Absolute Essentials of Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

Cover
Half Title
Endorsement Page
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 Theoretical frameworks
	Introduction
	What is creative thinking?
	Early theories of creative thinking
	The brain as an information processor
	The Whole Brain/Four-Quadrant Model
	Convergent and divergent thinking
	The cognitive theory of creativity
	How knowledge is stored in memory
	How we get ideas
	Pattern recognition
	Questions
	References
Chapter 2 Blocks to creativity
	Introduction
	The need to be ready for change
	Mindset
	Working with teams
	Questions
	References
Chapter 3 Problem solving
	Introduction
	Nature of problems
	Types of problems
	A common-sense approach to problem solving
	The problem solving process
	The context of problem solving
	Problem solving skills
	Questions
	References
Chapter 4 The creative thinking process
	Introduction
	Wallas’s model of the creative process
	The creative problem solving process
	The techniques
	Paradigm shift and types of creative problem solving techniques
	Analogical reasoning
	Questions
	References
Chapter 5 Objective finding, fact finding, and problem finding – definitions
	Introduction
	Objective finding
	Problem finding – definition
	Analytical techniques
	Questions
	References
Chapter 6 Idea generating – non-analogical
	Introduction
	Checklists
	Attribute listing
	Morphological analysis
	Brainstorming and its variants
	Lateral thinking
	Provocative methods of lateral thinking
	Questions
	References
Chapter 7 Idea generating (analogical)
	Introduction
	Synectics
	Synectics in action
	Story writing
	Free association
	Attribute association chains
	Questions
	References
Chapter 8 Evaluation
	Introduction
	Creative evaluation
	Culling, rating, and scoring screens
	Advantage–disadvantage tables
	PMI: plus/minus/interesting
	Castle technique
	Force-field analysis
	Qualitative evaluation
	Choosing an evaluation method
	Questions
	References
Chapter 9 Implementing ideas
	Introduction
	Ideas are not readily implemented
	Sources of resistance to change
	Role of communication in overcoming resistance to change
	Putting ideas into practice
	Post-implementation
	Questions
	References
Chapter 10 Digital creativity
	Introduction
	History of development
	The World Wide Web
	Crowdsourcing
	Blogs and everyday activities
	Visual analogy
	Databases
	Artificial Intelligence
	Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
	Questions
	References
Index