Creative Thinking and Innovation

Some people can use the features of two giraffes and create a masterpiece, while others find it a struggle to think outside the square. This course will teach you how to boost your creative juices by thinking slightly differently.

You will learn to identify ways to develop your creative side and build a creative environment. You’ll also learn a basic problem-solving process, individual creative thinking tools (such as the RAP model, shoe swap technique, mind mapping, metaphors, and toys), and team-based creative thinking tools (such as brainstorming, brainwriting, rolestorming, the stepladder technique, and slip writing).

Outline:

Session One: Course Overview

Session Two: What Is Creativity and Innovation?

1. Creativity and Innovation: A Breakdown
2. Know Your Creative Potential

Session Three: Individual Creativity

1. Know Yourself
2. Boost Your Creative Juices

Session Four: Get Creative

Session Five: Developing the Right Environment for Creativity

1. What Does a Creative Environment Look Like?
2. Build Your Creative Environment

Session Six: Creativity and Innovation in Business

1. The Role of Creativity and Innovation in Business
2. The Birth of the Four Seasons: A Case Study

Session Seven: Where Does Creativity Fit Into the Problem-Solving Process?

1. Problem-Solving Models
2. Phase One
3. Phase Two
4. Phase Three

Session Eight: Defining the Problem

1. Problem Identification
2. Eight Essentials to Defining a Problem
3. Tie It All Together
4. Using the Power of Eight

Session Nine: Creative Techniques

1. The RAP Model
2. The Shoe Swap Technique
3. Walk A Mile
4. Using Mind Mapping
5. Map It Out!
6. Metaphors and Analogies
7. Make a Metaphor
8. Situation/Solution Reversal
9. Reverse It to Solve It
10. Bring on the Toys!
11. Draw It Out!

Session Ten: Encouraging Creativity In A Team

1. Brainstorming
2. Plan It Out!
3. Rolestorming
4. Act It Out!
5. The Stepladder Technique
6. Brainwriting
7. The Slip Writing Technique

Session Eleven: Putting It All Together

1. Nancy Clue and the Case of the Software Upgrade
2. Create Ideas and Choose Your Solution

Recommended Reading List

Post-Course Assessment

Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Keys

Personal Action Plan