Professional Development

February 16, 2012
9 am – 4 pm; $399; Baldwin-Wallace, Berea
6 PDUs
Instructor: Dan Coleman

The program goes beyond traditional creative-thinking and problem-solving skills training. It is hands on and chock full of relevant and practical content, creative-thinking and problem-solving steps, exercises, tools, and techniques. This dynamic approach enables participants to encounter immediate learning, and to apply their learning and develop innovative solutions to their real world challenges, opportunities, problems, and projects. The program is designed to produce a highly innovative learning environment so that participants can think and behave in a fresh, creative, and highly productive manner. The following is the full program agenda

Learning Objectives: 

• Learn and apply a researched based, practical, and repeatable creative-thinking process
• Use a rich array of creative thinking tools, techniques, and exercises that increase the quantity and quality of innovative  ideas and solutions
• Strengthen, develop, and select innovative solutions and actions plans for real business opportunities
• Identify the factors that affect creativity in teams, and design methods and techniques to foster collaboration and synergy
• Identify the barriers to individual creativity, and develop barrier busting practices to overcome them
• Rediscover a spirit of creativity, innovation, and risk taking through unconventional activities, learning exercises and experiences

Target Audience:  The program is designed for individuals and teams who need to improve their creative-thinking, problem-solving, and facilitation skills.

Course Outline: 

Introduction

• Purpose of the program – what’s the urgency?
• Timing of the program – why now?
• Outcomes – what will be expected going forward?
• Learning map – what is the process for the day?

Conditions for a Creative Climate & the Creative-Thinking Process

• Facilitator discusses the factors that impact individual creativity, and creativity  in teams
• Participants take a "magic carpet ride" creative-thinking exercise and are called upon to think quickly to solve a difficult problem
• Facilitator debriefs the creative-thinking exercise
• Facilitator introduces the creative-thinking process and the divergent creative thinking techniques/tools write it & shout it, and brainwriting
• Participants apply the creative-thinking techniques/tools to their challenges and goals
• Facilitator leads a debrief and transfer of learning points

 Creative-Thinking Process - Phase 1: Climb the Right Mountain

• Participants ask divergent and convergent questions to improve their questioning and discovery skills; facilitator debriefs the creative-thinking exercise
• Facilitator introduces Phase 1 and the divergent creative-thinking techniques/tools pump it up, and break it down
• Participants apply the divergent creative-thinking techniques/tools to their challenges and goals
• Facilitator leads a debrief and transfer of learning points

Creative-Thinking Process - Phase 2: Storm the Brains

• Facilitator introduces Phase 2 and the divergent creative-thinking techniques/tools scamper and reverse hidden assumptions
• Participants apply the divergent creative-thinking technique/tool  to their opportunities or problems
• Facilitator leads a debrief and transfer of learning points

Creative-Thinking Process - Phase 3: Strengthen & Select the Best

• Facilitator introduces Phase 3 and the convergent creative-thinking techniques/tools,three plusses and a wish and evaluation matrix
• Participants apply the convergent creative-thinking techniques/tools to their ideas/solutions
• Facilitator leads a debrief and transfer of learning points

Creative-Thinking Process - Phase 4: Ignite Your Engines

• Facilitator introduces Phase 4 and the convergent creative-thinking techniques, quicksand prevention and rapid implementation
• Participants apply the convergent creative-thinking techniques to their solutions
• Facilitator leads a debrief and transfer of learning points

 Celebration & Closing

• Participants apply their creative-thinking and problem-solving skills in the "juggernaut" learning exercise
• Participants action plan and publicly commit to integrating their prioritized creative-thinking and problem-solving skills back on the job
• Sponsor and facilitator close the program in an innovative fashion

Registration