using the creative problem solving process in project 3

7/29/2019 Using the Creative Problem Solving Process in Project 3

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The Creative Problem Solving Process (CPS)__________________________________________________________The Creative Problem Solving Process is meant as tool to help students generate ideas for Project 3.

The Creative Problem Solving Process (CPS), aka the Osborn-Parnes Process, was created by Alex

Osborn and Dr. Sidney J. Parnes in the 1960s. Alex Osborn, founder of the Creative Education

Foundation (CEF), coined the term brainstorming in his bookApplied Imagination and his definition of

brainstorming is reflected in the Osborn-Parnes Process.

[Brainstorming is a] creative conference for the sole purpose of producing a checklist of

ideasideas which can serve as leads to problem solutionideas which can subsequentlybe evaluated and further processed.

Each step of the Osborn-Parnes Process begins with divergent thinking wherein the student generateslots of ideas (facts, problem definitions, ideas, evaluation criteria, implementation strategies), which is

then followed by convergent thinking wherein the student evaluates their brainstormed ideas,

identifies the most promising ideas, and explores these ideas further.

The Osborn-Parnes Process:

Process Steps

Objective FindingBrainstorming goals, wishes, or challenges you might

want to work on:

Fact Finding

Gathering the relevant data: What is the situation or

background? What are all the facts, questions, data, and

sentiments involved?Exploring the

Challenge

Problem Finding

Clarifying the problem that needs to be solved in order to

achieve the goal: What is at the core of the problem? What

is the fundamental issue that needs addressing?

Generating Ideas Idea Finding

Brainstorming ideas to solve the identified problem:

What are all the possible solutions for how to solve the

problem?

Solution Finding

Evaluating your ideas and moving from an idea to an

implementable solution: How will you evaluate possiblesolutions to know which one will work best?Preparing for

Action

Acceptance Finding

Creating a plan for action to implement the idea:

What are all the action steps that need to take place in

order to implement your solution?


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Suggested Activities for Each Step________________________________________________________________________

1. FINDING AN OBJECTIVE

What do I complain about? What would I like to get others to do?

What takes too long? What is wasted? What makes me angry or tense? What do I worry about? What would I like to see organized in a better

way?

What barriers or bottlenecks exist? What would I be proud to have accomplished? What would I be proud to be known for? What ideas do I have that I wish more people

shared?

Write a number of statements that begin withthese phrases:

o I wish...o What I'd really like to see is...o Wouldn't it be cool if....

2. FACT FINDING(The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How)

Who is involved? Who should be involved? What is or is not happening? When does this or should this happen? Where does or doesnt this occur? Why does it or doesnt it happen? How does it or doesn't it occur? Why is this important? Why can't this be ignored? What keeps me from getting past this? How does this situation affect me? What will I lose if I don't do anything? What is at stake for others if I dont do

anything? Where, when how does this thing occur? Who could help me with this? Who stands to gain/lose when this is solved? When does this not seem to be a problem? What resources do I have? What information would I like to have? What sources of information are available? How did this come about?

3. PROBLEM FINDING

(Listing alternative definitions of the problem)

Brainstorm a list of possible problem

statements that begin with the sentence stem,"In what ways might I/we...?" This helps to

reorient your thinking from negative problemstatements to positive ones. Keep in mind how

the definition of a problem determines the

nature of its solutions.

What is the real problem? What is the main objective? What do I really want to accomplish? Why do I want to do this?

4. IDEA FINDING

This is a divergent-thinking, brainstorming

stage. Propose ideas freely and withoutcriticism or evaluation for each of the problem

definitions accepted during the Problem

Finding stage.

5. SOLUTION FINDING

Three steps:1. List criteria for evaluation

Sample evaluative criteria:o Will it work?o Is it legal?o Are the materials and

technology available?

o Are the costs acceptable?o Will the public accept it?o Will higher-level

administrators accept it?

2. Evaluate the ideas (an evaluation matrixis useful)3. Select one or more of the best ideas.


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6. ACCEPTANCE FINDINGTHE IMPLEMENTATION STAGE

How will you get your ideas into action? You must turn ideas into realities, make what has been private

public, transform the immaterial into the material, and shift from thought to action. This requires creatingan action plan.

Creating an action plan involves four steps:

1. Envision the completed project2. Brainstorm a list ofevents needed to complete the project3. Plan the events4. Anticipate potential problems, have solutions ready

Step 1. Envision the completed project. This is simply a matter of looking forward to a time when you canlook back and see the path that led to where you will be. Rather than start from the beginning, start from

where you want to be. It is useful to spend some time painting a mental picture of the outcome. Doing so

will prompt new images, ideas, thoughts, and insights.

Step 2. Brainstorm a list ofevents needed to complete the project in any order. Events are those actions

that need to occur in order to accomplish the project. It is much easier to brainstorm a list of events whilesuspending judgment than to generate the list in a logical, sequential order.

Step 3. Plan the events. Once you have listed the events, transfer each one to a "Post-It" note. You should

rephrase each item to read in the past tense. For example,Brochure Text Written, Brochures Printed,

Budget Approved, Workshop Outline Completed, Merchant Account Activated, etc. then take the Post-It

notes and arrange them on a large sheet of paper, such as a flip chart page or a sheet of butcher paper.

Cluster the notes in natural groupings, and avoid the tendency to try to put them into linear sequences.You will see that there are actions which can take place more or less simultaneously. Finally, using any

system of numbering, give each event a number. The numbers are for identification and referencepurposes only and they can be changed. So it would be a good idea to use pencil when you do your

numbering.

Step 4. Brainstorm a list of potential problems that might occur during your events. What might gowrong? What has gone wrong at past events similar to yours? What is the worst-case scenario? Then

brainstorm possible solutions to these hypothetical problems, and create a clear plan to address each

problem in case it does occur. In other words, this your Plan B, your back-up plan.

using the creative problem solving process in project 3

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