Overview
Finding creative solutions to problems in the workplace is no longer optional: creative solutions drive growth. Anytime you ask, “How might we improve this situation?” you are about to engage in creative problem solving. This course is designed to build your abilities to think critically and strategically by engaging methods that enhance your ability to generate creative ideas. It introduces tools that can help you rate and rank the ideas you find most relevant and then suggests implementation methodologies. It is designed to apply immediately to your working (and personal) life. The course focuses on understanding the nature of creativity, the phases that you will encounter when you creatively approach a problem, the skills you can master, and the methodologies you might use to implement good ideas.
Objectives
After completing this course, learners will be able to:
- recall why leading for creative outcomes is imperative for today’s organizations;
- identify the conditions that can enhance creativity and ideas generation;
- identify the keystone skill involved in creative thinking;
- apply four additional cognitive discovery skills that are essential to leading creativity and innovation;
- practice integrative thinking to reframe an either/or dilemma into a win/win solution;
- implement innovative idea-generating strategies that can help guide the creativity of others; and
- critique the merits of design thinking for generating, selecting, testing and implementing creative ideas
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated on their participation in weekly online discussions (40%) plus weekly assignments (4) that apply the week’s lessons. The weekly assignments are worth 15% each (60% total). To pass the course, students must achieve 60% or more on the discussion participation component AND 60% or more as a combined average on the other credit activities.