Creative Problem-Solving Process for Organization Problem - Coursework Example

First and Last Name Professor Class May 15, 2018 Problem Solving Methods Organizations are always faced with various challenges that affect its operations. A good example a common problem facing many companies is poor communication. Communication is a primary aspect that has an impact on the success of any business. Communication ensures that each party has a clear understanding of their role and duty towards achieving organizational goals and objectives. Poor communication results in confusion and conflict of duties. Successful companies have effective and efficient communication. They think creatively and arrive at solutions on any matters that affect the business. Innovation and creative problem solving are important for any organization that would like to improve the efficiency of their communication. This technique enables a company to be more flexible and gain competitive advantages. This report reviews how an organization can use paradigm breaking techniques to enhance its creativity in improving communication. A paradigm is a belief structure within which the organization thinks and acts. Creative thinking and innovation enable a company to have a different look at the problem that is facing the organization. The skills improve the flexibility of a business to adapt changing market trends. In creates new perspectives on business plans and allows the company to plan for the future(Kawalek). Finally, innovative thoughts create lasting solutions to recurrent challenges. Paradigm breaking techniques are the best selection for finding a solution for a company that has persistent communication problems. These techniques allow the company to break their belief system of thinking and taking actions. Using the paradigm breaking techniques, the company can have different perspectives, probably contrasting those that they have always had before. For instance, if the organization has always believed and maintained downward communication only, these techniques allow it to have a look at the possibility of adapting upward combination. Incorporation of new ideas and new relations to the poor communication system will create innovative solutions that can create sustainable solutions. Paradigm breaking techniques make use of the following tools Picture stimulation This technique enhanced the production of original ideas. This technique is prevalent and has achieved success in providing a solution for many challenges affecting companies. It provokes visual thinking, which is a significant ability of creative minds. Picture simulation enables the problem-solving team to visualize the entire communication problem. The individuals are allowed to picture themselves in a situation where they are not attended well or to imagine the worst case scenario that will face the organization as a result of poor communication. The team also visualizes a situation where the company has the most effective communication and how it will streamline the operations of the company. The visualizing process will enable them to come up with ideas of what can be done to achieve an efficient communication system Wishful thinking This technique allows the problem-solving participants to have a fantasy. Each participant is given a chance to come up with fantasy statements about the future. For instance, the participants can say that in future, it would be nice if the junior employees are also given a chance to air their suggestions. They are also given an opportunity to say what they could have done if they were the leaders of the organization(Kawalek). For instance, they can say, if I were the leader of this organization, I would hold a brief weekly meeting with all workers to ensure that they understand our objectives for the week and that each of them has apprehended the tasks that are allocated to him or her. The participants will then examine their fantasy statements come up with ideas and actions about how the fantasies can be made a reality. The new ideas will then be linked to the communication problem. Rich pictures are another technique where each participant is allowed to draw two pictures. The pictures should be metaphoric. For the first drawing is a picture of the improvement they wish to see in the communication aspect in future. The second drawing is a picture of the current state of the problem. Each participant is allowed to explain their view of the current state of communication in the company and where they would like to see the company in future after solving the problem. The participants are then challenged to find the “vehicle” to move the business from the current state to where they would like to see it in future. Imagination is a paradigm breaking technique that generates many creative ideas. However, it works for groups that are open minded. It is an ideal technique for visionary participants who are confident and like to have fun. While using this technique, the facilitator comes up with a word that is related to solutions to poor communication and allows one participant time to come up with a story around the word. After one minute the next participant takes the story and continues it, still in line with solutions for poor communication. The moderator steers changeovers to introduce a surprise factor. The images and ideas are noted and used to relate to the current situation and what can be done to end poor communication in the organization. The paradigm breaking tools are most effective with experienced groups that are comfortable with the moderator. The techniques demand the participants’ ability to use their intuition, fantasy, feelings and play in coming up with a solution. Some people might react negatively to these techniques and see it as a waste of time. Such people prefer a methodological approach to solving problems. Various organization adopts different approaches to solving problems. The choice of a problem-solving methodology depends on the type of challenge that the organization is going through. The following are the most common methodological approaches that are used by most companies to come up with solutions for their problems. The Deming-Shewart Cycle This method is suitable for process improvement. It allows the company establish a plan, implement it, check and act with the objective of the strategy. In some cases, the check phase is replaced by the study. This approach applies the concept that process improvement and solving problems are continuous processes(Davidson and Sternberg). For instance, a hotel that is having a challenge of customer dissatisfaction can use this approach to design a strategy that will ensure that the customers are served well and are satisfied even in future. The Eight Discipline Methodology This approach is efficient for solving problems that are related to a product or a process. The methodology accurately identifies persistent problems using statistical methods. Data is collected that determine the cause of the problem. The data is analyzed to solve the challenge. For instance, if there is a financial problem in a billing department, this method can be applied to identify the total cash that is collected by the cashiers to determine if they submitted the correct amount. The Five Why Methodology This strategy is used to ask ‘why’ five times until the cause of the challenge is established. This approach requires the application of critical thinking skills to eliminate irrelevant assumption and other logic tricks. This method has been used by Toyota Motors Company successfully to solve its manufacturing challenges. Appreciative Inquiry Traditional methods of solving problems break the problem into small manageable units. Unlike the traditional methods, this approach focuses on successful strategies for a company. It identifies the positive aspect of the challenge and establishes what can be done to improve the positive aspect of the company. This method is based on discovering what is positive for the organization, dreaming about what can be done to improve the positive aspect, designing a plan that will get the company to its desired destiny("Creative Problem Solving And Knowledge Sharing In Organizations" 64-65). kepneTregoe Decision Analysis This is a rational problem-solving approach that is based on unbiased decisions. It a system that is structured to collect information, prioritize and evaluate data. The analysis takes place in four steps, situation appraisal, analyzing the problem, analyzing the decision and analysis of potential problems. This approach aims to reduce the risk of challenges. It is mostly used by companies that are exposed to high-impact risks and wish to prevent them because they can cause a huge negative impact on the business. Kaizen This approach is team based, and it is oriented to the progressive improvement of all organizational levels. This methodology requires the inclusion of the senior and junior employees of an organization when making decisions and solving problems. Lean Six Sigma This method uses an approach designing a measure, analyzing, improving and controlling. It focuses on utilization of data, establishing the cause and implementing improvement strategies and an improved system that will sustain the achievement. This approach emphasizes the use of project selection and management and statistical tools. Every organization encounters various problems in their operations, production, and delivery of goods and services. Problem-solving techniques and methodologies are designed to give insight on ways that can be used to mitigate problems that people and businesses encounter. Most organizations implement problem-solving ideas from research bodies. Research bodies have conducted a study and approved that the ideas are applicable when solving particular challenges. The research organizations also outline the procedures that a company or an individual should undertake to solve the challenges. Organizations have a responsibility of evaluating the available approaches to determine one that suits its problem. When a company faces a challenge, they evaluate the approaches that can be used to mitigate the effects of the problem and provide a sustainable solution to prevent reoccurrence of the problem. There are various approaches that have been researched and proved to provide a solution to challenges facing the organization. The critical thinking approach requires that the problem-solving team comes up with new ideas on how a problem can be solved. The paradigm breaking technique allows a company to go against its usual way of thinking to come up with a creative solution. When a problem is recurring, it means that the mitigation measures are not effective. Therefore, coming up with a unique way of thinking can provide a sustainable solution. However, these techniques are only applicable to experienced groups. The paradigm breaking tools might not be applicable for those who are using it for the first time. Its usability is limited to some problems, and some companies can find it to be a waste of time. The methodological approach of solving problem is an option for those companies that do not embrace new reasoning. These approaches provide a procedural way of solving problems that are simple and easy to use. However, this approach might not be suitable for each company because of the diversity in types of problems that companies face and the context of the problem. It is recommended that a company integrates methodological approaches to come up with ideas that are specific to them. References "Creative Problem Solving And Knowledge Sharing In Organizations." Leader to Leader 2013.70 (2013): 64-65. Web. Davidson, Janet E, and Robert J Sternberg. The Psychology Of Problem Solving. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Print. Hayes, Jan. Operational Decision-Making In High-Hazard Organizations. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Pub. Co., 2013. Print. Kawalek, John Paul. Rethinking Information Systems In Organizations. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. Read More