101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving Arthur VanGundy

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.Here are some other possible examples:" A convertible isn t a car, it s excitement." A watch isn t a timepiece, it s a piece of jewelry." A job position recruitment campaign isn t for a job, it s for prestige and recognition." A coat isn t for warmth, it s a fashion statement.All of these relate to the question, What is it? Hall (1994) uses this question as thebasis for an idea generation method by the same name.It generates ideas by thinkingwhat else a problem is and then using these descriptions as idea stimuli.Objectives" To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible" To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideasParticipantsSmall groups of four to seven people eachMaterials, Supplies, and Equipment" For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chartsheets" For each participant: one sheet each of three different colors of sticking dots(1D 22 2 diameter)and one pad of 4 x 6 Post-it� NotesGrab Bag: Miscellaneous Activities241TLFeBOOK08 VG 217-244b 10/5/04 5:00 PM Page 242Handout" What Is It? HandoutTime45 minutesRelated Activities" Essence of the Problem [38]" Turn Around [52]Procedure1.Distribute the What Is It Handout, review it with the participants, and answer anyquestions they may have.2.Tell the participants to describe their problems in at least six different ways thatcapture the essence of their problems (see the handout for examples).3.Instruct them to use their descriptions to prompt ideas, write them on Post-it�Notes (one idea per note), and place them on a flip chart for evaluation.Debrief/DiscussionThis activity differs from most in its emphasis on human emotions and how they driveour creative abilities.It can be especially useful for new product development because ofits ability to uncover consumer needs and supply ways to meet them.However, it also isextremely versatile in its ability to provide diverse problem perspectives by helpinguncover hidden or unwarranted assumptions.You might ask participants to compare itsability to generate unique ideas with a an activity that relies on unrelated stimuli such aswords, pictures, or objects.Also consider having participants debrief using the following questions:" What was most helpful about this exercise?" What was most challenging?" What can we apply?" How would you rate the value of this exercise to helping us with this issue?" Will this exercise be helpful in the future for other sessions?" What did you learn?" What will we be able to use from this exercise?" What ideas were generated, and which ones were most interesting?101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving242TLFeBOOK08 VG 217-244b 10/5/04 5:00 PM Page 243What Is It? HandoutConsider the problem of improving an office desk.First, describe what desks are.Forinstance, you might say that office desks are not just desks, they are" Smooth writing areas" Occupational centers" Computer support stands" Leg and lap covers" Hollowed-out wooden boxesThen use these descriptions to generate ideas:" A variable-tilt writing surface built into the desk top" Desks tailored to different occupations.For instance, a doctor s desk might have aplace to hold a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and other diagnostic tools, as wellas a built-in computer screen with the Physician s Desk Reference on a CD" A computer monitor that flips up when needed, a CPU under the desk, and a key-board built into the desk top" A desk with heating pads and foot warmers" A desk that can be collapsed easily and stored in a compact area101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving.Copyright � 2005 by John Wiley &Sons, Inc.Reproduced by permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley.www.pfeiffer.comGrab Bag: Miscellaneous Activities243TLFeBOOK08 VG 217-244b 10/5/04 5:00 PM Page 244TLFeBOOK09a VG Part III 245-246b 10/5/04 4:55 PM Page 235LGroup OnlyActivitiesTLFeBOOKL09a VG Part III 245-246b 10/5/04 4:55 PM Page 236TLFeBOOK09 VG 247-294b 10/6/04 12:22 PM Page 247LLLLChapter 9Brainstorming withRelated Stimulirainstorming with related activities is classic brainstorming as developed and popu-Blarized by Alex Osborn.It s idea generation that focuses on the problem and uses theideas of other group members as stimuli.The key to successful brainstorming is adher-ence to the following brainstorming principles.1.Defer JudgmentWithhold all evaluation of ideas during idea generation.That is, separate generation fromevaluation.Once you have listed all possible ideas, then go back and evaluate them.There s a lot of logic behind this principle.First, most groups don t follow it and, as aresult, are less than productive.Second, deferring judgment increases the odds of findingat least one good idea.If you spend a lot of time evaluating each idea as you think of it,you may run out of time before you can list all possible ideas.It s a matter of probability.Finally, separating evaluation from generation helps you avoid creating a negativegroup climate.Idea generation generally is a fun, positive experience.If you stop to criti-cize each idea as it is proposed, you re interjecting a negative process that disrupts themore positive aspects.Thus, you may never produce a climate healthy enough for effec-tive idea generation.Separate the processes and you ll be amazed at how productive yourgroup can be.2.Quantity Breeds QualityThe more ideas you list, the more high-quality ideas you ll get.Again, it s all a matter ofprobability.Let s assume there is a potential pool of five hundred ideas.That s how manyideas you could generate hypothetically if you had all the brains and time in the world.Of these five hundred ideas, assume there are twenty-five you would consider as highquality.If you use the sequential generate-evaluate, generate-evaluate-generate-evaluatecycle, you may get lucky and produce a total of twenty-five ideas during a one-hourbrainstorming session.Now, just what are the odds that a majority of these would be the247TLFeBOOK09 VG 247-294b 10/6/04 12:22 PM Page 248same twenty-five high-quality ideas? The answer: not very high.The sequential approachrelies on pure chance to produce a high-quality idea.It is more logical to increase theodds by first listing as many ideas as possible.You always can go back and evaluate themlater.Moreover, each idea you list can help spark other ideas.So if you defer judgmentand shoot for quantity, you may produce 125 ideas [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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