creative problem solving (cps) framework

• Distance Learning
• Print Resource Orders

View a variety of our creative problem solving print materials.

Creative problem solving (cps) overview.

• Proven. CPS has been used for more than 50 years by organizations throughout the world and is supported by research, with hundreds of published studies on its effectiveness and impact.
• Portable. CPS links your natural creativity and problem-solving approaches. It is an easy-to-learn process that can be readily applied by individuals and groups of many ages, in many organizations, settings, and cultures.
• Powerful. CPS can be integrated with many organizational activities, providing new or additional tools for making a real difference. It can stimulate important and lasting changes in your life and work.
• Practical. CPS can be used for dealing with everyday problems as well as long-term challenges and opportunities.
• Positive. CPS helps you to unleash your creative talent and to focus your thinking constructively. When applied by groups, CPS promotes teamwork, collaboration, and constructive diversity when dealing with complex opportunities and challenges.

Children, adolescents, and adults can learn and apply CPS, working independently or as part of a group or team.

Free Resources:

Click here to find a number of free resources that will explain CPS, to obtain articles that deal with both research and practice, and to obtain an extensive bibliography to give you direction for future reading and study.

Online Resources:

Click here for advanced online resources in PDF format to support your efforts to learn, apply, and teach CPS. These resources are available at a reasonable cost for immediate download. The cost of each one includes permission to duplicate the file for up to three other individuals at no additional charge.

Distance Learning Resources:

Click here for information about our extensive (newly revised and updated) distance learning modules on CPS.

Print Resources:

We also have print publications about problem-solving style that you can purchase.  Click here to view those publications.

Workshops, Training, Consulting Services:

Our CPS programs and services are custom-tailored to meet your needs and interests. We will confer with you, create a complete proposal to meet your unique needs, and work closely with you to carry out our collaborative plan. Click here for more.

We believe that all people have strengths and talents that are important to recognize, develop, and use throughout life.  Read more.

• https://sodo-group.com
• s999 casino
• sodo casino
• link sodo66
• trang chu sodo66
• 79sodo đăng nhập
• nhà cái s666
• BONG DA LUUU
• CV88 CASINO
• ZM88 TẶNG 100K
• VZ99 TẶNG 100K
• QH88 TẶNG 100K
• xổ số miền bắc 500 ngày
• nhà cái J88
• nhà cái SV88
• BAYVIP club
• KEN88 game bài
• nhà cái 6BET
• nhà cái 8DAY
• lô khung 1 ngày
• dàn de 16 số khung 5 ngày
• bạch thủ kép
• kèo nhà cái hôm nay
• nhà cái 8kbet
• lk88 casino
• BETLV casino
• trực tiếp 3s
• soi kèo ngoại hạng anh
• https://vj9999.site
• https://uw88.online
• https://vwinbets.com
• xổ số đại phát
• xổ số miền bắc đại phát
• xổ số miền nam đại phát
• kqxs đại phát
• xổ số thiên phú
• Xổ số phương trang
• linkviva88.net
• đăng ký w88
• casino trực tuyến uy tín
• tải game tài xỉu online
• xoc dia online
• top nhà cái uy tín
• nhà cái uy tín
• sp666 casino
• nhà cái bwing
• nha cai tk88
• https://tk886.com
• trang chu sodo
• nhà cái mb88
• app baby live
• app tiktok live
• https://one88vn.net/
• https://vb68.live/
• https://nhacaivb68.org/
• https://vb68.info/
• https://vb68.one/
• https://mu88gamebai.com/
• https://dulieunhacai.com/
• https://vn89nhacai.com/
• https://tk88vnd.com/
• https://tk88a.org/
• https://tk88pro.net/
• https://tk88a.net/
• https://tk88viet.com/
• https://tk88viet.org/
• https://tk88vietnam.com/
• https://tk88vietnam.org/
• https://kimsa88no1.com/
• https://sm66link.com/
• https://bet168no1.com/
• https://tk860.com/
• https://richditch.com/
• https://zb-bet.com/
• https://vivanau.net/
• https://fiyrra.com/
• https://tf88vn.fun/
• https://365rrd.com/
• https://78wed.com/
• https://ee8881.com/
• https://tk66live.live/
• https://qh888.net/
• https://funews.net/
• https://rodball.com/
• https://shbenqi.com/
• https://888wpc.com/
• https://3344ys.com/
• https://m88q.com/
• https://w88ap.net/
• https://jun-room.com/
• https://me8e.com/
• https://xsvwines.com/
• https://fbk8.com/
• https://jbohm.com/
• https://scotlandroyalty.org/
• https://newsbd7.com/
• skylush.net
• https://123bno1.com/
• https://188betno1.com/
• https://789betno1.com/
• https://78winno1.com/
• https://79sodono1.com/
• https://bet66no1.com/
• https://ttk86.com/
• https://hr99link.com/
• https://lixi88no1.com/
• https://mu88link.com/
• https://mu88no1.com/
• https://qh88link.com/
• https://qh88no1.com/
• https://s666no1.com/
• https://sm66no1.com/
• https://sodo66no1.com/
• https://vb138betno1.com/
• https://vx88no1.com/
• link sodo casino
• nhà cái jbo
• link ole777
• đăng ký vz99
• xổ số miền bắc minh chính
• sm66 nha cai
• soi cầu xổ số miền bắc
• trực tiếp kết quả xổ số
• lô đề online
• d9bet casino
• nhà cái pog79
• tỷ số trực tuyến 7m
• link vao fb88
• nha cai 188bet
• nha cai vn88
• nha cai m88
• trang chủ 789bet
• bet88vn.net
• soi kèo world cup 2022
• nhà cái bet88
• https://xocdia.biz/
• soi cầu xổ số
• fb88next.com
• fb88thai.com

Leadership Team

Our work builds on more than five decades of research, development, and practical experience in organizations. Learn more about our team .

Contact Information

Center for Creative Learning, LLC 2015 Grant Place Melbourne, Florida, 32901 USA Email: [email protected]

• Board of Directors

CPS for Educators

Transform your students into creative leaders, according to the world economic forum, creativity is a top skill needed for the 21st century workforce to succeed. as franklin d. roosevelt said, “we may not be able to prepare the future for our children, but we can prepare our children for the future.”.

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) unlocks creative thinking and teaches critical thinking processes that transform creativity into action. The CPS process also builds confidence, resilience, and tolerance for ambiguity because once learned, students know that whatever they face, they have clear steps to apply to get through any challenge.

CEF trains educators from K through College in the mindset, tool set, and skill set of CPS. A creative mindset improves communication, fosters positive engagement, and is fun. The tools and skills of CPS easily overlay any other initiative or curriculum because they enact a way of thinking and processing. Further, CPS fosters effective collaboration and team-building — all skills students need to have as part of a 21st Century workforce.

Bring Deliberate Creativity to Your School

To schedule your CPS Professional Development Training or to inquire about bringing CPSI to your school or campus, contact us today for more information.

CPS Professional Development   for Educators

Custom cps educator pd programs.

CEF can design workshops for your teaching teams as short as 90 minutes or for multiple days. We can provide virtual workshops, live workshops, one-on-one teacher coaching, and we can work with hundreds of teachers at once. Let us customize a CPS Educator PD program for you that fits your needs and budget.

Click below to learn more or schedule your CPS Professional Development Training or to inquire about bringing CPSI to your school or campus.

CPSI Conference

The Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI, “SIP-see”) is our signature, 4-Day creativity, innovation, and leadership conference held each June. We can also take our CPSI show on the road and bring it to your school for students, faculty, and administrators. We will design and run a virtual or on-campus CPSI conference for one day or multiple days and can include CPS and other creativity and innovation workshops. 

Foundations in CPS session descriptions

Session 1: setting the stage.

• How we solve problems everyday
• How we might solve problems faster
• Developing the mindset for deliberate creativity

Session 2: Introducing Creative Process

• Foursight preferences
• Introduce Clarify stage of CPS

Session 3: Formulating Challenges

• Gather data
• Formulate challenge statements
• Identify problem owner

Session 4: Exploring Ideas

• Ideation tools and methods
• Seeking outside perspectives

Session 5: Developing Solutions

• Convergence
• Find and formulate solutions

Session 6: Formulating a Plan

• Action planning
• Ownership of action steps
• Debriefing experiences

Session 7: Reviewing and Implementation

• Review of CPS process

Session 8: Coaching

• Unstructured time with course facilitators to review, practice, and personalize the learning

Creative Problem Solving generates break-through ideas, improves teamwork, and energizes the classroom. CPS professional development will help you and your students:

• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity. 
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking. 
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking. 
• Use a variety of divergent and convergent thinking tools. 
• Apply the CPS method to many simulated or real situations. 
• Consciously be creative when facing problems and opportunities.

Register today and complete continuing education hours that will inspire you for the new school year!

Why is creative problem solving important for students.

The world is changing at breakneck speed, and we must prepare students for this reality. In fact, we need to prepare children to be the inventors of this new and fast-changing world.

According to Forbes , people will change jobs 15-20 times and have as many as 7 careers. The US Department of Labor predicts that 65% of students will become adults holding jobs that don’t exist yet. Schools that teach deliberate creativity prepare students for the imminent unknown.

We work with schools that recognize the creativity gap and that seek to reclaim teachers’ and students’ natural creativity to develop integrated and dynamic systems that improve school culture and community, all while fostering breakthrough academic success.

Why should teachers and students learn Creative Problem Solving?

CPS fosters skills and abilities that represent an array of 21st Century outcomes. Educators and students will learn to:

• Value inquiry and curiosity, and how to use the tools and techniques to develop these intuitive inclinations.
• Embrace creativity, risk-taking, and imagination – qualities essential to revealing new ideas and solutions.
• Couple creative thinking with critical analysis to both unlock possibility and to define actionable activities.
• Collaborate as part of a team and communicate complex ideas.

CPS is an essential practice that helps students become nimble, fluent, and innovative thinkers.

Thinking Inside the Educational Box

Creativity often flourishes within restricted environments. CPS can cultivate creativity no matter what restrictions or barriers you may have. Our professional development generates break-through ideas, improves teamwork, and energizes participants.  Learn to:

• Recognize and overcome blocks to creativity.
• Identify attitudes and behaviors conducive to creative thinking.
• Apply core concepts of creative thinking.
• Use a variety of thinking tools.
• Apply the CPS process to simulated or real situations.
• Make deliberate creativity a regular way to engage the world.

What educators have to say about our professional development:

Creativity and problem solving are essential skills for students in this century. We use these skills in a variety of ways in our school. First, the CPS process is an excellent tool for students to understand, and implement, as they engage in and lead a more complex and demanding world. Second, at our school, we use the process to define and implement growth!

Head of School , Inly School

Creative Education Foundation is providing teachers in Stamford Public Schools ways to think differently about instructional practice; to allow students to understand there are many ways to solve problems and different answers to the same questions. As we educate in the 21st century and beyond and prepare students for college and careers we need to continue to reflect on how we teach but also on how students learn.

Superintendent , Stamford Public Schools

In education it is imperative that we consider not only the what (CPS) but the why and the how. Creative thinking and Creative Problem Solving foster and promote metacognition. Creative thinking enables a student to come to awareness. After teaching a very short unit on Learning Styles to a fourth-grade classroom, one student went home and told his Mom, “Mom, I am not stupid! I’m kinesthetic!”. That student went from a learning challenged student in elementary school to an honor student when he graduated from high school. He was able to learn and process information in his learning style without interfering with the teacher’s teaching and promote metacognition. Creative thinking enables a student to come to awareness.

Fourth Grade Teacher

As an academic, I have found that the CPS process provides a well- researched, grounded process to facilitate creativity and innovation. At our Center, we use the CPS process and tools to help students, faculty, and businesses identify new solutions to challenging problems in their communities and beyond. The CPS tools and techniques provide flexibility and structure for those we work with and help give them permission to bring their ideas forward, create new ones and approach their challenge from a different perspective.

Director , Center for Innovation, University of North Dakota

The challenges within Higher Education demand that universities and colleges control costs, Increase completion rates, and address inequities within institutional resources. Creative Problems Solving (CPS) provides a framework for identifying opportunities and solving problems when conventional thinking has failed.  The mindset of CPS encourages you to adopt creative thinking in order to find fresh perspectives and come up with innovative solutions. 

Whether deploying CPS within the academic or administrative divisions, CPS pulls on the strengths of teams by engaging the team in clarifying the challenge, generating potential Solutions and executing the action plan.

COO Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County , Formerly ND Innovates Program Director and Adjunct Faculty at the University of Notre Dame

Contact us today to schedule your CPS Professional Development Training or to inquire about bringing CPSI to your school or campus.

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 10 min read

Creative Problem Solving

Finding innovative solutions to challenges.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Imagine that you're vacuuming your house in a hurry because you've got friends coming over. Frustratingly, you're working hard but you're not getting very far. You kneel down, open up the vacuum cleaner, and pull out the bag. In a cloud of dust, you realize that it's full... again. Coughing, you empty it and wonder why vacuum cleaners with bags still exist!

James Dyson, inventor and founder of Dyson® vacuum cleaners, had exactly the same problem, and he used creative problem solving to find the answer. While many companies focused on developing a better vacuum cleaner filter, he realized that he had to think differently and find a more creative solution. So, he devised a revolutionary way to separate the dirt from the air, and invented the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner. [1]

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.

In this article, we'll explore what CPS is, and we'll look at its key principles. We'll also provide a model that you can use to generate creative solutions.

About Creative Problem Solving

Alex Osborn, founder of the Creative Education Foundation, first developed creative problem solving in the 1940s, along with the term "brainstorming." And, together with Sid Parnes, he developed the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Process. Despite its age, this model remains a valuable approach to problem solving. [2]

The early Osborn-Parnes model inspired a number of other tools. One of these is the 2011 CPS Learner's Model, also from the Creative Education Foundation, developed by Dr Gerard J. Puccio, Marie Mance, and co-workers. In this article, we'll use this modern four-step model to explore how you can use CPS to generate innovative, effective solutions.

Why Use Creative Problem Solving?

Dealing with obstacles and challenges is a regular part of working life, and overcoming them isn't always easy. To improve your products, services, communications, and interpersonal skills, and for you and your organization to excel, you need to encourage creative thinking and find innovative solutions that work.

CPS asks you to separate your "divergent" and "convergent" thinking as a way to do this. Divergent thinking is the process of generating lots of potential solutions and possibilities, otherwise known as brainstorming. And convergent thinking involves evaluating those options and choosing the most promising one. Often, we use a combination of the two to develop new ideas or solutions. However, using them simultaneously can result in unbalanced or biased decisions, and can stifle idea generation.

For more on divergent and convergent thinking, and for a useful diagram, see the book "Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making." [3]

Core Principles of Creative Problem Solving

CPS has four core principles. Let's explore each one in more detail:

• Divergent and convergent thinking must be balanced. The key to creativity is learning how to identify and balance divergent and convergent thinking (done separately), and knowing when to practice each one.
• Ask problems as questions. When you rephrase problems and challenges as open-ended questions with multiple possibilities, it's easier to come up with solutions. Asking these types of questions generates lots of rich information, while asking closed questions tends to elicit short answers, such as confirmations or disagreements. Problem statements tend to generate limited responses, or none at all.
• Defer or suspend judgment. As Alex Osborn learned from his work on brainstorming, judging solutions early on tends to shut down idea generation. Instead, there's an appropriate and necessary time to judge ideas during the convergence stage.
• Focus on "Yes, and," rather than "No, but." Language matters when you're generating information and ideas. "Yes, and" encourages people to expand their thoughts, which is necessary during certain stages of CPS. Using the word "but" – preceded by "yes" or "no" – ends conversation, and often negates what's come before it.

How to Use the Tool

Let's explore how you can use each of the four steps of the CPS Learner's Model (shown in figure 1, below) to generate innovative ideas and solutions.

Figure 1 – CPS Learner's Model

Explore the Vision

Identify your goal, desire or challenge. This is a crucial first step because it's easy to assume, incorrectly, that you know what the problem is. However, you may have missed something or have failed to understand the issue fully, and defining your objective can provide clarity. Read our article, 5 Whys , for more on getting to the root of a problem quickly.

Gather Data

Once you've identified and understood the problem, you can collect information about it and develop a clear understanding of it. Make a note of details such as who and what is involved, all the relevant facts, and everyone's feelings and opinions.

Formulate Questions

When you've increased your awareness of the challenge or problem you've identified, ask questions that will generate solutions. Think about the obstacles you might face and the opportunities they could present.

Explore Ideas

Generate ideas that answer the challenge questions you identified in step 1. It can be tempting to consider solutions that you've tried before, as our minds tend to return to habitual thinking patterns that stop us from producing new ideas. However, this is a chance to use your creativity .

Brainstorming and Mind Maps are great ways to explore ideas during this divergent stage of CPS. And our articles, Encouraging Team Creativity , Problem Solving , Rolestorming , Hurson's Productive Thinking Model , and The Four-Step Innovation Process , can also help boost your creativity.

See our Brainstorming resources within our Creativity section for more on this.

Formulate Solutions

This is the convergent stage of CPS, where you begin to focus on evaluating all of your possible options and come up with solutions. Analyze whether potential solutions meet your needs and criteria, and decide whether you can implement them successfully. Next, consider how you can strengthen them and determine which ones are the best "fit." Our articles, Critical Thinking and ORAPAPA , are useful here.

4. Implement

Formulate a plan.

Once you've chosen the best solution, it's time to develop a plan of action. Start by identifying resources and actions that will allow you to implement your chosen solution. Next, communicate your plan and make sure that everyone involved understands and accepts it.

There have been many adaptations of CPS since its inception, because nobody owns the idea.

For example, Scott Isaksen and Donald Treffinger formed The Creative Problem Solving Group Inc . and the Center for Creative Learning , and their model has evolved over many versions. Blair Miller, Jonathan Vehar and Roger L. Firestien also created their own version, and Dr Gerard J. Puccio, Mary C. Murdock, and Marie Mance developed CPS: The Thinking Skills Model. [4] Tim Hurson created The Productive Thinking Model , and Paul Reali developed CPS: Competencies Model. [5]

Sid Parnes continued to adapt the CPS model by adding concepts such as imagery and visualization , and he founded the Creative Studies Project to teach CPS. For more information on the evolution and development of the CPS process, see Creative Problem Solving Version 6.1 by Donald J. Treffinger, Scott G. Isaksen, and K. Brian Dorval. [6]

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Infographic

See our infographic on Creative Problem Solving .

Creative problem solving (CPS) is a way of using your creativity to develop new ideas and solutions to problems. The process is based on separating divergent and convergent thinking styles, so that you can focus your mind on creating at the first stage, and then evaluating at the second stage.

There have been many adaptations of the original Osborn-Parnes model, but they all involve a clear structure of identifying the problem, generating new ideas, evaluating the options, and then formulating a plan for successful implementation.

[1] Entrepreneur (2012). James Dyson on Using Failure to Drive Success [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 27, 2022.]

[2] Creative Education Foundation (2015). The CPS Process [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 26, 2022.]

[3] Kaner, S. et al. (2014). 'Facilitator′s Guide to Participatory Decision–Making,' San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

[4] Puccio, G., Mance, M., and Murdock, M. (2011). 'Creative Leadership: Skils That Drive Change' (2nd Ed.), Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

[5] OmniSkills (2013). Creative Problem Solving [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 26, 2022].

[6] Treffinger, G., Isaksen, S., and Dorval, B. (2010). Creative Problem Solving (CPS Version 6.1). Center for Creative Learning, Inc. & Creative Problem Solving Group, Inc. Available here .

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

Expert Interviews

The Power of Positive Deviance

Richard Pascale

Book Insights

Theory U: Leading From the Future as It Emerges

C. Otto Scharmer

Add comment

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!

Try Mind Tools for FREE

Get unlimited access to all our career-boosting content and member benefits with our 7-day free trial.

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Newest Releases

What Is Gibbs' Reflective Cycle?

Team Briefings

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

Onboarding with steps.

Helping New Employees to Thrive

NEW! Pain Points Podcast - Perfectionism

Why Am I Such a Perfectionist?

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

Decision-making mistakes and how to avoid them.

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Team Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

• CPS Training
• CPS Facilitation

Site Sponsor

Site author.

Paul Reali, MS, MBA OmniSkills Founder & Principal 336.926.8833 * E-mail Paul

PLEASE READ: Permissions to Use Site Content

We encourage you to use the content you find on this site, in accordance with the Creative Commons license specified here, and on each page:

Click the image above for a description of these terms. For additional permissions (e.g., to license the work for commercial use), e-mail us .

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

What is creative problem solving.

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a structured process for solving problems or finding opportunities, used when you want to go beyond conventional thinking and arrive at creative (novel and useful) solutions.

You can, of course, choose to solve problems in conventional ways. Indeed, most problems are solved using known solutions. Creativity is solving problems in new and better ways. Creativity is how your organization becomes truly innovative, and how it and uncovers new, different, and market-making opportunities.

WHAT DOES THE CPS MODEL LOOK LIKE?

Here's a quick description of the process, as illustrated. Someone will facilitate the process, making process-related decisions, an oversight function that is used throughout the process. The first stage is to imagine the future state that is wanted, in statements that begin with "I wish...," "I want...," "I will...," or "It would be great if...." Once a vision is decided upon, we find the questions that must be answered (or, problems that need to be solved) in order for the imagined future to come true. These questions will begin with "How to...," "How might...," "In what ways might...," and "What might be all the...." Once we select a question we will work on, we generate ideas that will answer the question. Ideas tend to be rough notions - that is, not implementable solutions - so we select the best ideas and use them to craft solutions . We explore acceptance for our solutions, so that we will know who will assist and who will resist, and what to do about it. Finally, we plan for action, which takes us to the doorway of implementation: creating the future we imagined at the beginning of the process.

IS CPS A CREATIVE WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS?

The word "creative" in the title refers to the results you seek: novel and useful solutions, not just tried and true and traditional ones. But is CPS itself creative? Well, while it is no longer novel per se - it has been is use since the 1950s - it is novel when compared to other problem-solving models. On the surface, CPS looks similar, but what is novel about CPS is this: CPS uses both divergent and convergent thinking at every stage of the process. Most other processes reserve the divergent thinking for the generating ideas stage, but use it nowhere else. CPS multiplies the power of divergent thinking by making it part of the entire process.

Thus, we have to confess that using CPS has an interesting side effect: it makes you re-think the way you thiink, and not just when you are solving problems.

IS CPS RIGHT FOR YOU?

First, let's consider problems and opportunities. CPS is a great choice if you want new thinking, new ideas, new solutions. It's a great choice if you find you are stuck, if you can't solve a certain problem (or problems ), even if - especially if - you're not sure what the problem is. CPS is a great choice if you are missing opportunities, or if you want to take advantage of the opportunities before you.

Second, let's consider leadership. Creative thinking and innovative vision are core leadership competencies. CPS provides a structured way for leaders to harness creative thinking, to lead the way to breakthrough innovations, to envision desired future states, and to determine how to get there.

Discover it. Right here, you can uncover the basics of Creative Problem Solving and CPS facilitation. Click the model above, or click here to get started .

Experience it. OmniSkills can facilitate the CPS process in your organization. Have a problem, situation, issue, or opportunity that's ready for new thinking? Let us show you how the process can work for you. Learn about facilitation of CPS here .

Learn it. There are many places to learn how to use and how to facilitate CPS, including: OmniSkills , the host of this site; the Creative Problem Solving Institute ; the International Center for Studies in Creativity ; and others.

Download it. We have free quick reference guides and worksheets, which you can download right here .

Use it. Try things out, and see how it goes. What's the worst that could happen?

Talk to us. OmniSkills is available to answer your questions and help you in whatever way you need. Email us here .

The Basics of Creative Problem Solving – CPS

By: Jeffrey Baumgartner

Creative problem solving isn’t just brainstorming, although that’s what many people may associate it with. It’s actually a well-defined process that can help you from problem definition to implementing solutions, according to Jeffrey Baumgartner.

Creative ideas do not suddenly appear in people’s minds for no apparent reason. Rather, they are the result of trying to solve a specific problem or to achieve a particular goal. Albert Einstein’s theories of relativity were not sudden inspirations. Rather they were the result of a huge amount of mental problem solving trying to close a discrepancy between the laws of physics and the laws of electromagnetism as they were understood at the time.

Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison and other creative geniuses have always worked in the same way. They do not wait for creative ideas to strike them. Rather they focus on trying to solve a clearly stated, at least in their minds, problem. This is just like important TED talks to ideate for business innovation specifically discussed to get a better solution for existing problems.

This approach has been formalized as Creative Problem Solving (CPS). CPS is a simple process that involves breaking down a problem to understand it, generating ideas to solve the problem and evaluating those ideas to find the most effective solutions. Highly creative people tend to follow this process in their heads, without thinking about it. Less naturally creative people simply have to learn to use this very simple process.

A 7-step CPS framework

Although creative problem solving has been around as long as humans have been thinking creatively and solving problems, it was first formalised as a process by Alex Osborn, who invented traditional brainstorming, and Sidney Parnes. Their Creative Problem Solving Process (CPSP) has been taught at the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo College in Buffalo, New York since the 1950s.

However, there are numerous different approaches to CPS. Mine is more focused on innovation (that is the implementation of the most promising ideas). It involves seven straightforward steps.

How to Turn Crowdsourced Ideas Into Business Proposals

In October 2020, Pact launched AfrIdea, a regional innovation program supported by the U.S. Department of State. This was geared towards unlocking the potential of West African entrepreneurs, social activists, and developers in uncovering solutions to post-COVID challenges. Through a contest, training, idea-a-thon and follow-on funding, they sought to activate a network of young entrepreneurs and innovators from Guinea, Mali, Senegal, and Togo to source and grow innovative solutions. Learn their seven-stage process in the AfrIdea case study.

Get the Case Study

• Clarify and identify the problem
• Research the problem
• Formulate creative challenges
• Generate ideas
• Combine and evaluate the ideas
• Draw up an action plan
• Do it! (implement the ideas)

Let us look at each step more closely:

1. Clarify and identify the problem

Arguably the single most important step of CPS is identifying your real problem or goal. This may seem easy, but very often, what we believe to be the problem is not the real problem or goal. For instance, you may feel you need a new job. However, if you break down your problem and analyse what you are really looking for, it may transpire that the actual issue is that your income does not cover your costs of living. In this case, the solution may be a new job, but it might also be to re-arrange your expenses or to seek a pay rise from your existing employer.

Five whys: A powerful problem-definition technique

The best way to clarify the problem and understand the underlying issues is to ask yourself – or better still, ask a friend or family member to ask you – a series of questions about your problem in order to clarify the true issues behind the problem. The first question to ask is simply: “why is this a problem?” or “why do I wish to achieve this goal?” Once you have answered that, ask yourself “why else?” four more times.

For instance, you might feel you want to overcome your shyness. So, you ask yourself why and you answer: “because I am lonely”. Then ask yourself “Why else?” four times. You answer: “Because I do not know many people in this new city where I live”, “Because I find it hard to meet people”, “Because I am doing many activities alone” and “Because I would like to do activities with other people who share my interests”. This last “why else” is clearly more of the issue than reducing shyness. Indeed, if you had focused your creative energy on solving your shyness issue, you would not have actually solved the real problem. On the other hand, if you focused your creative energy on finding people with whom to share activities, you would be happier without ever having to address the shyness issue.

More questions you can ask to help clearly define the problem

In addition, you can further clarify your problem by asking questions like: “What do I really wish to accomplish?”, “What is preventing me from solving this problem/achieving the goal?”, “How do I envision myself in six months/one year/five years [choose most relevant time span] as a result of solving this problem?” and “Are my friends dealing with similar problems? If so, how are they coping?”

By the time you have answered all these questions, you should have a very clear idea of what your problem or real goal is.

Set criteria for judging potential solutions

The final step is to decide what criteria you will eventually use to evaluate or judge the ideas. Are there budget limitations, timeframe or other restrictions that will affect whether or not you can go ahead with an idea? What will you want to have accomplished with the ideas? What do you wish to avoid when you implement these ideas? Think about it and make a list of three to five evaluation criteria. Then put the list aside. You will not need it for a while.

2. Research the problem

The next step in CPS is to research the problem in order to get a better understanding of it. Depending on the nature of the problem, you may need to do a great deal of research or very little. The best place to start these days is with your favourite search engine. But do not neglect good old fashioned sources of information and opinion. Libraries are fantastic for in-depth information that is easier to read than computer screens. Friends, colleagues and family can also provide thoughts on many issues. Fora on sites like LinkedIn and elsewhere are ideal for asking questions. There’s nothing an expert enjoys more than imparting her knowledge. Take advantage of that. But always try to get feedback from several people to ensure you get well-rounded information.

3. Formulate one or more creative challenges

By now, you should be clear on the real issues behind your problems or goals. The next step is to turn these issues into creative challenges. A creative challenge is basically a simple question framed to encourage suggestions or ideas. In English, a challenge typically starts with “In what ways might I [or we]…?” or “How might I…?” or “How could I…?”

Creative challenges should be simple, concise and focus on a single issue. For example: “How might I improve my Chinese language skills and find a job in Shanghai?” is two completely separate challenges. Trying to generate ideas that solve both challenges will be difficult and, as a result, will stifle idea generation. So separate these into two challenges: “How might I improve my Chinese language skills?” and “How might I find a job in Shanghai?” Then attack each challenge individually. Once you have ideas for both, you may find a logical approach to solving both problems in a coordinated way. Or you might find that there is not a coordinated way and each problem must be tackled separately.

Creative challenges should not include evaluation criteria. For example: “How might I find a more challenging job that is better paying and situated close to my home?” If you put criteria in the challenge, you will limit your creative thinking. So simply ask: “How might a I find a more challenging job?” and after generating ideas, you can use the criteria to identify the ideas with the greatest potential.

4. Generate ideas

Finally, we come to the part most people associate with brainstorming and creative problem solving: idea generation. And you probably know how this works. Take only one creative challenge. Give yourself some quiet time and try to generate at least 50 ideas that may or may not solve the challenge. You can do this alone or you can invite some friends or family members to help you.

Irrespective of your idea generation approach, write your ideas on a document. You can simply write them down in linear fashion, write them down on a mind map, enter them onto a computer document (such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice) or use a specialized software for idea generation. The method you use is not so important. What is important is that you follow these rules:

Write down every idea that comes to mind. Even if the idea is ludicrous, stupid or fails to solve the challenge, write it down. Most people are their own worst critics and by squelching their own ideas, make themselves less creative. So write everything down. NO EXCEPTIONS!

If other people are also involved, insure that no one criticizes anyone else’s ideas in any way. This is called squelching, because even the tiniest amount of criticism can discourage everyone in the group for sharing their more creative ideas. Even a sigh or the rolling of eyes can be critical. Squelching must be avoided!

If you are working alone, don’t stop until you’ve reached your target of 50 (or more) ideas. If you are working with other people, set a time limit like 15 or 20 minutes. Once you have reached this time limit, compare ideas and make a grand list that includes them all. Then ask everyone if the have some new ideas. Most likely people will be inspired by others’ ideas and add more to the list.

If you find you are not generating sufficient ideas, give yourself some inspiration. A classic trick is to open a book or dictionary and pick out a random word. Then generate ideas that somehow incorporate this word. You might also ask yourself what other people whom you know; such as your grandmother, your partner, a friend or a character on you favourite TV show, might suggest.

Brainstorming does not need to occur at your desk. Take a trip somewhere for new inspiration. Find a nice place in a beautiful park. Sit down in a coffee shop on a crowded street corner. You can even walk and generate ideas.

In addition, if you browse the web for brainstorming and idea generation, you will find lots of creative ideas on how to generate creative ideas!

One last note: If you are not in a hurry, wait until the next day and then try to generate another 25 ideas; ideally do this in the morning. Research has shown that our minds work on creative challenges while we sleep. Your initial idea generation session has been good exercise and has certainly generated some great ideas. But it will probably also inspire your unconscious mind to generate some ideas while you sleep. Don’t lose them!

5. Combine and evaluate ideas

After you have written down all of your ideas, take a break. It might just be an hour. It might be a day or more. Then go through the ideas. Related ideas can be combined together to form big ideas (or idea clusters).

Then, using the criteria you devised earlier, choose all of the ideas that broadly meet those criteria. This is important. If you focus only on the “best” ideas or your favorite ideas, the chances are you will choose the less creative ones! Nevertheless, feel free to include your favorite ideas in the initial list of ideas.

Now get out that list of criteria you made earlier and go through each idea more carefully. Consider how well it meets each criterion and give it a rating of 0 to 5 points, with five indicating a perfect match. If an idea falls short of a criterion, think about why this is so. Is there a way that it can be improved in order to increase its score? If so, make a note. Once you are finished, all of the ideas will have an evaluation score. Those ideas with the highest score best meet your criteria. They may not be your best ideas or your favorite ideas, but they are most likely to best solve your problem or enable you to achieve your goal.

Depending on the nature of the challenge and the winning ideas, you may be ready to jump right in and implement your ideas. In other cases, ideas may need to be developed further. With complex ideas, a simple evaluation may not be enough. You may need to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis or discuss the idea with others who will be affected by it. If the idea is business related, you may need to do a business case, market research, build a prototype or a combination of all of these.

Also, keep in mind that you do not need to limit yourself to one winning idea. Often you can implement several ideas in order to solve your challenge.

6. Draw up an action plan

At this point, you have some great ideas. However, a lot of people have trouble motivating themselves to take the next step. Creative ideas may mean big changes or taking risks. Some of us love change and risk. Others are scared by it. Draw up an action plan with the simple steps you need to take in order to implement your ideas. Ideas that involve a lot work to implement can be particularly intimidating. Breaking their implementation down into a series of readily accomplished tasks makes these ideas easier to cope with and implement.

This is the simplest step of all. Take your action plan and implement your idea. And if the situation veers away from your action plan steps, don’t worry. Rewrite your action plan!

CPS and innovation

Any effective innovation initiative or process will use CPS at the front end. Our innovation process does so. TRIZ  also uses elements of CPS. Any effective and sustainable idea management system or ideation activity will be based on CPS.

Systems  and methods that do not use CPS or use it badly, on the other hand, tend not to be sustainable and fail early on. Suggestion schemes in which employees or the public are invited to submit any idea whatsoever are effectively asking users of the system to determine a problem and then offer a solution. This will result not only in many ideas, but many different problems, most of which will not be relevant to your strategic needs. Worse, having to evaluate every idea in the context of its implied problem – which may not be clear – is a nightmare from a resource point of view.

Systems and methods which are based on CPS, but in which creative challenges are poorly defined, also deliver poor results either because users do not understand the challenge or the problem is poorly understood and the resulting challenge stimulates ideas which in themselves are good, but which are not actually solutions to the true problem.

That said, CPS is a conceptually simple process – but critical to any innovation process. If you do not use it already, familiarize yourself with the process and start using it. You will find it does wonders for your innovativeness.

By Jeffrey Baumgartner

About the author

Main image: young person thinking with glowing puzzle mind from Shutterstock.com

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

Privacy overview.

Creative Problem-Solving

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 01 January 2023
• Cite this reference work entry

• Gerard J. Puccio 2 ,
• Barry Klarman 2 &
• Pamela A. Szalay 2  

116 Accesses

Life and work in the beginning of the twenty-first century has been described as volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. In this fast changing, innovation-driven environment, Creative Problem-Solving has been identified as a fundamental skill for success. In contrast to routine problem-solving, with straightforward and repeatable solution paths, today’s problems are described as being complex and wicked. To generate the possibilities that can effectively address complex problems, individuals need to draw on the highest level of human thought – creativity. Creative Problem-Solving explicitly draws on, and promotes, effective creative thinking. The purpose of this entry is to describe and distinguish Creative Problem-Solving from other forms of problems-solving. Moreover, as Creative Problem-Solving is a deliberate creativity methodology, this chapter also provides a description of the more specific thinking skills that are embodied by the higher-order skill of creative thinking and are explicitly called on in Creative Problem-Solving. Complex problems require complex thinking, and Creative Problem-Solving provides a structured process that allows individuals to more easily and efficiently deploy their creative thinking skills.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives: Complete edition . New York: Longman.

Google Scholar  

Basadur, M. (1994). Simplex. Buffalo, NY: The Creative Education Foundation.

Brackett, M. (2019). Permission to feel: Unlocking the power of emotions to help our kids, ourselves, and our society thrive . New York: Celadon Books.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience . New York: HarperPerennial.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention . New York: HarperCollins.

Darwin, C. (2003). The origin of species: By means of natural selection of the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life (p. 252). New York: Signet Classics.

Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ . New York: Bantam.

Isaksen, S. G., & Treffinger, D. J. (1985). Creative problem solving: The basic course. Buffalo, NY: Bearly Limited.

Isaksen, S. G., Dorval, K. B., & Treffinger, D. J. (1994). Creative approaches to problem solving. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.

Isaksen, S. G., Dorval, K. B. & Treffinger, D. J. (2000). Creative approaches to problem solving (2nd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.

Johnson, B. (1996). Polarity management: Identifying and managing unsolvable problem . Amherst: HRD Press.

Miller, J. C. (2004). The transcendent function: Jung’s model of psychological growth through dialogue with the unconscious . Albany: State University of New York Press.

Morriss-Kay, G. M. (2010). The evolution of human artistic creativity. Journal of Anatomy, 216 , 158–176.

Article   Google Scholar  

Mumford, M. D., Zaccaro, S. J., Harding, F. D., Jacobs, T. O., & Fleishman, E. A. (2000). Leadership skills for a changing world: Solving complex problems. Leadership Quarterly, 11 , 11–35.

Osborn, A. F. (1953). Applied imagination: Principles and procedures of creative problem-solving . New York: Scribner.

Osborn, A. F. (1963). Applied imagination: Principles and procedures of creative problem-solving (3rd ed.). New York: Scribner.

Otani, A. (2015, January). These are the skills you need if you want to be headhunted. Retrieved on 27 July 2015 from Osborn, A. F. (1953). Applied imagination: Principles and procedures of creative problem-solving . New York: Scribner.

Parnes, S. J. (1967). Creative behavior workbook. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Parnes, S. J. (1988). Visionizing. East Aurora, NY: D.O.K. Publishers.

Parnes, S. J. (1992). Creative problem solving and visionizing. In S.J. Parnes (Ed.), Sourcebook for creative problem solving (pp. 133–154). Buffalo, NY: Creative Education Press.

Parnes, S. J., & Biondi, A. M. (1975). Creative behavior: A delicate balance. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 9 , 149–158.

Puccio, G. J. (2017). From the dawn of humanity to the 21st century: Creativity as an enduring survival skill. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 51 , 330–334. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.203 .

Puccio, G. J., Murdock, M. C., & Mance, M. (2005). Current developments in creative problem solving for organizations: A focus on thinking skills and styles. The Korean Journal of Thinking & Problem Solving, 15 , 43–76.

Puccio, G. J., Mance, M., & Murdock, M. (2011). Creative leadership: Skills that drive change (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

Puccio, G. J., Mance, M., Switalski, B., & Reali, P. (2012). Creativity rising: Creative thinking and problem solving in the 21st century . Buffalo: ICSC Press.

Puccio, G. J., Burnett, C., Acar, S., Yudess, J. A., Holinger, M., & Cabra, J. F. (2018). Creative problem solving in small groups: The effects of creativity training on idea generation, solution creativity, and leadership effectiveness. The Journal of Creative Behavior . Advance online publication. [not sure of order]. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.381 .

Scott, G. M., Leritz, L. E., & Mumford, M. D. (2004). The effectiveness of creativity training: A meta-analysis. Creativity Research Journal, 16 , 361–388.

Stokes, P. D. (2013). Crossing disciplines: A constraint-based model of the creative/innovative process. The Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31 (2), 247–228. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpim.12093 .

Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Vehar, J. R., Firestien, R. L., & Miller, B. (1997). Creativity unbound. Williamsville, NY: Innovation Systems Group.

Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don’t teach the new survival skills our children need – And what we can do about it . New York: Basic Books.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

International Center for Studies in Creativity, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

Gerard J. Puccio, Barry Klarman & Pamela A. Szalay

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gerard J. Puccio .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

Vlad Petre Glăveanu

Section Editor information

No affiliation provided

Sergio Agnoli

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Puccio, G.J., Klarman, B., Szalay, P.A. (2022). Creative Problem-Solving. In: Glăveanu, V.P. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90913-0_41

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90913-0_41

Published : 26 January 2023

Publisher Name : Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-90912-3

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-90913-0

eBook Packages : Behavioral Science and Psychology Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Share this entry

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• Technical Support
• Find My Rep

You are here

Creative Approaches to Problem Solving A Framework for Innovation and Change

• Scott G. Isaksen - Creative Problem Solving Group, Inc., Norwegian School of Management, Norway
• K. Brian Dorval - Think First Serve, Inc.
• Donald J. Treffinger - Center for Creative Learning, Inc.
• Description

Everything your students need to solve problems, manage change and deliver innovation using the Creative Problem Solving framework This text is the most comprehensive and contemporary overview and description of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) available today. Friendly and highly practical for a broad base of researchers and practitioners, the book provides a framework, language, guidelines, and set of easy-to-use tools for understanding challenges, generating ideas, and transforming promising ideas into action. New and Hallmark Features

• The authors expanded their emphasis on CPS as a flexible, dynamic process that enables users to select and apply CPS tools, components, and stages in a meaningful way that meets their actual needs.
• A framework for problem solving that has been tested and applied across ages, settings, and cultures allows readers to apply a common approach to process across many traditional "boundaries."
• Specific objectives in each chapter provide a clear focus for instruction or independent learning.
• Practical case studies introduced at the beginning of each chapter and then completed as a "rest of the story" toward the end of the chapter provide an application anchor for the reader.
• New enhanced graphics: Updated and refreshed tables, figures, and illustrative images provide "pictures" to go along with the authors' words.

A companion Web site with additional resources can be found at www.sagepub.com/Isaksen3e .

See what’s new to this edition by selecting the Features tab on this page. Should you need additional information or have questions regarding the HEOA information provided for this title, including what is new to this edition, please email [email protected] . Please include your name, contact information, and the name of the title for which you would like more information. For information on the HEOA, please go to http://ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html .

For assistance with your order: Please email us at [email protected] or connect with your SAGE representative.

SAGE 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 www.sagepub.com

"The authors have assembled a complete illustration of the CPS construct."

This book includes a number of key areas that are relevant to the students studying problem solving as we move into more creative decision making,

The book offers a fun-filled was to teach highly important topics like the generation of ideas in a team, preparing individuals and teams for action, and the essentials of planning and designing ones approach to problem solving.

I will be mainly using these parts of the book for the current IHRM course, but am contemplating a separate workshop on design thinking and creative problem solving that uses the Isaksen, Dorval and Treffinger text as one of the two or three essential texts.

I will be mainly using these parts of the book for the course current course, but am contemplating a separate workshop on design thinking and creative problem solving that uses the Isaksen, Dorval and Treffinger text as one of the two or three essential texts.

Useful information

Seems to have a good overview of CPS in an experiential approach

Hands-on approach to problem solving with strategies that can easily be put into practice.

This book provides very clear and detailed description of each aspect opf a relatively complex model. It is very practical and illustrated with some useful examples. As one would expect the work is very systematic and comprehensive, with useful reflective tasks. The case studies aid understanding, and the tips for getting started are useful. Good web site too.

Recommended text for the Business Methods module. Steps student through problem solving concepts from idea generation to evaluation through to implementation.

Nopt what I expected for use in this class but good generally for a mid level management class. Perhaps in the future.

• Specific objectives in each chapter for the reader
• Practical case study introduced at the beginning of each chapter and then completed as the "Rest of the Story" toward the end of the chapter
• Upgraded and refreshed mix of graphics and visuals
• Enhanced emphasis on flexible, dynamic process
• Framework tested and applied across ages, settings, and cultures
• Provides an extensive set of specific tools that are also organized in a structured system

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1 - Creative Approaches to Problem Solving

Chapter 7 - People as Creative Problem Solvers

For instructors

Select a purchasing option.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

• Career Development
• Communication
• Decision-Making
• Earning Your MBA
• Negotiation
• News & Events
• Productivity
• Staff Spotlight
• Student Profiles
• Work-Life Balance
• AI Essentials for Business
• Alternative Investments
• Business Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Business and Climate Change
• Design Thinking and Innovation
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Disruptive Strategy
• Economics for Managers
• Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Financial Accounting
• Global Business
• Launching Tech Ventures
• Leadership Principles
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Leading with Finance
• Management Essentials
• Negotiation Mastery
• Organizational Leadership
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact
• Strategy Execution
• Sustainable Business Strategy
• Sustainable Investing
• Winning with Digital Platforms

What Is Creative Problem-Solving & Why Is It Important?

• 01 Feb 2022

One of the biggest hindrances to innovation is complacency—it can be more comfortable to do what you know than venture into the unknown. Business leaders can overcome this barrier by mobilizing creative team members and providing space to innovate.

There are several tools you can use to encourage creativity in the workplace. Creative problem-solving is one of them, which facilitates the development of innovative solutions to difficult problems.

Here’s an overview of creative problem-solving and why it’s important in business.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Creative Problem-Solving?

Research is necessary when solving a problem. But there are situations where a problem’s specific cause is difficult to pinpoint. This can occur when there’s not enough time to narrow down the problem’s source or there are differing opinions about its root cause.

In such cases, you can use creative problem-solving , which allows you to explore potential solutions regardless of whether a problem has been defined.

Creative problem-solving is less structured than other innovation processes and encourages exploring open-ended solutions. It also focuses on developing new perspectives and fostering creativity in the workplace . 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. Creative problem-solving helps overcome unforeseen challenges and find solutions to unconventional problems.
• Fueling innovation and growth : In addition to solutions, creative problem-solving can spark innovative ideas that drive company growth. These ideas can lead to new product lines, services, or a modified operations structure that improves efficiency.

Creative problem-solving is traditionally based on the following key principles :

1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Creative problem-solving uses two primary tools to find solutions: divergence and convergence. Divergence generates ideas in response to a problem, while convergence narrows them down to a shortlist. It balances these two practices and turns ideas into concrete solutions.

2. Reframe Problems as Questions

By framing problems as questions, you shift from focusing on obstacles to solutions. This provides the freedom to brainstorm potential ideas.

3. Defer Judgment of Ideas

When brainstorming, it can be natural to reject or accept ideas right away. Yet, immediate judgments interfere with the idea generation process. Even ideas that seem implausible can turn into outstanding innovations upon further exploration and development.

4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But"

Using negative words like "no" discourages creative thinking. Instead, use positive language to build and maintain an environment that fosters the development of creative and innovative ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Whereas creative problem-solving facilitates developing innovative ideas through a less structured workflow, design thinking takes a far more organized approach.

Design thinking is a human-centered, solutions-based process that fosters the ideation and development of solutions. In the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar leverages a four-phase framework to explain design thinking.

The four stages are:

• Clarify: The clarification stage allows you to empathize with the user and identify problems. Observations and insights are informed by thorough research. Findings are then reframed as problem statements or questions.
• Ideate: Ideation is the process of coming up with innovative ideas. The divergence of ideas involved with creative problem-solving is a major focus.
• Develop: In the development stage, ideas evolve into experiments and tests. Ideas converge and are explored through prototyping and open critique.
• Implement: Implementation involves continuing to test and experiment to refine the solution and encourage its adoption.

Creative problem-solving primarily operates in the ideate phase of design thinking but can be applied to others. This is because design thinking is an iterative process that moves between the stages as ideas are generated and pursued. This is normal and encouraged, as innovation requires exploring multiple ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving Tools

While there are many useful tools in the creative problem-solving process, here are three you should know:

Creating a Problem Story

One way to innovate is by creating a story about a problem to understand how it affects users and what solutions best fit their needs. Here are the steps you need to take to use this tool properly.

1. Identify a UDP

Create a problem story to identify the undesired phenomena (UDP). For example, consider a company that produces printers that overheat. In this case, the UDP is "our printers overheat."

2. Move Forward in Time

To move forward in time, ask: “Why is this a problem?” For example, minor damage could be one result of the machines overheating. In more extreme cases, printers may catch fire. Don't be afraid to create multiple problem stories if you think of more than one UDP.

3. Move Backward in Time

To move backward in time, ask: “What caused this UDP?” If you can't identify the root problem, think about what typically causes the UDP to occur. For the overheating printers, overuse could be a cause.

Following the three-step framework above helps illustrate a clear problem story:

• The printer is overused.
• The printer overheats.
• The printer breaks down.

You can extend the problem story in either direction if you think of additional cause-and-effect relationships.

4. Break the Chains

By this point, you’ll have multiple UDP storylines. Take two that are similar and focus on breaking the chains connecting them. This can be accomplished through inversion or neutralization.

• Inversion: Inversion changes the relationship between two UDPs so the cause is the same but the effect is the opposite. For example, if the UDP is "the more X happens, the more likely Y is to happen," inversion changes the equation to "the more X happens, the less likely Y is to happen." Using the printer example, inversion would consider: "What if the more a printer is used, the less likely it’s going to overheat?" Innovation requires an open mind. Just because a solution initially seems unlikely doesn't mean it can't be pursued further or spark additional ideas.
• Neutralization: Neutralization completely eliminates the cause-and-effect relationship between X and Y. This changes the above equation to "the more or less X happens has no effect on Y." In the case of the printers, neutralization would rephrase the relationship to "the more or less a printer is used has no effect on whether it overheats."

Even if creating a problem story doesn't provide a solution, it can offer useful context to users’ problems and additional ideas to be explored. Given that divergence is one of the fundamental practices of creative problem-solving, it’s a good idea to incorporate it into each tool you use.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a tool that can be highly effective when guided by the iterative qualities of the design thinking process. It involves openly discussing and debating ideas and topics in a group setting. This facilitates idea generation and exploration as different team members consider the same concept from multiple perspectives.

Hosting brainstorming sessions can result in problems, such as groupthink or social loafing. To combat this, leverage a three-step brainstorming method involving divergence and convergence :

• Have each group member come up with as many ideas as possible and write them down to ensure the brainstorming session is productive.
• Continue the divergence of ideas by collectively sharing and exploring each idea as a group. The goal is to create a setting where new ideas are inspired by open discussion.
• Begin the convergence of ideas by narrowing them down to a few explorable options. There’s no "right number of ideas." Don't be afraid to consider exploring all of them, as long as you have the resources to do so.

Alternate Worlds

The alternate worlds tool is an empathetic approach to creative problem-solving. It encourages you to consider how someone in another world would approach your situation.

For example, if you’re concerned that the printers you produce overheat and catch fire, consider how a different industry would approach the problem. How would an automotive expert solve it? How would a firefighter?

Be creative as you consider and research alternate worlds. The purpose is not to nail down a solution right away but to continue the ideation process through diverging and exploring ideas.

Continue Developing Your Skills

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, learning the ropes of design thinking can be an effective way to build your skills and foster creativity and innovation in any setting.

If you're ready to develop your design thinking and creative problem-solving skills, 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

LIST OF TRIZ-BOOKS