Creative problem solving

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Creative Problem Solving in Companies

Intervention in problem solving – innovation and change projects in companies

APGICO has been testing several versions of Creative Problem Solving, from an initial five steps model.

In fact, in previous interventions in organizations, the time organizational teams spend working through the CPS method, revealed itself as a serious barrier to the intervention success, giving the difficulty of companies in assuring team stability, during a two-4-hour-sessions in two consecutive days.

Hence, a new four-step model was designed and tried, with good results: objective finding, problem definition, plan of action and action. However, as the objective finding step is completed during the pre-consulting stage with the administration and the action goes beyond the CPS session, the process finds itself reduced to two steps: problem finding and action planning, which may be called PROBLEMACTION. This new cycle allows for time reduction in the team meeting of about 4 hours, and focuses the team in the action plan, which includes reflexion on how to develop the execution, its different steps and goals, management control measures, acceptance plans and a communication plan.

This approach provides an initial structuring of the group, during the listing of problems included in the objective, followed by an emotional linkage between members, during the convergent phase of problem definition (telescope method). Then, another structuring step - action planning - where team creativity expresses itself during the "how to" develop each planned task, including its acceptance by the outside environment.

PROBLEMACTION still reinforces task accomplishment through the follow up procedures of in-between1-2 hour meetings, scheduled before the project deadline and aimed at co-ordinating team performance, developing team commitment, and redefining the problem and action planning. This way the team learns more about the initial objective and develops creative ways to achieve it by balancing problem definition with task implementation, learning by doing in a sort of trial and error approach. Even though any project team is supposed to follow a similar process, PROBLEMACTION method allows for a better balance between structure, planning, improvisation, knowledge management and organizational commitment.

APGICO will go on testing the model in organizational interventions and designing experimental situations, in order to conduct the necessary research that will help to guarantee the companies' best interest.

EXAMPLES OF INTERVEENED ORGANIZATIONS

· HUBEL (Agriculture)

· GARVETUR (Tourism)

· VISUALFORMA (New Technologies)

· HOTELS GRANDE REAL (Tourism)

· ESEL - Nursery School in Lisbon (Education)

· JOAQUIM & FERNANDES (Construction)

· SECONDARY SCHOOL PINHEIRO E ROSA (Education)

· FILNETO (Construction)

· PHILIP MORRIS (Tobacco Industry)

· EMPRODALBE (Retail)

· AUCHAN (Retail) - Project Results (in Portuguese)

· AGRICULTURE COOPERATIVE OF MONCARAPACHO

· ABRAÇO (Solidariedade Social)

· FACULDADE DE BELAS ARTES, UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA

More information (in Portuguese):

Newsletter - March 2009 (Visualforma, Hubel, Garvetur, hotels Grande Real, Esel, Emprodalbe, JF)

Newsletter - June 2009 (Filneto, Secondary School Pinheiro e Rosa)

Newsletter - September 2009 (Auchan)

Newsletter - December 2009 (Agriculture Cooperative of Moncarapacho, Philip Morris Int., Auchan)

Newsletter - March 2010 (Sec. School Pinheiro e Rosa, Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade de Lisboa, Abraço, DNA Cascais)

Newsletter - June 2010 (Sec. School Pinheiro e Rosa)

Articles on Creative problem Solving