Skills for the Creative Workforce

Type: Class lectures, practical exercises, participative training videos

Number of sessions: 4
Length of sessions: 4 hours
Total hours: 16 hours

Target audience: The course is designed for employees from all types of organizations. The skills learned apply to business owners, company executives, middle managers, administrative personnel, and employees of manufacturing and service organizations. This course will benefit anyone who must design new or improve existing products, improve business processes, make decision in a complex situation or solve problems.

Summary of content:

Understanding problems
Symptoms vs. Causes
The structure of problems
Orientation of problems - Strategic vs. Operational
Understanding the issue at the level of facts and data
Flow Charts and Process Maps
Praeto Charts and Histograms
Fishbone / Cause and Effect Diagrams
Control Charts
How to think the issues
Understanding thinking styles and when to apply each one
Six Hats Thinking
Mind Mapping
Inventing creative solutions
Group Brainstorming
Delphi Estimating
Overcoming Barriers to Creative Thinking
The Four Roles of the Creative Thinker: Explorer, Artist, Judge and Warrior.

Objectives and benefits: The students will leave this course knowing how to analyze problems, apply critical thinking processes and analysis techniques. They will understand the systems engineering approach to the development of solutions so their changes fit into the overall company processes. They will how to think in new ways, how to develop creative responses to new demands and how to be productively creative to stay ahead of the competition.

Originator: Doug Howardell

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