Creative Techniques for

idea generation & problem solving

JIDE JOHNSONDeputy Provost, Nigerian

Institute of JournalismLAGOS

Concept of Creativity

Thinking and creativity “(Prov. 237).

Thinking is the starting point of the creative process.

Creativity is a product of thoughts, reasoning and thinking.

The ‘thinkability’ of a person determines his/her creativity.

Creativity started with the creation of heaven and earth by the Three Big G.

  Definition of Creativity

…the ability to produce new and original idea/to develop new ways of looking at existing ideas.

Creativity as the act of establishing new and meaningful relationship between previously unrelated things in a manner that is relevant, believable and in good taste but which somehow presents the product in a fresh new light. [Leo Burnett,]Creativity is the simplicity of complexity. It is the consistent search for new and different viewpoints

The creative process Reasoning/thinking is the starting point

for the creative process is. The mind is the productive unit ideas.

creative imagination is that part of the mind which generates desire, thoughts, hopes and dreams. Everything that has ever been achieved started first from as an unseen spark in a creative imagination (Bill Newman ,1997).

Creative Process as the step by step procedure used to discover original ideas, recognize existing concepts in new ways and process of unearthing possibilities, cross associate concepts and selects meaningful ideas. (Arens ,2004)

Creative Thought Process

This is the thinking critically and creatively. It is process of idea generation.

Generating ideas involves a different type of thought process that is commonly found in creative imagination, which Bill Newman (1997), defines as that part of the mind which “generates desire, thoughts, hopes and dreams.

Techniques for sparking ideas There are Six widely

recognized and employed routes to generating new idea: Divergent, lateral, associate and analogical thinking ,brain storming and scenario construction. (Lattimore, Baskin, Herman, & Toth,2007; Morison, 1991; Osborne ,1963)

Divergent an approach that seeks to generate

as many original alternative solutions to a problem. The mind moves down or diverges many different paths from one common point in a non linear pattern. It seeks alternative and not conclusion. It is the style of knowing that explores possibilities; using exploration (playfulness) to search for alternatives. Another term is ‘Right –brain thinking’, an intuitive holistic, artistic, emotionally expressive thinking .For example What are options or alternative available for going to Ibadan ? By road, air , rail or sea?

Lateral: The thinking pattern cuts

across established way of looking at things and explores the likely path to the solution to a problem. It is a generative, provocative, positive not judgmental, probabilistic ways of exploring the least likely paths in generating an idea.

Associate It is forcing a new relationship or

creating a new relationship by associating words or items or ideas that are not normally or previously associated with each other. The use of word association allows the transfer of one idea to another by connecting them through characteristics that they have in common through metaphorical use of language. Yellow and Hello! Gulder and Ultimate; Guinness and Power ,Greatness; First Bank … truly the first. Guarantee Trust – GT bank.

Analogical: It uses various types of

analogies to force a new perspective on a difficult problem, by stimulating new idea and solutions. It tries to solve a problem by looking at similarities between problems. It could be direct, fantasy, personal or symbolic. Vmobile – Eagle, Union Bank – Stallion; Yellow and MTN, Glo…Green &White , The Super Eagles or Green Eagles

 

Brainstorming Is a group (6 – 10 people) creative

process that relies on the ability of people to generate many ideas by playing off of each other’s ideas. The group is the ‘idea factory’ (Moriarty, Mitchell & Wells, 2009,p.417)

Simply put, two heads are better than one. It is guided by this principle.

1.] Criticism is prohibited while ideas are being generated – Anything goes.

2.] The quality of ideas is directly related to the quantity of idea – The more the better. It uses series of questions that attempts to get participants over mental blocks. The Heaven and the Earth is a product of brainstorming session among the GODHEAD.

Scenario Construction

is a logical, hypothetical description/construction of a scenario to explore the dynamics various alternatives. It is an attempt to construct reality through instructive imagination and explorative thinking. It is picturing the future from the present.

What are the possible scenarios of travelling to Ibadan on first Saturday of the month in morning by road via Lagos –Ibadan expressway in view of Redeem Christian Church God and Mountain of Fire monthly programmes?

 

Six steps to building your creative traits

1.Think on paper -this will provide a roadmap

for you -you can’t build a house

without a building plan on your head

-you can’t build a company with a business plan on your head

-your roadmap, blueprint, business plan must be on paper

Six steps to building your creative traits

2. Develop the ability to brainstorm-finding answers to questions …• it is an experience developing

collective thoughts through a variety of thought processes

• -letting you brains go• -free association• -Effective brainstorm can only

happen when you are free your ego• -saying whatever: relevant,

irrelevant, stupid or not,• …building on the collective

thoughts of the group

Six steps to building your creative traits 3 .Imagine solutions …thinking in a different

ways using images …consider ideas as

solutions without considering their practicability or workability

…thinking without confinement,\

4.Use flow charts and doddle

---draw a creative doddle

Six steps to building your creative traits

5.Access the information highway• -explore the possibilities and

potentialities of online resources

• -take advantage of digital technology

6. Commit yourself to continuous learning• -learn more and get more• -learn more about

people,industry and career.

Element of Critical Thinking

Learning: acquisition of knowledge and constant improvement through capacity building and personal development

Thinking Creatively: doing things differently

Reasoning: applying the senses intelligence and intuition

Decision Making: The ability to make decisions is also an asset of any employees the key factors employers are looking for in the key.

Problem Solving: Organizing Planning

ReferencesLattimore. D., Baskin, O., Herman, S., and Toth, E.(2007) Public Relations Profession and The Practice. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin Inc.

Moriarty,S. (1994).“Public Relations in Integrated Marketing Communication : The Benefits of Integration” in Public Relations Quarterly, Fall 1994,pp 38-44Osborne.(1994 “Getting Full Value from Public Relations” in Public Relations Journal, October/November 1994,p.64 

Seitel, F.P(2011)The Practice of Public Relations, Eleventh Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Shrimp, T. (2000) Advertising and Promotion: Supplemental Approach of Integrated Marketing Communications, Fifth Edition; New York: The Dryden Press.

  Tixier,M (1995).Appraising communication: reality or utopia. International Public Relations Review. 18:3

Treadwell, D & Treadwell, J.B.(2000). Public Relations Writing, Principles in Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon