Decision Making and Problem solving :) :)

Problem Solving....

 Have you ever been creative? Thought of a solution that is different.? If the Answer is yes, you have already been part of the Process called ‘Creative Problem Solving’. If the Answer is no….No issues, this write up will guide you to be a Creative Problem Solver...


“Creative problem solving is - looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something different.” - Albert Szent- Gyorgi, former Nobel prize winner

Creative Problem Solving is a proven method for approaching a problem or a challenge in an imaginative and innovative way. It’s a tool that helps people re-define the problems they face, come up with breakthrough ideas and then take action on these new ideas.

Sounds Exciting!

Let us get into what constitutes Creative Problem Solving……

Step 1:State what appears to be the problem.

The real problem may not surface until facts have been gathered and analyzed.  Therefore, start with what you assume to be the  problem, that can later be confirmed or corrected.

STEP 2.  Gather facts, feelings and opinions

Answer the 5 W (when, where, why, what, who) and the How questions..

z         What happened?

z         Where, when and how did it occur?

z         What is it’s size, scope, and severity?

z         Who and what is affected?

z         Likely to happen again?

There might be a need to assign priorities to critical elements.

STEP 3: Restate the problem

Restating the problem helps in reassessing the problem.

Actual Problem , might not be what was stated before.

STEP 4 Identify alternative solutions

Think of  the alternative solutions. At this step the ideas are generated, no idea should be ruled out until several have been discussed. There should not be a hesitancy to discuss an idea, as it may seem unfeasible, many times such unfeasible ideas become what we call as creative solutions.

STEP 5: Evaluate alternatives

    Ask these 4 questions:

z         Which will provide the optimum solution?

z         What are the risks?

z         Are costs in keeping with the benefits?

z         Will the solution create new problems?

At this step you are moving very closer to your final solution.

     Discuss all the alternatives, keeping in mind the different parameters. By the end of this step you would have arrived at your Optimum solution.

      STEP 6.  Implement the decision!

     Just arriving at the solution, does not solve the problem! The Solution needs to be implemented…

       Time for asking some more questions…

z         Who must be involved?

z         To what extent?

z         How, when and where?

z         Who will the decision impact?

z         What might go wrong?

z         How will the results be reported and verified?

After finding answers to these questions, you are ready to implement your  ‘Creative Solution’.

STEP 7.   Evaluate the results.

z         Test the solution against the desired results.

z         Make revisions if necessary.

After the solution has been implemented, it needs to be verified if it serves its need.

If it needs any modifications, the same are to be re implemented.

TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

  BRAINSTORMING

To generate a large number of ideas in a short period of time. 

• The more ideas the better! 
•   No discussion
• No idea is a bad idea
• Display all ideas
•  Build on one another’s ideas
• 
  

        MULTIVOTING

         A way to vote to select the most important or popular items (alternatives) from a list.

        

       MIND MAPPING

       :  A visual picture of a group of ideas, concepts or issues.

          Purpose:

 Unblock our thinking.

See an entire idea or several ideas on one sheet of paper.

See how ideas relate to one another.

Look at things in a new and different way.

Look at an idea in depth.

Enjoy the journey !!!!!