The Summary of Professional Development 1, Chapter 5 – 7
To make sure the best solution will be generated once the problem is defined, guidance of idea generation techniques is significantly important in breaking down the barriers to generating. Mental blocks are mainly the hindrance on the progress toward a solution. Mental blocks can be divided into seven blocks, which are conceptual, perceptual, emotional, cultural, environmental, intellectual and expressive blocks. Goman’s blockbusters can be used to overcome these blocks. For example, Goman’s Blockbusters Block| Blockbuster| 1. Negative Attitude| 1. Attitude Adjustment| 2. Fear of Failure| 2. Risk Taking| 3.
Following the Rules| 3. Breaking the Rules| 4. Over-reliance on Logic| 4. Creative Internal Climate| 5. Belief That You Aren’t Creative| 5. Creative Beliefs| After that, use brainstorming to generate solutions to the problem. Process of generating solutions is started with free association – that is, writing down all available suggestions without judgment of the feasibility. Free association can be used to generate the initial set of ideas. When the flow of suggestions becomes low, triggers can be used to rejuvenate the rate of suggestions, which are vertical thinking, lateral thinking, TRIZ, cross-fertilization, and futuring.
Vertical thinking can be used to build on previous ideas and generate new ideas. One of the vertical thinking techniques is Osborn’s checklist, to adapt, modify, magnify, minify, substitute, rearrange and combine. Lateral thinking is to use random stimulation and other people’s views when in a rut. Futuring is a blockbusting technique to remove all technical blocks to envision a solution in the future. The rules for futuring are relatively simple, try to imagine the ideal solution without regard to whether it is technically feasible.
The fishbone diagram can be used in organizing brainstorming ideas. It can be very helpful in visualizing all the ideas which have been generated. Analogies and cross-fertilization are to bring ideas, phenomena, and knowledge from other disciplines to bear on the problem and lastly, TRIZ is to resolve contradictions. Once the real problems have been defined and some potential solutions have been generated, decision on which problem to address first and which actions should be taken to address this problem should be made.
After that, the best solution from the possible alternatives should be selected. Lastly, decision on how to avoid additional problems as implementing the chosen solution would also be made. An organized process for making these decisions is the Kepner – Tregoe (K. T. ) approach. One of the unique features of each of the K. T. strategies is the way of displaying the data. In each case, situation appraisal problem analysis, decision analysis, and potential problem analysis would be used and lastly, analyzing the date listed in each table will help to reach a decision.
Situation Appraisal Problems| Timing(H,M,L)| Trend(H,M,L)| Impact(H,M,L)| Next Process(PA,DA,PPA)| 1. 2. 3. | | | | | Problem Analysis | Is| Is Not| Distinction| Problem Cause| What| | | | | Where| | | | | When| | | | | Extent| | | | | Decision Analysis Potential Problems| Possible Causes| Preventive Actions| Contingent Plan| A. | 1. 2. | | | B. | 1. 2. | | | K. T. situation appraisal can be helpful when multiple problems are faced at the same time. Deciding the priority, evaluating criteria and deciding which action to take are to be done during situation appraisal.
Each problem is measured against the criteria of timing, trend, and impact. These criteria are rated as warranting degree of concern, which are high (H), moderate (M), or low (L). Once the problem is known, decision analysis (DA) can be used. In the DA technique, the cause of the problem has been found and the decision at the present time is how to correct the problem. Once the decision is made, problem potential analysis (PPA) will ensure the success of the decision.
