Creative Problem Solving

A structured team process from messy problem to tested solution

Why It Matters

Teams often jump to the first solution offered by the most senior person in the room, or brainstorm endlessly without deciding anything. Both waste time and leave the underlying problem in place. A shared, structured process separates divergent thinking from convergent thinking, so teams explore widely before they narrow. Organizations get better decisions on stubborn issues like backlogs, client drop-off, or cross-department handoffs, and staff see their ideas taken seriously.

Course Description

Teams bring a real, stubborn problem from their workplace and carry it through each stage. First comes problem framing: gathering facts, restating the problem as a question, and checking whether it is the right problem to solve. Next comes structured idea generation, with ground rules that keep judgment out of the room. Teams then switch modes, clustering ideas, scoring them against agreed criteria, and strengthening the best options. The final stage covers planning a small pilot, anticipating resistance, and deciding how success will be judged. A facilitator models each step, and teams rotate the role so participants practice leading the process themselves. Each team leaves with a framed problem, a chosen solution, and a pilot plan.

Key Focus Areas

Participants explore and practice:

Framing a problem as a clear, solvable question
Separating idea generation from idea evaluation in group work
Clustering and scoring options against agreed criteria
Strengthening promising ideas before committing to them
Planning a pilot and building acceptance for the solution

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

Restate a workplace problem as a focused question worth solving
Lead a team through the divergent and convergent phases of problem solving
Evaluate options using a decision matrix with weighted criteria
Build a pilot plan with owners, timeline, and success measures

Who Should Attend

Project and program teams
Team leads and supervisors
Continuous improvement staff
Cross-functional working groups

Delivery and Customization

Examples, scenarios, and activities are adapted to your audience and goals. Delivery is available in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format, as a standalone session or as part of a series. Format and length are agreed during scoping.

Related Courses

Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box · Strategy & Problem Solving
Developing Creativity · Strategy & Problem Solving
Critical Thinking · Strategy & Problem Solving
Lean and Six Sigma Fundamentals · Operations & Project Management

Bring Creative Problem Solving to your team

Tell us about your audience and goals. We will follow up to scope objectives, format, and timing.

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