MODULE 4 Sem: VIII SUB: Product Design and Development

Creativity and problem-solving methods

What is creative problem solving?
The definition of creative problem solving (CPS) will vary between organizations. At its core,
CPS involves approaching a problem in an imaginative, innovative, and unconventional way.
The process encourages you to find new, creative ways of thinking that can help you overcome
the issue at hand more quickly.
The CPS process can be broken down into seven steps.

1. Identify the goal

Before solving the problem, you need to fully understand the problem you’re trying to solve.
You may have overlooked or misunderstood some details. Take some time to analyse the
conflict and clear up any confusion.

Product Design and Development Sem-VIII Compiled by S.D. Bagg

 MODULE 4 Sem: VIII SUB: Product Design and Development
2. Gather data
Once you know what the problem is, you need to learn all you can about it. Who does the
problem affect? Who is involved in solving the issue? Gather all the knowledge you can to gain
a better understanding of the issue and to solve it.
3. Formulate challenge questions
After you’ve gathered the details, turn the problem into a question. Word the question in a way
that encourages suggestions or ideas. It should be short, concise, and only focus on a single
issue. Once you’ve created one or two questions, start trying to answer them.
4. Explore ideas
This step is where the brainstorming begins. You’ll be creating possible ideas or solutions to
the problem you’re facing. This is usually when the creativity really starts to flow. With so
many ideas flowing, it’s crucial that you write each of them down—even the stupid ones. Even
if the idea you come up with has little to no chance of working, write it down. Trying to sort
out bad ideas from the good ones during this step can squash creativity.
5. Come up with solutions
Weed out the average ideas from the winners by testing each one. See if the possible solution
actually solves the problem and if you can implement it successfully. If the potential solution
doesn’t resolve the issue, move on to the next idea. Evaluating each idea will help you zero in
on the perfect solution.
6. Create an action plan
Now that you have the perfect solution, you’ll need to create an action plan outlining
implementation step. Consider what resources you’ll need and how long it will take. Then write
it all down. Once you create the plan, communicate the approach to the rest of the team so
they’re aware of what’s happening.
7. Take action
With your plan created and your team on board, it’s time to implement your solution and resolve
the problem.

Product Design and Development Sem-VIII Compiled by S.D. Bagg