Participants will learn how to apply innovative techniques to problem-solving. This includes identifying problems, generating creative solutions, and making decisions that drive success.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand problems and the creative problem-solving process
• Identify types of information to gather and key questions to ask in problem solving
• Identify the importance of defining a problem correctly
• Identify and use four different problem-definition tools
• Write concrete problem statements
• Use basic brainstorming tools to generate ideas for solutions
• Use idea-generating tools, such as affinity diagrams, word chaining, the box method, the six thinking hats, and the blink method
• Evaluate potential solutions against criteria, including cost/benefit analysis and group voting
• Perform a final analysis to select a solution
• Understand the roles that fact and intuition play in selecting a solution
• Understand the need to refine the shortlist and re-refine it
• Understand how to identify the tasks and resources necessary to implement solutions
• Evaluate and adapt solutions to reality
• Follow up with solution implementation to celebrate successes and identify improvements

SHRM CE/PDCs: 12

Intended Audience: All