Problem Solving and Creative Thinking

Module-1

Thinking as a tool for Problem Solving

Thinking in simple words is creating words and ideas inside your head.Thinking can be positive or negative.For example suppose you go to a social event feeling just as awkward, but telling yourself like “lots of people are nervous at first so concentrate on being friendly. I don’t need to be perfect. Quit worrying and go”. These thoughts help you mingle and practice conversation skills. Your thoughts and actions may not make a friend there, but your thoughts and actions are more likely to lead to a friendship sometime somewhere.

Similarly another example:-

Negative thoughts Helpful AlternativesI don’t have any talent I’ll try to do the best I canI’m a complete failure I’m not going to give up

Types of thinking:Divergent and Convergent thinking skills are both important aspects of intelligence, problem solving and critical thinking.

Bringing facts and data together from various sources and then applying logic and knowledge to solve problems, achieve objectives or make decisions is known as convergent thinking.

The deductive logic that the fictional character Sherlock Homes used is a good convergent thinking example. Gathering various tidbits of facts and data he was able to put the pieces of a puzzle together and come up with a logical answer to the question: Who done it?

Convergent Thinking

Divergent Thinking is thinking outwards instead of inward. It is the ability to develop original and unique ideas and then come up with a problem solution or achieve an objective.

Einstein was a strong divergent thinker. He asked simple questions and then did mental exercises to solve problems. For example, as a young man Einstein asked himself what it would be like to ride on a beam of light. It took him many years of thought experiments, however the answer helped him develop the special theory of relativity.

Divergent Thinking

Critical thinking:This is also known as critical Inquiry, logical or analytical thinking.Critical thinking is the ability to think for oneself and reliably and responsibly make decision that affects one’s life.

For example: Critical thinkers investigate problems, ask questions, pose new answers or discover new information.

Characteristics of a critical thinker:1. Uses evidence skillfully2. Organizes thoughts3. Distinguishes between logically valid and invalid inferences4. Attempts to anticipate the probable consequences of alternative solutions5. Applies problem solving technique in domains other than learned6. Use limited information to draw realistic conclusions

Factors that influence Critical thinking are:

1. Memory lapses2. EmotionsIt sometimes shapes and sometimes inhibits our thinking

Thinking Skills1. Knowledge2. Comprehension3. Application4. Analysis5. Synthesis6. Evaluation

What is Critical Thinking 

'Critical thinking' and 'critical analysis' are terms which are consistently used by academics in explanations of what is required by students in their university work as well as in feedback about what is lacking in student assignments.

It can be defined as:

"the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skilfully conceptualising, applying, analysing, synthesising and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generalised by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or communication, as a guide to belief or action [or argument]" (Scriven & Paul ,2001, p.1).

How to be a Critical Thinker 

Critical thinking means different things in different disciplines. If you are studying in an education discipline, for example, you will be thinking critically when you apply

theory to a practical situation and then reflect on what happened as a result of your application of that particular theory in that situation.

In a discipline which has a less obviously practical application, for example some humanities areas of study, you will be thinking critically when you compare and contrast theories with each other, or when you try to work out gaps or flaws in those theories.

Your lecturers expect that even first year students can do more than just describe a theory or concept in assignments. In addition to describing, lecturers also expect students to analyse and evaluate or judge a concept, or apply a concept or theory to a practical situation.

Critical thinking is occurring and is evident when a student engages in some or all of the following actions that are part of completing an assignment.

Critical thinking involves the following:

Analysing tasks

Identifying assumptions

Analysing & classifying

Making comparisons

Problem solving

Analysing tasksQuestioning & challenging ideas

Observing facts, comparing them to hypotheses & assumptions

Judging the validity of the source & the worth of evidence

Forming opinions / arguments

Making connections between ideas, texts, theories, frameworks, disciplines

Evaluating & weighing up

Drawing inferences

Making generalisations

Module-2

Hindrances in Problem Solving

One of the best ways to become a better problem-solver is to be aware of the factors that hinder the problem solving process. So awareness to problems us always the first step to solving problems.

1. Perception:This plays important role as inaccurate perception of a problem creates difficulties. For example stereotype thinking.

2. Expression:If we are unable to articulate and express ideas adequately, misunderstandings may arise which get in the way of finding appropriate solutions.

3. Emotions:It also strongly influences problem solving. For example if we are anxious about the outcome of situation, are impatient or afraid it affects the problem solving.

4. Intellect:If we lack knowledge or skill in a particular area or not methodical in our approach we are likely to exaggerate the problem and not solve it.

5. Work Environment:This is an important aspect in problem solving as we know that problem can be solved in a healthy way if we have the support of our superiors, colleagues and juniors at the work place.

Barriers to Problem Solving and Decision Making

A number of barriers may exist that affect the actuality of problem solving and decision making. Decision makers may not be aware that barriers are detracting from the decision-making process. Some of the most common barriers to problem solving and decision making are:

Resistance to change: People are often reluctant to change from the time-honored way of doing things. Resistance to change can prevent people from taking chances and from considering new possibilities.

Habits: Habits limit our vision of what can be accomplished and many stand in the way of solving a problem. Habits may go undetected by an individual and may be a tremendous deterrent to correcting a problem. For example, receptionist who is having difficulty in completing his or her work may be unaware that the habit of taking personal calls is taking the bulk of work time.

Individual insecurity: Individual insecurity may deter individuals from taking risks or from pursuing behavior that may require them to take a stand. Individual insecurity may come from past experiences or from an overall lack of self-confidence.

Past history: Knowing what has happened before and what worked and did not work can inhibit an individual's desire to try new methods of problem solving or decision making. Past history is frequently an excuse for not making changes. The individual, who may not wish to approach a situation in a new way, may remind others that a similar idea failed in the past.

Fear of success or failure: At some time, everyone experiences some type of fear. The fear of success or failure may be viewed as unreasonable, but it can greatly deter the confrontation of problems. The unknown can be a frightening thing. When a new way of doing something is attempted, the possibility exists that it may work well or not at all. In either instance, changes may result. While some people thrive on recognition, others shy away from it. These fears may cause people to avoid the possibility of success or failure altogether.

Jumping to conclusions: When problems must be solved and decisions made, it is easy to jump to conclusions. When someone jumps to conclusions, assumptions are made about what might or might not work or the possible results; assumptions may frequently take on negative perspectives.

Perceptions: As we have stated, perceptions are the ways that we see things based on our experiences. We may be unable to see something from another perspective because we are so blinded by our own perception.

Fixation

Fixation is the inability to see a problem from a new perspective. At some point during our lives, each of us has experienced fixation in one form or another. Have you ever been so focused on a problem that you were locked into the same thought patterns even though those thoughts failed to provide a solution for the problem? There are a number of reasons why we experienced fixation. Probably the most common reason is that we approached the problem with a set of beliefs and assumptions that locked us in to a certain pattern of thinking. A set of beliefs and assumptions is called a paradigm.

Six Thinking Hats/Lateral Thinking/Parallel Thinking

Looking at a Decision From All Points of View

'Six Thinking Hats' is an important and powerful technique. It is used to look at decisions from a number of important perspectives. This forces you to move outside your habitual thinking style, and helps you to get a more rounded view of a situation.

This tool was created by Edward de Bono in his book '6 Thinking Hats'.

Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint. This is part of the reason that they are successful. Often, though, they may fail to look at a problem from an emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoint. This can mean that they underestimate resistance to plans, fail to make creative leaps and do not make essential contingency plans.

Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and more emotional people may fail to look at decisions calmly and rationally.

If you look at a problem with the 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, then you will solve it using all approaches. Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, public sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning.

How to Use the Tool

You can use Six Thinking Hats in meetings or on your own. In meetings it has the benefit of blocking the confrontations that happen when people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem.

Each 'Thinking Hat' is a different style of thinking. These are explained below:

White Hat:With this thinking hat you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it. Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try to fill them or take account of them.This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data.

Red Hat:'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion. Also try to think how other people will react emotionally. Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.

Black Hat:Using black hat thinking, look at all the bad points of the decision. Look at it cautiously and defensively. Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan. It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or prepare contingency plans to counter them.Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more resilient. It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action. Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique, as many successful people get so used to thinking positively that often they cannot see problems in advance. This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.

Yellow Hat:The yellow hat helps you to think positively. It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.

Green Hat:The Green Hat stands for creativity. This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. A whole range of creativity tools can help you here.

Blue Hat:The Blue Hat stands for process control. This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings. When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, etc.

A variant of this technique is to look at problems from the point of view of different professionals (e.g. doctors, architects, sales directors, etc.) or different customers.

Example

The directors of a property company are looking at whether they should construct a new office building. The economy is doing well, and the amount of vacant office space is reducing sharply. As part of their decision they decide to use the 6 Thinking Hats technique during a planning meeting.

Looking at the problem with the White Hat, they analyze the data they have. They examine the trend in vacant office space, which shows a sharp reduction. They anticipate that by the time the office block would be completed, that there will be a severe shortage of office space. Current government projections show steady economic growth for at least the construction period.

With Red Hat thinking, some of the directors think the proposed building looks quite ugly. While it would be highly cost-effective, they worry that people would not like to work in it.

When they think with the Black Hat, they worry that government projections may be wrong. The economy may be about to enter a 'cyclical downturn', in which case the office building may be empty for a long time. If the building is not attractive, then companies will choose to work in another better-looking building at the same rent.

With the Yellow Hat, however, if the economy holds up and their projections are correct, the company stands to make a great deal of money. If they are lucky, maybe they could sell the building before the next downturn, or rent to tenants on long-term leases that will last through any recession.

With Green Hat thinking they consider whether they should change the design to make the building more pleasant. Perhaps they could build prestige offices that people would

want to rent in any economic climate. Alternatively, maybe they should invest the money in the short term to buy up property at a low cost when a recession comes.

The Blue Hat has been used by the meeting's Chair to move among the different thinking styles. He or she may have needed to keep other members of the team from switching styles, or from criticizing other peoples' points.

It is well worth reading Edward de Bono's book 6 Thinking Hats for more information on this technique.Key Points

Six Thinking Hats is a good technique for looking at the effects of a decision from a number of different points of view.

It allows necessary emotion and skepticism to be brought into what would otherwise be purely rational decisions. It opens up the opportunity for creativity within Decision Making. The technique also helps, for example, persistently pessimistic people to be positive and creative.

Plans developed using the '6 Thinking Hats' technique will be sounder and more resilient than would otherwise be the case. It may also help you to avoid public relations mistakes, and spot good reasons not to follow a course of action before you have committed to it.

Module 3 and 4

Problem solving process / Plan of Action:

Problem-Solving:

Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.

The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the unique situation. In some cases, people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factual knowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight are the best options.

The Steps in Problem-Solving

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is important to follow a series of steps. Many researchers refer to this as the problem-solving cycle, which includes developing strategies and organizing knowledge. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution. Instead, we often skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the desired solution is reached.

1. Recognizing and defining a problem:The normal process for solving a problem will initially involve defining the problem you want to solve. You need to decide what you want to achieve and write it down. Merely writing down the problem forces you to think about what you want to solve and how much you want to achieve.

2. Prioritizing the problem:If its more than one problem we need to prioritize so that we can focus on the important problem first.

3. Analyzing the problem:The next step in the process is often to check where we are, what the current situation is.

4. Developing possible Alternatives:At this stage you concentrate on generating many solutions and should not evaluate them at all.Very often an idea which would have been discarded immediately, when evaluated properly can be developed in to a superb solution.So at this stage you should not pre-judge any potential solutions but should treat each idea as a new idea in its own and worthy consideration.

5. Analyzing solutions: At this stage we don’t evaluate solutions but we take into consideration the good and bad points and other aspects related and relevant to each solution.By doing this we discover which ideas will work and are relevant to the solution.

For is this we can also make a goal statement for each solution:It’s called SMART goal.S-Specific-That is whether the solution is specific to problem and not broad, general or ambiguous.M-Measurable- That is whether the solution is an indicator of success, so that it becomes easy to monitor progress.A-Achievable- That is solution should be realistic and well within the abilities, responsibilities and resources.

R-Relevant-Solution should be appropriate to a person who will be attempting o achieve it.T-Timely-The attainment of a goal should be time bound .There has to be some deadline.

6. Selecting the best solution(s): At this stage we take into consideration which solution to keep and which to disregard and for this purpose in depth analysis is done .In case no solution works best for the problem we need to repeat the generation of solution stage to discover more potential solutions.

7. Implementation: At this stage we have potential solution and it we who decide how to .make the solution happen.

8. Monitor and Evaluate: : Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies.

After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment.

9. Restart with a new problem or refine the old problem. Problem solving steps are cyclical. If the first cycle is successful the process starts over with a new problem. If the same problem persists, there must be refinement, so the process starts over with refinement of the original problem .

Long-Term and Short-Term Goals

Goals that can happen quickly are called short-term goals. Goals that take a long time to achieve are called long-term goals. Find out more about them.

A short-term goal is something you want to do in the near future. The near future can mean today, this week, this month, or even this year. A short-term goal is something you want to accomplish soon.A short term goal is a goal you can achieve in 12 months or less. Examples include:

Take a class

Buy a new television Write my resume

A long-term goal is something you want to do further in the future. Long-term goals require time and planning. They are not something you can do this week or even this year. Long-term goals usually take 12 months or more to achieve.Here are examples of goals that can take several years to achieve:

Graduate from college Save for retirement Have my own business

Tips for Setting Long-Term Goals Work backwards. Think about what you want to achieve then plan steps going

back to what you can do right now. Create a picture of where you want to be in life 10 years from now. Think about what you need to do in five years, in one year, and in six months to

get to your long-term goal. Write down what you need to do each month to achieve your goals. After each monthly goal is achieved, look at your goals and adjust them as

needed.Prioritizing Your GoalsHow do you decide what to do first? How do you adjust your goals? This is called prioritizing.

Prioritizing means that you decide what is most important to you right now. All of your goals are important, but it's impossible to work on all of them at once.

1. Choose what is most important right now.2. Focus mainly on that goal.3. Add additional goals as you become comfortable with your efforts.4. Being flexible is important. Change your focus on goals as your life changes.

Plan of Action (POA):

A sequence of steps that must be taken, or activities that must be performed well, for a strategy to succeed. An action plan has three major elements (1) Specific tasks: what will be done and by whom. (2) Time horizon: when will it be done. (3) Resource allocation: what specific funds are available for specific activities. Action Plans are simple lists of all of the tasks that you need to finish to meet an objective. They differ from To-Do Lists in that they focus on the achievement of a single goal.

Action Plans are useful, because they give you a framework for thinking about how you'll complete a project efficiently. They help you finish activities in a sensible order, and they help you ensure that you don't miss any key steps. Also, because you can see each task laid out, you can quickly decide which tasks you'll delegate or outsource, and which tasks you may be able to ignore.

Using Action Plans

Use an Action Plan whenever you need to plan a small project.

To draw up an Action Plan, simply list the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve your objective, in the order that you need to complete them. (This is very simple, but it is still very useful!)

Use the three-step process below to help you:

Step 1: Identify Tasks

Start by brainstorming all of the tasks that you need to complete to accomplish your objective.It's helpful to start this process at the very beginning. What's the very first action you'll need to take? Once that task is complete, what comes next? Are there any steps that should be prioritized to meet specific deadlines, or because of limits on other people's availability?

Step 2: Analyze and Delegate Tasks

Now that you can see the entire project from beginning to end, look at each task in greater detail.

Are there any steps that you could drop, but still meet your objective? Which tasks could you delegate to someone else on your team, or could be dealt with by a freelancer? Are there any deadlines for specific steps? Do you need to arrange additional resources?

Step 3: Double-Check with SCHEMES

Use the SCHEMES* mnemonic to check that your plan is comprehensive.

SCHEMES stands for:

Space. Cash. Helpers/People. Equipment. Materials. Expertise.

Systems.You may not need to think about all of these to complete your project. For instance, for a small internal project to streamline the format of your team's reports, you might only need to think about "Helpers/People," "Expertise," and "Systems."

Note:

Once you've completed your Action Plan, keep it by you as you carry out the work, and update it with additional activities if required.

Learning from Your Action Plan

If you think you'll be trying to achieve a similar goal again, revise your Action Plan after the work is complete, by making a note of anything that you could have done better.

For instance, perhaps you could have avoided a last-minute panic if you'd alerted a supplier in advance about the size of order you'd be placing. Or maybe you didn't allow enough time to do certain tasks.

Tip:

If you'll be doing similar work again, consider turning your Action Plan into anAide Memoire . This is a checklist that you progressively refine and improve to make sure that you remember to do everything important for success.

Managing Bigger Projects

Action Plans are useful for small projects, where deadlines are not particularly important or strenuous, and where you don't need to co-ordinate other people.

As your projects grow, however, you'll need to develop more formal project management skills, particularly if you're responsible for scheduling other people's time, or need to complete projects to tight deadlines.

You can also use Action Plans in conjunction with your To-Do Lists , or Action Programs .Action Programs are "heavy duty" versions of To-Do Lists, which help you manage many simultaneous small projects. This is something that managers at all levels need to do routinely.

Key Points

An Action Plan is a list of tasks that you need to do to complete a simple project or objective.

To draw up an Action Plan, simply list the tasks that you need to complete to deliver your project or objective, in the order that you need to complete them.

To do this, first brainstorm every step you'll need to take to follow your task to completion. Then, analyze tasks to see if there are any that can be pruned, or delegated. Lastly, use the SCHEMES mnemonic to double check that you've considered all critical areas.

If you need to schedule people's time, or meet tight deadlines as part of your project, consider using the other project management techniques mentioned.

Module-5

Creative ThinkingCreative thinking mean going out of the normal logical thinking process to appreciate the problem from another perspective which we normally don’t take. We go out of the “if then this” logical sequence of thinking and let our intuitive process enter into the scene.

The stages of Creative thinking are as follows:1. Preparation: This stage consists of purposeful study and enquiry in order to

collect experience and information needed.2. Incubation: Following the preparatory stage, there is period of rest when there is no obvious activity and progress. The person organizes and tests his ideas. This period involves vicarious experiencing of the problem. Flashes of insight and trial judgment occur.Mind continue its search.

3. Illumination: During this stage, the individual suddenly perceives the theme and new relationship among the various components of the problem. This results in the solution of the problem.

4. Verification: During this stage the new theme is checked out to determine whether the solution appeared through insight is the correct one. The individual rethinks, revise and refines the solution.

The “icedip” phases.

Inspiration. In which you generate a large number of ideasThis is the research or idea-generation phase. The process is uninhibited and characterised by spontaneity, experimentation, intuition, and risk-taking.

Many people wonder where creative people find their good ideas. The answer is, in amongst a huge pile of bad ones. Creativity is like mining for diamonds, most of what you dig is thrown away, but that doesn’t make the digging a waste of time. If you ‘can’t

think of anything’ you are having difficulty with this inspiration phase, perhaps because you are too self-critical, or expect good ideas to come too quickly.

In the field of the creative arts the inspiration phase is often associated with a search for an individual voice, and with an attempt to conjure up deep feelings of (for example) empathy, spirituality, or an intense identification with the subject matter.

This is not a phase in which to be negative or worried about form, practicality, rhyme or quality. For reasons to be examined later you should be rejecting at least 90% of your initial ideas. Let yourself off the leash ! If most of the ideas you create are workable, then you didn’t take enough risks.

Clarification In which you focus on your goals. Key questions are:

◊ what am I trying to achieve here?◊ what am I trying to say? ◊ what exactly is the problem I am trying to solve? ◊ what would I like the finished work to be like?

And in more open ended work: ◊ how could I exploit the ideas I have had? ◊ where could this idea take me --- what could I make of it?

The aim here is to clarify the purpose or objective of the work. It is easy to lose your sense of direction while dealing with detailed difficulties in creative work. So you need occasionally to disengage from these obstacles and ask: “what exactly am I trying to do?”. If you ‘get stuck’ in the middle of a project, then rather than dreaming up a stream of alternatives you need to clarify where exactly you want to go. How to get there is then often straight-forward, or even blindingly obvious.Clarification gets you out of the mire, but it is also required when say, an artist or designer agonises between two or more equally attractive approaches. Such decisions require a clear sense of purpose. If you feel lost, stuck, bogged down, confused, or uncertain about how to proceed, then clarification is what you need. In this clarification phase you have your eye on the ball, you are being strategic and logical, focussing on how the finished work will look.

Distillation In which you look through the ideas you have generated and try to determine which ones to work on

Here ideas from the inspiration phase are sifted through and evaluated usually in the light of the findings of a clarification phase. The best ideas are chosen for further development, or are combined into even better ideas.

This is a self-critical phase. It requires cool analysis and judgment rather than slap-happy spontaneity. However it should not be so critical as to inhibit productivity entirely. Remember, the ideas you have had are only ideas, not complete solutions --- you must not expect too much of them. It is where the ideas can take you that counts, not the ideas themselves.

Perspiration In which you work determindedly on your best ideas.

This is where the real work is done. You are involved in determined and persistent effort towards your goal, this will usually involve further 'inspiration' ‘distillation’ and 'clarification' phases.

Evaluation This is a review phase in which you look back over your work in progress

In the evaluation phase you examine your work for strengths and weaknesses. Then you need to consider how the work could be improved, by removing weaknesses but also by capitalising on its strengths. Then there will probably need to be another perspiration phase to respond positively to the suggestions for improvement. Perspiration and evaluation phases often alternate to form a cycle.Hardly anyone gets things perfect first time. Creative people adapt to improve.

Many people dislike the evaluation phase at first. However, highly creative people are nearly always inveterate revisors. They tinker with work that would make others gape in delight. Actually this evaluation phase can be very rewarding, and no work of real merit will be produced without it. If Shakespeare and Picasso found they had to revise their efforts, then I expect even you will need to!

Incubation In which you leave the work alone, though you still ponder about it occasionally , leaving it ‘on the surface of your mind’.

Many brilliant ideas have occurred in the bath, or in traffic jams. If you are able to stop work on a project for a few days, perhaps to work on other things, this will give your subconscious time to work on any problems encountered, it will also distance you somewhat from your ideas so that you are better able to evaluate them.

'Incubation' is particularly useful after an 'inspiration' or a 'perspiration' phase, or if a problem has been encountered. Creative people are often surprisingly patient and untidy, and are content to let half-baked ideas, loose ends and inconsistencies brew away in their sub-conscious until 'something turns up'.

Whenever Sir Isaac Newton had a particularly thorny problem he always worked on it just before he went to sleep. He said "I invariably woke up with the solution"

Those are the six phases of the creative process. In contrast to this complex, multi-phased process ‘uncreative’ people, though they may have the skills necessary for original work, will tend to latch on to the very first idea that comes to them, and complete the work quickly and uncritically, without revision, and without serious thought about what they were trying to achieve.

The first letters of these six phases can be arranged to spell "icedip" which may help you to remember them. Remember though, that each of these “icedip” phases should be encountered many times, sometimes for very short periods, and not necessarily in any particular sequence. You need to adopt the right phase at the right time. For example, no amount of distillation can help you if need clarification. Many creative blocks are due to the determined adoption of an inappropriate phase. So if stuck ... switch phases !

When you are involved in your creative work, do you make good use of each phase and use each phase as often as you should? Techniques to help you work effectively in each of these phases will be provided in later chapters.

When all things fail in your attempt to solve a problem, let your creative mind take over. Relax. Take a walk. Sleep. You might just be a blink away from the solution to the problem if you just let your intuitive mind take over.

The barriers to Creative Thinking:1. Conformity, or giving the answer accepted:

The barrier of conformity follows the previous barrier in the sense that many people feel they have to conform to the patterns established by their colleagues in the work environment.

2. Evaluating too quickly:This barrier is not an easy one to remove. Everybody has a well developed capability of evaluating ideas, and this is applied almost instinctively when ideas are put forward. As with the "automatic no" response, we tend to analyze and all too often reject ideas which are slightly offbeat or new.

3. Fear of looking a fool:Fear of looking a fool is the biggest barrier of all and the most difficult to remove. It isone of the oldest barriers that it starts very early in life. The imagination and creativity injected into games played by very young children generate much laughter and enjoyment. Unfortunately, the laughter can be turned against an individual who then begins to say, 'they are laughing at me". Nobody likes being laughed at and, as a consequence, as we grow up we tend to avoid putting forward the silly ideas, in case we are laughed at, or thought foolish.

People do not like going against commonly accepted views. Particularly when they are stated by prominent or notable people.There is a risk of being wrong, particularly if the new idea is radically different from common practice. Examples of this aspect abound in history, and are still found today.