the CIA’s Secrets to

Creative Problem Solving

How do we cross
the river?
CREATIVE THINKING INSTRUCTORS
 Office of
Strategic Services
 Minds are like parachutes.
They only function when they
are open.

Richards Heuer, 1999

Full text at cia.gov

Heuer Jr. R. J. Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. Center

for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency.
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-
intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-
monographs/psychology-of-intelligence-
analysis/PsychofIntelNew.pdf
 It is “crucial to find a
way of routinizing, even
bureaucratizing, the exercise of
imagination.”

9/11 Commission Report, 2004

Delivered more than

70 courses in creative thinking
over the last 10 years
Kean, Thomas H, and Lee Hamilton. The 9/11 Commission
Report: Final Report of the National Commission on
Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Washington,
D.C.: National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the
United States, 2004. Print.
 More than 60% of 1,500
CEOs surveyed stated that
creativity was one of the top
skills they looked for in new
hires.

IBM, 2010

Top 3 job skills in 2020 will

be complex problem solving,
critical thinking, and creativity.

World Economic Forum, 2016

IBM Global CEO Study. May 2010, IBM.
http://www.ibm.com/ceostudy

Future of Jobs Report. 18 January

2016, World Economic Forum.
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the
-future-of-jobs
Thinking Model
• Selecting plan
• Idea implementation
• Making choices

? DIVERGENT CONVERGENT
!
• Exploring possibilities
• Ideating solutions
• Creating choices

Razumnikova O.M. (2013) Divergent Versus Convergent Thinking. In: Carayannis E.G. (eds)
Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY.
Thinking Model

? DIVERGENT CONVERGENT
!

Razumnikova O.M. (2013) Divergent Versus Convergent Thinking. In: Carayannis E.G. (eds)
Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY.
 Creativity is hard.
Yours is hiding undercover.
 Framing Bias Comfort Zone

Preference for Logic Status Quo

 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box

WOOD DUCK OTTER

Analogical Thinking Breaking Patterns
WOMBAT
Framing the Problem
 ?
?
? ?
?
Questions are at the HEART of
intelligence analysis.
? How will commercial autonomous vehicles
change our world in the next 5-10 years?

What might be all the ways the rise of

driverless vehicles will change our future?

? How will environment and climate change

impact access to fresh water supplies?

In what ways could environment and

climate change impact the safety/access
of our water?

? What would happen if global food supplies

ran short?

What might be all the scenarios if our

global food system failed simultaneously?
FRAMING
BIAS
 Invitational
Language
Invitational
Language

REFRAME
Invitational
Language QUESTIONS
Invitational
Language
How do we do
our work better?
WoMBAT = What Might Be All The

WhatHowmight
do we
bedoall the ways
to do
ourour
work
work
better?
better?
What might be all the
METHODS to do
our work better?
What might be all the
TOOLS to do
our work better?
What might be all the
PEOPLE WE NEED to do
our work better?
What might be all the
SMALL TWEAKS to do
our work better?

The answer is in the question!

 How will commercial autonomous vehicles
change our world in the next 5-10 years?

? What might be all the ways the rise of

driverless vehicles will change our future?

How will environment and climate change

impact access to fresh water supplies?

? In what ways could environment and

climate change impact the access to our
water?

What would happen if global food supplies

ran short?

? What might be all the scenarios if our

global food system failed simultaneously?
WOMBAT
Framing the Problem
 Invitational Questions

u Reframe question with open-ended verbs. Consider using the WoMBAT.

What might be all the [+ plural noun] . . . ?
In what ways could . . .?
How might . . . ?

v Ask for plural answers and play with new language.

• Do you like green eggs and ham?
In what ways could you try green eggs and ham?

• How do you solve a problem like Maria?

What might be all the other jobs for Maria?

• Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?

How might we find Carmen Sandiego?

Inspired by: Isaakson, A. & Treffinger, D. (1985). Creative problem solving: The basic course. Buffalo, NY:
Bearly Limited. http://www.creativeeducationfoundation.org/facilitation_tool/invitational-language-stems/
How do we cross
the river?
What might be all
the ways to cross
the river?
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
entre chien et loup
between a dog and a wolf
COMFORT
ZONE
EXPLORE
OUTSIDE
YOUR BOX
Who might we collaborate with to
understand the Malaysia Airlines
Flight 17 crash?
• National Security Agency

• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

• National Air & Space Intelligence Center

• Missile & Space Intelligence Center

• Civilian Aviation Intelligence Analysis Center

• And others!
 What might be all the technologies
to help improve mammograms?

Dr. Susan
Blumenthal
EXPLORING
FAR BEYOND
the typical
DRAWING OUT
your problem
DRAWING OUT
your problem
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
 Alternative Worlds

u Ask “In what ways can I learn or borrow

from another profession that’s not my own?”
• Fashion designer
• Auctioneer
• Mechanical engineer
• Winemaker or brewer
• Commercial fisherman
• Start your own unique list!
 Alternative Worlds

v Ask “How might I stretch my thinking beyond my normal routine?”

• Draw your problem with crayons

• Visit a new museum
• Buy a magazine you normally ignore
• Sculpt your ideal end state
• Explore a new neighborhood
WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking
 LOGICAL
THINKING
ANALOGICAL
THINKING
What might be all the scenarios for
the future of automation?
• Movie metaphors spur new ideas

• Visual analogies solidify vision for future

In what ways might terrorism be
akin to a societal disease?
• One of the most diverse sets of expertise in a
brainstorming session on terrorism

• Take a public health perspective

• How might we learn from those with

immunities?
• How might we develop approaches to
stem “moral panic”?
• What might be all the societal
antibodies at play?
 the ART of
ASSOCIATION
 the ART of
ASSOCIATION
WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking
 Metaphorical Mad Libs

u Finish these prompts OR have a friend do it . . .

1. An activity I do regularly on the weekend is . . .

2. One of my favorite scenes from a movie is . . .
3. A meal or dish I am famous for is . . .
4. One of my favorite books from childhood is . . .
5. With my free time, a hobby or avocation I enjoy is . . .
6. One of my favorite works of art is . . .

Inspired by: Parnes, S. Gordon, W.J.J. (1971). The Basic Course in

Synetics. Cambridge, MA: Porpoise Books. Geschka, H. (1980).
Methoda and Organization of Idea Generation. S. Gryskiewicz.
 Metaphorical Mad Libs

u Finish these prompts OR have a friend do it . . .

1. An activity I do regularly on the weekend is . . .

visiting the National Zoo with my toddler.
2. One of my favorite scenes from a movie is . . .
the opening monologue of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
3. A meal or dish I am famous for is . . .
Cincinnati chili.
4. One of my favorite books from childhood is . . .
The Phantom Tollbooth.
5. With my free time, a hobby or avocation I enjoy is . . .
watching reality competition television shows.
6. One of my favorite works of art is . . .
Rene Magritte’s The Treachery of Images.
 Metaphorical Mad Libs

v Roll a die or randomly select an answer.

The more random the selection, the more
breakthrough thinking you’ll receive.

w Use your answer and prompts below to craft an analogy.

• In what ways is my challenge related to <answer>?
• What actions or processes are similar?
• Are there solutions that emerge
as the metaphor grows?
• Which relationships are reminiscent of my problem?
• How might the environment
of <answer> be similar to my problem?
• Any potential pitfalls or other lessons
that emerge from <answer>?
OTTER
Breaking Patterns
STATUS STATUS STATUS
QUO QUO QUO
STATUS STATUS BREAK
QUO QUO PATTERN
 Creativity bolstered by:

• No topic “ownership”

• Intimate office with no

cubicles or partitions

• Collective ideations with

varied experts

• Support from senior ranks

“tell me things that other

people aren’t telling me and
will make senior analysts
uncomfortable”
Hunting strategic surprises like:

• Black Swans
surprise event with major effects

• Gray Rhinos
problems everyone knows
are coming but still surprised
when they occur

• Dogs That Don’t Bark

areas of concern that may
amount to nothing

• Plate Tectonics
dramatic changes over
long and slow timeline
Challenged to and given the
cognitive leeway to ask
questions like:

• What might be all the

things that will never
happen?

• What might people be

thinking but are
unwilling to say?

• How might ideas and

views on the fringe
become new realities?
 “Unlike in the movies, cover stories
are normally designed to be boring
so as not to attract attention . . . but
we weren’t dealing with a normal
situation here . . . So instead of
boring, what if we went in the
opposite direction?

What if we designed a cover story so

fantastic that nobody would believe
it was being used for operational
purposes?”

Tony Mendez
Mendez, A., Baglio, M.
Argo: How the CIA and
Hollywood Pulled Off the
Most Audacious Rescue
in History.
 “The plan, which would normally be
out of the question for most
clandestine operations, had several
attractive features.”

• Film crews are made up of

people from all over world

• Only Hollywood eccentrics

would shoot a film in a
revolutionary country

• It was fun and helped “house

guests” connect with cover story

Mendez, A., Baglio, M.

Argo: How the CIA and
Hollywood Pulled Off the
Most Audacious Rescue
in History.
OTTER
Breaking Patterns
 Status Quo Brainstorming

u Brainstorm as many norms, assumptions, standards, and customs as you can.

The prompts below may help . . .

• What we normally do is . . .
• In the past, we always . . .
• Everybody knows that . . .
• Clearly . . .
• It’s obvious that . . .
• It’s plain to see that . . .
 Status Quo Brainstorming

u Brainstorm as many norms, assumptions, standards, and customs as you can.

The prompts below may help . . .

• What we normally do is . . . build a bridge.

• In the past, we always . . . have 2 or 3 backup plans.
• Everybody knows that . . . barrels hold whiskey and wine.
• Clearly . . . we have three ropes.
• It’s obvious that . . . the river is very wide.
• It’s plain to see that . . . we don’t have a lot of time.
 Status Quo Brainstorming

v Choose some of your status quo answers to reverse, flip, or break.

Ask “What might be all the ways to make this untrue?”

Ex: Everybody knows that . . . barrels hold whiskey and wine.

If that wasn’t true, what might be all the other functions of the barrel?

Ex: What we normally do is . . . build a bridge.

In what ways could this be made untrue?

 Status Quo Brainstorming

v Choose some of your status quo answers to reverse, flip, or break.

Ask “What might be all the ways to make this untrue?”

Ex: It’s plain to see that. . . we don’t have a lot of time.

How might we make our lack of time untrue?

What might be all
the ways to cross
the river?
How might we escape
in this moment?
How might YOU
cross the river?
 Office of
Strategic Services
Framing Bias
 WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
 WOMBAT
Problem Reframing Comfort Zone
 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box
 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box

Preference for Logic

 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box

WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking
 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box

WOOD DUCK
Status Quo
Analogical Thinking
 WOMBAT WOLF
Problem Reframing Exploring Outside Your Box

WOOD DUCK OTTER

Analogical Thinking Breaking Patterns
 the CIA’s Secrets to
Creative Problem Solving

#CIAWombat

@CIA
CIA

www.cia.gov