Course Highlights
This interactive creative problem-solving workshop will:
- Introduce the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving (CPS) Model to guide participants through each phase of creative and critical thinking.
- Provide tools for both divergent and convergent thinking to tackle complex challenges.
- Demonstrate empathy-based and structured problem-solving methods to inspire ideas that connect with real needs.
- Teach problem-reframing techniques, including the five whys and root cause analysis, to reveal new insights.
- Include an innovation styles assessment to help participants understand and leverage their strengths in team-based creativity.
Course Overview
Great problem-solving doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a creative spark, critical thinking, and a systematic approach that channels ideas into solutions. When teams use a structured model to generate, refine, and execute ideas, even the toughest challenges become manageable. This workshop introduces the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving Model—a powerful framework that helps teams unlock their creativity and problem-solving abilities. With hands-on tools and real-world methods, participants will learn how to approach problems from new angles, generate innovative ideas, and build practical strategies to make those ideas happen.
The course kicks off with a problem-solving styles assessment. Why? Because understanding how you think is key to becoming a more creative problem solver. Each participant will gain insight into their own approach to creativity and problem-solving, discovering how they can bring out the best in themselves and others. This awareness lays the groundwork for a more productive group dynamic, where every team member’s strengths contribute to a collaborative, idea-rich environment.
Throughout the workshop, each module builds on practical techniques for thinking creatively and critically. Participants work through exercises designed to reframe problems, using empathy-driven tools to get a deep understanding of user needs. They’ll try out ideation techniques that broaden their range of possibilities and develop skills for prioritizing and evaluating ideas, ensuring that each solution is both feasible and impactful.
As the workshop moves forward, participants gain experience in turning ideas into action. They’ll work on techniques for keeping projects moving from idea to implementation. By the end of the course, participants will have a full toolkit of strategies to support ongoing innovation, with techniques for generating ideas, evaluating their impact, and implementing solutions that are both practical and inspired.
The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).
Program Objectives
At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Describe the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving Model and its role in collaborative problem-solving.
- Identify and leverage their unique innovation style to support team creativity.
- Use divergent thinking tools to generate a broad range of solutions.
- Apply empathy-driven approaches to understand user needs and develop relevant solutions.
- Reframe problems using structured methods to uncover new opportunities.
- Challenge assumptions and evaluate solutions for effectiveness and feasibility.
- Develop action plans to transition ideas into real-world solutions.
Workshop Modules
- Understanding the Model: Introduction to Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem-Solving
- Objective Finding: Defining the Focus
- Fact Finding: Gathering Information
- Problem Finding: Identifying the Core Challenge
- Idea Finding: Generating Ideas
- Solution Finding: Evaluating and Prioritizing Ideas
- Acceptance Finding: Planning for Implementation
Target Audience
This workshop is designed for groups that want to:
- Enhance critical and creative thinking skills within their team.
- Strengthen collaborative problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Gain practical tools for fostering innovation and structuring idea implementation.
Suggested Format
- One-Day Onsite Training Course
Questions This Page Answers About Creative Problem-Solving Training
- Where can I find a course to help my team improve critical and creative thinking skills?
- Who offers training that guides teams through structured problem-solving techniques?
- How can we develop practical skills for generating, evaluating, and implementing new ideas effectively?