Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem

Solving Process
1. Mess-finding
2. Fact-finding
3. Problem-finding
4. Idea-Finding
5. Solution-finding
6. Acceptance-finding
7. Follow-up (my addition)
©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Mess-Finding
Absenteeism

Morale

Turnover

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Mess-Finding
A mess is a system of problems whose
interactions are complicated and not
clearly understood.

Taken as a system, problems do not exist in

isolation; each affects the fate of the mess
of which they are a part.
Evans, 1990

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Mess-Finding
Reactive Approach: Observing unexpected
change in a metric (e.g. increase in student
tardiness, decrease in student
performance).

Proactive Approach: Administrators seek

messes—never stop looking for ways to
improve the operation.
Evans, 1990
©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Mess-Finding
A critical aspect of mess-finding is
identifying a measure of effectiveness
(MOE). MOEs are used to find out how
well an existing system works and what it
is worth. Change in an MOE can show
that a mess exists.
Example: percentage of tardies.

Evans, 1990
©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Mess-Finding Tools
Control Charts
Indication of possible
mess

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Another Mess-Finding Tool
Gap Analysis

What SHOULD be
Gap
What ACTUALLY is

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Symptoms: Inconsistencies between how the system
is expected to perform and how it is actually performing.
The inconsistency is referred to as a Gap.

Something’s gone wrong Raised expectations

Gap
Gap

Double whammy It never did work right

Gap Gap

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Fact-Finding

Measures of Effectiveness
Organization’s Goals

Basic Issues

Existing Models
Obstacles

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Fact-Finding
The purpose of fact-finding is to gather as much
information as possible to increase
understanding about the mess.

Fact-finding helps avoid premature evaluation of

the specific problems entwined in the mess.

Focus is on mess – not solutions at this stage.

Evans, 1990

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Fact-Finding
VanGundy’s Questions for
Diagnosing a Mess
1. What do you know about the situation?
2. What would be better if you resolved this situation? What would
be worse?
3. What is the major obstacle facing you in dealing with this situation?
4. What parts of the situation are related?
5. When is the situation likely to get worse? Get better?

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Fact-Finding
Kepner & Tregoe’s Questions for
Diagnosing a Mess
1. What is the deviation (versus what it is not)?
2. When did the deviation occur (versus when it did not occur)?
3. Where did the deviation occur (versus where it did not occur)?
4. To what extent did the deviation occur (versus to what extent it
did not occur)?
5. Who is associated with the deviation (versus who is not associated
with it)?

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Fact-Finding
Some Helpful Tools
• Flow Charts

Driver problem
• Check Sheets Bus problem
Student problem

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Problem-Finding

Mess Problem

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Problem-Finding
The development of a problem statement for
the real problem.
Encompasses:
• Conditions
• Symptoms
• Causes
• Triggering events

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Problem-Finding
Types of errors:
• Type I: Solving a problem that doesn’t
exist.

• Type II: Failing to recognize that a

problem exists and therefore not solving it.

• Type III: Solving the wrong problem.

©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Problem-Finding
Example of Type III error:

Problem identification: Teachers do not

smile at students.

Real problem: Teachers have wrong

attitudes about students.

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Problem-Finding
Some Helpful Tools
• Pareto Charts

• Devil’s Advocacy
• Five “Whys?”
• Root Cause Analysis
©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
Idea-Finding

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Idea-Finding
Purpose: To generate alternative ideas for
solutions to the problem.

The more ideas the better.

Creativity is important.

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Idea-Finding
Some Helpful Tools
• Brainstorming

• Cause-and-Effect Diagrams

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Idea-Finding
More Helpful Tools

• “What if?” questions

• Change the wording of the problem
statement.
• Representing the problem in a different
form.

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Solution-Finding
Acceptance

Practicality
Cost

Performance
Time

ROI
NPV
©2006 Victor E. Sower
MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Solution-Finding
Purpose: To select the best solution from
the alternatives identified in the idea-
finding stage.

Criteria for “best.”

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Acceptance-Finding
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Policies

Trust Obstacles

“We’ve always done

“That will never it this way”
work here”

Resources
Power

Plan Risk

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Acceptance-Finding
Purpose: To develop a plan of action to
implement the solution.

The solution must be sold to the constituents.

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving
 Acceptance-Finding
Some Helpful Tools
• PERT Charts

• Gantt Charts

©2006 Victor E. Sower

MGT 575 Creative Proble
m Solving