Creative Problem Solving Flashcards

Question 1

What is creative problem solving, and how does it differ from routine problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Creative problem solving is a process for addressing a challenge by generating novel and useful options before selecting one. Routine problem solving applies a known method to a familiar situation, while the creative version assumes the best answer is not yet obvious. The process includes clarifying the problem, generating ideas, evaluating them, and acting.

Question 2

Why do many people find it helpful to separate idea generation from evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Separating generation from evaluation helps because early judgment tends to shut down the flow of ideas before enough options appear. When people criticize too soon, they often settle for the first workable idea instead of the best one. Keeping the phases distinct lets unusual ideas develop before they are judged.

Question 3

What is a problem statement, and why should it be written before generating solutions?

Accepted Answer

A problem statement is a clear, specific description of the gap between the current and desired situations. Writing it first keeps the team focused on the real issue, not on a proposed fix that may target the wrong thing. A good statement names the symptoms and who is affected without proposing a solution.

Question 4

What is the difference between a symptom and a root cause when defining a problem?

Accepted Answer

A symptom is an observable effect, such as missed deadlines or falling sales, while a root cause is the underlying condition that produces that effect. Solving only symptoms often brings temporary relief while the problem returns. Techniques such as asking why repeatedly can help move from the visible effect toward the cause.

Question 5

What does it mean to reframe a problem, and why can reframing lead to new solutions?

Accepted Answer

Reframing means restating a problem from a different perspective, such as changing "how do we sell more tickets" into "how do we make attending more valuable." Each wording points attention toward different possible actions. Narrow framings tend to limit options, while broader or alternative framings reveal paths that were previously hidden from view.

Question 6

Why is curiosity considered an important trait for creative problem solvers?

Accepted Answer

Curiosity motivates people to ask questions that others skip, such as why a process exists or what would happen if a constraint were removed. These questions expose assumptions that might otherwise go unexamined. Curious people also tolerate uncertainty longer, which gives them time to explore a problem before settling on an answer.

Question 7

What role do constraints play in creative problem solving, and are they always harmful?

Accepted Answer

Constraints set the boundaries a solution must respect, such as budget, time, materials, or safety. Far from always being harmful, they often spark creativity because limits force people to rethink familiar approaches. Treating every limit as fixed, however, can hide options that a closer look would reveal.

Question 8

How does a growth mindset relate to creative problem solving?

Accepted Answer

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and practice. It supports creative problem solving because people who hold it are more willing to try unfamiliar approaches and to treat early failures as information. Without that belief, a person may avoid risky ideas to protect their reputation.

Question 9

What is divergent thinking, and what is its main goal in problem solving?

Accepted Answer

Divergent thinking is the process of generating many different possible ideas from a single starting point. Its main goal in problem solving is breadth, meaning a wide range of options that differ in approach, not just in detail. Quantity and variety matter here because the best answer often lies among unexpected possibilities.

Question 10

What is convergent thinking, and how does it differ from divergent thinking?

Accepted Answer

Convergent thinking is the process of narrowing a set of options down to the most promising one by applying criteria and judgment. Divergent thinking expands possibilities, while convergent thinking reduces them. Both are needed in creative work, and problems often stall when people try to do both at the same time.

Question 11

Why do creative teams often alternate between expansion and selection phases?

Accepted Answer

Alternating between expansion and selection lets a team explore widely and then focus its effort without mixing the two modes. Moving between them keeps early ideas from being dismissed too soon and prevents endless generation without a decision, so the process keeps moving forward.

Question 12

What is deferred judgment, and when is it most useful?

Accepted Answer

Deferred judgment means postponing evaluation of ideas until a generation phase has finished. It is most useful at the start of a session or whenever a group tends to criticize quickly. Holding judgment back encourages participants to offer partial or unusual ideas that might otherwise be withheld for fear of being rejected.

Question 13

What is the purpose of a divergent question, and how is it worded?

Accepted Answer

A divergent question invites many possible answers rather than one correct response, such as "In what ways could we reduce wait times at the clinic?" Its purpose is to open up the range of options before any are judged. Such questions often begin with how might, in what ways, or what else.

Question 14

How can a team tell whether it is still in the divergent or has moved to the convergent phase?

Accepted Answer

A team is still divergent when ideas keep arriving and building on earlier ones without anyone asking which is best. The shift to convergent thinking is signaled by agreed criteria, a time limit, or a question about feasibility. When new suggestions repeat or add little, expansion has likely run its course.

Question 15

What is a quick way to decide which idea is worth developing further?

Accepted Answer

One quick method is to rate each idea on two axes, such as potential impact and ease of implementation, and then focus on those that score well on both. Ideas that are high impact but difficult can be kept for later, while easy ideas with small effects may be combined with others.

Question 16

What is a decision matrix, and when does it help a team converge?

Accepted Answer

A decision matrix is a table that lists options down one side and weighted criteria across the top, with each option scored against each criterion. It helps a team converge when several options compete and the trade-offs are hard to compare by intuition alone. Making weights explicit reveals disagreements about priorities.

Question 17

What is brainstorming, and what rules are commonly used to keep it productive?

Accepted Answer

Brainstorming is a group technique for producing many ideas in a short period, usually with a facilitator recording them. Common rules include aiming for quantity, withholding criticism, welcoming unusual suggestions, and building on the ideas of others. These rules keep the energy high and reduce the social pressure that can make people hold back.

Question 18

What is the difference between individual brainstorming and group brainstorming?

Accepted Answer

Individual brainstorming means one person generates ideas alone, which allows private thinking without social pressure. Group brainstorming draws on different experiences, so one person's idea can trigger another's. Many teams combine both, starting with silent individual writing before sharing with the group.

Question 19

How does brainwriting differ from traditional spoken brainstorming?

Accepted Answer

Brainwriting asks each participant to write ideas on paper or cards and pass them along for others to build on, rather than speaking them aloud. This silent format gives quieter people equal opportunity to contribute and reduces the influence of louder voices or the first speaker. It also leaves a written record.

Question 20

What is the SCAMPER technique, and what does each letter stand for?

Accepted Answer

SCAMPER is a checklist of prompts for improving an existing product or process: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify or magnify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. Each prompt asks a question about the current item, such as what could be substituted or combined with something else.

Question 21

What is the purpose of random word stimulation, and how is it used?

Accepted Answer

Random word stimulation introduces an unrelated word, drawn at random, to push thinking toward associations that a familiar problem would not normally trigger. Participants list features or uses of the word and then ask how any of them might connect to the problem. Forced connections can break habitual patterns.

Question 22

How do analogies help generate ideas for a problem in an unfamiliar field?

Accepted Answer

An analogy maps the structure of a problem onto a different domain where a similar challenge has already been solved. For example, a team designing a hospital waiting room might study how airports manage queues and crowd flow. Borrowing a working pattern can suggest concrete ideas that direct thinking might miss.

Question 23

What is lateral thinking, and how does it differ from logical step-by-step reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Lateral thinking is an approach that deliberately moves sideways from the obvious path to explore alternative perspectives. Logical reasoning moves forward in sequence, with each step following from the last, while lateral thinking often tests unusual starting points and then checks whether they lead anywhere.

Question 24

What is an idea wall or gallery walk, and when is it useful?

Accepted Answer

An idea wall is a visible surface where participants post sticky notes or sketches so everyone can see and cluster ideas at once. A gallery walk extends this by having people move around the posted ideas and add comments or connections. Both help when a group has many ideas and needs a shared view.

Question 25

What criteria should a team consider when evaluating creative solutions?

Accepted Answer

Common criteria include feasibility, cost, time to implement, impact on the core problem, risk, and fit with the people who must use or support the solution. Novelty, meaning how differently an idea approaches the problem, is also worth weighing. Agreeing on criteria before comparing ideas helps prevent arguments based on personal preference.

Question 26

What is the difference between feasibility and desirability in evaluating an idea?

Accepted Answer

Feasibility asks whether an idea can be carried out with available resources, technology, and time. Desirability asks whether people actually want or need the result and would value it enough to use it. An idea may score well on one and poorly on the other, so strong evaluations consider both before deciding.

Question 27

What is a pilot test, and why is it valuable before full implementation?

Accepted Answer

A pilot test is a small, limited trial of a solution run under real conditions before it is rolled out widely. It is valuable because it reveals unexpected problems, costs, and reactions at a scale where mistakes are cheaper to fix. Pilots also replace assumptions with evidence.

Question 28

How can a team use a prototype to test an idea quickly and cheaply?

Accepted Answer

A team can build a rough prototype, such as a paper sketch, cardboard model, or simple role-play, that captures the core of the idea without finishing details. Users then react to it, and the team notes what confuses them, what they value, and what is missing. Repeating this cycle narrows the design.

Question 29

What is a premortem, and how does it improve the selection of a solution?

Accepted Answer

A premortem is a planning exercise in which a team imagines that a chosen solution has already failed and then explains why. This makes it easier to voice doubts that people might otherwise keep quiet to avoid seeming negative. The reasons often reveal risks that can be addressed before resources are committed.

Question 30

How can a decision be made when a team cannot reach consensus on the best option?

Accepted Answer

A team can use a pre-agreed decision rule, such as majority vote, a designated decision maker, or a trial of the top two options. Consensus is useful but not always realistic, so deciding how the choice will be made should happen before the debate. Then commit to the choice and review results later.

Question 31

What does it mean to satisfice, and when might it be a sensible strategy?

Accepted Answer

To satisfice means to choose an option that meets a set of acceptable standards rather than searching exhaustively for the single best one. It is sensible when time, information, or resources are limited and the cost of further search outweighs the expected gain. Satisficing often beats endless searching when time matters.

Question 32

How should a team document its decision so that future teams can learn from it?

Accepted Answer

A useful record states the problem, the options considered, the criteria used, the chosen solution, and the main reasons for rejecting the others. It should also note assumptions and planned measures of success, so that results can later be compared with expectations. A shared location helps the next team avoid repeating work.

Question 33

How does design thinking structure creative problem solving in practice?

Accepted Answer

Design thinking is a human-centered approach that moves through repeated phases, commonly described as empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Each phase feeds the next, but teams often loop back when testing reveals a misunderstanding of users. Its strength is keeping attention on the people affected, so solutions address real needs.

Question 34

What is a creative brief, and what should it include?

Accepted Answer

A creative brief is a short written document that states the problem, the audience, the goals, the constraints, and the criteria for success. Its purpose is to align everyone involved before ideas are generated, so that effort goes toward a shared target. A good brief stays concise and specific.

Question 35

How can a team run an effective ideation session with a remote or distributed group?

Accepted Answer

Teams can use shared digital whiteboards or documents where everyone adds ideas simultaneously, which prevents one voice from dominating. Asynchronous rounds, where participants contribute over a day, allow people in different time zones to take part. The facilitator should still set clear goals, time limits, and a rule for deferring judgment.

Question 36

What role does psychological safety play in team creativity?

Accepted Answer

Psychological safety is a shared belief that people can speak up, ask questions, and propose ideas without being punished or humiliated for doing so. It matters for creativity because unusual ideas carry social risk, and people withhold them when that risk feels high. Leaders encourage it by responding to half-formed suggestions with curiosity.

Question 37

How can a team assess whether a solution is actually working after launch?

Accepted Answer

A team should compare results against the success measures it defined at the outset, using both quantitative data, such as usage or error rates, and qualitative feedback from users. Results should trigger a planned review, with decisions to continue, adjust, or stop the solution.

Question 38

What is the role of a facilitator in a creative problem solving workshop?

Accepted Answer

A facilitator guides the process rather than the content, keeping the group within the planned stages, enforcing agreed rules, and managing time. The facilitator also watches for dominant participants, invites quieter voices, and recognizes when the group needs to shift between divergent and convergent work. A facilitator should avoid pushing personal preferred solutions.

Question 39

How can a team manage resistance when a creative solution challenges existing practices?

Accepted Answer

Resistance often reflects legitimate concerns about lost expertise, workload, or unclear outcomes, so teams should begin by listening to those concerns rather than dismissing them. Involving skeptics early in testing or design gives them ownership and improves the solution. Clear communication about what will change, why, and how success will be judged reduces uncertainty.

Question 40

How can creative problem solving be applied to a personal everyday challenge?

Accepted Answer

Start by writing a clear statement of the challenge, then reframe it in two or three alternative ways. Generate at least ten possible responses without judging them, using a technique like SCAMPER. Next, rate the most promising ideas against your personal criteria, test one in a small way, and review what happened.

Creative Problem Solving Flashcards

1Foundations of creative problem solving

2Divergent and convergent thinking

3Idea generation techniques

4Evaluating and selecting solutions

5Applying creativity in practice

Learning Resources