On Sep 5, 1:40 pm, "Leo Lichtman" wrote:
This is really TWO subjects: 1.) How do you think of good ideas? 2.) How
do you encourage creative thinking in others? The second one has been well
addressed by most of you. The first is more difficult. Some people
spontneously bring various viewpoints to the problem, and automatically go
into a "what if" mode when somethingt needs to be done. These same people
go into a "what if" mode when they see something being done in the same old
way. I think this is a talent, not easily taught.

The mind keeps working on a problem even when you are not aware of it--even
in your sleep. If you are not satisfied with the answer you have, don't be
in a rush. An inspiration may jump into your mind when you least expect it.
And then you'll say, "Why didn't I think of that in the first place?"


Tom,

The formal name for the process you are looking for is "Brain
Storming".

Books have been written on this topic and I was fortunate enough to
partake in a 'session' thereof during my apprenticeship years. Most
informative and productive. Other people I have worked for tried it
without success because of snide remarks and criticisms too early in
the process.

One of the most important points is to list all the "must have" or
"must comply" items clearly, and have agreement on these by most
members of the team. Unless this is done the flow of ideas will
constantly be interrupted with "what about this need" or "you forgot
about that spec." etc. To weed these down you can apply the "why,
why, why" method of analysis. The idea is that if you ask 'why' to
each of the three or four successive answers, you will then have
arrived at the "real" reason why things are done that way. Many
sacred cows get slaughtered this way!

Ideally the session is in a non-formal environment... a park, back-
forties, den, whatever.

Flip-over charts for writing on are necessary.

Then, solicit ideas, not solutions. Write them down. If necessary
"seed" a few yourself, this gets the flow going. MOST IMPORTANT:
ABSOLUTELY NO CRITICISM OR DEBATE IS PERMITTED during this 'generating
phase', because nothing will kill this flow of ideas faster than snide
or belittling remarks. All ideas are useful during this phase because
they stimulate the thinking of all involved that are awake:-)).

After this phase sort out the ideas, by consensus initially, in the
order of most practical/useful, to least practical, applying the
critiques established earlier. List positives and negatives for each.

Then work through them on how to implement them and the costs of doing
so.

To help generate ideas draw a matrix with problems listed down the
left-hand column and possible solutions thereto across the top, one
solution per column heading. Then each intersection can be reviewed
for applicability of that problem/solution combination using earlier
criterion. Of course there will be many "nonsense" intersections but
there can be surprising results.

Good luck with this and keep us informed.

On this team business... As head of a major corporate project team
(title changed as did management) I once took on 2 people that were
about to get fired by their respective department heads. I head dealt
briefly with each person and found them helpful as opposed to
obstructionist. To cut a long story short, after several years in my
department one of them became the chief of a new department providing
scheduling services to all other departments; The other person had
such a good offer from his former manager that he decided to go back.
I didn't mind. Of course I had a management philosophy that I
enjoyed as having applied to me (Just tell me what you need and then
p**s off until I get it done) and I found that it produced results for
me, also, with minor adjustments for the individual. Needless to say
this got me into s**t with upper management who thought that I
provided "insufficient" supervision. But nary a word about the
drastic increases in margin. That's why I now run my 1 man band.

Wolfgang