Untitled-1.indd 2 30/06/1938 SAKA 4:38 pm The SmarT SoluTion Book A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 1 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 2 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm david cotton The SmarT SoluTion Book 68 ToolS for BrainSTorming, ProBlem Solving and deciSion making A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 3 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm PEARSON EDUCATION LIMITED edinburgh gate harlow cm20 2Je united kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1279 623623 Web: www.pearson.com/uk first published 2016 (print and electronic) © Pearson education limited 2016 (print and electronic) The right of david cotton to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the copyright, designs and Patents act 1988. The print publication is protected by copyright. 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Pearson education is not responsible for the content of third-party internet sites. iSBn: 978-1-292-14231-9 (print) 978-1-292-14236-4 (Pdf) 978-1-292-14232-6 (ePub) British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data a catalogue record for the print edition is available from the British library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data a catalog record for the print edition is available from the library of congress 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 19 18 17 16 Text design by design deluxe ltd cover design by Two associates Print edition typeset in helvetica neue lT Pro 9.5pt by SPi global Printed by ashford colour Press ltd, gosport noTe ThaT anY Page croSS referenceS refer To The PrinT ediTion A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 4 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm conTenTS about the author viii introduction x PART 1 Which ToolS To uSe and When 1 Tools for broad problem areas 3 Tools for specific problems 5 PART 2 ProBlem-Solving eSSenTialS 7 Barriers to problem solving 9 framing a problem 13 Stages in problem solving 16 Preparation for group problem solving 18 equipment needed 19 PART 3 ProBlem-Solving TechniQueS for individualS and Small grouPS 21 1 force-field analysis and graphical force-field analysis 23 2 Tough questions 26 3 ritual dissent (and ritual assent) 28 4 Brain-friendly brainstorming 30 5 reverse brainstorming 32 6 Procrastination 34 7 cartesian logic 36 8 Brainwriting 39 9 individual and collective mind mapping 41 10 Structured walkthroughs 43 11 life through a lens 45 12 nominal group technique 47 13 groW for problem solving 49 14 head/heart-push/pull 51 15 osborn-Parnes’ critical problem-solving process 53 16 appreciative inquiry 55 17 competitive ideas 57 18 Why not? 58 19 muSe 60 20 ishikawa fishbone diagrams 61 21 deming’s PdSa cycle (the Shewhart cycle) 63 A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 5 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm vi CONTENTS 22 3d stakeholder mapping 65 23 The two words technique 67 24 The association grid 69 25 The delphi technique 71 26 The lotus Blossom technique 73 27 Photographic associations 77 28 The random word technique 78 29 challenging assumptions 80 30 metaphorical problem solving 82 31 Who else has solved this problem? 84 32 how-how? 86 33 The 5 Whys/question everything 88 34 The Jelly Baby Tree 90 35 future shock 94 36 What if? 95 37 What if we didn’t? 96 38 reframing 98 39 The ripple effect (systems thinking) 100 40 What i need from you 102 41 concentration diagrams 104 42 The Pareto analysis – simplified version 106 43 The solution effect analysis 109 44 The work map 110 45 The competing values framework 115 46 Timelining 120 47 one question 122 48 Peer assist 124 49 action learning 126 50 Story circles 128 51 Swim lane diagrams (rummler-Brache diagrams) 129 PART 4 large grouP ProBlem-Solving TechniQueS 131 52 crawford’s slip 133 53 The charrette procedure 134 54 Starbursting 136 55 open space 138 56 World café 140 57 Pro-action café 142 A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 6 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm CONTENTS vii PART 5 ProBlem-Solving BuSineSS gameS 145 When and how to use business games 147 58 retirement speeches 148 59 convince me 150 60 evolution 152 61 it’s in the news 154 62 The trial 155 63 Tortoise and hare 157 64 art gallery 159 65 Proverbial problem solving 160 66 There are no rules 161 67 documentary 162 68 Pitch perfect 163 PART 6 Sharing and imPlemenTing SoluTionS 165 Sharing solutions 167 implementing solutions 170 index 175 A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 7 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm aBouT The auThor david cotton spent 21 years with arthur andersen and Pricewaterhousecoopers (Pwc) before becoming a freelance trainer in 2002. he has worked in 4 continents and more than 40 countries, delivering a wide range of training in management, leadership, communication skills, business networking, confidence building, dealing with difficult people, change management, business strategy, coaching and mentoring. david’s clients span local and national government and nearly every industry sector and include the european Parliament, european commission and many of its agencies, the united nations, BBc, Syrian ministry for foreign affairs, russian federal commission, croatian mod, Pwc, most of the major middle eastern oil and gas companies, manchester Business School and many others. he is a fellow of the British institute for learning and development, a member of the institute of leadership and management and also has diplomas in Training and development, hypnotherapy and nlP. he has published scores of articles and more than a dozen books, including Key Management Development Models published by fT Publishing in 2015. in his spare time, david is a regular columnist for a specialist music magazine and an avid collector of musical instruments. he has published more than 800 pieces of music and performs regularly with his band. he plays association croquet for his local club and, with his wife, appallingly bad golf. A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 8 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm love and thanks to Jane, Philippa and victoria cotton. A01_COTT2319_01_SE_FM.indd 9 21/06/1938 SAKA 3:02 pm