Creative Problem Solving

Creativity and innovation is the best strategy to achieve long term business survival through creative problem solving techniques training, a climate for innovation and high quality facilitation

Anyone with a new idea is a crank - until the idea succeeds"
Mark Twain

Sidney J. Parnes, Professor of creative studies at the state University College at Buffalo, New York developed the Creative Problem Solving program.

CPS is an expanded version of classical brainstorming structured as several major stages and incorporating a variety of techniques. It uses brainstorming, checklists, forced relationship methods, morphological analysis and synectics.

CPS has 6 stages each starting with a divergent activity and each ending with a convergent one.
During divergence, evaluation is suspended and everyone freewheels. An 'open' climate is advantageous.

Objective finding - narrow focus for problem finding. Diverge for concerns, challenges.. Wouldn't it be nice if... Identify hits to work on

Fact finding - gather all information related to the problem - wants, sources and obtained information. Use of 5W's and H

Problem finding - developing a broad statement of the problem to make it more conducive to idea finding - Why method.. In what ways might...

Idea finding - classical brainstorming; Osborn's checklist, nouns and verbs, analogies, morphological analysis

Solution finding - criteria diverge and converge. Modify the best ideas to get the best solutions. Weighting system to get best solution

Acceptance finding - 5W's and H checklist. Consensus mapping. Development of action plans