This is the fourth stage in the Creative Problem Solving Process. The complete model can be found here: https://andrewzenyuch.com/?p=622
Goal
Generate ideas that are potential solution to the problem statement selected.
Statement Starters
- I wish…
- It would be great if…
- What if I could…
- Wouldn’t it be great if…
Process – Diverge
- Write your new problem statement at the top of a new piece of paper.
- On the following page, begin generating solutions to your problem.
- Try to use the Statement Starters as much as possible.
- Try not to limit yourself when generating these ideas.
- If you get stuck, try:
- Brainwriting
- Forced Connections
- SCAMPER
Brainwriting (a more detailed process outline can be found here: https://andrewzenyuch.com/?p=429)
- Take out a blank sheet of paper
- Write your problem statement at the top of this paper.
- Draw a line down the middle of the page vertically, then draw 3 more lines about the same distance apart horizontally. Your paper should be divided into 8 sections.
- Write down 2 ideas to solve your problem in the first 2 boxes of your sheet.
- Once you have 2 ideas written down, give you paper to somebody else and have them write 2 ideas down in the next 2 boxes. They can build off of your ideas or they can write completely original ideas.
- When they’ve written 2 ideas, your sheet should have 4 ideas on it. Pass your sheet on to someone else and have them write 2 ideas down in the next 2 boxes. They can build off of your ideas or they can write completely original ideas.
- Your sheet should have 6 ideas on it now. Pass your sheet on to someone else and have them write 2 ideas down in the next 2 boxes. They can build off of your ideas or they can write completely original ideas.
- Your sheet should now have 8 ideas on it.
- Review your sheet and see if the ideas from the other people spark any ideas of your own. See if you can build off of them or take them in a whole new direction. Turn your paper over and write down these ideas.
Forced Connections
- How would your mother solve this problem?
- Think about your favorite movie. Who was the main character? What characteristics did he/she embody. How would he/she solve this problem?
- Refer back to your Fact Finding list and find who else is involved. How would they solve this problem?
- How would a 4 year-old solve this problem?
- Are they any objects in the room? Pick one up, study it, write down some of its characteristics and see what ideas you can get from it.
- Pick up a magazine, thumb through it, read a page or 2, look at some ads and see what ideas you can get from it.
- How would your favorite teacher growing up solve this problem?
- Put on some music. Listen to the lyrics, the instruments, and other musical elements and see what ideas you can get from it.
- Think of your favorite vacation. Mentally relive your favorite parts of it for a few minutes and see what ideas you can get from it.
- Take out your wallet or purse and examine the contents. What’s in it? What does it do? How can it help solve your problem?
SCAMPER
Think of your problem statement and ask what can I:
- Substitute – What can be swapped out for something else? People? Processes? Components?
- Combine – Are there things I can put together to help? Can I put a few things together to help me solve my problem?
- Adapt – What’s something I can modify to help? What’s useful for me in other areas that I can apply to this problem?
- Magnify or Minimize – Can I make part of this problem really big or really small to help?
- Put To Other Uses – If I could move this problem to another part of my life, how would I solve it there? Is there another use for this problem?
- Eliminate – Are there any parts of this problem that I can eliminate? How?
- Reverse or Rearrange – What if I turned this problem completely around?
Process – Converge
- Once you have a long list of ideas for possible solutions to your problem, stop and review your list.
- Add anything else that comes to mind.
- Cluster similar ideas together.
- Give each cluster a name that represents the common theme running through each idea within that cluster.
- Go through your list and put a star next to anything that:
- Immediately grabs your attention.
- You feel the strongest about.
- Would be the most satisfying to solve.
- You have the most control over.
- You feel needs the most imagination and new ideas.
- The ones with the most stars should represent your most important. However, the stars are only advisory.
- Now the tough part – pick just one cluster (But don’t worry, the beauty of the process is you can come back and pick a different one to continue the process with at a later time.)
- Using the cluster you picked, restate the cluster as a way to solve your problem by using the Statement Starter: “What I see myself doing is…”
CONGRATULATIONS! You have just completed the Idea Finding Stage of the Creative Problem Solving Process. You are now ready to complete the next stage – Solution Finding: https://andrewzenyuch.com/?p=439