Problem Solving and
Creativity
Genova, Cristine Joy
BEED2
Introduction
Problem solving and creativity go hand
in hand. You need to be creative in order
to solve a problem. It is unfortunate that
these are not adequately taught in the
classroom.
Problem Solving/Creativity
Torrance’s Creativity Creative Problem Solving
Framework (CPS)
FLUENCY SIX STAGES OF CPS
FLEXIBILITY
ELABORATION
ORIGINALITY
FLUENCY
• Refers to the production of a great number of ideas or alternate solutions to a problem. Fluency implies
understanding, not just remembering information that is learned.
Key words
• Compare, convert, count, define, describe, explain, identify, label, list, match, name, outline,
paraphrase, predict, summarize.
Application activities
• Trace a picture and label the parts.
• Outline an article you find on your topic.
• How many uses can you think of for a clothes hanger? List 15 things that are commonly red or contain
red.
• Example: Apple, blood, brick, caboose, cherry, Christmas stocking, exit sign, fire alarm, flag, heart, red
nose reindeer, rose, tomato, wagon.
FLEXIBILITY
• Flexibility refers to the production of ideas that show a variety of
possibilities or realms of thought. It involves the ability to see things
from different points of view, to use many different approaches or
strategies
Key words
• Change, demonstrate, distinguish, employ, extrapolate, interpolate,
interpret, predict
Application ideas
• What would happen if ... there were no automobiles?
• How would a ... dog look to a flea?
• How is like
• How would you feel if... you were invisible for a day?
• How would you group the ideas about "red" into categories? Example:
Fruit, safety features, vehicles.
• Once categories are identified, fluency may be further demonstrated by
generating more ideas about the idea red within categories. Even a
modest attempt could result in the following lists, recognizing that the
creative thinking process may shift the mind in a spiral way between all
four aspects of creativity.
ELABORATION
• The process of enhancing ideas by providing more details. Additional detail and clarity
improves interest in, and understanding of, the topic.
Key words
• Appraise, critique, determine, evaluate, grade, judge, measure, select, test
Application ideas
• Tell your neighbor about your last family trip using as many details as possible.
• What can you add to to improve its quality or performance? Describe all the possible
characteristics of the red quality in a wagon.
• Example: Shade, finish, texture, uniformity.
ORIGINALITY
• Involves the production of ideas that are unique or unusual. It involves synthesis or putting
information about a topic back together in a new way.
Key words
• Compose, create, design, generate, integrate, modify, rearrange, reconstruct, reorganize,
revise.
Application ideas
• Find an original use for
• What would be the strangest way to get out of bed?
• Design a new that is better than the one you have.
• Write an unusual title for the ideas about red.
Creative Problem Solving (CPS)
• Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is an intentional
process for solving problems and discovering
opportunities. It espouses the use of creativity in
coming up with solutions which are not only novel but
practical as well. In the 1950's Alex Osborn described
this process in his book. Applied Imagination. Osborn
opened the process in the public domain which meant
anyone can use it. Over the years countless people
have utilized the CPS in various fields and endeavors
• In its most extended and formalized form it has
the six stages shown below, each with a
divergent and a convergent phase. However,
more recent publications seem more interested
in focusing on procedure and technique issues,
with less weight on the full elaboration of this
structure.
The following, based on Van Gundy (1988's) description, is a
very brief skeleton of a very rich process, showing it in its
full '6 x 2 stages' form:
1. Stage 1: Mess Finding: Sensitise yourself (scan, search) for issues
(concerns, challenges, opportunities, etc.) that need to be tackled.
• Divergent Techniques include 'Wouldn't It Be Nice If..." (WIBNI) and
'Wouldn't It Be Awful If..." (WIBAI) - brainstorming to identify desirable
outcomes and obstacles to be overcome.
• Convergent Techniques include the identification of hotspots
(Highlighting), expressed as a list of IWWMS ("In What Ways
Might..."), and selection in terms of ownership criteria (e.g. problem-
owner's motivation and ability to influence it) and outlook criteria
(e.g. urgency, familiarity, stability).
2. Stage 2: Data finding: Gather information about the problem.
• Divergent Techniques include Five W’s and H (Who, Why, What,
When, Where and How) and listing of wants, sources and data: List all
your information 'wants' as a series of question; for each, list possible
sources of answers; then follow these up and for each source, list what
you found.
• Convergent Techniques again include: Identifying hotspots
(Highlighting); Mind-mapping to sort and classify the information.
Gathered; and also restating the problem in the light of your richer
understanding of it.
3. Stage 3: Problem Finding: convert a fuzzy statement of the problem
into a broad statement more suitable for idea finding.
• Divergent Techniques include asking 'Why?' etc. the repeatable
questions and Five W's and H.
• Convergent Techniques include highlighting again, reformulation of
problem-statements to meet the criteria that they contain only one
problem and no criteria, and selection of the most promising statement
(but NB that the mental stretching' that the activity gives to the
participants can be as important as the actual chosen). statement
4. Stage 4: Idea Finding : generate as many ideas as possible
Divergence using any of a very wide range of idea-generating
techniques. The general rules of Classic Brainstorming (such a deferring
judgement) are likely to underpin all of these.
• Convergence can again involve hotspots or mind-mapping, the
combining of different ideas, and the shortlisting of the most promising
handful, perhaps with some thought for the more obvious evaluation
criteria, but not over-restrictively.
5. Stage 5: Solution Finding: Generate and select obvious
evaluation criteria (using an expansion/contraction cycle) and
develop (which may include combining) the short-listed ideas
from Idea Finding as much as you can in the light of these
criteria. Then opt for the best of these improved ideas (e.g.
using Comparison tables).
Other Model for Problem Solving
Bransford's Ideal Model
1. Identify the problem.
2. Define the problem through thinking about it and sorting out the
relevant information
3. Explore solutions through looking at alternatives, brainstorming, and
checking out different points of view.
4. Act on the strategies.
5. Look back and evaluate the effects of your activity.
6. Stage 6: Acceptance Finding: How can the suggestion you have just
selected be made up to standard and put into practice? Shun negativity.
and continue to apply deferred judgment problems are exposed to be
solved, not to dishearten progress.
Action plans are better developed in small groups of 2 3 rather than in a
large group (unless you particularly want commitment by the whole
group). Particularly for 'people' problems it is often worth developing
several alternative action plans. Possible techniques include Five W's
and H. Implementation Checklists, Consensus Mapping, Potential-
Problem Analysis (PPA)
