Creative problem solving

Problem-solving often has two stages. A divergent, creative phase is followed by a critical convergent one. First we generate a lot of ideas while exploring the problem, then we narrow them down and link them to come up with a fully worked out solution. In many western countries, our education prepares us well for the second stage, but not for creative thinking.

Sometimes when you have been trying hard to solve a problem, you become fixed on the first solutions you thought of. Then you really need to stand back a bit to look at the problem from other angles.

This is where other people can help, coming up with a lot of ideas that might help. If you think of the problem owner as being in a pit, then these problem resource people are standing at the top, with a clear view to the horizon, although they cannot make out all the details in the pit.

A typical problem-solving process follows these stages:

  1. The problem owner analyses the problem task.
  2. The problem resources listen actively to a description of the problem, making notes of thoughts that come into their heads.
  3. The problem resources ask questions to clarify their understanding of the problem
  4. The problem resources feed back to the problem owner possible solutions, ideas, insights and feelings.
  5. The problem owner picks out one of these suggestions or ideas to explore further, and redefines the problem statement.
  6. The problem resources once again produce suggestions. Since the obvious ideas will have come up the first time, they use creativity techniques to stimulate lateral thinking.
  7. The problem owner assesses their suggestions, and then goes off to develop them into a workable plan.