Thinking Up Magic

Just What Is "Creative Problem Solving" or "CPS"?

It’s a process that helps an individual, a group, or a business address a problem, challenge, or opportunity.
It guides them through a process that will lead to creative, innovative solutions and real bottom line results.
The Osborn/Parnes Creative Solving Problem Process that is discussed in Thinking Up Magic is a continuously evolving process that began with the work of Alex Osborn, and was enhanced and expanded by Sid Parnes.

The Steps

#1 Objective Finding

Identify your Goal, Wish or Challenge

Start here when you want to create, invent, solve, or improve something.

Generate statements of your goals, wishes or challenges. Diverge by thinking about quantity then Converge by thinking about quality.

Your outcome is a statement starting "I wish..." or "It would be great if..."

#2 Fact Finding

Gather Data about your goal

Start here when you want to explore the facts, feelings and data around the issue.

Give a brief history, Who is involved?, What has been happening?, When do I want...?, Where can this go?, Why is this a concern? and How do you own this? Diverge by thinking of everything you can then Converge by picking the critical elements.

Your outcome is a list of key data about your goal, wish or challenge.

#3 Problem Finding

Clarify the Problem

Start here when you want to pinpoint the right problem to solve.

Diverge - "How to...?" or "In what ways might...?" or "How might...?" , probe with "Why else?", "What else?"

Then Converge by picking a specific statement that identifies the problem you want to solve.

Your outcome is a well defined statement of the problem.

#4 Idea Finding

Generate Ideas

Start here when you need novel, useful ideas to solve your problem.

Diverge - Generate as many ideas that might solve the problem as time allows. What can you combine, substitute, modify, eliminate, rearrange, or what other ideas can you get from other objects worlds or situations.

Converge by picking the idea or ideas that will help the most.

Your outcome is an idea or group of ideas that are promising in solving the problem.

#5 Solution Finding

Select & Strengthen Solutions

Start here when you want to turn promising ideas into workable solutions.

What do you like about it? Diverge - Generate Criteria, "Will it...?" or "Does it...?" What are the pluses, potentials, concerns, and opportunities in these ideas?

Converge - Pick the solution that best fits the criteria.

Your outcome is a well developed, detailed, and improved solution - "What I now see myself(us) doing is..."

#6 Acceptance Finding

Plan for Action

Start here when you want to implement a solution.

Diverge - Who might assist? Who needs to be convinced? What resources are available? How can we get acceptance and enthusiasm for your idea? then Converge - Select actions and form a specific plan.

Your outcome is a detailed plan for implementation of your solution which includes WHO will do it. WHAT they will do. WHEN they will do it. HOW will they do it, and reporting completion to WHOM.

Thinking Up Magic

Just What Is "Creative Problem Solving" or "CPS"?

It’s a process that helps an individual, a group, or a business address a problem, challenge, or opportunity.

It guides them through a process that will lead to creative, innovative solutions and real bottom line results.

The Osborn/Parnes Creative Solving Problem Process that is discussed in Thinking Up Magic is a continuously evolving process that began with the work of Alex Osborn, and was enhanced and expanded by Sid Parnes.

The Steps

#1 Objective Finding

Identify your Goal, Wish or Challenge

Start here when you want to create, invent, solve, or improve something.

Generate statements of your goals, wishes or challenges. Diverge by thinking about quantity then Converge by thinking about quality.

Your outcome is a statement starting "I wish..." or "It would be great if..."

#2 Fact Finding

Gather Data about your goal

Start here when you want to explore the facts, feelings and data around the issue.

Give a brief history, Who is involved?, What has been happening?, When do I want...?, Where can this go?, Why is this a concern? and How do you own this? Diverge by thinking of everything you can then Converge by picking the critical elements.

Your outcome is a list of key data about your goal, wish or challenge.

#3 Problem Finding

Clarify the Problem

Start here when you want to pinpoint the right problem to solve.

Diverge - "How to...?" or "In what ways might...?" or "How might...?" , probe with "Why else?", "What else?"

Then Converge by picking a specific statement that identifies the problem you want to solve.

Your outcome is a well defined statement of the problem.

#4 Idea Finding

Generate Ideas

Start here when you need novel, useful ideas to solve your problem.

Diverge - Generate as many ideas that might solve the problem as time allows. What can you combine, substitute, modify, eliminate, rearrange, or what other ideas can you get from other objects worlds or situations.

Converge by picking the idea or ideas that will help the most.

Your outcome is an idea or group of ideas that are promising in solving the problem.

#5 Solution Finding

Select & Strengthen Solutions

Start here when you want to turn promising ideas into workable solutions.

What do you like about it? Diverge - Generate Criteria, "Will it...?" or "Does it...?" What are the pluses, potentials, concerns, and opportunities in these ideas?

Converge - Pick the solution that best fits the criteria.

Your outcome is a well developed, detailed, and improved solution - "What I now see myself(us) doing is..."

#6 Acceptance Finding

Plan for Action

Start here when you want to implement a solution.

Diverge - Who might assist? Who needs to be convinced? What resources are available? How can we get acceptance and enthusiasm for your idea? then Converge - Select actions and form a specific plan.

Your outcome is a detailed plan for implementation of your solution which includes WHO will do it. WHAT they will do. WHEN they will do it. HOW will they do it, and reporting completion to WHOM.