trying to overcome obstacles in an existing one, the ability to effectively solve problems can make a significant difference in your entrepreneurial journey.

Importance of Problem Solving in Entrepreneurship

Problem solving is at the heart of entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, you will constantly face challenges, setbacks, and unexpected situations that require innovative solutions. Whether it’s dealing with a decline in sales, addressing operational inefficiencies, or finding ways to differentiate your business from competitors, effective problem solving is crucial.

Entrepreneurs who excel at problem solving can turn these challenges into opportunities. By identifying and addressing problems head-on, you can drive growth, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall success of your business. Problem-solving skills also enable you to adapt to ever-changing market conditions, seize new opportunities, and stay ahead of the competition.

Purpose and Objectives of this Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of creative problem solving and how to apply it in an entrepreneurial context. We will explore various strategies, techniques, and approaches that will empower you to tackle complex problems effectively.

Throughout this guide, we will delve into the different stages of the problem-solving process, from understanding the problem to implementing solutions and learning from failures. Along the way, we will provide practical tips, real-life examples, and actionable insights to enhance your problem-solving capabilities.

By the end of this guide, you will be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to approach problems with creativity, think critically, and generate innovative solutions. You will also learn how to overcome obstacles, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and celebrate successful problem-solving achievements.

So let’s dive in and explore the fascinating world of creative problem solving for entrepreneurs!

Understanding the Problem

In order to effectively solve a problem, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to first understand and define the problem at hand. This section will explore different aspects of understanding the problem, including recognizing and defining the problem, analyzing the root causes, and identifying the impact of the problem on the business.

Recognizing and Defining the Problem

The first step in problem solving is recognizing that a problem exists. Some problems may be obvious and easy to identify, while others may be more complex and require a deeper understanding of the situation. Entrepreneurs should have a keen sense of observation and be able to identify any issues or challenges that may arise in their business.

Once a problem has been recognized, it is important to define it clearly and specifically. This involves clearly stating what the problem is and what impact it is having on the business. Defining the problem helps to avoid ambiguity and provides focus for the problem-solving process.

Analyzing the Root Causes of the Problem

After defining the problem, entrepreneurs should then try to analyze the root causes. Understanding the underlying causes of the problem is essential in order to develop effective solutions. This involves examining the various factors and circumstances that have contributed to the problem.

Root cause analysis involves asking “why” multiple times to dig deeper into the problem and identify the underlying factors. By understanding the root causes, entrepreneurs can address the fundamental issues that are contributing to the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms.

Identifying the Impact of the Problem on the Business

In addition to recognizing and defining the problem, entrepreneurs should also assess the impact of the problem on their business. This involves looking at how the problem is affecting different aspects of the business, such as operations, finances, customer satisfaction, and employee morale.

Understanding the impact of the problem helps entrepreneurs prioritize their efforts and allocate resources effectively. It also provides motivation to find a solution, as they can see firsthand how the problem is negatively affecting their business.

By recognizing and defining the problem, analyzing the root causes, and identifying the impact on the business, entrepreneurs can gain a better understanding of the problem they are facing. This understanding provides a solid foundation for the problem-solving process and helps in generating effective solutions.

Exploring Different Perspectives

When it comes to problem-solving, one of the most valuable approaches is to gather and explore different perspectives. By actively seeking input from team members and stakeholders, entrepreneurs can tap into a wealth of diverse knowledge and expertise that can lead to innovative and creative solutions. Here are some strategies to consider when exploring different perspectives:

1. Engage with team members:

• Encourage open and honest communication within your team.
• Schedule brainstorming sessions or team meetings dedicated to problem-solving.
• Provide a safe space for team members to share their ideas, opinions, and concerns.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and respect to ensure all team members feel valued and heard.

2. Seek input from stakeholders:

• Identify key stakeholders who may have valuable insights into the problem.
• Conduct interviews or surveys to gather their perspectives and ideas.
• Organize focus groups or roundtable discussions to facilitate open dialogue.
• Consider the opinions and feedback of customers, suppliers, and partners.

3. Leverage external resources and networks:

• Reach out to experts or professionals in related fields who can offer fresh insights.
• Attend industry conferences, seminars, or networking events to connect with others in your field.
• Join online communities or forums where entrepreneurs discuss common challenges and solutions.
• Consider partnering with other businesses or organizations to pool resources and expertise.

4. Embrace diversity of thought:

• Encourage team members to think outside the box and challenge conventional wisdom.
• Value different perspectives and opinions, even if they differ from your own.
• Create a culture that appreciates and rewards diverse ideas and approaches.
• Actively seek out and include diverse voices, such as individuals from different backgrounds or disciplines.

5. Use creative thinking techniques:

• Experiment with brainstorming techniques to generate a wide range of ideas.
• Encourage the use of mind maps, concept mapping, or other visualization tools to explore connections and possibilities.
• Incorporate techniques such as random word association or role-playing to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking.
• Consider using innovation frameworks, such as the SCAMPER method or the Six Thinking Hats technique, to guide the exploration of different perspectives.

By exploring different perspectives, entrepreneurs can tap into a wealth of knowledge, creativity, and innovation. Engaging with team members, seeking input from stakeholders, leveraging external resources and networks, embracing diversity of thought, and using creative thinking techniques are all effective strategies to cultivate a culture of collaborative problem-solving. Remember, the more perspectives you consider, the more likely you are to uncover unique and effective solutions to your entrepreneurial challenges.

Generating Ideas

In order to effectively solve problems as entrepreneurs, it is important to have a wide range of ideas to choose from. This section will provide you with techniques and exercises to stimulate idea generation and encourage out-of-the-box thinking.

Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming is a popular technique for generating ideas in a group setting. It involves gathering a diverse group of individuals and encouraging them to come up with as many ideas as possible, without judgment or criticism. Here are a few brainstorming techniques to consider:

Traditional brainstorming : This involves simply asking participants to shout out ideas, which are then written down for later evaluation.

Mind mapping : This technique involves creating a visual representation of ideas, with the initial problem at the center and branches radiating outward with related ideas.

Round-robin brainstorming : In this method, each participant takes turns sharing one idea at a time. This ensures equal participation and helps to prevent dominant voices from overshadowing others.

Creativity Exercises

Sometimes, simply thinking outside the box is not enough. Creativity exercises can help to stimulate new ideas and perspectives. Here are a few exercises to try:

Reverse thinking : Instead of focusing on solving the problem directly, imagine the opposite scenario and explore potential solutions for that scenario. This can help to challenge assumptions and uncover new approaches.

Random word association : Choose a random word and brainstorm ideas that are somehow related to that word. This exercise can help to make new connections and spark innovative ideas.

Role-playing : Assign different roles to team members and have them brainstorm ideas from their assigned perspective. This exercise encourages thinking from different viewpoints and can lead to unique solutions.

Out-of-the-Box Thinking

To truly generate innovative ideas, it is important to challenge traditional thinking and break free from conventional approaches. Here are a few strategies to encourage out-of-the-box thinking:

Encourage risk-taking : Create a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable taking risks and sharing unconventional ideas. Encourage them to explore and experiment without fear of failure.

Cross-pollination of ideas : Look for inspiration outside of your industry or field. Explore different disciplines, read widely, and attend conferences and events outside of your comfort zone. This can help to bring fresh perspectives and ideas.

Embrace diversity : Surround yourself with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with different skill sets. Diversity of thought leads to a broader range of ideas and perspectives, ultimately leading to more innovative solutions.

Remember, the goal is to generate a large quantity of ideas without judgment or evaluation at this stage. Later, you can evaluate and refine the ideas to determine the most promising solutions. So, don’t hold back and let the creativity flow!

Evaluating and Selecting Solutions

Establishing criteria for evaluating potential solutions.

When evaluating potential solutions, it’s important to establish clear criteria to assess their feasibility and effectiveness. Consider factors such as cost, impact on the problem, alignment with business goals, and resources required for implementation. By defining your evaluation criteria upfront, you can ensure a systematic and objective approach to selecting the best solution.

Conducting a cost-benefit analysis

A crucial step in evaluating potential solutions is conducting a cost-benefit analysis. This involves identifying the costs associated with each solution and comparing them with the anticipated benefits. Quantify the costs and benefits wherever possible to make an informed decision. This analysis helps you weigh the potential risks and rewards of each solution and determine the most cost-effective option.

Evaluating the feasibility and potential risks of each solution

Before finalizing a solution, it’s essential to assess its feasibility and potential risks. Consider factors such as available resources, technical requirements, and potential obstacles that may arise during implementation. Identify any potential risks or challenges that may affect the success of the solution and develop strategies to mitigate them. This evaluation process helps you select a solution that is not only effective but also practical and achievable.

“The best solution is not always the one that looks perfect on paper. It’s crucial to evaluate its feasibility and potential risks to ensure successful implementation.”

Engaging stakeholders in the evaluation process

Involving key stakeholders in the evaluation process is critical to gain diverse perspectives and ensure buy-in for the selected solution. Engage relevant team members, business partners, and customers to gather their feedback and insights. Their input can provide valuable perspectives and uncover potential blind spots. By involving stakeholders in the evaluation process, you create a sense of ownership and enhance the chances of successful implementation.

Iterative evaluation and refinement

The evaluation process should be iterative, allowing for the refinement of potential solutions based on continuous feedback and learning. As new information emerges or circumstances change, re-evaluate the potential solutions and adjust the evaluation criteria if necessary. This iterative approach ensures that the selected solution remains relevant and responsive to the evolving needs of the business.

“Evaluating and selecting solutions is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Continuously evaluate and refine your options to ensure the best possible outcome.”

Implementing the Solution

Developing an action plan.

To implement the chosen solution, it is crucial to develop a detailed action plan. The action plan should outline the specific steps and tasks required to bring the solution to fruition. Consider the following when creating the action plan:

• Clearly define objectives: Clearly articulate the objectives of the solution. What is the desired outcome? What specific goals need to be achieved?
• Breakdown tasks: Break down the overall solution into smaller, manageable tasks. Assign responsibilities to team members for each task to ensure accountability.
• Set deadlines and milestones: Establish specific deadlines for each task to ensure timely progress. Additionally, set milestones to track and celebrate significant achievements along the way.
• Allocate resources: Determine what resources are necessary for successful implementation. This includes financial resources, personnel, technology, and any other required assets.

Assigning Responsibilities

Assigning responsibilities is vital to the successful implementation of the solution. Each team member should have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Consider the following when assigning responsibilities:

• Leverage strengths: Assign tasks to team members based on their strengths and expertise. This will ensure efficient execution and quality results.
• Encourage collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where team members can support and assist each other. Encourage open communication and teamwork throughout the implementation process.
• Establish communication channels: Set up appropriate communication channels to maintain continuous updates and feedback. This can be through regular team meetings, status reports, or project management tools.

Setting Milestones and Timelines

Milestones and timelines are essential for monitoring progress and ensuring that the implementation stays on track. Consider the following when setting milestones and timelines:

• Define milestones: Identify specific points in the implementation process that indicate significant progress or achievements. These milestones act as checkpoints to evaluate if the solution is moving forward as planned.
• Establish timelines: Set realistic deadlines for each task and milestone. Ensure the timelines allow for necessary flexibility while keeping the implementation process moving forward.
• Regularly review progress: Regularly review the progress made against the timelines and milestones. This allows for necessary adjustments or revisions to the action plan if required.

Monitoring Progress

Monitoring progress throughout the implementation process is crucial to ensure that the solution is being effectively executed. Consider the following when monitoring progress:

• Implement progress tracking mechanisms: Establish mechanisms to track progress against the action plan. This can be through regular check-ins, progress reports, or project management tools.
• Evaluate results: Continuously evaluate the results obtained from the implementation. Compare the outcomes against the objectives defined in the action plan to gauge the effectiveness of the solution.
• Seek feedback: Be open to feedback and suggestions from team members and stakeholders. Their insights can provide valuable information to refine the implementation process.

Making Adjustments

It is essential to be flexible and adaptable during the implementation process. Circumstances may change, and adjustments may need to be made to ensure the successful execution of the solution. Consider the following when making adjustments:

• Identify obstacles: Monitor for potential obstacles or challenges that may arise during implementation. Promptly identify and address these obstacles to prevent delays or setbacks.
• Develop contingency plans: Develop contingency plans to mitigate any risks or challenges that may occur. Having alternate solutions or backup plans in place will help ensure a smooth implementation process.
• Communicate changes: Communicate any adjustments or changes in the implementation plan to team members and stakeholders. Ensure that everyone is aware of the updates and understands their role in the revised plan.

By following these steps and strategies, entrepreneurs can effectively implement their chosen solutions and address the identified problem. Successful implementation sets the stage for positive outcomes and contributes to the growth and success of the business.

Overcoming Obstacles

Identifying potential obstacles and challenges.

When implementing a solution to a problem, it is important to anticipate and identify potential obstacles and challenges that could arise. This proactive approach allows entrepreneurs to be prepared and develop strategies to overcome these obstacles effectively. Some common obstacles that entrepreneurs may face include:

• Lack of resources: This could include financial limitations, limited manpower, or inadequate technology.
• Resistance to change: Employees or stakeholders may resist implementing a new solution due to fear of the unknown or a reluctance to change established processes.
• Lack of support: Without the necessary support from key decision-makers or team members, it can be challenging to implement a solution successfully.
• Technical issues: If the solution involves technology, there may be technical difficulties or compatibility issues that need to be addressed.
• Time constraints: Limited time to execute a solution can lead to rushed implementation and potential mistakes.
• Legal and regulatory constraints: Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements may pose challenges, especially in highly regulated industries.

Strategies for Overcoming Resistance and Objections

Overcoming resistance and objections is crucial for successfully implementing a solution. Here are some strategies that can be employed:

• Effective communication: Clearly communicate the purpose and benefits of the solution to all stakeholders, addressing any concerns or objections they may have. Regular communication throughout the implementation process is essential.
• Involving key stakeholders: Including key stakeholders in the decision-making process and implementation plan can help garner support and buy-in.
• Providing training and support: Offering training and support to employees who will be directly involved in implementing the solution can help address any skill gaps and increase confidence.
• Pilot testing: Conducting a small-scale pilot test of the solution can help alleviate concerns and demonstrate its effectiveness before a full-scale implementation.
• Addressing individual concerns: Addressing individual concerns and objections on a one-on-one basis can help alleviate resistance and ensure that everyone feels heard and valued.

Developing Contingency Plans to Mitigate Risks

To mitigate risks and ensure a smooth implementation process, developing contingency plans is essential. Contingency plans provide alternative strategies in case the original plan encounters obstacles or fails. Some important steps in developing contingency plans include:

• Identifying potential risks and obstacles: Analyzing the possible risks and obstacles that could arise during implementation.
• Assigning responsibility: Determining who will be responsible for specific actions in the contingency plan.
• Developing alternative strategies: Creating alternative strategies that can be implemented if the original plan encounters obstacles or fails.
• Testing and refining: Pilot testing the contingency plan and refining it based on the results and feedback.
• Documenting the plan: Clearly documenting the contingency plan, including all necessary actions and responsibilities, to ensure everyone is aware of the alternative strategies.

By anticipating and addressing potential obstacles, overcoming resistance and objections, and developing contingency plans, entrepreneurs can increase the chances of successfully implementing their chosen solution. It is important to remain adaptable and flexible throughout the process, as unexpected challenges may arise.

Learning from Failure

Failure is an inevitable part of entrepreneurship, and it is essential to approach it with a growth mindset. Rather than viewing failures as setbacks, successful entrepreneurs see them as valuable learning opportunities. In this section, we will explore strategies for learning from failure and using those lessons to improve problem-solving processes.

Embracing failure as a learning opportunity

Failure can be a powerful teacher, providing insights into what went wrong and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future. By embracing failure as a learning opportunity, entrepreneurs can develop resilience and adaptability, which are crucial for long-term success. Instead of dwelling on failures or being discouraged by them, entrepreneurs should view them as stepping stones towards improvement.

As the famous inventor Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This mindset allows entrepreneurs to approach failure with curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Analyzing failures to understand root causes

When a failure occurs, it is essential to conduct a thorough analysis to understand the root causes. This analysis should examine the sequence of events and decisions that led to the failure, as well as any underlying issues or external factors that contributed to it.

By digging deep into the root causes of failure, entrepreneurs can gain valuable insights into areas of weakness that need to be addressed. This analysis might involve reviewing processes, seeking feedback from team members and stakeholders, or conducting post-mortem meetings to gather different perspectives.

Incorporating lessons learned into future problem-solving processes

The true value of failure lies in learning from it and applying those lessons to future problem-solving processes. After analyzing a failure, entrepreneurs should identify specific actions or changes that need to be implemented to prevent similar failures in the future.

This might involve improving processes, revising decision-making frameworks, investing in additional training or resources, or seeking guidance and mentorship from experienced individuals in the field. By continuously incorporating lessons learned into problem-solving processes, entrepreneurs can continuously improve their ability to overcome challenges and drive their business forward.

Developing a culture that embraces and learns from failure

To truly leverage failures as learning opportunities, entrepreneurs should strive to create a culture that encourages and supports the sharing of failures and the lessons learned from them. This can be done by fostering an environment where failures are not stigmatized but rather seen as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Entrepreneurs should lead by example and be open about their own failures, sharing the lessons they have learned with their team and stakeholders. They can also establish platforms for sharing failure stories and encouraging discussions around them. By celebrating and acknowledging the lessons learned from failures, entrepreneurs can create a culture that values continuous learning and growth.

Learning from failure is a critical part of the problem-solving process in entrepreneurship. By embracing failures as learning opportunities, entrepreneurs can gain valuable insights and improve their ability to overcome challenges. By analyzing failures, understanding their root causes, and incorporating lessons learned into future problem-solving processes, entrepreneurs can continuously improve their problem-solving skills and drive their business forward. It is through this ongoing process of learning from failures that entrepreneurs can build resilience, adaptability, and ultimately, long-term success.

Celebrating Success

Recognizing and rewarding successful problem-solving efforts.

Recognizing and rewarding successful problem-solving efforts is a crucial component of fostering a positive problem-solving culture within a business. By celebrating success, entrepreneurs can motivate their team members and encourage them to continue utilizing their problem-solving skills. Some ways to recognize and reward successful problem-solving efforts include:

Publicly acknowledging individuals and teams: Taking the time to publicly acknowledge and congratulate individuals or teams who have successfully solved a problem is a simple yet effective way to celebrate their achievement. This can be done through emails, team meetings, or even company-wide announcements. By highlighting the specific problem-solving strategies or techniques used, others can learn from these success stories and apply them to future challenges.

Incentives and rewards: Providing incentives and rewards for successful problem-solving efforts can further motivate individuals and teams. These rewards could include monetary bonuses, gift cards, extra vacation days, or even small tokens of appreciation. By offering tangible rewards, entrepreneurs can demonstrate their appreciation for the hard work and innovative thinking put into solving problems.

Opportunities for growth and development: Celebrating success can also involve providing individuals and teams with opportunities for growth and development. This can include promotions, new responsibilities, or even the chance to lead future projects. By demonstrating trust in their problem-solving abilities, entrepreneurs can encourage continuous learning and improvement among their team members.

Sharing success stories with the team and stakeholders

Sharing success stories with the team and stakeholders is an effective way to inspire and motivate others while also showcasing the business’s problem-solving capabilities. By sharing success stories, entrepreneurs can:

Inspire and motivate: Success stories demonstrate that problems can be overcome and that creative problem solving is possible. By sharing these stories, entrepreneurs can inspire and motivate their team members to think outside the box and tackle challenges with confidence.

Build a problem-solving culture: Sharing success stories helps to build a problem-solving culture within the business. When team members see the positive impact of problem-solving efforts, they are more likely to embrace and actively engage in the problem-solving process themselves. This can foster a collaborative and innovative environment where problem solving is valued and encouraged.

Showcase expertise to stakeholders: Sharing success stories with stakeholders, such as clients, investors, and partners, can help showcase the business’s expertise in problem solving. This builds trust and confidence in the business’s ability to overcome obstacles and find innovative solutions. It can also enhance the business’s reputation and attract new opportunities.

Incorporating successful strategies into the business’s problem-solving culture

Finally, celebrating success should not only be a one-time event but an ongoing process that helps shape the business’s problem-solving culture. To incorporate successful strategies into the business’s problem-solving culture, entrepreneurs can:

Provide learning opportunities: Celebrating success should go hand in hand with providing learning opportunities. Entrepreneurs can organize workshops, seminars, or training sessions to share the successful strategies and techniques used in problem-solving efforts. This allows team members to learn from each other’s experiences and apply those strategies in future problem-solving endeavors.

Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing: By fostering a collaborative environment, entrepreneurs can encourage team members to share their successful problem-solving strategies with others. This can be done through regular team meetings, knowledge-sharing platforms, or even mentorship programs. By facilitating the exchange of ideas and experiences, entrepreneurs can create an environment where everyone contributes to the business’s problem-solving culture.

Continuously evaluate and improve: Celebrating success should also involve a continuous evaluation and improvement process. Entrepreneurs should regularly assess the effectiveness of the celebrated problem-solving strategies and techniques and seek feedback from the team. This allows for refinement and adaptation, ensuring that the business’s problem-solving culture remains dynamic and resilient.

In conclusion, celebrating success is essential for fostering a positive problem-solving culture within a business. By recognizing and rewarding successful problem-solving efforts, sharing success stories, and incorporating successful strategies into the business’s problem-solving culture, entrepreneurs can motivate their team members, inspire stakeholders, and cultivate a continuous learning and improvement mindset.

In conclusion, creative problem solving is a critical skill for entrepreneurs. It allows them to identify and overcome challenges, make informed decisions, and drive innovation in their businesses. Throughout this guide, we have explored various aspects of problem solving, from understanding the problem to implementing solutions and learning from failure.

One key takeaway is the importance of recognizing and defining the problem accurately. By analyzing the root causes and understanding its impact on the business, entrepreneurs can gain a deeper understanding of the issue at hand. This knowledge forms the foundation for generating effective and creative solutions.

To ensure a well-rounded approach to problem solving, entrepreneurs should also explore different perspectives. Engaging with team members, stakeholders, and external resources will bring fresh insights and diverse thinking to the table. This collaborative approach helps in generating a wide range of ideas and encourages out-of-the-box thinking.

Generating ideas is a crucial step in the problem-solving process. By using brainstorming techniques and creativity exercises, entrepreneurs can unlock their creativity and explore innovative solutions. Evaluating and selecting the best solution is equally important. Defining evaluation criteria and conducting a cost-benefit analysis will help entrepreneurs make informed decisions.

Implementing the chosen solution requires careful planning. Developing an action plan, allocating resources, and setting milestones will ensure effective execution. It is important to anticipate obstacles and challenges along the way and develop contingency plans to mitigate risks. Overcoming resistance and objections is crucial to successful implementation.

While failure is often seen as something negative, entrepreneurs should embrace it as a learning opportunity. Analyzing failures helps entrepreneurs understand the root causes and make necessary adjustments in future problem-solving processes. It is this growth mindset that allows entrepreneurs to continuously improve and innovate.

Celebrating success is an important part of the problem-solving culture. Recognizing and rewarding successful problem-solving efforts, as well as sharing success stories, motivates the team and reinforces a positive problem-solving mindset. The strategies and lessons learned from successful problem-solving efforts should be incorporated into the business’s problem-solving culture.

In summary, creative problem solving is a vital skill for entrepreneurs. By recognizing and defining problems, exploring different perspectives, generating ideas, evaluating solutions, implementing them effectively, overcoming obstacles, and learning from failure, entrepreneurs can develop innovative solutions that drive their businesses forward. By constantly refining their problem-solving skills, entrepreneurs can create a culture of continuous learning and improvement in their businesses.

Creating Anticipation: A Key Element of Thought Leadership

Unlock your full potential through self-analysis, the unexpected twists in creative problem solving, comparing creative problem solving techniques for best results, how to boost your creative problem solving abilities, the art of storytelling in creative problem solving.

4.1 Tools for Creativity and Innovation

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe popular, well-supported, creative problem-solving methods
• Understand which innovation or problem-solving methods apply best in different settings
• Know where to look for emerging innovation practices, research, and tools

Creativity, innovation, and invention are key concepts for your entrepreneurial journey. Fostering creativity and innovation will add essential tools to your entrepreneurial toolkit. In this chapter, first you’ll learn about a few practical tools that can assist you in your efforts to create and innovate. Then, we’ll define and distinguish creativity, innovation, and invention, and note the differences between pioneering and incremental innovation. Finally, we’ll cover models and processes for developing creativity, innovation, and inventiveness. The science, study, and practice of creativity and design thinking are constantly evolving. Staying on top of well-documented, successful approaches can give you a competitive advantage and may remind you that entrepreneurship can be fun, exciting, and refreshing, as long as you keep your creative spirit alive and in constant motion.

Creative Problem-Solving Methods

Creative thinking can take various forms ( Figure 4.2 ). This section focuses on a few creative thinking exercises that have proven useful for entrepreneurs. After discussing ideation practices that you can try, we conclude with a discussion of an in-depth innovation exercise that can help you develop a habit of turning creative ideas into innovative products and services. In this section, outcomes are vital.

Three ideation practices are discussed here. Several others are offered in links at the end of this section. The first ideation practice comes from Stanford’s Design School. 2 The objective is to generate as many ideas as possible and start to develop some of those ideas. This practice is the quintessential design thinking practice, or human-centric design thinking exercise, and it consists of five parts: accessing and expressing empathy, defining the problem, ideating solutions (brainstorming), prototyping, and testing ( Figure 4.3 ). Empathy is the human ability to feel what other humans are feeling, which in the context of creativity, innovation, and invention is essential to beginning a process of human-centric design. Practicing empathy enables us to relate to people and see the problem through the eyes and feelings of those who experience it. By expressing empathy, you can begin to understand many facets of a problem and start to think about all of the forces you will need to bring to bear on it. From empathy comes the ability to proceed to the second step, defining the problem. Defining the problem must be based on honest, rational, and emotional observation for human-centric design to work. Third in the process is brainstorming solutions. The other two ideation exercises or practices in this section delve more deeply into brainstorming (also discussed in Problem Solving and Need Recognition Techniques ), what it means, and how you can brainstorm creatively beyond the basic whiteboard scribbling in almost every organization. Designing for other people means building a prototype—the fourth step—and to test it. Once you apply this process to developing a product or service, you need to return to the empathetic mindset to examine whether you have reached a viable solution and, thus, an opportunity.

Link to Learning

Watch this video on human-centered design for more information, including an explanation of the phases involved.

To delve more deeply into ideation as a practice, we introduce here the Six Thinking Hats method ( Figure 4.4 ). 3 There are different versions of this ideation game, but all of them are quite useful for encouraging thought by limiting the mindset of those involved in the game. Being encouraged to embody one mode of thinking frees you from considering other aspects of a problem that can limit creativity when you are looking for a solution. The six hats are:

• White Hat: acts as information gatherer by conducting research and bringing quantitative analysis to the discussion; sticks to the facts
• Red Hat: brings raw emotion to the mix and offers sensibilities without having to justify them
• Black Hat: employs logic and caution; warns participants about institutional limitations; also known as the “devil’s advocate”
• Yellow Hat: brings the “logical positive” of optimism to the group; encourages solving small and large problems
• Green Hat: thinks creatively; introduces change and provokes other members when needed; new ideas are the purview of the Green Hat
• Blue Hat: maintains the broader structure of the discussion and may set the terms by which progress will be judged; makes sure the other hats play by the rules, or stay in their respective lanes, so to speak

You can apply the Six Thinking Hats exercise to force structure on a discussion where, without it, several members of the group might try to wear several hats each. This game is not always easy to implement. If members cannot follow the rules, the process breaks down. When it works best, the Blue Hat maintains control and keeps the practice moving quickly. What you and your group should experience is a peculiar freedom arising from the imposition of limitations. By being responsible for only one mode of thinking, each participant can fully advocate for that point of view and can think deeply about that particular aspect of the solution. Thus, the group can be deeply creative, deeply logical, deeply optimistic, and deeply critical. This practice is meant to move entire groups past surface-level solutions. If you practice this exercise well, the challenges of implementing it are well worth the effort. It gives you the opportunity to vet ideas thoroughly while keeping many personality clashes at bay. If the participants stay in character, they can be accused only of acting in the best interests of their hat.

Your instructor may have your group members try different hats in different ideation exercises so you all can more fully develop each mindset. 4 This exercise forces you out of your most comfortable modes of thinking. You and your classmates can recognize in each other skills that you may not have realized you possess.

The third ideation practice is quite simple. If stagnant thinking has begun to dominate an ongoing discussion, it can be helpful to inject an ideation framework. This is the “ statement starters ” method. 5 Ask, “How might we ________?” or “What if we ________?” in order to open up new possibilities when you seem to have reached the limits of creativity. This method is more than simply asking “Why not?” because it seeks to uncover how a problem might be solved. For entrepreneurs, the simplest form of framing a problem in the form of a question can be eye opening. It assumes open possibilities, invites participation, and demands focus. Statement starters assume that, at least, there might be a solution to every problem. Ideation is about starting down new paths. This mode of thought applies to social problems as well as consumer pain points (discussed later). Creating a list of statement starters can help entrepreneurs examine different possibilities by simply adopting different points of view when asking questions. For example, the question, “How might we keep rivers clean?” is similar to the question, “How might we prevent animal waste runoff from entering our city’s waterways?” but the implications of each question are different for different stakeholders. Recall that stakeholders are individuals who have a vital interest in the business or organization. Statement starters almost always lead to a discussion of stakeholders and how they might be involved in finding solutions, offering support, and perhaps one day purchasing or contributing to dynamic, disruptive inventions or changes in social practice.

Are you curious about ways to improve your ability to think creatively? Consider trying out some of the creative thinking exercises provided at this site.

Matching Innovation Methods to Circumstances

Searching for innovation methods will often reveal many of the same, or similar, creativity exercises as we’ve just discussed. To go beyond ideation exercises, we will conclude with a foundation of thinking that can help when you are tackling all sorts of innovation problems. Simply put, open innovation involves searching for and finding solutions outside of the organizational structure. Open innovation is somewhat difficult to pin down. The educator and author Henry Chesbrough was one of the first to define it: “Open innovation is ‘the use of purposive inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate internal innovation, and expand the markets for external use of innovation, respectively.’” 6 In other words, firms built on a structure of open innovation look beyond their own research and development capabilities to solve problems. This outlook can guide all sorts of product and service development processes. Open innovation models also allow innovations to be shared widely so that they can seed other innovations outside the original firm or institution.

Open innovation takes an optimistic view of sharing information and ideas across a society connected by instantaneous communication networks. It is also a shift from the classic research and development model. In a sense, you allow others to solve problems in your business, startup, or social entrepreneurship project. In this reciprocal world, you are open to the reality that information is difficult to keep under wraps. You may seek patents for your intellectual property, particularly in fixed product or service practice form, but you should expect, or even encourage, the widespread circulation of key elements of your solutions. This makes sense: If, as an entrepreneur or an innovative corporation, you are going to look beyond your own ideation, research, and development capabilities for solutions, you must expect that others will look to your solutions for ideas to borrow.

The open innovation model is far easier to describe in idealistic terms than it is to put into practice without ethical consequences. Unfortunately, industrial and corporate espionage, theft of intellectual property, and lawsuits are commonplace. Nevertheless, inspiration in innovation can come from myriad sources when constant streams of information are available to anyone with a high-speed data connection. Open innovation is a simple but essential framework for future innovation and for managing, even possibly guiding, disruption in an industry as discussed previously (i.e., disruptive innovation). Table 4.1 provides some examples of companies using disruptive technology.

Another element of the open innovation model is the connection between academic research and practical solutions. Reciprocal influence between academia, which often moves slowly, and leading corporate and entrepreneurial forces, which often focus too narrowly on short-term gains, could offer the balance this rapidly changing world needs. If you can manage to plug into the exchange of ideas between longstanding institutions and disruptive technological innovators, you may be positioned to effect positive change on society and to develop products that are received as useful and elegant, wildly new and creative, and essential to the human experience at the same time.

Staying on Top of Emerging Practices

Consider searching for ideation and innovation practice links using a web browser and comparing those results to what you can find in the academic literature via Google Scholar or other academic databases. To adopt a truly open innovation mindset, it is essential to leave yourself open to all sorts of influences, even if it demands time and much cognitive energy. The financial, social, and personal rewards may be great.

• 2 Stanford d.school. https://dschool.stanford.edu/
• 3 “10 Creative Techniques for You and Your Team.” MiroBlog . n.d. https://miro.com/blog/creative-techniques/
• 4 “Six Thinking Hats.” The de Bono Group . n.d. http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php
• 5 Michelle Ferrier. “Ideation.” Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship . n.d. https://press.rebus.community/media-innovation-and-entrepreneurship/chapter/ideation-2/
• 6 Henry Chesbrough. “Everything You Need to Know about Open Innovation.” Forbes . March 21, 2011. https://www.forbes.com/sites/henrychesbrough/2011/03/21/everything-you-need-to-know-about-open-innovation/#1861dd5275f4

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• Authors: Michael Laverty, Chris Littel
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Creative Problem-Solving: Strategies for Innovative Thinking

One of the paramount impediments to the pursuit of technological advancements and innovation is complacency. In this intricate dance of hindrance, organizations are hesitating to embark upon the waters of the unknown. However, entrepreneurs and key business leaders are aware that innovation is not the house of solitude but a collective journey taken by a group of diverse and talented perspectives. They are keenly aware that with just a mere assemblage of creative problem-solving approaches, innovative teams can truly extricate from the clutches of the status quo and start accepting the inherent risks of forging new pathways.

Engaging in the art of creative problem-solving demands the mastery of various strategies to unlock the gates of innovative thinking. Several tools to encourage creativity in the workplace facilitate the development of innovative solutions to problems that are difficult to pinpoint.

What is creative problem-solving?

A cognitive process that involves applying creative techniques and strategies to address business challenges is known as creative problem-solving. Not limited to any profession or domain, creative problem-solving can be applied to various contexts, from business to art, design to science, and other everyday activities of life. You can find fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to formulate a plan and overcome obstacles in your journey to reach your goals.

Think outside the box! Break down silos and encourage collaboration! Take risks!

Why use creative problem-solving?

Don’t you want to deal with your daily life and work challenges the easier way? If yes, then start finding creative solutions incorporating creative problem-solving to complex problems. While other innovation processes depend on information and questions, creative problem-solving focuses solely on yielding solutions.

Truly innovative small businesses and organizations are boldly taking steps toward the future to solve problems that customers are not even aware of. According to Jeanna Liedtka, a design and innovative expert at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, a design thinking approach is a set of techniques that helps organizations and individuals make decisions in high situations of uncertainty.

More and more, businesses and entrepreneurs are realizing that the validity of their decisions and visions for the organizations are improved with the support of a creative approach in their operations. Whether finance, operations, sales, management, or anything that you name, it can be widely explored by opening the doors of creativity and creative problem-solving. Here are some of the strategies triggering innovative thinking abilities viewed as opportunities for growth and refinement.

Embracing Hurdles: Hindrances and hurdles are hiccups in forging alliances with alchemical transformative leaders. It is vital that they are being reframed into catalysts for creative thinking and problem-solving. Limitations cannot stop you from achieving success; they force you to think beyond the boundaries and create a space for innovative ideas to emerge. Let it not narrow down your focus and clarity but necessitate the available resources and maximize the utility of limited assets available. Dealing with such a situation helps in building resilience and adaptability to what may come. Learn to pivot! Creative problem-solving tailors you to face real-world scenarios and make you learn by doing. It catalyzes innovation and finds resource-efficient solutions.

Mind Mapping Strategies: Cultivating the art of mindfulness by creating visual representations of the problems at hand, you can visualize relationships. Unearthing latent insights and unconventional perspectives unfold a series of meticulously choreographed movements. For example, learning new skills can showcase creativity in the organization that can be used in hosting a workshop so that employees can learn about things in a more fun way rather than traditional training ways. Well, try equating the unfamiliar with the familiar! You might build metaphoric bridges and witness the emergence of hybrid solutions.

Brainstorming Strategies: A marriage of innovative ideation and judicious strategies, creative thinking is the liberation of thought and brainstorming novel ideas. At its core, a problem-solving approach through this strategy can unleash the mind’s wild stallions. Such an approach can be a goal for the employees in the organization where a team can be put together to exercise their brains and make their thoughts stronger. Within the flourishing garden of imagination, they can then come up with potentially transformative ideas to solve prevailing problems of organizational operations. Crafting a narrative around a problem and visualizing it as a story is essential to find more relatable ideas and innovative thoughts to solve it.

Cross-functional Collaborations: The synergy of diverse minds can yield remarkable results when put into a collaborative effort. People from different backgrounds can collaborate on their expertise areas and present diverse perspectives to uncover fresh approaches to problems. The subsequent act in this collaborative performance can promisingly solve unreachable problems while learning a new skill on the way. For example, organizations can proactively align task forces and lock them in a room for a week until the problem is rectified. Sounds forced! Well, that’s how big problems are solved in the industry.

Empathy-Centric Design, Prototyping, and Iteration: Empathizing the problem and those affected by it is crucial yet illuminates the human dimension of the problem. It is a central area that resonates at a deep human note to propose solutions in the world of business where climate and environment are the concerning areas. In the world of business, it is essential that innovation harmonize with the human experience and ideate a prototype to test the potential solutions. For example, making it easier for the task force and customers to share their feedback is an empowering proposal. It is incredible that people are now engaging with the opportunities prevailing in the market and providing feedback of any kind to set the priorities straight. While connecting to these disparate ideas is crucial for business organizations, iterating the process and reiterating it is getting them closer to resourceful solutions.

Continue developing your approach to creative problem-solving

Embellish the canvas of creative problem-solving and delve deeper into the intricacies of the problem to finally cultivate a creative ecosystem as an individual or a business organization. You must relish ambiguities as an ally of innovation, as it would encourage you and your team to embrace uncertainties as opportunities. Creative problem-solving is not an act that is to be completed by an individual in isolation, but it is a collective approach that must be cultivated into an organizational culture. You must constantly seek new inspirations from diverse sources to develop a sense of learning and knowing. Nurture the skill, and continue asking questions to your seniors at a college or a workplace. This entails fostering an environment of creative thinking and innovatively strategizing problem-solving attitudes in personal and professional life.

Final Words

In the pursuit of innovation, it is imperative to reinforce the creative problem-solving approach, considering ethics and maintaining integrity within the approach. Some ideas can benefit organizations greatly, but being responsible for them drives and thrives the businesses in the long run. Individuals and teams must be motivated to continue pushing the boundaries and take responsibility for the societies at large to continue contributing to the greater good. The meticulously crafted strategies can be used in alignment with the creative thinking approach to build a sustainable force and bring everyone closer to the zenith of innovation. By embracing these strategies, organizations can position themselves on the path of success, where they are ready to tackle problems and envision new opportunities.

Finally, creative problem-solving is a holistic approach to transcend challenges and forge new paths. Cultivate it, nurture it, and wield it to unlock the power to shape industries and transform societies.

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Creative Problem-Solving Strategies to Test Your Business Idea How to use an approach called 'design thinking' when you're creating a new product or business.

By Nadia Goodman Feb 28, 2013

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Truly innovative small businesses and startups create a bold vision of a future that doesn't exist yet, solving problems that customers don't even know they have. But they don't pull that vision out of thin air -- many inventive companies use a strategy called design thinking.

"Design thinking is a problem-solving approach," says Jeanne Liedtka, a design and innovation expert at University of Virginia's Darden School of Business . "It's a set of tools that help you make decisions in the kinds of high uncertainty situations that entrepreneurs face."

While business schools typically emphasize market research and data, design thinking focuses on real world interaction and experimentation. Many entrepreneurs naturally use ideas from this approach, but it's typically taught at design schools as a process for creating new products.

Using a design-thinking approach, entrepreneurs become anthropologists, studying the customers they hope to serve and using that knowledge to get simple prototypes into their hands quickly. "The power of a design thinking approach is that you get deep insight into customer needs," Liedtka says.

Related: How Thinking Like a Designer Can Inspire Innovation

Design thinking can also be a way to get off the ground when all you have is a vague idea. "The structure of design thinking really helps when you have no clue how to begin," Liedtka says. It helps you explore and guides you to find problems that need to be solved.

Liedtka breaks the design-thinking process into four stages, assigning a core question to each of them. Try asking yourself these questions as you create a new product or business:

1. What is the opportunity? The first step in the design-thinking process is to understand the solutions that already exist for the problem you're trying to solve or the group you want to help. "Design thinking starts with identifying an area of opportunity, not a solution," Liedtka says.

To do that, observe real people in their natural environment. For example, if you want to create a better tablet, watch a small group of 10 to 12 people using their current tablets in daily life. What do they like? What annoys them? What workarounds do they use to overcome design flaws? Those answers will highlight problems your customers don't even know they have -- problems that you can solve.

2. What if? In the second stage, start to imagine solutions. Take the list of needs you discovered in the field, then brainstorm as many ways to meet those needs as possible. Let yourself get creative here -- assume that anything is possible.

"The ideas you'll come out with aren't blue sky made up ideas," Liedtka says. "They're inspired by needs you've identified." By limiting the brainstorm process in that way, you increase the chances of finding a viable solution and creating a successful product.

3. What wows? Once you've exhausted all the possible solutions, think practically about which ones are most likely to work. "You're looking for the wow zone," Liedtka says. "That's the intersection of something that customers want, that you can create, and that's likely to have a profitable business model associated with it."

At this point, you're bringing more structure and data to the design process, essentially making a traditional business case for each of the options. With that lens, narrow your ideas down to a handful of viable options, some safe and some adventurous.

4. What works? Finally, create prototypes for each of those options and bring them back to the customers you observed at the beginning. Each prototype should be extremely simple, allowing you to watch and hear their reactions with minimal investment.

After your observations, take the feedback and iterate, creating another round of simple prototypes to test. "Small experiments are the way you fail, or ideally succeed, fast and cheap," Liedtka says. By the time you bring the product to market, you'll have more confidence in its chances of success.

Related: Unlocking Business Ideas Hidden in the Natural World

Nadia Goodman is a freelance writer in Brooklyn, NY. She is a former editor at YouBeauty.com, where she wrote about the psychology of health and beauty. She earned a B.A. in English from Northwestern University and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University. Visit her website, nadiagoodman.com .

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How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips

• 01 Mar 2022

The importance of creativity in the workplace—particularly when problem-solving—is undeniable. Business leaders can’t approach new problems with old solutions and expect the same result.

This is where innovation-based processes need to guide problem-solving. Here’s an overview of what creative problem-solving is, along with tips on how to use it in conjunction with design thinking.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Creative Problem-Solving?

Encountering problems with no clear cause can be frustrating. This occurs when there’s disagreement around a defined problem or research yields unclear results. In such situations, creative problem-solving helps develop solutions, despite a lack of clarity.

While creative problem-solving is less structured than other forms of innovation, it encourages exploring open-ended ideas and shifting perspectives—thereby fostering innovation and easier adaptation in the workplace. It also works best when paired with other innovation-based processes, such as design thinking .

Creative Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Design thinking is a solutions-based mentality that encourages innovation and problem-solving. It’s guided by an iterative process that Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar outlines in four stages in the online course Design Thinking and Innovation :

• Clarify: This stage involves researching a problem through empathic observation and insights.
• Ideate: This stage focuses on generating ideas and asking open-ended questions based on observations made during the clarification stage.
• Develop: The development stage involves exploring possible solutions based on the ideas you generate. Experimentation and prototyping are both encouraged.
• Implement: The final stage is a culmination of the previous three. It involves finalizing a solution’s development and communicating its value to stakeholders.

Although user research is an essential first step in the design thinking process, there are times when it can’t identify a problem’s root cause. Creative problem-solving addresses this challenge by promoting the development of new perspectives.

Leveraging tools like design thinking and creativity at work can further your problem-solving abilities. Here are eight tips for doing so.

8 Creative Problem-Solving Tips

1. empathize with your audience.

A fundamental practice of design thinking’s clarify stage is empathy. Understanding your target audience can help you find creative and relevant solutions for their pain points through observing them and asking questions.

Practice empathy by paying attention to others’ needs and avoiding personal comparisons. The more you understand your audience, the more effective your solutions will be.

2. Reframe Problems as Questions

If a problem is difficult to define, reframe it as a question rather than a statement. For example, instead of saying, "The problem is," try framing around a question like, "How might we?" Think creatively by shifting your focus from the problem to potential solutions.

Consider this hypothetical case study: You’re the owner of a local coffee shop trying to fill your tip jar. Approaching the situation with a problem-focused mindset frames this as: "We need to find a way to get customers to tip more." If you reframe this as a question, however, you can explore: "How might we make it easier for customers to tip?" When you shift your focus from the shop to the customer, you empathize with your audience. You can take this train of thought one step further and consider questions such as: "How might we provide a tipping method for customers who don't carry cash?"

Whether you work at a coffee shop, a startup, or a Fortune 500 company, reframing can help surface creative solutions to problems that are difficult to define.

3. Defer Judgment of Ideas

If you encounter an idea that seems outlandish or unreasonable, a natural response would be to reject it. This instant judgment impedes creativity. Even if ideas seem implausible, they can play a huge part in ideation. It's important to permit the exploration of original ideas.

While judgment can be perceived as negative, it’s crucial to avoid accepting ideas too quickly. If you love an idea, don’t immediately pursue it. Give equal consideration to each proposal and build on different concepts instead of acting on them immediately.

4. Overcome Cognitive Fixedness

Cognitive fixedness is a state of mind that prevents you from recognizing a situation’s alternative solutions or interpretations instead of considering every situation through the lens of past experiences.

Although it's efficient in the short-term, cognitive fixedness interferes with creative thinking because it prevents you from approaching situations unbiased. It's important to be aware of this tendency so you can avoid it.

5. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking

One of the key principles of creative problem-solving is the balance of divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent thinking is the process of brainstorming multiple ideas without limitation; open-ended creativity is encouraged. It’s an effective tool for generating ideas, but not every idea can be explored. Divergent thinking eventually needs to be grounded in reality.

Convergent thinking, on the other hand, is the process of narrowing ideas down into a few options. While converging ideas too quickly stifles creativity, it’s an important step that bridges the gap between ideation and development. It's important to strike a healthy balance between both to allow for the ideation and exploration of creative ideas.

6. Use Creative Tools

Using creative tools is another way to foster innovation. Without a clear cause for a problem, such tools can help you avoid cognitive fixedness and abrupt decision-making. Here are several examples:

Problem Stories

Creating a problem story requires identifying undesired phenomena (UDP) and taking note of events that precede and result from them. The goal is to reframe the situations to visualize their cause and effect.

To start, identify a UDP. Then, discover what events led to it. Observe and ask questions of your consumer base to determine the UDP’s cause.

Next, identify why the UDP is a problem. What effect does the UDP have that necessitates changing the status quo? It's helpful to visualize each event in boxes adjacent to one another when answering such questions.

The problem story can be extended in either direction, as long as there are additional cause-and-effect relationships. Once complete, focus on breaking the chains connecting two subsequent events by disrupting the cause-and-effect relationship between them.

Alternate Worlds

The alternate worlds tool encourages you to consider how people from different backgrounds would approach similar situations. For instance, how would someone in hospitality versus manufacturing approach the same problem? This tool isn't intended to instantly solve problems but, rather, to encourage idea generation and creativity.

7. Use Positive Language

It's vital to maintain a positive mindset when problem-solving and avoid negative words that interfere with creativity. Positive language prevents quick judgments and overcomes cognitive fixedness. Instead of "no, but," use words like "yes, and."

Positive language makes others feel heard and valued rather than shut down. This practice doesn’t necessitate agreeing with every idea but instead approaching each from a positive perspective.

Using “yes, and” as a tool for further idea exploration is also effective. If someone presents an idea, build upon it using “yes, and.” What additional features could improve it? How could it benefit consumers beyond its intended purpose?

While it may not seem essential, this small adjustment can make a big difference in encouraging creativity.

8. Practice Design Thinking

Practicing design thinking can make you a more creative problem-solver. While commonly associated with the workplace, adopting a design thinking mentality can also improve your everyday life. Here are several ways you can practice design thinking:

• Learn from others: There are many examples of design thinking in business . Review case studies to learn from others’ successes, research problems companies haven't addressed, and consider alternative solutions using the design thinking process.
• Approach everyday problems with a design thinking mentality: One of the best ways to practice design thinking is to apply it to your daily life. Approach everyday problems using design thinking’s four-stage framework to uncover what solutions it yields.
• Study design thinking: While learning design thinking independently is a great place to start, taking an online course can offer more insight and practical experience. The right course can teach you important skills , increase your marketability, and provide valuable networking opportunities.

Ready to Become a Creative Problem-Solver?

Though creativity comes naturally to some, it's an acquired skill for many. Regardless of which category you're in, improving your ability to innovate is a valuable endeavor. Whether you want to bolster your creativity or expand your professional skill set, taking an innovation-based course can enhance your problem-solving.

If you're ready to become a more creative problem-solver, explore Design Thinking and Innovation , one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses . If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

About the Author

9 Strategies Entrepreneurs Can Use for Creative Problem Solving

Entrepreneur, Growth Hacker and Marketer

On the surface, entrepreneurship seems like a left-brained activity. You have to be familiar with business concepts, raw logic, objectivity, and analysis if you want to survive in the hyper-competitive entrepreneurial world. But at the same time, there's a lot of creativity demanded of entrepreneurs.

Without that creativity, you'll have a hard time getting anywhere. The truth is, creativity is a necessity if you want your business to thrive. It's not something that can be forced, but can it be encouraged? The Importance of Creativity You might be wondering why creativity is so important in the business world, which thrives on logic and order almost by definition. Take a look at these potential applications as a small sample:

• Solving problems. Some problems can't be solved through blunt force. You'll need to find a tangential or non-linear solution to conquer them, and only creativity can help you overcome that barrier.
• Improving ideas. Everything in your business has the potential to be improved, from your core product to your operations processes and customer service. Creativity can help you find those modes of improvement.
• Generating new ideas. The best ideas are born from spontaneous creativity, whether that's a new product or a new arm of your business. The more of these ideas you can generate, the more your business can grow and prosper.
• Contagiousness. When you express and favor more creativity, it's easy for it to spread to your teammates. More people on your team thinking more creatively means the brainpower of your organization will multiply many times over.

How to Encourage Creativity

In any scenario, you can encourage your creative development with these ongoing strategies:

1. Work in different environments.

Sometimes, all you need to get the creative juices flowing is a different environment. Instead of confining yourself to the office or your desk at home, try working someplace new. Go to a communal office space in your city, or head out to a coffee shop to get a few hours of work done. You could even try working while commuting, if possible. The key is to expose yourself to new sights and sounds to get your brain running in new directions.

When trying to solve complex problems at OptinMonster , I find working in different environment seems to be the best for boosting creativity.

2. Hang and feature art.

Artwork engages your senses and will get you thinking in new, abstract ways. If you can, opt for more abstract forms of art, which aren't directly or objectively interpretable. These might include expressionist paintings or modern sculptures. Consider decorating your office and desk with these, and gaze at them whenever you need to be inspired. 3. Play music.

Playing background music, or getting involved in music yourself with an instrument or your voice can do wonders for your creative faculties. You'll be exposed to new ideas and indirect, abstract forms of thought and emotion that you can incorporate in fluid, formless ways. Try working with and without music--you'll see it makes a big difference.

4. Produce scents.

You may not think of scents as boosters of creativity, but they can be very powerful. Try filling your office with strong scents like lavender or peppermint, which are thought to increase brain power . Together with more art and music, you'll be stimulating three of your five senses, which can facilitate more abstract thinking collectively, and induce greater feelings of relaxation. 5. Talk to lots of people.

Sometimes, just talking to other people can make you more creative. Find unique people, preferably ones who are better than you in some area, and ask them lots of meaningful questions about who they are and what they do.

This experience will expose you to a new type of vocabulary, new thought patterns, and new ideas. You'll incorporate these into your mind and potentially apply them to future situations.

6. Read frequently.

Talking to people exposes you to new ideas, perspectives, and vocabularies, but reading books takes it to another level.

Both fiction and non-fiction books can help broaden your horizons and expand your mind, so try not to limit yourself to only one form or genre. Plus, reading non-fiction will likely help you in other ways in your course of entrepreneurship, such as giving you building blocks for your business or teaching you valuable lessons of leadership.

A good entrepreneurship book to read: Hard Things About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz.

A fun fiction book to read: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

7. Never turn down an idea.

When it comes to making yourself more creative, quantity actually matters more than quality. Most people aren't "creative" simply because they filter out the majority of the ideas they judge as bad or not worth pursuing.

Fight back against this filter by accepting all of your ideas, even the weird or crazy ones, and exploring them. You'll likely find that many of the ideas you were about to throw away actually have strong potential, and if you just spend a little extra time developing them, they can turn into something extraordinary.

8. Exercise your mind.

Keep your mind active by engaging in hobbies and exercises that encourage you to engage your creative faculties. For example, you could try the "30 circles" test, which encourages participants to draw 30 circles on a sheet of paper, then try to adapt each one into a unique object or illustration. As a simpler measure, you could simply try doodling, or play word games to get your thoughts moving.

9. Get bored.

You may not realize it, but boredom is more than just beneficial for creativity, it may even be necessary. When you're bored, the focal portions of your brain are less active, and the "background" processes can start taking over, helping you process earlier stimuli and piece together thought fragments you wouldn't be able to force naturally.

Give your mind time to decompress and achieve this state regularly, with breaks and vacations, and through exercises like meditation or deep breathing.

These strategies should, collectively, give you a better platform for creative thought. You might not turn yourself into the next Mozart or Van Gogh, but you'll equip yourself with more abstract, creative patterns to solve problems and come up with new ideas--exactly what your business needs.

Liked this article? Check out my article on 5 Helpful Tips for Introverted Entrepreneurs , 15 Brilliant Questions to ask other leaders , and 5 Sales Tips for Entrepreneurs who hate selling .

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May 14, 2018

The Importance of Creative Problem-Solving in Entrepreneurship

I was a math major in college and graduate school, but certainly not a math genius.  I struggled to get my graduate degree.  But I learned the art and science of problem solving through mathematics.  I don’t remember any of the mathematics, but I use the problem-solving skills that I learned every day.

In college, you are not given 50-100 arithmetic problems to solve.  Instead, you may work on one or two problems for days or even weeks.  Sometimes I would work late into the evening, go to sleep and the solution would come to me while sleeping at 3:00 am.  The problem with this, of course, is that I still wake up at 3:00 am every night now.  But, back to the point, I learned to solve complex problems.

There is no greater use for this skill than in entrepreneurial companies.  As an entrepreneur, trying to grow you company, you are faced with a myriad of problems which might include, product problems, marketing problems, sales problems, financial problems, customer support problems, people problems, partner problems and on and on.  The solution to these problems is often not easy.  There are many choices and choosing the right solution for your individual situation (of the problem, the company, the resources available (etc.) are many).  But building a company is solving a constant, on-going and evolving set of problems.

This is a skill that is an absolute requirement for a successful entrepreneur.   But many entrepreneurs are not equipped to solve problems outside of their domain expertise.  This is where companies often break.  You need to know how to apply the problem-solving skill to a range of issues. So, if you have a problem, and you can’t solve it, the solution is to find someone who can.

A natural way to think about problem-solving involves curiosity. People who are naturally curious can often be very good problem solvers.  They can think about what can go wrong and explore solutions to either prevent the problem or solve it if it does occur.  So, it does not take the smartest person to solve a problem, it can take the most curious person to solve it.  Einstein once said that there was nothing remarkable about him except for his curiosity.

There is (probably) no set plan for general problem-solving. Here are some suggestions that can help:

• Accept that problems are inevitable
• See problems as opportunity
• Truly understand the problem
• Do not over-react.  Learn to objectively evaluate threats and consequences
• Break the problem down into components if possible
• Look to other industries for potential solution ideas
• Determine what you can and can’t control (make a list)
• Gather ideas from others but do not necessarily try to solve the problem using group-think
• Let ideas percolate (remember my going to sleep and having the solution come to me while sleeping)
• Establish a plan with metrics for success and timetable and plan B if plan A does not work in the established time frame
• Take bold actions
• Listen to the nay-sayers and incorporate their issues into your plan but do not get discouraged by what they say
• Relentlessly communicate your plan for solving the problem
• Get buy in from stakeholders
• Execute the plan relentlessly to the lowest level possible
• Learn from the problem to see if improvements can be made here and elsewhere to prevent future problems

But most importantly, understand the current problem and make sure that you are focusing on the problem that you actually have and not the one that you would like to have or are more comfortable solving.  I have a number of customers whose challenges are clear.  But they focus on what they want to do rather than what the real issue is.  They either refuse to accept the problem in front of them, or, they fail to recognize it.  Neither is good.

In addition, one potential downside of this is that STEM or other science-educated people, who often end up in entrepreneurship, are not equipped for the “artistic” side of problem-solving.  For instance, engineers or health educators and others, like certainty and also don’t like to take risks.  Problem solving in entrepreneurship is, therefore, somewhat different than problem-solving in science.  You may never have certainty and you always have risk.  You need creativity, some risk-taking and other skills that are uncomfortable for science or math educated people.  If you are uncomfortable with uncertainty and risk, this is where having strong “artistic” people can come into play.  An artistic person also solves problems and often is more creative and comfortable with risk-taking.  The idea here is what I said at the beginning: “entrepreneurial problem-solving is both art and science”.   So creative problem-solving is required.  To achieve creativity in problem-solving, do whatever you do to get the creative juices flowing like read, play music, look at art, go for a walk, talk to others, take a nap…

In order to succeed in building a company, you need to be a relentless problem-identifier and problem-solver.  In my opinion, it is the most critical skill or characteristic required of an early-stage CEO.  Problems are inevitable.  Seeing them as opportunities is healthy and also reduces stress since you are anticipating them rather than surprised by them.  What can go wrong, will go wrong.  So, buck up and try to anticipate challenges and problems before they bite you.

Here is the conclusion.  Building a company is solving a series of problems across a wide range of issues.  Learn to recognize and focus on the problems that are truly impacting your business, not what you are comfortable with.  Accept problems, learn to deal with them and combine scientific and artistic problem-solving skills, or have a team that can work together to do that…or die.  OK?

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Experiential Learning and Creativity in Entrepreneurship

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• Robert M. Gemmell 2 &
• David A. Kolb 3  

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Creativity ; Entrepreneurship ; Experience-based learning, Innovation ; Experiential learning ; Learning from experience

Entrepreneurial creativity can be defined as the social and cognitive processes through which entrepreneurs develop novel and useful ideas that transform and create new markets (Gemmell et al. 2011 ). Innovative entrepreneurs form new businesses by applying creative ideas to produce unique and transformative new products and services. Experiential learning theory (ELT), described by David Kolb as the “dynamic view of learning based on a learning cycle driven by the resolution of the dual dialectics of action/reflection and experience/abstraction” (Kolb 1984 ), has dramatically expanded researchers’ understanding of how entrepreneurs use creativity to solve customer problems and produce innovative new products and services.

Theoretical Background

The Kolb experiential learning theory (Kolb 1984 ) has been a useful tool for addressing the real-world...

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Gemmell, R.M., Kolb, D.A. (2013). Experiential Learning and Creativity in Entrepreneurship. In: Carayannis, E.G. (eds) Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3858-8_489

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Brainstorming: 24 Techniques for Effective Brainstorming [+ How-to]

Home » Brainstorming   | 🕑 

Gust de Backer

June 25, 2024.

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Every company does brainstorming , but some companies are better at it than others….

So why is that?

I’m going to show you:

• What different brainstorming techniques there are.
• How to prioritize brainstorm ideas.
• And how to be creative during your brainstorming sessions.

Let’s start..

Table of Contents

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a technique for working with a group to find creative ideas for a specific problem.

In short, brainstorming is a method to creatively solve a problem . In this, it is important that everyone has a good understanding of what the problem is in order for people to brainstorm accurate solutions.

Do’s and don’ts

Why is brainstorming important?

Creative thinking shows us that there are multiple solutions to a problem and multiple ways to look at a problem.

People are often stuck in their ways of thinking because of the patterns they see, which is extremely bad for innovation.

Creative thinking helps to challenge our assumptions, discover new things, see from new perspectives and keep us mentally sharp.

24 brainstorming techniques

Brainstorming is not about the quality, but about the quantity of ideas.

You’re going to come up with as many ideas for a problem as possible, possibly with a group of people, for a set amount of time.

There are 24 methods you can use to make brainstorming more effective:

1. Brainwriting / Purge

Each member of the group has a certain amount of time to write down all his/her ideas. This has two main advantages:

• Introverts get a chance to share their ideas.
• It ensures that no one or two ideas dominate the brainstorming.

The result is a wide range of ideas that would not have surfaced if a few ideas had been discussed from the beginning.

2. The 5 Why’s Analysis

The 5 why’s analysis has become popular because Toyota used it as a standard process for root-cause analysis.

By asking “why?” 5 times in response to an answer you will get to the root of the problem or solution which allows for a broader perspective and better dialogue.

3. Starbursting

The starbursting technique pushes you to think about the who, what, where, when, why and how of an idea. Place your idea or problem in the center of the star diagram and at the ends put the questions:

4. Mind mapping

You place your problem or idea in the center of the board and start adding to it with new parts:

This also directly ensures that there is structure and that everything is broken down into certain topics.

5. Rolestorming

Try to imagine yourself as another person, it may be someone familiar or someone you know from your immediate environment.

If you can imagine yourself to be another person, ask yourself again how that would solve your problem?

6. Gap filling

See what situation you are in now (ready state) and see where you want to go (target state). Then ask yourself the question, how do we go from the ready state to the target state? What is needed for that?

The gap filling way is a good brainstorming technique to get from A to B.

7. Brain-netting

Using online software, write down ideas that belong to a particular problem or issue.

This is especially useful in preparation for a brainstorm so that people have enough time in advance to think about possible solutions without a lot of email traffic.

8. Round robin brainstorming

In round robin brainstorming, there is one person responsible for bringing up a question or several questions…

In this process, everyone must answer one at a time. In doing so, no feedback may be given or a second idea shared until everyone has shared his or her idea.

This brainstorming technique is ideal for medium to large teams where there are introverted team members or where there is a poor balance of creative input.

Tip : If someone shares an idea that has already been, give that person time to come up with a new idea.

9. Rapid ideation

Parkinson’s law shows us that we spend as much time on our work as we have available

Putting a time limit on brainstorming can increase the quality of the brainstorm. This allows team managers to maximize productivity and results.

Especially for teams with little time, who have little desire for meetings, or who are easily distracted, Rapid Ideation can be a good brainstorming technique.

10. Reverse brainstorming

Brainstorming sessions are often aimed at solving a problem. Reverse brainstorming sessions are aimed at causing problems.

Instead of asking “how can we solve this problem?” you ask “how can we make [problem] happen? From the answers you get, you can start to find solutions to possible problems that a concept or idea might pose.

Thinking of problems first ensures that the team then has a better perspective in solving the problems.

11. Stepladder brainstorming

In stepladder brainstorming, a problem is presented to the group where all but one or two people must leave the room….

The one or two people must then share their ideas after which a third person may enter the room to share his or her ideas, then a fourth, then a fifth and that until everyone has been.

The advantage to this brainstorming technique is that it does not involve thinking as a group, but allows everyone to share their own individual unique ideas without being influenced by the group.

12. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is not directly a brainstorming technique, but it can provide additional perspective during brainstorming.

SWOT stands for:

• Strengths : what are the strengths?
• Weaknesses : what are the weaknesses?
• Opportunities : where do the opportunities lie?
• Threats : what are the threats?

The SWOT analysis can also be the basis of brainstorming on how to assess a concept.

13. Eidetic image method

In the Eidetic image method, the group starts by closing their eyes to illustrate the current product in their minds…

Then they can start discussing what it looks like, close their eyes again and start visualizing what an improved version would look like, what features it would contain, what color it is, how big it is, etc.

This brainstorming technique works best when improving an existing product or solution.

14. Change of scenery

If you are constantly brainstorming with the same people in the same space, it can feel like repetition, which is obviously not good for inspiration.

By regularly changing the scenery or space and perhaps also the team composition, it is possible to tap into new sources of inspiration.

15. Drivers analysis

In the drivers analysis brainstorming technique, you focus on the causes of a problem.

Ask yourself or your team of brainstormers, “What causes [problem]?” and then “What causes [answer previous question]?

The deeper you can go the more likely you are to find the root of a problem.

16. Collaborative brainwriting

With this method of brainstorming, there is no need to dedicate a specific session to it….

For example, a facilitator hangs up a large sheet in an office with a problem-statement and possibly already some brainstorming ideas and everyone can contribute ideas in his or her own time.

This way everyone can contribute anonymously, just make sure it is clear to everyone when the deadline is to contribute.

17.  SCAMPER

The SCAMPER brainstorming technique helps brainstormers look at a problem from multiple perspectives, SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for:

• Substitute : evaluate what would happen if you swapped one facet or solution for another.
• Combine : evaluate what would happen if you combined one facet or solution with another.
• Adapt : assess what would happen if you placed one idea or solution in a different context.
• Modify : think about how you could change an idea or solution to make even more impact.
• Put to another use : think about how you could still use your idea in other ways.
• Eliminate : assess what can be removed from your idea or solution to make it simpler.
• Reverse effective : finally, you can look at how you can reorganize an idea to make it more effective.

During a brainstorm, it is helpful to use a SCAMPER template:

18. The idea napkin

The Idea Napkin brainstorming technique allows a broad topic to be broken down into tangible solutions.

Each brainstormer has an ‘Idea Napkin’, on which they write one idea and an elevator pitch of that idea. They also write down who they are trying to solve a problem for and what problem they are solving.

When everything is written down, the idea is for everyone to present their ‘Idea Napkin’ to the others, then all ideas are prioritized on an impact and effort matrix to determine which ideas are worthwhile:

19. 6 thinking hats

In the 6 thinking hats brainstorming technique, you need at least 6 people who are going to wear thinking hats. These different ‘thinking hats’ are going to allow them to look at a problem or idea from one specific angle.

There are 6 different thinking hats:

• Blue hat (Conductor’s hat) : manage the decision process, ask for summaries and come to conclusions.
• Green hat (Creative hat) : the green hat comes up with creative ideas and thinks in terms of possibilities.
• Red hat (Hat for the heart) : go out of your feeling and instinct, you don’t necessarily have to think logically.
• Yellow hat (Optimist’s hat) : with the yellow hat you look at problems with an optimistic view, you see advantages in everything.
• Black hat (Judge’s hat) : the black hat is very critical and sees problems in everything, it is important to see risks and dangers quickly.
• White hat (Fact hat) : neutral and objective, shares lots of statistics and facts.
• + Royal hat (Owner hat) : guides the brainstorm, looking for the balance between subjectivity and objectivity.

This brainstorming technique is useful to get an overall picture of one or more ideas.

20. ‘What if’ brainstorming

The ‘What if’ brainstorming technique is a good technique to bring out all possible solutions to a problem.

By asking questions like “What if this problem occurred in the 1800s?” or “What if our president would have to solve this issue?”.

By approaching it this way you can look at the problem and the solutions from different angles.

21. Random word picker

You pick a random word or animal and start brainstorming about how the word or the characteristics of the animal can help you solve your problem.

This brainstorming technique is really about getting new ideas in a creative way.

22. Storyboarding

Storyboarding is a brainstorming technique where you start sketching the problem and possible solutions. In doing so, you are going to visualize different parts of the problem and the solution which works extremely well for physical challenges.

23. Wishing

You start by wishing for something ‘I wish our company would make 10 million euros in profit’ and then you start thinking about how you can achieve this.

Try to set really ambitious goals, this ensures that you start thinking bigger and you will encounter other problems and solutions.

24. Crazy eights

In the crazy eights brainstorming technique, each participant is given a template with 8 empty boxes. The timer is set for 8 minutes during which time each participant must fill the boxes with 8 sketches of possible ideas. Repeat this process so that they can build on each other’s ideas.

How do you prioritize ideas?

There are several ways to prioritize ideas:

1. Dotmocracy

To prioritize ideas, it is possible to give all participants X number of stickers that they can divide on the ideas they have.

You can be creative with this by handing out different colored stickers to also vote on ideas that absolutely should not be implemented or perhaps an order in the ideas based on the colors.

2. How Now Wow

The How Now Wow technique is more about categorizing ideas based on how unique they are and how easy they are to accomplish.

After a team has written down ideas, they can be prioritized in the How Now Wow matrix:

• How ideas : original but difficult to implement.
• Now ideas : unoriginal and easy to execute.
• Wow ideas : unique ideas that are easy to execute.

Obviously, you want to have as many “Wow” ideas as possible because they are unique from the competition.

3. Impact-Effort Matrix

The impact-effort matrix allows you to determine the ratio of effort to results and then prioritize the best ideas:

You can write down where an idea belongs on the matrix or you can give points to ideas and use those points to determine where an idea will be placed.

4. I.C.E. / P.I.E.

ICE and PIE are well-known prioritization frameworks; they are acronyms that stand for…

• Impact : what is the potential impact if the idea works?
• Confidence : how confident are we that the idea will work?
• Ease : how easy is it to set up this idea?
• Potential : how potential is this solution to our problem?
• Importance : how important do we think solving this problem is?
• Ease : how easy is it to implement this solution?

From these scores you can get an average, it is also possible to add a multiplier to certain parts of ICE or PIE that you think are important.

5. Feasibility, Desirability and Viability Scorecard

These 3 pillars are topics on which you can rank an idea:

• Feasibility : is it actually achievable?
• Desirability : how much would we like this solution?
• Viability : how confident are we that this will work?

This is very similar to the ICE / PIE framework, but the questioning changes a little bit.

MoSCoW is a very well known prioritization framework, it is widely used to set up requirements for a particular thing and prioritize them.

MoSCoW is an acronym that stands for:

• Must have : What really needs to be in it?
• Should have : what should actually be included?
• Could have : nice to have, is nice to add, but has no priority.
• Would have / Will not have : we’re not going to do anything with this for now.

7. Multi-criteria Decision Making

In multi-criteria decision making, you write down what you think is important about a solution and prioritize different ideas based on that:

8. The Value Matrix

Also called the Value and Effort matrix, this involves weighing the costs against the benefits:

How to brainstorm effectively?

How do you set up the brainstorm effectively?

The better the problem statement is the better the brainstorming will go. It is easier to focus ideas on a situation when that situation is enormously clear.

By just starting to do anything you will probably not find the desired solution. Make sure you have a clear agenda with times when you want to do something exactly. It is also important to make clear in advance what the desired end result of the brainstorm is.

Each brainstorming technique fits a different type of situation, evaluate which brainstorming techniques exist and choose some to come up with solutions from multiple angles.

By just talking and thinking about ideas a lot will be lost, document the ideas so they can be looked back at later.

Not every idea has the same potential to be used, therefore it is important to choose which ideas can be taken up, which ones will be interesting at a later date and which ones can be thrown in the garbage can.

Make sure you have time available in the coming period to start working on good ideas.

What is creativity in brainstorming?

Creativity is the ability to think outside of traditional ways and come up with new, original ideas, methods or objects.

It is often thought that the left part of the brain is for creativity and that the right part of the brain contains analytical ability:

In creativity, it is about the networks between the different parts in the brain. There are 3 types of networks that are important here:

• The executive attention network : allows you to maintain your attention and focus.
• The imagination network : allows you to daydream or imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes.
• The salience network : allows you to identify certain things based on old information stored in your brain.

A video that goes into some detail here:

What types of creative thinking are there?

At work, there are several types of creative thinking you may encounter:

• Divergent Thinking : a brainstorming session where you write down as many solutions as you can think of.
• Convergent Thinking : gathering facts and finding the most used and complete solution to the problem.
• Inspirational Thinking : focus on the best-case scenario to find a new solution to a problem.
• Lateral Thinking : reorganize information to come up with creative solutions to move from the ready state to the target state.
• Aesthetic Thinking : solutions that we actually like, with a focus on structure, knowledge, composition, color and shape.

What is critical thinking in brainstorming?

A critical thinker does not simply assume ideas and assumptions, but will always be looking for more ideas, arguments and insights to get the full picture.

Critical thinkers will identify, analyze and solve problems in a systematic way rather than thinking from intuition or instinct.

A critical thinker is able to:

• Make the connection between ideas and in them determine how important and relevant arguments and ideas are.
• Recognize, build and evaluate arguments.
• Find errors and inconsistencies in reasoning.
• To approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.
• Reflect on his own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Discover your creativity

You are now armed with knowledge to set up the best creative brainstorming sessions….

I’m curious, what do you think is the best brainstorming technique?

Let me know in a comment.

P.S. Want more help? Send an email to [email protected]

Frequently asked questions about brainstorming

A design sprint is a limited-time process that uses design thinking. The goal is to find an answer to a critical business question or a specific problem within that limited timeframe.

During a design sprint, design thinking is used.

To lead a brainstorm session it is important that you understand the problem, that you set a clear agenda, that you use the right brainstorm techniques and that you stimulate new ideas and don’t criticize ‘bad’ ideas.

First come up with a clear problem-statement, then choose matching brainstorm techniques, plan a clear agenda and at the end prioritize the outcomes of the brainstorm session.

There should be a purpose for the brainstorm, it should be with others, you should stimulate each other’s ideas, there should be no criticism of ideas, and make sure there is enough creativity.

Before brainstorming, the right questions should be asked, this can be done using Starbursting. Starbursting asks questions such as: how, what, where, when, who and why.

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Guide to Intellectual Property: What is Entrepreneurship?

Date November 27, 2019

Est. Reading Time 3 mins

The path of an innovator does not end with the creation of a new invention. In fact, the invention may be just the beginning. Taking an invention to market, so it can reach the people or industries it has been designed for, requires entrepreneurship.

An entrepreneur is someone who is willing to take on financial risks in order to set up a business and prepare it to grow and thrive in sustainable ways. Understanding the value and purpose of intellectual property (IP) equips an entrepreneur to safely and successfully accomplish their goals as they protect, pitch and bring an invention to market.  

What is the role of IP in entrepreneurship?

If you are an inventor, your primary focus is on turning ideas into reality. But to take on the business side of invention, you must also think like an entrepreneur and develop an understanding of IP.

Successful entrepreneurs know that IP is a valuable asset for any business, generating revenue and supporting these essential goals:  

• Differentiation Ensuring that your product or service can stand out among competitors is essential to your success. Your IP makes differentiation possible, guaranteeing that no one else can copy or capitalize on what you’ve created.  
• Expansion A portfolio or collection of IP assets gives you a foundation from which to not only grow your business, but to expand it as well. This means entering additional markets, changing the scope of your business in efforts to bring in additional revenue. Your IP assets can help you maintain a competitive advantage in new markets.  
• Scalability Scalability refers to your ability to manage your business as it grows and expands. Your goal is to add more sources of revenue without overwhelming your resources or substantially increasing your costs — and licensing your IP can help. When you leverage your IP through licensing agreements, allowing other companies to use or apply it in their products, markets or industries, you can collect royalties from them, increasing your revenue without affecting your resources.   

Why should IP and entrepreneurship skills be taught to young students ?

Though IP literacy is critical for innovators, creators and entrepreneurs, it is not often included in STEM education. While a STEM program may encourage inventiveness and creative problem solving, without introducing students to IP and entrepreneurship, such a program offers an incomplete experience. Providing even the youngest students with an understanding of IP and entrepreneurial skills gives them the tools they need to become more confident creators, and prepares them for a future in which STEM and innovation are becoming increasingly important. For an in-depth look at the value of IP in education, we encourage you to download our free white paper, Why Intellectual Property is Essential to STEM Education . To address the IP gap in STEM education, NIHF’s education programs are designed to lead children down the path from curious to capable, providing them with hands-on experiences with invention, design thinking, IP and entrepreneurship. Learn more about our education programs, including the nationally acclaimed Camp Invention® program and our professional development opportunities, at invent.org. If you want to learn more about the value of IP, from copyrights and trademarks to patents and trade secrets , we encourage you to explore the rest of NIHF’s “ Guide to Intellectual Property ” blog series.

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40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse.

Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges , ideating on possible solutions , and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable .

In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems.

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What is problem solving?

Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a problem solving process that begins with identifying the issue, exploring its root causes, ideating and refining possible solutions before implementing and measuring the impact of that solution.

For simple or small problems, it can be tempting to skip straight to implementing what you believe is the right solution. The danger with this approach is that without exploring the true causes of the issue, it might just occur again or your chosen solution may cause other issues.

Particularly in the world of work, good problem solving means using data to back up each step of the process, bringing in new perspectives and effectively measuring the impact of your solution.

Effective problem solving can help ensure that your team or organization is well positioned to overcome challenges, be resilient to change and create innovation. In my experience, problem solving is a combination of skillset, mindset and process, and it’s especially vital for leaders to cultivate this skill.

What is the seven step problem solving process?

A problem solving process is a step-by-step framework from going from discovering a problem all the way through to implementing a solution.

With practice, this framework can become intuitive, and innovative companies tend to have a consistent and ongoing ability to discover and tackle challenges when they come up.

You might see everything from a four step problem solving process through to seven steps. While all these processes cover roughly the same ground, I’ve found a seven step problem solving process is helpful for making all key steps legible.

We’ll outline that process here and then follow with techniques you can use to explore and work on that step of the problem solving process with a group.

The seven-step problem solving process is:

1. Problem identification 

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem(s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they’re facing and wish to resolve.

Be sure to align with your team on the exact definition and nature of the problem you’re solving. An effective process is one where everyone is pulling in the same direction – ensure clarity and alignment now to help avoid misunderstandings later.

2. Problem analysis and refinement

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is  the   right problem . Choosing the right problem to solve means you are on the right path to creating the right solution.

At this stage, you may look deeper at the problem you identified to try and discover the root cause at the level of people or process. You may also spend some time sourcing data, consulting relevant parties and creating and refining a problem statement.

Problem refinement means adjusting scope or focus of the problem you will be aiming to solve based on what comes up during your analysis. As you analyze data sources, you might discover that the root cause means you need to adjust your problem statement. Alternatively, you might find that your original problem statement is too big to be meaningful approached within your current project.

Remember that the goal of any problem refinement is to help set the stage for effective solution development and deployment. Set the right focus and get buy-in from your team here and you’ll be well positioned to move forward with confidence.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or techniquess designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions. 

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can often come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold. 

4. Solution development

No solution is perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically. 

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your front-running solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose. 

5. Decision making and planning

Nearly there! Once you’ve got a set of possible, you’ll need to make a decision on which to implement. This can be a consensus-based group decision or it might be for a leader or major stakeholder to decide. You’ll find a set of effective decision making methods below.

Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution, there are some additional actions that also need to be decided upon. You’ll want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

Set clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups for your chosen solution. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group. 

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved. 

6. Solution implementation 

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving processes have the end goal of implementing an effective and impactful solution that your group has confidence in.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way. For some solutions, you might also implement a test with a small group and monitor results before rolling it out to an entire company.

You should have a clear owner for your solution who will oversee the plans you made together and help ensure they’re put into place. This person will often coordinate the implementation team and set-up processes to measure the efficacy of your solution too.

7. Solution evaluation 

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling it’s been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback.

You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives. 

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization. 

It’s also worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time.

What does an effective problem solving process look like?

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . In our experience, a well-structured problem solving workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

The format of a workshop ensures that you can get buy-in from your group, encourage free-thinking and solution exploration before making a decision on what to implement following the session.

This Design Sprint 2.0 template is an effective problem solving process from top agency AJ&Smart. It’s a great format for the entire problem solving process, with four-days of workshops designed to surface issues, explore solutions and even test a solution.

Check it for an example of how you might structure and run a problem solving process and feel free to copy and adjust it your needs!

For a shorter process you can run in a single afternoon, this remote problem solving agenda will guide you effectively in just a couple of hours.

Whatever the length of your workshop, by using SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Complete problem-solving methods

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

The Six Thinking Hats   #creative thinking   #meeting facilitation   #problem solving   #issue resolution   #idea generation   #conflict resolution   The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   It doesn’t matter where you work and what your job role is, if you work with other people together as a team, you will always encounter the same challenges: Unclear goals and miscommunication that cause busy work and overtime Unstructured meetings that leave attendants tired, confused and without clear outcomes. Frustration builds up because internal challenges to productivity are not addressed Sudden changes in priorities lead to a loss of focus and momentum Muddled compromise takes the place of clear decision- making, leaving everybody to come up with their own interpretation. In short, a lack of structure leads to a waste of time and effort, projects that drag on for too long and frustrated, burnt out teams. AJ&Smart has worked with some of the most innovative, productive companies in the world. What sets their teams apart from others is not better tools, bigger talent or more beautiful offices. The secret sauce to becoming a more productive, more creative and happier team is simple: Replace all open discussion or brainstorming with a structured process that leads to more ideas, clearer decisions and better outcomes. When a good process provides guardrails and a clear path to follow, it becomes easier to come up with ideas, make decisions and solve problems. This is why AJ&Smart created Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ). It’s a simple and short, but powerful group exercise that can be run either in-person, in the same room, or remotely with distributed teams.

Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for brainstorming solutions

Now you have the context and background of the problem you are trying to solving, now comes the time to start ideating and thinking about how you’ll solve the issue.

Here, you’ll want to encourage creative, free thinking and speed. Get as many ideas out as possible and explore different perspectives so you have the raw material for the next step.

Looking at a problem from a new angle can be one of the most effective ways of creating an effective solution. TRIZ is a problem-solving tool that asks the group to consider what they must not do in order to solve a challenge.

By reversing the discussion, new topics and taboo subjects often emerge, allowing the group to think more deeply and create ideas that confront the status quo in a safe and meaningful way. If you’re working on a problem that you’ve tried to solve before, TRIZ is a great problem-solving method to help your team get unblocked.

Making Space with TRIZ   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #issue resolution   You can clear space for innovation by helping a group let go of what it knows (but rarely admits) limits its success and by inviting creative destruction. TRIZ makes it possible to challenge sacred cows safely and encourages heretical thinking. The question “What must we stop doing to make progress on our deepest purpose?” induces seriously fun yet very courageous conversations. Since laughter often erupts, issues that are otherwise taboo get a chance to be aired and confronted. With creative destruction come opportunities for renewal as local action and innovation rush in to fill the vacuum. Whoosh!

Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Idea and Concept Development

Brainstorming without structure can quickly become chaotic or frustrating. In a problem-solving context, having an ideation framework to follow can help ensure your team is both creative and disciplined.

In this method, you’ll find an idea generation process that encourages your group to brainstorm effectively before developing their ideas and begin clustering them together. By using concepts such as Yes and…, more is more and postponing judgement, you can create the ideal conditions for brainstorming with ease.

Idea & Concept Development   #hyperisland   #innovation   #idea generation   Ideation and Concept Development is a process for groups to work creatively and collaboratively to generate creative ideas. It’s a general approach that can be adapted and customized to suit many different scenarios. It includes basic principles for idea generation and several steps for groups to work with. It also includes steps for idea selection and development.

Problem-solving techniques for developing and refining solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to develop and refine your ideas in order to bring them closer to a solution that actually solves the problem.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team think through their ideas and refine them as part of your problem solving process.

Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

Ensuring that everyone in a group is able to contribute to a discussion is vital during any problem solving process. Not only does this ensure all bases are covered, but its then easier to get buy-in and accountability when people have been able to contribute to the process.

1-2-4-All is a tried and tested facilitation technique where participants are asked to first brainstorm on a topic on their own. Next, they discuss and share ideas in a pair before moving into a small group. Those groups are then asked to present the best idea from their discussion to the rest of the team.

This method can be used in many different contexts effectively, though I find it particularly shines in the idea development stage of the process. Giving each participant time to concretize their ideas and develop them in progressively larger groups can create a great space for both innovation and psychological safety.

1-2-4-All   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #issue analysis   With this facilitation technique you can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. You can generate better ideas and more of them faster than ever before. You can tap the know-how and imagination that is distributed widely in places not known in advance. Open, generative conversation unfolds. Ideas and solutions are sifted in rapid fashion. Most importantly, participants own the ideas, so follow-up and implementation is simplified. No buy-in strategies needed! Simple and elegant!

15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Problem-solving techniques for making decisions and planning

After your group is happy with the possible solutions you’ve developed, now comes the time to choose which to implement. There’s more than one way to make a decision and the best option is often dependant on the needs and set-up of your group.

Sometimes, it’s the case that you’ll want to vote as a group on what is likely to be the most impactful solution. Other times, it might be down to a decision maker or major stakeholder to make the final decision. Whatever your process, here’s some techniques you can use to help you make a decision during your problem solving process.

How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

Straddling the gap between decision making and planning, MoSCoW is a simple and effective method that allows a group team to easily prioritize a set of possible options.

Use this method in a problem solving process by collecting and summarizing all your possible solutions and then categorize them into 4 sections: “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”.

This method is particularly useful when its less about choosing one possible solution and more about prioritorizing which to do first and which may not fit in the scope of your project. In my experience, complex challenges often require multiple small fixes, and this method can be a great way to move from a pile of things you’d all like to do to a structured plan.

MoSCoW   #define intentions   #create   #design   #action   #remote-friendly   MoSCoW is a method that allows the team to prioritize the different features that they will work on. Features are then categorized into “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”. To be used at the beginning of a timeslot (for example during Sprint planning) and when planning is needed.

When it comes to managing the rollout of a solution, clarity and accountability are key factors in ensuring the success of the project. The RAACI chart is a simple but effective model for setting roles and responsibilities as part of a planning session.

Start by listing each person involved in the project and put them into the following groups in order to make it clear who is responsible for what during the rollout of your solution.

• Responsibility  (Which person and/or team will be taking action?)
• Authority  (At what “point” must the responsible person check in before going further?)
• Accountability  (Who must the responsible person check in with?)
• Consultation  (Who must be consulted by the responsible person before decisions are made?)
• Information  (Who must be informed of decisions, once made?)

Ensure this information is easily accessible and use it to inform who does what and who is looped into discussions and kept up to date.

RAACI   #roles and responsibility   #teamwork   #project management   Clarifying roles and responsibilities, levels of autonomy/latitude in decision making, and levels of engagement among diverse stakeholders.

Problem-solving warm-up activities

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process. Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Closing activities for a problem-solving process

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Tips for effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Create psychologically safe spaces for discussion

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner.

It can be tough for people to stand up and contribute if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions and where possible, create regular opportunities for challenges to be brought up organically.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

Save time and effort creating an effective problem solving process

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

Your list of techniques for problem solving can be helpfully extended by adding TRIZ to the list of techniques. TRIZ has 40 problem solving techniques derived from methods inventros and patent holders used to get new patents. About 10-12 are general approaches. many organization sponsor classes in TRIZ that are used to solve business problems or general organiztational problems. You can take a look at TRIZ and dwonload a free internet booklet to see if you feel it shound be included per your selection process.

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	Aug 23, 2024   2022-2023 Undergraduate Academic Calendar (replaced eff. Sept 16, 2022))     2022-2023 Undergraduate Academic Calendar (replaced eff. Sept 16, 2022)) [ARCHIVED CALENDAR] BUSI 3730U – Creative Problem Solving, Entrepreneurship and Imagination Table of Contents Definition of business analysis, what are business analysis techniques, best business analysis techniques, do you want to become a business analyst, top effective business analysis techniques. Business analysts are such an essential element for an organization’s survival and success today. By using different structured business analysis techniques, these analysts help companies identify needs, root out flaws, and sift through a flood of data and options to find the right actionable solution. We’re here today to explore some of the top business analysis techniques and how they are successfully leveraged for an organization’s success. There are many of these proven business analysis problem-solving techniques to choose from. Still, the ones highlighted here are the more commonly used methods, and it’s reasonable to infer that their popularity stems from their effectiveness. Here is the list of the top business analysis techniques: Business Process Modeling (BPM) Brainstorming, moscow (must or should, could or would), most (mission, objectives, strategies, and tactics) analysis, pestle analysis, swot analysis, six thinking hats, non-functional requirement analysis, design thinking. Business analysis is an umbrella term describing the combination of knowledge, techniques, and tasks employed for identifying business needs, then proposing changes and creating solutions that result in value for the stakeholders. Although a significant number of today’s business analysis solutions incorporate software and digital data-based elements, many professionals in the field may also end up advising on organizational changes, improving processes, developing new policies, and participating in strategic planning. So, business analysts spur change within an organization by assessing and analyzing needs and vulnerabilities and then creating and implementing the best solutions. Much of the information used to draw these conclusions comes from data collected by various means, often falling under the term “big data.” Become a Business and Leadership Professional Top 10 skills in demand Business Analysis As A Skill In 2020 14% Growth in Jobs Of Business Analysis Profile By 2028 Business Analyst Industry-recognized certifications from IBM and Simplilearn Masterclasses from IBM experts Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis Get mentored and network with industry experts from Amazon, Microsoft, and Google Access Harvard Business Publishing case studies of Pearson, CarMax, EvCard, etc Here's what learners are saying regarding our programs: Assistant Consultant at Tata Consultancy Services , Tata Consultancy Services My experience with Simplilearn has been great till now. They have good materials to start with, and a wide range of courses. I have signed up for two courses with Simplilearn over the past 6 months, Data Scientist and Agile and Scrum. My experience with both is good. One unique feature I liked about Simplilearn is that they give pre-requisites that you should complete, before a live class, so that you go there fully prepared. Secondly, there support staff is superb. I believe there are two teams, to cater to the Indian and US time zones. Simplilearn gives you the most methodical and easy way to up-skill yourself. Also, when you compare the data analytics courses across the market that offer web-based tutorials, Simplilearn, scores over the rest in my opinion. Great job, Simplilearn! I was keenly looking for a change in my domain from business consultancy to IT(Business Analytics). This Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis course helped me achieve the same. I am proficient in business analysis now and am looking for job profiles that suit my skill set. Business analysis techniques are processes used to create and implement plans necessary for identifying a company’s needs and delivering the best results. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” technique because every business or organization is different. Here are the top business analysis techniques. Keep in mind that business analysts who want to be project managers should be familiar with most, if not all, of them. 1. Business Process Modeling (BPM) BPM is often used during a project’s analysis phase to understand and analyze the gaps between the current business process and any future process that the business is shooting for. This technique consists of four tasks: 1. Strategic planning 2. Business model analysis 3. Defining and designing the process 4. Technical analysis for complex business solutions Many industries, especially the IT industry, favor this technique because it’s a simple, straightforward way to present the steps of the execution process and show how it will operate in different roles. 2. Brainstorming There’s nothing like good, old-fashioned brainstorming to generate new ideas, identify a problem’s root causes, and come up with solutions to complex business problems. Brainstorming is a group activity technique that is often used in other methods such as PESTLE and SWOT . CATWOE identifies the leading players and beneficiaries, collecting the perceptions of different stakeholders onto one unified platform. Business analysts use this technique to thoroughly evaluate how any proposed action will affect the various parties. The acronym stands for: Customers: Who benefits from the business? Actors: Who are the players in the process? Transformation Process: What is the transformation at the core of the system? World View: What is the big picture, and what are its impacts? Owner: Who owns the impacted system, and what’s their relation? Environmental Constraints: What are the constraints, and how do they impact the solution? 4. MoSCoW (Must or Should, Could or Would) MoSCoW prioritizes requirements by offering a framework that evaluates each demand relative to the rest. The process forces you to ask questions about the actual necessity of any given element. Is the item a must-have or a should-have? Is the demand something that could make the product better, or is it something that would be a good idea in the future? 5. MOST (Mission, Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics) Analysis MOST is a robust business analysis framework—considered one of the best techniques for understanding an organization’s ability and purpose. This technique includes conducting a detailed, complete internal analysis of the organization’s goals and how to approach them. The acronym stands for: Mission: What is the organization’s purpose? Objectives: What are the key goals that help achieve the mission? Strategies: What are the options available for achieving the objectives? Tactics: What are the methods that the organization will follow to carry out the strategies? 6. PESTLE Analysis Business analysts use the PESTLE model (sometimes called PEST) to identify environmental factors that can influence their company and how best to address them when making business decisions. Those influences are: Political: Financial support and subsidies, government initiatives, and policies. Economic: Labor and energy costs, inflation, and interest rates. Sociological: Education, culture, media, life, and population. Technological: New information and communication systems technologies. Legal: Local and national government regulations and employment standards. Environmental: Waste, recycling, pollution, and weather. By analyzing and studying these factors, analysts gain a better understanding of how they will influence the organization’s narrative. This understanding, in turn, makes it easier for analysts to develop strategies on how to address them. 7. SWOT Analysis One of the most popular techniques in the industry, SWOT identifies the strengths and weaknesses in a corporate structure, presenting them as opportunities and threats. The knowledge helps analysts make better decisions regarding resource allocation and suggestions for organizational improvement. The four elements of SWOT are: Strengths: The qualities of the project or business that give it an advantage over the competition. Weaknesses: Characteristics of the business that pose a disadvantage to the project or organization, when compared to the competition or even other projects. Opportunities: Elements present in the environment that the project or business could exploit. Threats: Elements in the environment that could hinder the project or business. SWOT is a simple, versatile technique that is equally effective in either a quick or in-depth analysis of any sized organization. It is also useful for assessing other subjects, such as groups, functions, or individuals. 8. Six Thinking Hats This business analysis process guides a group’s line of thinking by encouraging them to consider different ideas and perspectives. The ‘six hats’ are: White: Focuses on your data and logic. Red: Uses intuition, emotions, and gut feelings. Black: Consider potential negative results, and what can go wrong. Yellow: Focus on the positives; keep an optimistic point of view. Green: Uses creativity. Blue: Takes the big picture into account, process control. The six thinking hats technique is often used in conjunction with brainstorming, serving as a means of directing the team’s mental processes and causing them to consider disparate viewpoints. 9. The 5 Whys This technique is commonly found as often in Six Sigma as it is in business analysis circles. While journalism uses the “Five W’s” (Who, What, When, Where, and Why) in reporting, the 5 Whys technique just operates “Why” in a series of leading questions, this approach helps business analysts pinpoint a problem’s origin by first asking why the issue exists, then following it up by asking another “why?” question relating to the first answer, and so on. Here’s an example: Why? Because the wrong models were shipped. Why? Because the product information in the database was incorrect. Why? Because there are insufficient resources allocated to modernizing the database software. Why? Because our managers didn’t think the matter had priority. Why? Because no one was aware of how often this problem occurred. Countermeasure: Improve incident reporting, be sure managers read reports, allocate budget funds for modernizing database software. 10. Non-Functional Requirement Analysis Analysts apply this technique to projects where a technology solution is replaced, changed, or built up from scratch. The analysis defines and captures the characteristics needed for a new or a modified system and most often deal with requirements such as data storage or performance. Non-functional requirement analysis usually covers: Performance Reliability Non-Functional Requirement Analysis is commonly implemented during a project’s Analysis phase and put into action during the Design phase. 11. Design Thinking Design Thinking is a business analysis technique that is primarily used for problem-solving and innovation. It's a human-centered approach that emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and creative thinking to develop solutions that meet user needs and create positive user experiences. Design Thinking is often employed to address complex, ambiguous, or user-centric problems by focusing on understanding the end-users' perspectives, motivations, and pain points. If you’re looking for a more rewarding, better-paying career , you should consider business analysis. The higher demand for Business Analysts means security, marketability, and excellent financial gain. According to Salary.com , Business Analysts can earn a yearly average of USD 75,400. Simplilearn offers a Business Analysis Certification training course designed to make those first steps easier. The Post Graduate Business Analysis program gives you expertise in the latest BA tools and techniques like the ones mentioned previously. You will master planning and monitoring, data analysis and statistics, visualizations, Agile Scrum methodologies, and SQL databases. The course supplements your training with real-world case studies and helps you become an AI-powered business analyst. 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Program Name Duration Fees Cohort Starts: 8 Months € 2,499 Cohort Starts: 6 Months € 1,990 Cohort Starts: 5 months € 3,190 11 Months € 1,299 Get Free Certifications with free video courses Business and Leadership Business Analysis Basics Data Science & Business Analytics Business Intelligence Fundamentals Learn from Industry Experts with free Masterclasses How to Think Like a Product Manager to Boost User Engagement on Netflix Career Information Session: Find Out How to Become a Business Analyst with IIT Roorkee Industry Trends: Unleash the AI Gateway for Advancing Your UI/UX Design Career in 2024 Recommended Reads The Complete Business Intelligence Tool Guide for the Modern Analyst The Ultimate Guide To SWOT Analysis For Business And Why It Matters Top 5 Business Intelligence Tools Business Intelligence Career Guide: Your Complete Guide to Becoming a Business Analyst What is Requirement Analysis: Overview, Applications, Techniques and Top Tools Used What Is Exploratory Data Analysis? Steps and Market Analysis Get Affiliated Certifications with Live Class programs PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PBA, RMP, SP, and OPM3 are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc. 461 IMAGES creative problem solving framework Startup Growth, Business Growth Creative Problem Solving Product Development: 9 Steps for Creative Problem Solving [INFOGRAPHIC PROBLEM SOLVING. Defining, Creativity, Innovation and Solution Concept how to develop strategies for problem solving The Three C Approach To Creative Problem Solving COMMENTS What Is Creative Problem-Solving & Why Is It Important? Its benefits include: Finding creative solutions to complex problems: User research can insufficiently illustrate a situation's complexity. While other innovation processes rely on this information, creative problem-solving can yield solutions without it. Adapting to change: Business is constantly changing, and business leaders need to adapt. 6.2 Creative Problem-Solving Process Step 2: Ideate. To ideate is the step of the creative problem-solving process that involves generating and detailing ideas by the entrepreneur. After collecting all information relevant to the problem, the entrepreneur lists as many causes of the problem as possible. This is the step in which the largest variety of ideas are put forth. Creative Problem Solving Techniques for Entrepreneurs Creative problem-solving, a critical tool for entrepreneurs, involves tackling challenges from unique angles and innovating solutions. This approach is especially beneficial in entrepreneurship… Chapter 5 Creative Problem Solving. Innovative entrepreneurs are essentially problem solvers, but this level of innovation—identifying a pain point and working to overcome it—is only one in a series of innovative steps. In the influential business publication Forbes, the entrepreneur Larry Myler notes that problem solving is inherently reactive. That ... Creative Problem Solving Creative problem solving (CPS) is a way of solving problems or identifying opportunities when conventional thinking has failed. It encourages you to find fresh perspectives and come up with innovative solutions, so that you can formulate a plan to overcome obstacles and reach your goals. ... Entrepreneur (2012). James Dyson on Using Failure to ... The Importance of Creativity in Business Learning skills such as design thinking and creative problem-solving can help job seekers set themselves apart when applying to roles. Creativity and Design Thinking. ... explore our online course Design Thinking and Innovation, one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses. If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, ... Creative Problem Solving for Entrepreneurs In conclusion, creative problem solving is a critical skill for entrepreneurs. It allows them to identify and overcome challenges, make informed decisions, and drive innovation in their businesses. Throughout this guide, we have explored various aspects of problem solving, from understanding the problem to implementing solutions and learning ... 4.1 Tools for Creativity and Innovation Staying on top of well-documented, successful approaches can give you a competitive advantage and may remind you that entrepreneurship can be fun, exciting, and refreshing, as long as you keep your creative spirit alive and in constant motion. Creative Problem-Solving Methods. Creative thinking can take various forms . This section focuses on a ... Why creativity is your best problem-solving tool Creativity is the ability to come up with original ideas. In other words, you can think in new ways, and come up with strategies that aren't conventional. This is beneficial when problem solving ... Creative Problem-Solving: Strategies for Innovative Thinking However, entrepreneurs and key business leaders are aware that innovation is not the house of solitude but a collective journey taken by a group of diverse and talented perspectives. They are keenly aware that with just a mere assemblage of creative problem-solving approaches, innovative teams can truly extricate from the clutches of the status ... A Secret to Creative Problem Solving A Secret to Creative Problem Solving This mind trick is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs trying to find a solution to a perplexing problem. By Nadia Goodman May 23, 2012 Creative Problem-Solving Strategies to Test Your Business Idea Liedtka breaks the design-thinking process into four stages, assigning a core question to each of them. Try asking yourself these questions as you create a new product or business: 1. What is the ... How to Be a More Creative Problem-Solver at Work: 8 Tips 8. Practice Design Thinking. Practicing design thinking can make you a more creative problem-solver. While commonly associated with the workplace, adopting a design thinking mentality can also improve your everyday life. Here are several ways you can practice design thinking: Learn from others: There are many examples of design thinking in ... 9 Strategies Entrepreneurs Can Use for Creative Problem Solving On the surface, entrepreneurship seems like a left-brained activity. You have to be familiar with business concepts, raw logic, objectivity, and analysis if you want to survive in the hyper-competitive entrepreneurial world. ... 9 Strategies Entrepreneurs Can Use for Creative Problem Solving. On the surface, entrepreneurship seems like a left ... The Importance of Creative Problem-Solving in Entrepreneurship The idea here is what I said at the beginning: "entrepreneurial problem-solving is both art and science". So creative problem-solving is required. To achieve creativity in problem-solving, do whatever you do to get the creative juices flowing like read, play music, look at art, go for a walk, talk to others, take a nap…. Experiential Learning and Creativity in Entrepreneurship Kolb's experiential learning theory is also useful as a creative problem-solving framework to examine how entrepreneurs develop practical innovative solutions for the marketplace (Kolb 1982). Creative problem solving can be analyzed as moving through four stages, each of which is anchored in one of the four stages of experiential learning ... Creativity and Entrepreneurship It follows from these assumptions that a differentiated perspective on creativity in entrepreneurship requires examining the specific effects of divergent and convergent thinking on different dimensions of entrepreneurial success in the three phases (prelaunch, launch and postlaunch) of entrepreneurship. Future research should employ a more ... Brainstorming: 24 Techniques for Effective Brainstorming [+ How-to] Write down as many ideas as possible without regard to quality. Don't deviate too much from the problem. Encourage wild and unconventional ideas. Don't force people to talk or participate in a brainstorm. Combine and improve existing ideas. Do the brainstorming in the morning, that way people still have enough focus. Guide to Intellectual Property: What is Entrepreneurship? Why should IP and entrepreneurship skills be taught to young students? Though IP literacy is critical for innovators, creators and entrepreneurs, it is not often included in STEM education. While a STEM program may encourage inventiveness and creative problem solving, without introducing students to IP and entrepreneurship, such a program ... 40 problem-solving techniques and processes 7. Solution evaluation. 1. Problem identification. The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem (s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they're facing and wish to resolve. BUSI 3730U BUSI 3730U - Creative Problem Solving, Entrepreneurship and Imagination. Ideation, individual and group creativity, creative blocks and approaches for overcoming these as they relate to entrepreneurship are discussed. Methods for generating and recognizing ideas using divergent thinking are examined. Theoretical and conceptual foundations for ... Top 11 Most Effective Business Analysis Techniques Design Thinking is a business analysis technique that is primarily used for problem-solving and innovation. It's a human-centered approach that emphasizes empathy, collaboration, and creative thinking to develop solutions that meet user needs and create positive user experiences. Design Thinking is often employed to address complex, ambiguous ... Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology Classes are taught five days a week, beginning at 9:00 am or 10:30 am and continuing until 5:00 pm, 6:30 pm, or 8:00 pm. Most subjects include a combination of lectures and seminars (problem-solving study sessions in smaller groups) or laboratory experiments. Lecture attendance is optional, while seminar and lab attendance affects grades. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis