Essay Instructions: I'm requesting amber111: Most great solutions to problems begin with some initial flaws. Quality solutions arise by refining ideas. Refine your solution to the problem defined in your Week Two Individual Assignment by following the Three Steps in the Refining process:
Step1. Working out the details of the solution
Step2. Finding imperfections and complications
Step3. Making improvements
Write a 750-word paper. Include the following:
? Original issue
? Initial solutions
? Critical examination of best solution
? Evaluation of the argument
? Revised argument
? Refined solution with implementation plan
? Final solution
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines (See Week 2 paper below)
Creative Problem Solving Process
Different people have different views towards problem solving. Some believe that problem solvers are born with abilities of analytical and rational thinking. On the other hand some consider problem solving as a skill that can be learned by the people which makes them capable of solving complex problems successively with a number of different solutions (Vangundy, 1987)
Creative Problem Solving (CPS) is a method for solving a problem or meeting a challenge in an innovative and imaginative way. It is a complex process that helps the people to define the problem, come up with different new ideas, innovative solutions and take action to reach to implement solution (Proctor, 2010).
Alex Osborn and Sidney Parnes were pioneers in the field of creativity. They developed Creative Problem Solving Institution (CPSI) in 1955 (Reynolds and Janzen, 2007) and performed deep research to examine the different steps of problem solving. Their struggle in this field resulted structuring the roots for "Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Process? (CPS). Although CPS is a structural process but it also has an advantage of being a flexible. It is a very useful and practical approach that can be used for solving the everyday problems (Treffinger, Isaksen and Dorval, 2006).
This paper will explain in detail the different stages of Creative Problem Solving Process with the help of a practical example that will help in further understanding of the process and its application in problem solving.
Scenario: College Class Case Example
The College students were required to come and leave college on time so that they can complete their daily working hours. Sign In and Sign Out system was used by the students when entering and leaving the class to record the timings of the classes attended.
Some of the students had a routine of coming late to class, taking long lunch breaks and leaving the class early. Due to the reason the class time was strictly monitored by the college, students leaving class early did not sign out from system. They wanted their attendance and time to be counted so they sign out when class ended.
This action resulted in a clash between this group and the opposing party which consisted of punctual students. They believed that all the students should complete their working hours. Coming late to class, taking longer lunch breaks and leaving early without signing out is cheating and unfair. On the other side, students leaving early were of the opinion that it is not a job for which they are paid. It is just a college so it does not make any difference if they leave class early.
The class was divided into two groups and the problem was getting worst day by day without reaching to any solution. Looking at the critical situation, the instructor of the class decided to use the Creative Problem Solving Process and requested class to coordinate and help him solve the situation.
Stage 1: Searching for Challenges
The first and most important step of the creative problem solving process is to determine the goal or challenge. This is a stage where people struggle and are curious to find out the personal challenge. They observe things themselves and also take input from others. This step seems simple but it actually involves egos and emotions of the people which are tied to the situation. Searching challenges and problem identification involves answering following questions:
1. What causes to feel that there is a problem?
2. Where is the situation happening?
3. How and why is it happening?
4. With whom it is happening?
College Class Case Example
In order to identify the problem, the instructor asked students to give their input but with following conditions:
? Everyone will be given a chance to give his/her opinion
? Only one person will talk at a time and will not be interrupted by others
? Everyone will carefully listen to what others say about the situation
? No one will misbehave or use abusive language
Stage 2: Expressing the Problem or Issue
This stage involves formulating the problem and goal statement. After listening to all the students of the class, following problem and goal statement was formulated:
Problem Statement: Some of the students regularly come late to the class and leave early. They also take long breaks and are absent from class most of the time. This is not acceptable by the students who come on time and leave at the end of the classes. The students who fail to follow rules and do not attend complete class should not have 18 weekly hours reported in the system.
Goal Statement: Students should sign in and sign out honestly at the time of entering and leaving the class. All the students should have minimum 90% attendance based on 18 hours to be completed each week.
Stage 3: Investigating the Problem or Issue
This stage of the Creative Problem Solving Process involves gathering data and finding the facts that have played role in the creation of such situation. Following questions need to be answered in this stage:
Q1. Who is involved, when, where and why is it so important?
Q2. What are the feelings, expectations, assumptions, perceptions and opinions of people involved?
Q3. What are the different factors that should be taken into consideration to review the objective?
College Class Case Example
After finding the facts, the instructor got following answers of the above questions:
? Students leaving class early were involved in the situation. The unethical behaviour and clashes between students made it important to do something about the situation.
? Students attending classes punctually expect everyone to be treated equally and consider it unfair to allow opposing group to come late and leave before time.
? Following factors helped instructor to redefine the problem:
I. Some students were leaving early because they need to take the bus on time or they will have to wait for 2 hours after the class to catch it.
II. Some students were leaving early because they had to pick their children from schools.
III. Majority of the students were not clear about the 90% attendance per week concept. They assumed that it was obligatory to come daily and not necessary to attend the whole class.
Stage 4: Producing Ideas/Finding Solutions
Producing Ideas is actually a brain storming of all the possible options that can be used to solve the problem. This activity is also fun as there can be several new ideas or possible innovative solutions of a particular problem or challenge.
College Class Case Example
Following are some of the ideas that were given my majority of the students when instructor asked them to do brainstorming:
? Teacher can come early to college for students who need her early.
? Students can wait for 2 hours for bus after college.
? Students should not take all breaks of the day and complete their college hours
? Students can come earlier to college for completing their hours
? Teacher should keep an eye on students who leave early but don?t sign out
Stage 5: Selecting Solution
After collecting several solution options from the brain storming session, this stage involves choosing the best solution from the available solutions that fixes the problem. There are always some factors that affect any particular solution, these can be; rules & regulations, financial issues, procedures, time etc. A perfect solution is the one which gives best results to all the members of the group.
College Class Case Example
After detailed discussion, students and the teacher reached to the following mutually agreed solution:
? Students who want to leave early will also come early and the teacher will be available for them.
? All students will come back from break on right time.
? Sign in and sign out system will be honestly used by all the students.
? All the students would keep a record of their attendance and will calculate on 1st class of each month, the number of hours they require for completing 90% attendance.
Stage 6: Accepting/Implementing Solution
At this stage, the chosen solution is implemented by the group and results are evaluated to see if it worked.
College Class Case Example
The students agreed to start following the process from the same day. The teacher dedicated last period of the class to explain what exactly 90% attendance meant. The teacher also agreed to give them their daily attendance details so that students can make a record and know where they stand. All the students also agreed to behave in a respectful manner and promised not to misbehave if they were pointed out to be having less attendance.
This practical example showed that how a complicated situation can be handled and solved through Creative Problem Solving Process. The most important of all is to understand the fundamentals of Creative Thinking Process so that it can be adapted to every problem situation.
References
Proctor, T. (2010). Creative Problem Solving for Managers. Developing Skills for Decision
Making and Innovation. Third Edition. Published by Routledge.
Raynolds, C and Janzen, E. (2007). Encyclopedia of Special Education. Volume 1. John Wiley
and Sons.
Treffinger, D., Isaksen,S and Dorval, B. (2006). Creative Problem Solving. An Introduction. 4rth
Edition. Prufrock Press Inc. Centre for Creative Learning Inc and Creative Problem
Solving Inc.
Vangundy, A. (1987).Creative Problem Solving, A Guide for Trainers and Management.
Greenwood Publishing Group.