Creative Problem Solving

Interactive Dashboard & Toolkit

Overview of Problem Finding & Definition

This flowchart, based on slide 6 of your presentation, shows the entire creative problem-solving process, from scanning the environment to applying analytical techniques.

Make use of current and past experience

Ascertain people's major concerns

Scan documents, reports and attend meetings

Obtain different perspectives on the problem

Scan the environment for problems

Identify objectives

Establish facts relating to the problem

Define / redefine the problem

Undertake SWOT analysis

Ask Who? What? Where? When? and Why? questions

Compare performance with desirable levels and what others are achieving

Use a variety of redefinitional techniques:

Laddering, Boundary examination, Goal orientation, 5 W's and H's, Progressive abstractions, Why method, etc.

Consider using analytical techniques:

Decomposable matrices, dimensional analysis, cause and effect diagrams, etc.

Objective Finding: Interactive SWOT Analysis

Based on slide 7, use this tool to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and then combine them to define strategic objectives.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Opportunities

Threats

Define Objectives (TOWS Matrix)

S-O Objectives (Maxi-Maxi)

W-O Objectives (Mini-Maxi)

S-T Objectives (Maxi-Mini)

W-T Objectives (Mini-Mini)

Fact Finding: Six Honest Serving Men (5 W's & H)

Based on slides 8-10. Define your problem and ask the six key questions. Use the example from your presentation (low staff morale) or create your own.

1. State the Problem (IWWM?)

2. Ask Questions

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Why?

How?

4. Select Best Redefinition(s)

Click the button to generate potential redefinitions based on your answers.

Problem Redefinition Techniques

Based on slides 12-24. Gaining new perspectives on a problem is crucial. Select a technique below to explore it interactively.

i. Laddering (Slide 13-14)

State your problem as "How to...". Use "Why?" to move up the ladder (more abstract) and "How?" to move down (more concrete). Try it with the sales example or your own.

Initial Problem ("How to...")

Problem Ladder:

High Level (Abstract): How to improve sales techniques
Middle Level (Initial): How to provide sales training
Low Level (Concrete): How to produce a sales manual

ii. Goal Orientation (Slide 15)

Use this framework to analyze the needs, obstacles, and constraints of your problem to redefine it.

General Outline of the Problem

What are the Needs?

What are the Obstacles?

What are the Constraints?

Redefine Original Problem:

iii. Boundary Examination (Slide 16-18)

Write out your problem, highlight key words/phrases, and then question the assumptions they create to find a new definition.

1. Problem Statement

2. Highlight Key Assumptions (from slide 17)

3. Suggest New Definition (from slide 18)

iv. Progressive Abstractions (Slide 19-21)

Similar to Laddering. Repeatedly try to identify the essential problem by moving to higher levels of abstraction. Use the "meetings" example from your slide.

Initial Problem:

Abstraction 1:

Abstraction 2:

v. Why Method (Slide 22-24)

This method uses the "Why?" dimension to broaden a problem and appraise basic goals. Use the "car tyres" example from your slide.

Initial Problem

Q: Why do we want to improve the performance of car tyres?

A: To improve tyre road-handling under adverse conditions.

Redefinition: IWWM we improve tyre road-handling under adverse conditions?

Q: Why do we want to improve tyre road-handling?

A: To make cars safer to drive.

Redefinition: IWWM we make cars safer to drive?

(At this point, the slide notes you may have gone too far, and you can combine definitions.)

Analytical Techniques (Slide 25)

These techniques help you analyze a well-defined problem. Select a technique to see its framework.

i. Dimensional Analysis (Slide 11)

A method for producing a checklist by considering a problem from five different dimensions.

Problem:

Substantive Dimension

Spatial Dimension

Temporal Dimension

Quantitative Dimension

Qualitative Dimension

ii. Decomposable Matrices (Slide 26)

This technique helps break a complex problem into subsystems and components, then weight the interaction between them to find high-impact areas.

Example Matrix (Simplified):

Imagine a problem with a "Manufacturing" and "Shipping" subsystem. You would rate the interaction of their components (e.g., Scale: 0=No Interaction, 5=Strong Interaction).

EOM

	Manufacturing		Shipping
Components	M1: Assembly	M2: QA	S1: Boxing	S2: Labeling
M1: Assembly	-	5	3	1
M2: QA	5	-	4	2
S1: Boxing	3	4	-	5
S2: Labeling	1	2	5	-

From this, you'd select the highest-weighted interactions (e.g., M1-M2, S1-S2, M2-S1) for further analysis and ideation.

ii. Cause and Effect Diagram (Slide 27)

Also known as an Ishikawa or Fishbone diagram. It helps identify, sort, and display possible causes of a specific problem. Here is a simple interactive version based on your "Low Staff Morale" example.

Category A (e.g., Work)

Category B (e.g., Mgmt)

Category C (e.g., Env)

Category D (e.g., Pay)

Staff Morale is Low

Causes for Category A (Work)

Causes for Category B (Mgmt)

Causes for Category C (Env)

Causes for Category D (Pay)

This helps visualize the related "effects" (Symptoms) from your slide, such as "Productivity is low," "Absenteeism is high," and "Orders are late."