Action Planning Toolkit

Creative Thinking Tools

Brainstorming
A technique that we have all probably used; brainstorming is used to generate a
lot of ideas from a group in a short time. Take a group of 8-12 people.
Clearly identify a problem. Create the conditions for a free-wheeling
atmosphere and let fly the ideas. Make sure someone is capturing the ideas
on a flip chart.
The simple rules are:
1.
2.

Postpone and withhold judgement until the end

Encourage wild and exaggerated ideas

3.

Quantity counts at this stage, not quality

4.

Build on the ideas put forward by others

5.

Every person and every idea has equal worth

For a refresher on everything to do with brainstorming, including how to prepare

and how to run a brainstorming session, go to:
http://www.brainstorming.co.uk

Reverse Brainstorming
Especially useful when the team is in a cynical, sarcastic or hostile mood using
that negative energy to spark creativity. You change the brainstorming topic to be
the opposite of what you really want. For example, if your team is supposed to
brainstorm ideas for increasing customer loyalty, the team brainstorms ways to
decrease customer loyalty. Trying to improve employee morale? Brainstorm
ideas for destroying morale.
After the team has filled the wall with ideas for lowering morale or chasing away
customers, you are ready to get down to identifying potential solutions to your
problem.

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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Ask the team to analyze the list and develop ideas for solving the problem. Many
solutions can be found simply by reversing some of the ideas on the list. Others
can be discovered through patterns and interesting combinations of negative
ideas. In either case, the list of "bad" ideas is a tremendous stimulus for
generating "good" ideas. (Excerpted from the article by Tom LaForce found at:
http://www.team-creations.com/Articles/art2498.htm)

Brainwriting
Select one question you want to answer and put it at the top of a flip chart, one
person writes an answer and passes the pen to the next. They write their
comments and their answer all in silence. No one dominates.

20 Answers
Write a focused question at the top of a page. Write 1-20 down the left hand of
the page and force yourself to come up with twenty answers. Be creative, list
opposites, variations. The first 10 will come easy, the next 5 a little harder and
the final five very hard. The latter ideas may be your best. This can be done as
a group exercise or by yourself.

4+s and a Wish

This can be used as a first step creativity exercise, or as a way to refine ideas
generated with some other method. The first person throws out an answer to a
focused question around a problem. The second person then suggests four
things that are good about that answer and concludes with a wish around how it
could be better. The next person answers suggests four things that are good
about the wish, then provides a wishful idea of their own to improve upon the
wish, etc.

Attribute Listing
List the main attributes of the idea or object, then examine each one with
members of the group or an individual making suggestions on how it can be
changed and improved. It is normally used on tangible rather than intangible
things. (See Kubr p. 210)

Forced Relationships
Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting
2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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Take objects or ideas and ask the question In how many ways can these be
combined to give a new object or idea. (See Kubr p. 211)

Morphological Analysis
Determine all the variables to develop a new process or to do something in a
new way. Then identify the sub variables. Put them in a matrix and then cross
pollinate. (See Kubr p. 211 instructive example provided for developing new
forms of transport.)

Synectics
Similar to Brainstorming and 4+s and a Wish, a group of around 9 people take on
a problem. One person is the client who takes ownership of the problem,
explains it to those assembled, and the participants put forward suggestions for
solving it. The client responds with what s/he likes about the suggestion, and
then touches on drawbacks. The participants then suggest ways to overcome
the drawbacks. New suggestions follow along with analyses in the same
manner. (See Kubr p. 210)

Affinity Analysis
Creative tool that can be used to create then gather large amount of quantitative
data and organizes it into groups. It is useful when; Issues seem to large to
comprehend, a breakthrough in traditional concepts is needed, or when
consensus is needed concerning implementation.
Assemble team of 5-6 and define the problem. Generate and record ideas on
cards. Display the completed cards, then arrange cards into related groupings.
Create header cards by looking for central idea that ties card together.
For a fuller explanation and an example go to www.team-creations.com then go
to Toolbox. It is listed under Problem Analysis Tools, but is an extremely useful
to generate ideas and group solutions. It can also be applied to the results of
brainstorming to organize the data generated.

Scenario Planning
Initially created by military intelligence, it has been adapted to help organizations
think about and develop long term strategic plans or solutions. There are about a
dozen steps in the process:

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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1.
2.

Identify the key question/problem to be addressed by the analysis

Set the time frame and scope

3.

Identify stakeholders

4.

Map basic trends and the driving forces

5.

Find key uncertainties

6.

Combine or link forces pair down to two major forces

7.

Identify the extremes of the outcomes of these major forces

8.

Define 2-4 scenarios

9.

Write out the scenarios

10.

Assess the scenarios

11.

Identify research needs

12.

Develop quantitative methods to quantify consequences

13.

Decide on the scenario that will address the key question/problem facing
the organization.

For a fuller examination of scenario planning see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenario_planning

Process Flow Diagrams

A useful tool from diagnosis can be turned into a creative exercise. Flow Charting
sets up a concise picture of the way particular processes are completed within
the organisation. This makes it easier for you to move on to the next logical step
which is to make changes for the better. In the creativity process, you start with
the existing process and figure out creative ways to get around its current
problems, or you can start from scratch, creating a new flow.
How to draw a Flow Chart
1. describe the process to be charted (give it a name)
2. start with the event that initiates the process
3. note each successive action concisely and clearly,

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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4. go with the main flow (i.e. when you reach a branch of

alternatives, go with the most important flow, put other branches,
extra detail in other charts)
5. make cross references to supporting information; include detail
on timing, critical issues problems or symptoms that impact on or
impede the flow
6. follow the process through to a useful conclusion
See: http://www.team-creations.com. Look under Tools/Games Problem
Analysis, Flowcharting

The Six Thinking Hats

Edward De Bono (1987) - Participants put on these hats and use them in the
creative session:
White

assessing available and required information

Red

feelings and emotions about the issue

Yellow

looking for gains and advantages

Black

constraints and risks

Green

creativity, new ideas and possibilities

Blue

pulling the whole thinking process together and managing it

Breakthrough Thinking Gerald Nadler & Shozo Hibino

(1994) Seven Principles of Creative Problem Solving:

1.

The Uniqueness Principle: Each problem is unique and may require a

unique solution. Studies of effective people show over and over again that
they do not assume that previous successful solutions should govern the
current problem situation or that analysis techniques and data collection
are at first critical. For example, achieving an industry benchmark leaves
a company behind because the competitor has already moved ahead.
Also, in trying to simply to match its competitor, the company may lose
again, because it did not adhere to its own unique characteristics or
market niche.

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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2.

The Purposes Principle: Focusing on and expanding purposes helps

strip away nonessential aspects of a problem. The more intelligent
problem solvers put more of their time 'up front' in problem solving, in
order to enable themselves to operate more efficiently once they get down
to details. In fact, they avoid the conventional urge to start by collecting
data and analyzing the situation.

3.

The Solution-After-Next Principle: Having a target solution in the future

gives direction to near-term solutions and infuses them with larger
purposes. The successful people studied say lofty ideals and vision are
essential if one is to enjoy continuing outstanding results. Conventional
thinkers try to apply knowledge directly to the problem situation.
Innovative thinkers use knowledge to stimulate new conceptions and of
ideal solutions.

4.

The Systems Principle: Every problem is part of a larger system of

problems, and solving one problem inevitably leads to another. Having a
clear framework of what elements and dimensions comprise a solution
ensures its workability and implementation. The successful solutionfinders studied had a framework in their minds, one they used to formulate
a solution of any sort. Intuitively, they were applying a systems
perspective.

5.

The Limited Information Collection Principle: Excessive data

gathering may create an expert in the problem area, but knowing too
much about it will probably prevent the discovery of some excellent
alternatives. The successful leaders and problem solvers studied know
that it is impossible for data to be accurate. Realizing that there is no such
thing as "hard" data, they know how to cope with "soft" data. They further
realize that it is not possible to get all the data. Their advise is to identify
the purposes of the information you think you need to collect about the
system or problem and limit your data collection.

6.

The People Design Principle: Those who will carry out and use the
solution should be intimately and continuously involved in its development.
Also, in designing for other people, the solution should include only the
critical details to allow some flexibility to those who must apply the
solution.
The concept of including many people in the solution
process is not new. Yet a study showed that only 5% of companies had
given employees any training in group decision making or problem solving
in the past year.

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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7.

The Betterment Timeline Principle: The only way to preserve the vitality
of a solution is to build in and then monitor a program for continual
change. The sequence of Breakthrough Thinking solutions thus becomes
a bridge to a better future. The successful leaders and problem solvers
we studied sought to move as quickly as possible to achieve their ultimate
vision. Therefore, change was continual through all of their efforts and
was intuitively based on repeating the Breakthrough Thinking principles.

Lateral Thinking (Outside the Box)

Looking at all ideas, including those that do not appear to be directly linked to the
problem; lateral thinking is to tackle the problem by encouraging a breadth of
ideas. Some ideas generated from brainstorming, for example, may appear to
be outside the box. Edward de Bono suggested putting a PO in front of those
ideas, meaning give the idea a chance, dont kill it too quickly, it may lead to
other ideas as we start delving vertically, i.e. as we analyze such an idea in
greater and greater depth. Discussion of it may also spark a useful alternative.
Quote from, Edward de Bono, Lateral Thinking: A textbook of creativity (1977)

Created for SMU-CAMC Essentials of Management Consulting

2005 Kevin Schwenker, FCMC
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