conceptual blocks in problem solving

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6.8: Blocks to Problem Solving

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• Mehgan Andrade and Neil Walker
• College of the Canyons

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Sometimes, previous experience or familiarity can even make problem solving more difficult. This is the case whenever habitual directions get in the way of finding new directions – an effect called fixation.

Functional Fixedness

Functional fixedness concerns the solution of object-use problems. The basic idea is that when the usual way of using an object is emphasised, it will be far more difficult for a person to use that object in a novel manner. An example for this effect is the candle problem : Imagine you are given a box of matches, some candles and tacks. On the wall of the room there is a cork- board. Your task is to fix the candle to the cork-board in such a way that no wax will drop on the floor when the candle is lit. – Got an idea?

Explanation: The clue is just the following: when people are confronted with a problem

and given certain objects to solve it, it is difficult for them to figure out that they could use them in a different (not so familiar or obvious) way. In this example the box has to be recognized as a support rather than as a container.

A further example is the two-string problem: Knut is left in a room with a chair and a pair of pliers given the task to bind two strings together that are hanging from the ceiling. The problem he faces is that he can never reach both strings at a time because they are just too far away from each other. What can Knut do?

Solution: Knut has to recognize he can use the pliers in a novel function – as weight for a pendulum. He can bind them to one of the strings, push it away, hold the other string and just wait for the first one moving towards him. If necessary, Knut can even climb on the chair, but he is not that small, we suppose…

Mental Fixedness

Functional fixedness as involved in the examples above illustrates a mental set - a person’s tendency to respond to a given task in a manner based on past experience. Because Knut maps an object to a particular function he has difficulties to vary the way of use (pliers as pendulum's weight). One approach to studying fixation was to study wrong-answer verbal insight problems. It was shown that people tend to give rather an incorrect answer when failing to solve a problem than to give no answer at all.

A typical example: People are told that on a lake the area covered by water lilies doubles every 24 hours and that it takes 60 days to cover the whole lake. Then they are asked how many days it takes to cover half the lake. The typical response is '30 days' (whereas 59 days is correct).

These wrong solutions are due to an inaccurate interpretation, hence representation, of the problem. This can happen because of sloppiness (a quick shallow reading of the problemand/or weak monitoring of their efforts made to come to a solution). In this case error feedback should help people to reconsider the problem features, note the inadequacy of their first answer, and find the correct solution. If, however, people are truly fixated on their incorrect representation, being told the answer is wrong does not help. In a study made by P.I. Dallop and R.L. Dominowski in 1992 these two possibilities were contrasted. In approximately one third of the cases error feedback led to right answers, so only approximately one third of the wrong answers were due to inadequate monitoring. [6] Another approach is the study of examples with and without a preceding analogous task. In cases such like the water-jug task analogous thinking indeed leads to a correct solution, but to take a different way might make the case much simpler:

Imagine Knut again, this time he is given three jugs with different capacities and is asked to measure the required amount of water. Of course he is not allowed to use anything despite the jugs and as much water as he likes. In the first case the sizes are 127 litres, 21 litres and 3 litres while 100 litres are desired. In the second case Knut is asked to measure 18 litres from jugs of 39, 15 and three litres size.

In fact participants faced with the 100 litre task first choose a complicate way in order tosolve the second one. Others on the contrary who did not know about that complex task solved the 18 litre case by just adding three litres to 15.

Pitfalls to Problem Solving

Not all problems are successfully solved, however. What challenges stop us from successfully solving a problem? Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Imagine a person in a room that has four doorways. One doorway that has always been open in the past is now locked. The person, accustomed to exiting the room by that particular doorway, keeps trying to get out through the same doorway even though the other three doorways are open. The person is stuck—but she just needs to go to another doorway, instead of trying to get out through the locked doorway. A mental set is where you persist in approaching a problem in a way that has worked in the past but is clearly not working now. Functional fixedness is a type of mental set where you cannot perceive an object being used for something other than what it was designed for. During the Apollo 13 mission to the moon, NASA engineers at Mission Control had to overcome functional fixedness to save the lives of the astronauts aboard the spacecraft. An explosion in a module of the spacecraft damaged multiple systems. The astronauts were in danger of being poisoned by rising levels of carbon dioxide because of problems with the carbon dioxide filters. The engineers found a way for the astronauts to use spare plastic bags, tape, and air hoses to create a makeshift air filter, which saved the lives of the astronauts.

Link to Learning

Check out this Apollo 13 scene where the group of NASA engineers are given the task of overcoming functional fixedness.

Researchers have investigated whether functional fixedness is affected by culture. In one experiment, individuals from the Shuar group in Ecuador were asked to use an object for a purpose other than that for which the object was originally intended. For example, the participants were told a story about a bear and a rabbit that were separated by a river and asked to select among various objects, including a spoon, a cup, erasers, and so on, to help the animals. The spoon was the only object long enough to span the imaginary river, but if the spoon was presented in a way that reflected its normal usage, it took participants longer to choose the spoon to solve the problem. (German & Barrett, 2005). The researchers wanted to know if exposure to highly specialized tools, as occurs with individuals in industrialized nations, affects their ability to transcend functional fixedness. It was determined that functional fixedness is experienced in both industrialized and non-industrialized cultures (German & Barrett, 2005).

Common obstacles to solving problems

The example also illustrates two common problems that sometimes happen during problem solving. One of these is functional fixedness : a tendency to regard the functions of objects and ideas as fixed (German & Barrett, 2005). Over time, we get so used to one particular purpose for an object that we overlook other uses. We may think of a dictionary, for example, as necessarily something to verify spellings and definitions, but it also can function as a gift, a doorstop, or a footstool. For students working on the nine-dot matrix described in the last section, the notion of “drawing” a line was also initially fixed; they assumed it to be connecting dots but not extending lines beyond the dots. Functional fixedness sometimes is also called response set , the tendency for a person to frame or think about each problem in a series in the same way as the previous problem, even when doing so is not appropriate to later problems. In the example of the nine-dot matrix described above, students often tried one solution after another, but each solution was constrained by a set response not to extend any line beyond the matrix.

Functional fixedness and the response set are obstacles in problem representation , the way that a person understands and organizes information provided in a problem. If information is misunderstood or used inappropriately, then mistakes are likely—if indeed the problem can be solved at all. With the nine-dot matrix problem, for example, construing the instruction to draw four lines as meaning “draw four lines entirely within the matrix” means that the problem simply could not be solved. For another, consider this problem: “The number of water lilies on a lake doubles each day. Each water lily covers exactly one square foot. If it takes 100 days for the lilies to cover the lake exactly, how many days does it take for the lilies to cover exactly half of the lake?” If you think that the size of the lilies affects the solution to this problem, you have not represented the problem correctly. Information about lily size is not relevant to the solution, and only serves to distract from the truly crucial information, the fact that the lilies double their coverage each day. (The answer, incidentally, is that the lake is half covered in 99 days; can you think why?)

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Four Obstacles to Creative Problem Solving

Radiology managers face a major issues requiring creative thinking. But these mental blocks can get in the way of problem solving.

How many issues in a week do you encounter that require creative problem solving? When you are in management you encounter a multitude of issues on a weekly basis, some which are very unique.  

When a problem arises there are four obstacles I am mindful of that can get in the way of my creative problem solving. The mental obstacles which are referred to as conceptual blocks can constrain the way I look at solving problems and limit the number of solutions I generate.  

The four types of conceptual blocks are:

1. Constancy . Constancy means we become committed to one way of looking at a problem and employing one approach to define and solving that problem. The issue with constancy is that since we are creatures of habit we are likely to consistently use the same methodology to our approach in creative problem solving. 

2. Commitment . Commitment is seen as a conceptual block because as individuals, once we become committed to an idea or solution we usually follow through with that idea or solution. We become so entrenched in our thinking that we do not consider other alternatives. Studies have shown that commitment has lead to some very silly decisions.

3. Compression . Compression is when we look at a problem in a narrow spectrum and we filter out too much of the relevant information. As problem solvers we must be able to determine what information is factual and important so we can define the problem and develop the best solution.   

4. Complacency . Complacency is typically the result of just pure laziness and in most cases can get us in lots of trouble. To solve problems we must ask questions to get the information we need to define the problem and generate the appropriate solution. However, asking individuals questions can raise defense mechanisms which lead to interpersonal conflict and resistance. In addition, asking lots of questions makes us feel as though we come across as not being intelligent. Being inquisitive is important to creative problem solving.

It is important to note that it takes practice to eliminate the tendencies of these four conceptual blocks.  I recommend you write them down on a small index card and place the card in your desk.

Here’s a quote from Frank Zappa that I find appropriate for problem solving; “Our mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work if it is not open.”

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A Humble Programmer

Conceptual blockbusting - a guide to better ideas.

the programmer’s main problem was not so much technical as psychological: he couldn’t make progress because he was trying to solve the wrong problem. We finally solved his problem by breaking through his conceptual block and solving an easier problem. Conceptual Blockbusting by James L. Adams studies this kind of leap and is generally a pleasant prod towards more creative thinking. Although it was not written with programmers in mind, many of its lessons are particularly appropriate for programming problems. Adams defines conceptual blocks as “metal walls that block the problem-solver from correctly perceiving a problem or conceiving its solution”. - Programming Pearls, by Jon Bentley

texts below are from © Conceptual Blockbusting 4th Edition, by James L. Adams

Chapter One Introduction

We spend little time monitoring our own thinking and comparing it with a more sophisticated ideal.

Thinking form

Conceptual blocks still control us. Much of thinking is quite automatic.

The following puzzle, which originates with Carl Duncker, is taken from The Arc of Creation by Arthur Koestler.

Puzzle: One morning, exactly at sunrise, a Buddhist monk began to climb a tall mountain. A narrow path, no more than a foot or two wide, spiraled around the mountain to a glittering temple at the summit. The monk ascended at varying rates of speed, stopping many times along the way to rest and eat dried fruit he carried with him. He reached the temple shortly before sunset. After several days of fasting and meditation he began his journey back along the same path, starting at sunrise and again walking at variable speeds with many pauses along the way His average speed descending was, of course, greater than his average climbing speed. Prove that there is a spot along the path that the monk will occupy on both trips at precisely the same time of day.

Solutions to Problems That Don’t Exist

Conceptual blocks.

mental walls that blocks the problem-solver from correctly perceiving a problem or conceiving its solutions .

Once again, please do the exercises and problems. The only way you will identify your own conceptual blocks is to try activities that are impeded by their existence.

Chapter Two Perceptual Blocks

Perceptual Blocks are obstacles that prevent the problem-solver from clearly perceiving either the problem itself or the information needed to solve the problem.

One: Detecting What You Expect - Stereotyping

Context is a key element in many memory techniques.

Two: Difficulty in isolating the Problem

Three: tendency to delimit the problem area poorly.

Puzzle : Draw no more than four straight lines(without lifting the pencil from the paper) which cross through all nine dots.

the widespread nature of this block is what makes this puzzle classic.

Four: Inability to See the Problem from Various Viewpoints

Five: saturation, six: failure to utilize all sensory inputs, chapter three emotional blocks, the mystery of emotion, the humanistic psychologists, fear of taking a risk, no appetite for chaos, judging rather than generating ideas, inability or unwillingness to incubate, lack of challenge versus excessive zeal, reality and fantasy, of flow and angst, chapter four cultural and environmental blocks, humor in problem-solving, reason and intuition, left-handed and right-handed thinking, primary and secondary creativity, everybody should be just like me, cyber is better.

Adria Anuzis looked at three aspects of communication, which she called personal(same location, personal interaction), cultural(commonalties of interest, background, and values), cyber(interacting electronically). she found that the most successful professional interaction made use of all three.

the best creative work comes from people who are not only electronically interconnected, but also share cultural values and interact personally in the same physical space.

Tradition and Change

Thinking through blocks, environmental blocks, supportive environments, accepting and incorporating criticism, autocratic bosses, non-support, chapter five intellectual and expressive blocks, choosing your problem-solving language, flexibility in your use of strategies, the computer, importance of correct information, expressive blocks, chapter six alternate thinking languages, visual thinking, other sensory languages, cognitive diversity, the problems of specialization, analysis-synthesis, convergence-divergence, deduction-induction, jung and the myers-briggs test, chapter seven kinds of blockbusters, a questioning attitude, working on the right problem, time and effort focusers, set breakers, using other people’s ideas, crossing disciplines, crossing cultures and changing environments, unconscious blockbusting, other paths for freeing the unconscious, chapter eight groups, the process, affiliation / ego needs, group membership, proper support, chapter nine organizations, control vs. creativity, the pattern of growth, tradition and past success, reward system and support, psychological rewards.

Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas

James l. adams.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

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For creative problem solving, bust these 6 perceptual blocks

Often one of the main barriers to solving a problem is an inability to see the problem in a way that is likely to spark solutions. A source I return to again and again to help me with creative problem solving is James Adams’ Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas .

Here are six perceptual blocks Adams identifies along with the information that can help us bust through them:

1. Seeing What You Expect to See – Stereotyping

Recently I encountered a scene familiar to any parent: I came home to find that the chairs in my living room and dining room had been converted – with the aid of a blanket – into a house by my five-year old. These were no mere chairs in his eyes: they were building materials for an entire fantasy world.

Kids provide a constant reminder of how easily we acquire perceptual blocks as we grow older. To a large extent, this isn’t a bad thing: we have to be able to rely on certain preconceptions, assumptions, and even stereotypes about the world around us in order to make sense of things quickly and get through our daily lives.

Problems arise, however, when (a) the foundations for our preconceptions are faulty, and/or (b) we operate on autopilot and don’t periodically test our preconceptions. As I argue frequently on Mission to Learn, cultivating consciousness and a propensity to ask questions  is essential for effective learning. They are also essential for problem solving – which, after all, is a learning process.

If you find yourself facing a tough problem, step back a bit and consider whether any preconceptions or stereotypes you hold may be interfering with your ability to find solutions.

2. Difficulty in Isolating the Problem

Sometimes we know there is a problem, but we’re not sure what it is. If you plant a seed in your garden, for example, the expected outcome is that a plant will grow. If it doesn’t, then you have a problem, but the nature of the problem may not be immediately clear. Was the seed bad? Is the soil too acidic? Did you not water enough? Did a bird or squirrel dig up the seed? Often we jump too quickly to an answer to define the problem – e.g., “The seeds I bought are bad” – and end up investing in unnecessary and sometimes costly solutions – e.g., buying new seeds.

We’d be better served by pulling back, looking at the larger objective – which would seem to be successfully growing a plant – and then investigating and experimenting as needed to determine the real problem. Are there tell-tale scratches and holes around where the seed was planted? Have nearby seeds grown successfully, and what was different about how they were tended?

This is a simple example, but a little bit of footwork can go a long way in isolating problems of any size.

3. Defining the Problem Area Too Narrowly

I run into this one all the time in consulting . A prospective client will call up and say something along the lines of “We need you to find a learning management system for us.” A key question to ask in this situation, or in any situation where a solution has been proposed but the desired objective is not clear is … wait for it … Why?

Go back to the gardening problem above. I noted that the objective here seems to be growing a plant. But what if a perceptual block is presenting us from seeing the real objective was to get more fresh vegetables into your diet?

In that case, growing plants is only one of many options. You might also, for example, consider making a trip to the farmers market  a part of your weekly routine. Or maybe join a local CSA . If you don’t have the problem defined correctly in the first place, you will completely miss these options.

To help illustrate how we often perceive the problem area too narrowly, Adams’ uses the classic nine dots puzzle . If you haven’t done this before (or even if you have), try connecting the nine dots below using only four lines and without lifting your finger from the screen.

(You can view one popular solution to the nine dots problem here . Adams offers a number of others in his book.)

4. Inability to see the problem from various viewpoints

An ability to see a problem from the viewpoint of everyone the problem impacts not only helps with arriving at consensus around the solution, it can also help greatly in conceptualizing the problem and overcoming some of the barriers already noted. Simply put, when we have to step outside of our own viewpoint, we are bound to see the problem differently, possibly define it differently, and develop different options for solving it than we would when relying solely on our own preconceptions and biases.

Adams notes that “The architect must view the design of his buildings from the perspectives of his clients, his builders, suppliers, architectural critics, and others in his profession as well as his own.” I like the “architect” metaphor both for the reason Adams suggests and because it implies thoughtfully designing solutions to problems rather than defaulting to knee-jerk options.

Next time you are faced with a complex, challenging problem, perhaps think of yourself as a solution architect.

5. Saturation

Many years ago in grad school I spent an inexplicable amount of time studying avant-garde poetry and art. A common refrain across nearly any avant-garde group in any part of the world is “Make it new!” The driving idea behind this refrain is that we tend to lock in on familiar elements of the things around us, and after a while, we begin to ignore them to the point that we can’t really even recall them in any great detail, much less fully appreciate them.

Try, for example, to draw the heads side of a penny (or a coin in the currency of your country). Don’t worry about your artistic skills, just focus on details like whether you are able to face Lincoln’s head in the right direction or put the right text on the drawing. Chances are high you will make mistakes and leave some things out. It’s too familiar for your to “see” it clearly.

Avante garde artist know that the way to shake up our saturated minds and bust through perecptual blocks is to “defamiliarize” things and help us look at them afresh. This results in things like slapping a mustache on the Mona Lisa. (See the image at the beginning of this post.) By doing this, Marcel Duchamp shocked viewers into seeing the iconic Da Vinci painting with fresh eyes. So, the next time you are faced with a perplexing problem, it may be worth asking “How can I slap a mustache on this thing?”

 6. Failure to utilize all sensory inputs

Often when attempting to solve a problem the solution is right in front of us, but we fail to perceive it. This may be because we are using the wrong senses. We might be looking, for example, when we should be listening or smelling. If you want some excellent exposure to and practice in using all senses for solving problems, I highly recommend reading Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s venerable consulting detective often uses multiple senses in getting to the root of mysteries that flummox everyone else. Take, for example, the story “Silver Blaze” in which (a) the fact that a dog did not bark (hearing), and (b) that spicy food was used to mask the taste opium (taste) factor significantly into Holmes solving the case.

When wrestling with a tough problem or trying to develop ideas, take a moment to consider whether you are taking all sense into account. Sometimes it may help to block off one or more senses – for example, simply closing your eyes – in order to become more aware of what the other senses might reveal. As Adams’ puts it, “Problem-solvers need all the help they can get. They should therefore be careful not to neglect any sensory inputs.”

So, those are Adams’ six “blocks” (the gloss on each is my own, other than where Adams’ is quoted). H ow have you overcome some of the blocks described here in your creative problem solving and innovation efforts? Are there other important blocks you think need to be highlighted? Please comment and share your thoughts.

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Conceptual Blockbusting: A Guide to Better Ideas Paperback – October 1, 2001

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• Print length 224 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Basic Books
• Publication date October 1, 2001
• Dimensions 5.75 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 0738205370
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; 4th edition (October 1, 2001)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0738205370
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0738205373
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 9.25 inches
• #2,928 in Cognitive Psychology (Books)
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About the author

James l. adams.

Hi: My name is Jim Adams (James L. Adams, since there are so many of us). My e-mail address is [email protected]. As an emeritus professor of Mechanical Engineering (Design), Management Science and Engineering, and Science, Technology, and Society at Stanford University, I have been retired from paychecks for twelve years. But it isn't easy, because there are so many good things to do, and I was given neither infinite money nor infinite time at my retirement party.

Along with trying to keep track of my ever-expanding family, nose about the world, and follow my increasing number of hobbies, I continue to think, read, and occasionally depress myself by brooding about the human condition. I guess I have always liked to do such things, and now I don't have a job to distract me. In particular I have for many years been interested in creativity and innovation, design, the nature of technology and science, the quality of industrial products, the ancient and honorable pastime of working with the hands, and people. These interests are the focus of my blog, and they are inter-related.

Growing up on an orange grove in Southern California (ten acres still exist, and under the able hands of my brother are becoming famous as the "Last Orange Grove in Rialto"), I received a good introduction to making and fixing things. My interest in engineering came from that, my initial thinking that I would be a machinist like one of my uncles, summer jobs as an apprentice machinist, a draftsman, and a junior engineer, and attending Caltech.

Upon graduating from Caltech I worked for Shell Oil as a production engineering trainee for a bit, until it became clear that I should join the Air Force to avoid my draft board's long lasting desire to put me in the army. I was stationed at the Air Force Flight Test Center (Edwards Air Force Base) and was a project planner involved with future operations. It was both fun and exciting.

After the Air Force, I spent six years alternating between being an art student at U.C.L.A.an engineering student and lecturer at Stanford, and working at General Motors and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in order to remain housed and fed. It was a swell six years.

After I received my Ph.D. degree I worked at the Jet Propulsion Lab as an engineer and group supervisor on the first U.S. Moon, Venus, and Mars spacecraft. The Space Race—an amazing period and unbelievably fascinating work. My new wife and I also got to work on the beginnings of the family that keeps expanding.

In 1966 I joined the Stanford faculty and have been university property ever since. Before my retirement I taught courses ranging from mechanical and product design through technical management to the nature of technology. I finally retired because I felt I had thoroughly experienced the university. I no longer teach courses, but my house is still on Stanford land and I retain office space from which I can mooch coffee and bother people who seem to be working too hard.

In addition to teaching, I have done research, held many administrative jobs and been a member of a very large number of committees in the university, been involved in start-up companies, and consulted and conduced seminars and workshops for over 100 commercial clients, as well as many government, educational and professional groups. I have taught and worked with executives, school teachers, truck drivers, and alumni, as well as university students, and have received a gratifying amount of recognition and number of awards for my work.

Before I retired, I wrote Conceptual Blockbusting, a popular book on creative thinking, The Care and Feeding of Ideas, a book directed toward the management of creativity and change, and Flying Buttrresses, Entropy, and O-rings, a book on the nature of engineering. I am presently working on three more. The next one, Good Products, Bad Products, will be published by McGraw-Hill in January 2012.

And I consider myself very lucky, since I am still having a wonderful time and have no regrets about how I have spent my life so far.

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Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and Ideation Tools

• First Online: 05 August 2022

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• Rouxelle de Villiers 2  

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It is a myth that creative genii sit quietly hoping for inspiration and insight come to them in a flash of illumination. Some discoveries are either by accident or the result of some form of creative “spark of genius”, but for most novel, valuable business solutions, problem-solving often starts with a design challenge/problem or opportunity. Thanks to decades of research and tried-and-tested tools applied in a range of domains and business disciplines, a treasure trove of creative problem-solving tools and techniques is available to creatives and innovators. These tools turn problems into possibilities, and provide opportunities to develop ideas, processes, products, or procedures that are new to that job, team or organization. Business Schools and industries have no shortage of models, frameworks and tools to improve business effectiveness or generate new and interesting problem solutions for clients. Thinking tools have merit and include divergent or convergent (or both) thinking techniques. We cover thirteen of the most well-known and useful tools and techniques in this chapter. There are many more, but the scope of this book limits what can be covered here.

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Creative Problem-Solving

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Editors and affiliations, creativity laboratory, 1.1 activity i: self-directed brainwriting.

Write down a problem (or design challenge) as concisely and as accurate as possible in the first one of the framed boxes in Fig. 10.2 . ( If you cannot think of one, here is one for you to mentally chew on: Too few parents volunteer for parent-teacher events to help teachers raise funds for additional school resources .)

At the top of each Post-it note, next to the pin, write down a category or discipline you think can think of that may have something/nothing to do with the problem. Suggested: Furniture, Toys, Utensils, Tools, Scientific Instruments, Transportation, Appliances, Weapons, Health/Medicine, Fashion & Personal Accessories). (2) Brainstorm ideas – in your own mind! Do not stop until you have 5 or 6 ideas under each Post-It topic. (Try to list about 20 to 30 under each topic.) Challenge yourself even further: do not leave until you have 50 ideas or have spent 10 min by yourself contemplating the issue and generating ideas.

Set this list aside for at least an hour while you do other things (anything but actively thinking about this matter.)

Return to the Post-it notes and colour the stars next to the best ideas (you determine the criteria to be considered ‘best’.)

Write the starred idea in the next one of the framed boxes and repeat the process. Do this at least three times. Any luck?

Self-directed Brainwriting here

1.2 Activity II: The Problem with Private Property in Public Transport

Passengers keep leaving their umbrellas on public buses, causing huge problems for the bus company in storing and returning lost property. How can the transport services deal with this costly problem without simply shrugging it off as ‘not our problem’ and creating customer dissatisfaction? Use the three tools (SCAMPER, WWJD and Random Picture Technique) to ideate. Next, apply the 5WHYs framework to consider a range of causes. Then, use those causes to consider alternative solutions the bus company might use to either prevent or overcome this costly customer service. (If you are initially unsure how the job functions listed in the figure relate to the problem, try to make remote associations between the problem and the issues that job/role might deal with. How would someone in that role, solve the lost umbrella problem?) (Figs. 10.3 and 10.4 ).

Practice with three thinking tools

Five Wise Genii

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de Villiers, R. (2022). Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and Ideation Tools. In: de Villiers, R. (eds) The Handbook of Creativity & Innovation in Business. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2180-3_10

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is a major course in De La Salle University Manila that deals with the various strategies for systematic changes in organizations. It seeks to develop skills in organization diagnosis and assessment, and in the design and implementation of change interventions (DLSU website)

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Conceptual blocks.

The human mind is a very powerful and complicated tool. It allows us to understand situations and conditions in our environment. But when the human mind is faced with problems, it has the possibility to generate solutions that does not help in being a creative problem solver. Being a creative problem solver is important because it delivers exemplary solutions and performances.

Some of the concepts that prevent a person from solving problems creatively are called conceptual blocks. Conceptual blocks are either pre-established methods or routine human

actions that may result in boring or unsatisfactory solutions.

In order to understand the use of avoiding conceptual blocks, one must know its kinds

and categories.

A. Constancy – this is the act of reusing a solution of a previous problem. This also happens when an individual only uses one approach in defining and solving the problem

Kinds of Constancy:

i. Vertical thinking – looking into problems with only 1 perspective without considering other perspectives

ii. One thinking language – not using other languages in defining a problem

B. Commitment – this is the act of committing oneself in a set of beliefs that will work based from past experiences. Solutions used are the same solutions that were used in previous problems.

Kinds of Commitment:

i. Streotyping based on past experiences – situation wherein present problems are the same as past problems

ii. Ignoring commonalities – situation wherein an individual fails to look for common things in problems that may appear different in the beginning

C. Compression – this is the act of simplifying solutions in order to solve a problem quickly.

Kinds of Compression:

i. Distinguishing figure from ground – the act of not filtering irrelevant information or looking for the important information

ii. Artificial constraints – the act of setting narrow boundaries

D. Complacency – this is the act of coming up with creative solutions because of laziness or giving up too easily in generating ideas

Kinds of Complacency:

i. Non-inquisitiveness- the act of not asking questions

ii. Non-thinking- the act of not generating ideas

References:

Wright State University (N.D.). Creative Problem Solving. Internet . Retrieved July 20, 2010 from, http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/cps.htm

N.A (N.D.). Habits that block Creativity. Internet . Retrieved July 20, 2010 from, http://http-server.carleton.ca/~gkardos/88403/CREAT/Block4.html

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