Creativity: Defining the Problem, Locating Solutions, and Developing an Action Plan

This leads us to the next step in the creative problem-solving process – idea finding. During idea finding we are looking for as many ways as possible to address the problem statement. The more ideas you can generate to address the problem the more options you will have to select a solution statement from which you can construct an action plan.

 

If your problem statement identifies a poor math foundation then solution ideas might revolve around remedial courses, or getting help from a teacher after school, or finding a tutor who can help you master those math skills that you somehow missed. But if your problem statement identifies your utter dislike of mathematics, then your solution ideas might focus on ways you can get your math work done as efficiently and as effectively as possible. In other words, what methods can I employ to get it done, get it over with, yet still do it well! Or else you can look at joining math study groups or you can give permission to a parent or friend to monitor your work imposing their will upon your will. Idea finding for solutions starts with a clear understanding of your real problem and then it looks at solutions from the widest perspective. You need many ideas from which you can choose the best solution.

Learning from others is a great tool in this exercise. Who has had similar problems? How did they address this problem? How have others used forms of organization or scheduling to help with this problem? Do I have friends who have the same problem and can we work together to address my problem? What materials or media have others used to solve this problem? Are these options available to me?

Once you have listed several ideas for solving your problem you will need to select the best solution. This is the next step in the problem-solving process. Self-defined criteria will help. Ask yourself, “Will I actually do this? Do I want to do this? Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to follow through with this solution? Am I looking for a short-term solution or am I willing to take a long-term approach? Which solution appears to have the best chance for success? Which solution will require the greatest time investment or the least? Among these solutions, which will provide me the most support for success? Which solution will require the most financial investment or the least? Creative problem solvers often use some kind of grid by which they rank their options according to their criteria.

Once a solution is determined then an action plan can follow. The action plan in the form of a timeline is helpful. What materials do you need and when will you get them? Who will help you? How and when will you contact them? How will you organize your time to achieve your goal? Where will you carry out your plan? What supplies do you need?

Most importantly you have to determine when and how you will assess whether or not you are moving forward toward achieving your goal. Making this determination will guide and pace you in setting up times to reflect on your work. As you move forward on your plan, what adjustments do you need to make? What is working and what is not working? Since beginning your action plan what new challenges have arisen? Based upon your problem-solving experience up to the current moment, do you need to rethink your strategy? Should you restate your problem and seek ideas and solutions based upon your new understanding?

I have found this assessment piece to be very valuable. I teach children that whenever you begin a meaningful problem-solving effort, the chances of failure are high. I tell them, “Expect to fail! But this first failure is not a real failure. Only quitting is a failure. You have to fail in order to think more deeply about the problem and generate solutions that are more realistic.” Creative problem solving is just that, creative. You look at what went wrong the first time. You think about ways to fix your plans. You take time to reflect, and the deeper you reflect the clearer picture you get of what went right and what went wrong. Self-reflection should lead to a clearer understanding of what the problem is and how you might approach it the second time around.

This is at the heart of “everyman’s” creativity, and in fact it is at the heart of most creativity. Creators have grit. They not only tackle problems, face challenges, or grasp new opportunities, but they reflect on their work while moving forward. They accept setbacks and failure while reviewing their original strategy and new ones. The creative thinker knows that meaningful solutions are elusive, and he or she must expect setbacks from which the creative problem-solving process resumes, finds new approaches that might lead to success.

From May 2013 Birchwood Clipboard