Course Description

This workshop provides skills training in accessing and evaluating information to solve problems and make decisions. Participants learn to use a variety of tools, including decision-making and problem-solving processes (both systematic and creative), criteria matrices, statistics, and others. This course provides participants with guidelines, so they can choose the right tools and worksheets for each situation. Course activities include cases, games, and individual and small group exercises and discussions. The focus throughout the course is on application to situations (problems, opportunities, and decisions) that participants regularly encounter at work. Note: All tools (worksheets, checklists) will be provided to the training coordinator in electronic form for distribution to participants after the course for ongoing use.

Course Objectives

• Be able to use Situation Analysis to determine if a situation presents a problem, an opportunity, a decision, or a task.
• Be able to use a three-step process for creative problem solving.
• Know how to use brainstorming as a technique for generating ideas.
• Know how to use the Systematic Problem-solving Process.
• Know how to use Field Analysis and the Fishbone Diagram to determine causes.
• Know key analytic tools for making high impact and routine decisions.
• Know how to use the six-step Decision-making Process.
• Know how to avoid decision making traps.
• Practice skills to create a climate of clearer thinking, improved communication, and greater creativity.
• Learn to make faster and better decisions.

Materials: Course Workbook containing all activities, checklists, cases and related information. In addition, electronic copies of all checklists and other tools will be provided for distribution to all course participants.

Course Length: 1 day

Workshop Outline

Morning

1. Introduction
   1. What is the difference between problem solving and decision making?
   2. What are the most important characteristics of highly effective problem solvers and decision makers?

1. Key Tools for Problem Solving and Decision Making – How to overcome barriers
   1. Situation Analysis
   2. Thoughtful and rigorous questioning

Game: Developing an Open Mind

1. Accurate and thorough information gathering

Game: What a Puzzle

1. Logical precision

• Creative Problem Solving – A path to innovation
  1. The Creative Process – 3 Key Steps
     1. State the problem or opportunity: How can we . . . ?
     2. Generate options: What if we . . .?
     3. Determine what is feasible: What will work?

1. Tools for Creative Problem Solving
   1. Brainstorming – Game
   2. Avoiding killer phrases
   3. Germinal thinking
   4. Lateral thinking
   5. Asking “What if?” and “How can I?”
2. Case: The Document Preparation Center

Afternoon

1. Systematic Problem Solving – Making what comes naturally systematic
   1. 6 Key Steps
   2. Tools for Finding the Cause
      1. Cause and effect
      2. Force-field analysis
      3. Fishbone diagram

1. Logical Decision Making – A rational process
   1. Tools for Analytic Decision Making
      1. 7 steps to high impact decisions
      2. Writing and using criteria
      3. Creating a decision-making matrix
   2. Making effective quick decisions
2. Application – Case Study

• Summary/Next Steps/Application