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Creative Problem Solving

Finding innovative solutions to challenges.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Imagine that you're vacuuming your house in a hurry because you've got friends coming over. Frustratingly, you're working hard but you're not getting very far. You kneel down, open up the vacuum cleaner, and pull out the bag. In a cloud of dust, you realize that it's full... again. Coughing, you empty it and wonder why vacuum cleaners with bags still exist!

James Dyson, inventor and founder of Dyson® vacuum cleaners, had exactly the same problem, and he used creative problem solving to find the answer. While many companies focused on developing a better vacuum cleaner filter, he realized that he had to think differently and find a more creative solution. So, he devised a revolutionary way to separate the dirt from the air, and invented the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner. [1]

Creative problem solving (CPS) is a way of solving problems or identifying opportunities when conventional thinking has failed. It encourages you to find fresh perspectives and come up with innovative solutions, so that you can formulate a plan to overcome obstacles and reach your goals.

In this article, we'll explore what CPS is, and we'll look at its key principles. We'll also provide a model that you can use to generate creative solutions.

About Creative Problem Solving

Alex Osborn, founder of the Creative Education Foundation, first developed creative problem solving in the 1940s, along with the term "brainstorming." And, together with Sid Parnes, he developed the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Process. Despite its age, this model remains a valuable approach to problem solving. [2]

The early Osborn-Parnes model inspired a number of other tools. One of these is the 2011 CPS Learner's Model, also from the Creative Education Foundation, developed by Dr Gerard J. Puccio, Marie Mance, and co-workers. In this article, we'll use this modern four-step model to explore how you can use CPS to generate innovative, effective solutions.

Why Use Creative Problem Solving?

Dealing with obstacles and challenges is a regular part of working life, and overcoming them isn't always easy. To improve your products, services, communications, and interpersonal skills, and for you and your organization to excel, you need to encourage creative thinking and find innovative solutions that work.

CPS asks you to separate your "divergent" and "convergent" thinking as a way to do this. Divergent thinking is the process of generating lots of potential solutions and possibilities, otherwise known as brainstorming. And convergent thinking involves evaluating those options and choosing the most promising one. Often, we use a combination of the two to develop new ideas or solutions. However, using them simultaneously can result in unbalanced or biased decisions, and can stifle idea generation.

For more on divergent and convergent thinking, and for a useful diagram, see the book "Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making." [3]

Core Principles of Creative Problem Solving

CPS has four core principles. Let's explore each one in more detail:

• Divergent and convergent thinking must be balanced. The key to creativity is learning how to identify and balance divergent and convergent thinking (done separately), and knowing when to practice each one.
• Ask problems as questions. When you rephrase problems and challenges as open-ended questions with multiple possibilities, it's easier to come up with solutions. Asking these types of questions generates lots of rich information, while asking closed questions tends to elicit short answers, such as confirmations or disagreements. Problem statements tend to generate limited responses, or none at all.
• Defer or suspend judgment. As Alex Osborn learned from his work on brainstorming, judging solutions early on tends to shut down idea generation. Instead, there's an appropriate and necessary time to judge ideas during the convergence stage.
• Focus on "Yes, and," rather than "No, but." Language matters when you're generating information and ideas. "Yes, and" encourages people to expand their thoughts, which is necessary during certain stages of CPS. Using the word "but" – preceded by "yes" or "no" – ends conversation, and often negates what's come before it.

How to Use the Tool

Let's explore how you can use each of the four steps of the CPS Learner's Model (shown in figure 1, below) to generate innovative ideas and solutions.

Figure 1 – CPS Learner's Model

Explore the Vision

Identify your goal, desire or challenge. This is a crucial first step because it's easy to assume, incorrectly, that you know what the problem is. However, you may have missed something or have failed to understand the issue fully, and defining your objective can provide clarity. Read our article, 5 Whys , for more on getting to the root of a problem quickly.

Gather Data

Once you've identified and understood the problem, you can collect information about it and develop a clear understanding of it. Make a note of details such as who and what is involved, all the relevant facts, and everyone's feelings and opinions.

Formulate Questions

When you've increased your awareness of the challenge or problem you've identified, ask questions that will generate solutions. Think about the obstacles you might face and the opportunities they could present.

Explore Ideas

Generate ideas that answer the challenge questions you identified in step 1. It can be tempting to consider solutions that you've tried before, as our minds tend to return to habitual thinking patterns that stop us from producing new ideas. However, this is a chance to use your creativity .

Brainstorming and Mind Maps are great ways to explore ideas during this divergent stage of CPS. And our articles, Encouraging Team Creativity , Problem Solving , Rolestorming , Hurson's Productive Thinking Model , and The Four-Step Innovation Process , can also help boost your creativity.

See our Brainstorming resources within our Creativity section for more on this.

Formulate Solutions

This is the convergent stage of CPS, where you begin to focus on evaluating all of your possible options and come up with solutions. Analyze whether potential solutions meet your needs and criteria, and decide whether you can implement them successfully. Next, consider how you can strengthen them and determine which ones are the best "fit." Our articles, Critical Thinking and ORAPAPA , are useful here.

4. Implement

Formulate a plan.

Once you've chosen the best solution, it's time to develop a plan of action. Start by identifying resources and actions that will allow you to implement your chosen solution. Next, communicate your plan and make sure that everyone involved understands and accepts it.

There have been many adaptations of CPS since its inception, because nobody owns the idea.

For example, Scott Isaksen and Donald Treffinger formed The Creative Problem Solving Group Inc . and the Center for Creative Learning , and their model has evolved over many versions. Blair Miller, Jonathan Vehar and Roger L. Firestien also created their own version, and Dr Gerard J. Puccio, Mary C. Murdock, and Marie Mance developed CPS: The Thinking Skills Model. [4] Tim Hurson created The Productive Thinking Model , and Paul Reali developed CPS: Competencies Model. [5]

Sid Parnes continued to adapt the CPS model by adding concepts such as imagery and visualization , and he founded the Creative Studies Project to teach CPS. For more information on the evolution and development of the CPS process, see Creative Problem Solving Version 6.1 by Donald J. Treffinger, Scott G. Isaksen, and K. Brian Dorval. [6]

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Infographic

See our infographic on Creative Problem Solving .

Creative problem solving (CPS) is a way of using your creativity to develop new ideas and solutions to problems. The process is based on separating divergent and convergent thinking styles, so that you can focus your mind on creating at the first stage, and then evaluating at the second stage.

There have been many adaptations of the original Osborn-Parnes model, but they all involve a clear structure of identifying the problem, generating new ideas, evaluating the options, and then formulating a plan for successful implementation.

[1] Entrepreneur (2012). James Dyson on Using Failure to Drive Success [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 27, 2022.]

[2] Creative Education Foundation (2015). The CPS Process [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 26, 2022.]

[3] Kaner, S. et al. (2014). 'Facilitator′s Guide to Participatory Decision–Making,' San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

[4] Puccio, G., Mance, M., and Murdock, M. (2011). 'Creative Leadership: Skils That Drive Change' (2nd Ed.), Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

[5] OmniSkills (2013). Creative Problem Solving [online]. Available here . [Accessed May 26, 2022].

[6] Treffinger, G., Isaksen, S., and Dorval, B. (2010). Creative Problem Solving (CPS Version 6.1). Center for Creative Learning, Inc. & Creative Problem Solving Group, Inc. Available here .

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Creative Learning in Problem Solving and Development of Computational Thinking

• Conference paper
• First Online: 09 October 2021
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• Tatyane S. C. da Silva   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9635-4836 8 ,
• Jeane C. B. de Melo   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2357-1178 9 &
• Patricia C. A. R. Tedesco   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9450-9219 8  

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1473))

Included in the following conference series:

• International Conference on Computer Supported Education

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Society is increasingly facing complex problems and creativity is one of the skills that help in solving these problems in addition to being one of the skills of professionals of the future. Additionally, Computational Thinking involves solving problems using models, abstractions, organization, and decomposition of these elements in an algorithmic way and thus can contribute to the development of an individual’s ability to be creative. Therefore, this study aims at understanding the relationship between creative learning in problem-solving and the development of Computational Thinking, to assist the teaching and learning of programming. To this end, a Conceptual Model was elaborated, relating the pillars of Computational Thinking to the problem solving process and later applied in a Computational Thinking subject carried out in a Higher Education Computing course This model is an adaptation of its previous version. It encompasses both the pillars of Computational Thinking and CPS (Creative Problem Solving), as well as techniques of creativity to assist in Creative Thinking. The results of the research show that there is relevance in the insertion of creativity in the problem-solving process through Computational Thinking. The quasi-experiment well received by the teacher. The students reported that the activity helped in solving problems because through it it is possible to have a model to follow with similar problems.

This work was carried out with support from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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Tatyane S. C. da Silva & Patricia C. A. R. Tedesco

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da Silva, T.S.C., de Melo, J.C.B., Tedesco, P.C.A.R. (2021). Creative Learning in Problem Solving and Development of Computational Thinking. In: Lane, H.C., Zvacek, S., Uhomoibhi, J. (eds) Computer Supported Education. CSEDU 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1473. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86439-2_11

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What Is Creative Problem-Solving & Why Is It Important?

• 01 Feb 2022

One of the biggest hindrances to innovation is complacency—it can be more comfortable to do what you know than venture into the unknown. Business leaders can overcome this barrier by mobilizing creative team members and providing space to innovate.

There are several tools you can use to encourage creativity in the workplace. Creative problem-solving is one of them, which facilitates the development of innovative solutions to difficult problems.

Here’s an overview of creative problem-solving and why it’s important in business.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Creative Problem-Solving?

Research is necessary when solving a problem. But there are situations where a problem’s specific cause is difficult to pinpoint. This can occur when there’s not enough time to narrow down the problem’s source or there are differing opinions about its root cause.

In such cases, you can use creative problem-solving , which allows you to explore potential solutions regardless of whether a problem has been defined.

Creative problem-solving is less structured than other innovation processes and encourages exploring open-ended solutions. It also focuses on developing new perspectives and fostering creativity in the workplace . Its benefits include:

• Finding creative solutions to complex problems : User research can insufficiently illustrate a situation’s complexity. While other innovation processes rely on this information, creative problem-solving can yield solutions without it.
• Adapting to change : Business is constantly changing, and business leaders need to adapt. Creative problem-solving helps overcome unforeseen challenges and find solutions to unconventional problems.
• Fueling innovation and growth : In addition to solutions, creative problem-solving can spark innovative ideas that drive company growth. These ideas can lead to new product lines, services, or a modified operations structure that improves efficiency.

Creative problem-solving is traditionally based on the following key principles :

1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Creative problem-solving uses two primary tools to find solutions: divergence and convergence. Divergence generates ideas in response to a problem, while convergence narrows them down to a shortlist. It balances these two practices and turns ideas into concrete solutions.

2. Reframe Problems as Questions

By framing problems as questions, you shift from focusing on obstacles to solutions. This provides the freedom to brainstorm potential ideas.

3. Defer Judgment of Ideas

When brainstorming, it can be natural to reject or accept ideas right away. Yet, immediate judgments interfere with the idea generation process. Even ideas that seem implausible can turn into outstanding innovations upon further exploration and development.

4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But"

Using negative words like "no" discourages creative thinking. Instead, use positive language to build and maintain an environment that fosters the development of creative and innovative ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Whereas creative problem-solving facilitates developing innovative ideas through a less structured workflow, design thinking takes a far more organized approach.

Design thinking is a human-centered, solutions-based process that fosters the ideation and development of solutions. In the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar leverages a four-phase framework to explain design thinking.

The four stages are:

• Clarify: The clarification stage allows you to empathize with the user and identify problems. Observations and insights are informed by thorough research. Findings are then reframed as problem statements or questions.
• Ideate: Ideation is the process of coming up with innovative ideas. The divergence of ideas involved with creative problem-solving is a major focus.
• Develop: In the development stage, ideas evolve into experiments and tests. Ideas converge and are explored through prototyping and open critique.
• Implement: Implementation involves continuing to test and experiment to refine the solution and encourage its adoption.

Creative problem-solving primarily operates in the ideate phase of design thinking but can be applied to others. This is because design thinking is an iterative process that moves between the stages as ideas are generated and pursued. This is normal and encouraged, as innovation requires exploring multiple ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving Tools

While there are many useful tools in the creative problem-solving process, here are three you should know:

Creating a Problem Story

One way to innovate is by creating a story about a problem to understand how it affects users and what solutions best fit their needs. Here are the steps you need to take to use this tool properly.

1. Identify a UDP

Create a problem story to identify the undesired phenomena (UDP). For example, consider a company that produces printers that overheat. In this case, the UDP is "our printers overheat."

2. Move Forward in Time

To move forward in time, ask: “Why is this a problem?” For example, minor damage could be one result of the machines overheating. In more extreme cases, printers may catch fire. Don't be afraid to create multiple problem stories if you think of more than one UDP.

3. Move Backward in Time

To move backward in time, ask: “What caused this UDP?” If you can't identify the root problem, think about what typically causes the UDP to occur. For the overheating printers, overuse could be a cause.

Following the three-step framework above helps illustrate a clear problem story:

• The printer is overused.
• The printer overheats.
• The printer breaks down.

You can extend the problem story in either direction if you think of additional cause-and-effect relationships.

4. Break the Chains

By this point, you’ll have multiple UDP storylines. Take two that are similar and focus on breaking the chains connecting them. This can be accomplished through inversion or neutralization.

• Inversion: Inversion changes the relationship between two UDPs so the cause is the same but the effect is the opposite. For example, if the UDP is "the more X happens, the more likely Y is to happen," inversion changes the equation to "the more X happens, the less likely Y is to happen." Using the printer example, inversion would consider: "What if the more a printer is used, the less likely it’s going to overheat?" Innovation requires an open mind. Just because a solution initially seems unlikely doesn't mean it can't be pursued further or spark additional ideas.
• Neutralization: Neutralization completely eliminates the cause-and-effect relationship between X and Y. This changes the above equation to "the more or less X happens has no effect on Y." In the case of the printers, neutralization would rephrase the relationship to "the more or less a printer is used has no effect on whether it overheats."

Even if creating a problem story doesn't provide a solution, it can offer useful context to users’ problems and additional ideas to be explored. Given that divergence is one of the fundamental practices of creative problem-solving, it’s a good idea to incorporate it into each tool you use.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a tool that can be highly effective when guided by the iterative qualities of the design thinking process. It involves openly discussing and debating ideas and topics in a group setting. This facilitates idea generation and exploration as different team members consider the same concept from multiple perspectives.

Hosting brainstorming sessions can result in problems, such as groupthink or social loafing. To combat this, leverage a three-step brainstorming method involving divergence and convergence :

• Have each group member come up with as many ideas as possible and write them down to ensure the brainstorming session is productive.
• Continue the divergence of ideas by collectively sharing and exploring each idea as a group. The goal is to create a setting where new ideas are inspired by open discussion.
• Begin the convergence of ideas by narrowing them down to a few explorable options. There’s no "right number of ideas." Don't be afraid to consider exploring all of them, as long as you have the resources to do so.

Alternate Worlds

The alternate worlds tool is an empathetic approach to creative problem-solving. It encourages you to consider how someone in another world would approach your situation.

For example, if you’re concerned that the printers you produce overheat and catch fire, consider how a different industry would approach the problem. How would an automotive expert solve it? How would a firefighter?

Be creative as you consider and research alternate worlds. The purpose is not to nail down a solution right away but to continue the ideation process through diverging and exploring ideas.

Continue Developing Your Skills

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, learning the ropes of design thinking can be an effective way to build your skills and foster creativity and innovation in any setting.

If you're ready to develop your design thinking and creative problem-solving skills, explore Design Thinking and Innovation , one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses. If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

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The development of learning instruments using the creative problem-solving learning model to improve students' creative thinking skills in mathematics

D M Sari 1 , M Ikhsan 1 and Z Abidin 2

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd Journal of Physics: Conference Series , Volume 1088 , The 6th South East Asia Design Research International Conference (6th SEA-DR IC)27–28 June 2018, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Citation D M Sari et al 2018 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 1088 012018 DOI 10.1088/1742-6596/1088/1/012018

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1 Syiah Kuala University, Jl. Teungku Chik Pante Kulu No. 5, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia

2 Ar-Raniry State Islamic University, Jl. Syeikh Abdul Rauf Darussalam, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia

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Students should have creative thinking skill in solving mathematics problems by using various alternatives solutions. Unfortunately, many students still have poor quality in creative thinking skill because they have less attention to develop their ability when learning mathematics. One of the efforts to improve students' creative thinking skills is by applying creative problem solving (CPS) learning model. This research aimed to develop the valid and effective CPS learning instruments to improve the students' creative thinking skill by using the development method used a 4D model. There are four stages in the 4D model, including defining, designing, developing and disseminating. However, this research only involved the first three stages. The learning instruments developed were lesson plan, worksheet, and test that covered creative thinking skills. Four validators validated these instruments. The findings showed that all instruments were in a highly valid category, with an average score of 4.1, 4.4, and 4.2 respectively and can be used with minor revisions. Furthermore, the test of creative thinking skills was also classified into the highly valid category with an average score of 4.2 and was ready to be used minor revision.

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Creative Problem Solving

Powerful tools for 21st century thinking.

21st Century learners need 21st Century teachers, curriculum, and instruction. Our work is contemporary - but we also build on more than five decades of research, development, and field experience worldwide.

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Talent Development

Building students' strengths and talents.

As an individual, a parent, an educator, or a community leader, one of the most exciting challenges for anyone is to become aware of personal strengths and talents— their own or in others.

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Problem Solving Styles

Unique personal and team strengths.

Problem-solving styles are consistent individual differences in the ways people prefer to deal with new ideas, manage change, and respond effectively to complex, open-ended opportunities and challenges.

Discover more of our educational resources for teachers now!

Creative Problem Solving (CPS Version 6.1TM): A Contemporary Framework for Managing Change This PDF files presents an overview and summary of the CPS components and stages, describing and explaining briefly the benefits of each of the four components and eight stages. The file also presents a brief summary of the evolution and refinement of the CPS model over its five-decades-plus history of research and development.

Bibliography of published work on CPS This PDF file is an extensive bibliography of published work on CPS.

Creative Learning Today Newsletter

Creative Learning Today is an electronic newsletter published by the Center for Creative Learning on an occasional basis. Click here for more information and/or to download back issues.

Journal Article Reprints:

(for personal use only)

Creative Problem Solving Embedded into Curriculum In this article (reprinted from Teaching for High Potential, with the permission of the National Association for Gifted Children), the author provides a practical case study of classroom applications of CPS with young children.

Creative Problem Solving (CPS): Powerful Tools for Managing Chance and Developing Talent This article, from Gifted and Talented International (reprinted with the permission of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children) provides an overview of the CPS framework and a discussion of the implications of CPS for instruction.

Creative Problem Solving in the Trenches: Interventions with At-Risk Population This extensive monograph summarizes research evidence that responds to the question, “How do we know that CPS makes a difference?” CompendiumCPSEvidence.pdf In this monograph, the authors summarize a number of studies of CPS and talent development initiatives with at-risk students.

Brainstorming: Some Myths and Realities This monograph provides an extensive review and analysis of research on “brainstorming” and identifies important implications for research and practice. Brainstorm.pdf This article summarizes a number of myths and misunderstandings about “brainstorming” and offers guidelines for using this popular tool more effectively.

Celebrating 50 years of Reflective Practice: Versions of Creative Problem Solving This article from the Journal of Creative Behavior (2004) summarizes the history and development of the CPS framework spanning more than five decades of research, development, and practice, illustrating the ways in which the model has changed and evolved over time.

Assessing Creativity:

Assessing Creativity: A Guide for Educators We receive many inquiries about tests, rating scales, and checklists for assessing creativity. We invite you to download and share with others our extensive report on this subject called, “Assessing Creativity: A Guide for Educators”. This report was originally published by the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, at the University of Connecticut.

Note our published set of six rating scales for personal creativity characteristics, based on the model in the Assessing Creativity technical report. A set of these reproducible forms can be purchased at our Online Resources (Foundational Booklets) page on this website.

Assessing Creativity Index Database of Creativity Tests and Inventories. We have also completed descriptions and brief reviews of more than 70 instruments for assessing creativity. Our Assessing Creativity Index is a list of these reviews. You may read and print any of the instrument information. We request that you credit the Center for Creative Learning as the source for any copies you print.  We regret that we are not able to provide photocopies of any of the Creativity instruments in our database, nor do we offer any of those instruments for purchase. (The entries include the most recent publisher information that we have been able to obtain.) We welcome the opportunity to work personally with clients at our Center, where we can demonstrate instruments, discuss your specific needs and requirements, and assist you in designing appropriate assessment plans. Contact the Center for information about fees and availability for these services. For more information on Problem Solving Style, go to the Problem Solving Style page.

We believe that all people have strengths and talents that are important to recognize, develop, and use throughout life.  Read more.

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Leadership Team

Our work builds on more than five decades of research, development, and practical experience in organizations. Learn more about our team .

Contact Information

Center for Creative Learning, LLC 2015 Grant Place Melbourne, Florida, 32901 USA Email: [email protected]