Creative Problem-Solving (Dombroski, 2000)

Copyright (c) 2013 John L. Jerz

Creative Problem-Solving (Dombroski, 2000)

The Door to Progress and Change

Book Description
For too many people, problems, roadblocks, or failure to find the right path stand in the way of success. In Creative Problem-Solving, Thomas W. Dombroski shows us how to remove the roadblocks by attacking problems creatively and clearing away outmoded strictures that straitjacket our thinking process and inhibit new approaches.
After stressing the importance of attitude in approaching problems, Dombroski breaks down the problem-solving process into five phases and illustrates each phase with puzzles, examples, diagrams, and other techniques of reinforcement.

Creative Problem-Solving effectively blends psychology with hard-nosed business practice.

About the Author
Thomas W. Dombroski, the president of D & L Consultants Enterprises, Inc., a management consulting firm, was graduated from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and did graduate work at Wilkes College, also in Wilkes-Barre. For ten years he was a senior process engineer with General Telephone and Electronic, Sylvania Electric Division in Towanda, Pennsylvania. In 1965, he formed his management consulting firm. Mr. Dombroski has taught a course in problem solving at various public agencies to businessmen, social workers, and community development personnel. He also has taught his course over radio station WRKC-FM, Willkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In addition, he has a wide background of experience in management-consulting services, particularly for small businesses in the commercial-industrial fields.

p.19 Creative problem-solving is a method by which we can analyze any problem and [come] to a successful conclusion... All problems can be solved, but not all problems are solved to perfection. We can only solve problems to the extent that we have knowledge concerning the problem... The creative-problem-solving plan involves five phases:

1. Information phase

2. Ideation phase

3. Evaluation phase

4. Decision-making phase

5. Implementation phase

p.43-44 Value means a great many things to a great many people, because the term value is used in a variety of ways...

In most cases, value to the producer means something different from value to the user. Furthermore, the same item may have differing value to the same customer, depending on the time, the place, and the use.

Value, then, is a broad term. It can, however, be divided into various kinds of value... Use value: The properties and qualities which accomplish a use, work or service... Exchange value: Its properties or qualities that enable us to exchange it for something else we want.

Value is not inherent but is determined by a number of things... Value of a product may be considered the cost to accomplish the use and to provide the proper esteem.

p.46 The information phase of creative problem-solving deals with the identification of the problem. Most often, the initial problem statement is not correct. To elaborate, the problem statement is either deficient or contains more than one problem. Before starting to creatively attack the problem, it is necessary then that a correct problem statement is made to prepare it for problem-solving.

p.57 Insight is the ability one has to look into the complexities of a problem and reduce it to a simplified solution... The reason you will be able to perceive the problem and its solution is that... you can cast aside all the extraneous items complicating the problem and get down to the so called nitty-gritty.

p.97-98 at best, we can only define our positions relative to objects that are within our range of measurement... The principle to learn here is that you should concern yourself with those things about which you can do something and not worry about the things over which you have little or no control.

p.119 The evaluative criteria are the yardsticks by which the ideas are measured. These evaluative criteria are used to test and verify the strength of your ideas. The criteria are really a further measure of the problem-solver's sensitivity to the problem.

The evaluative criteria are used to anticipate all the effects and consequences that can occur in accomplishing a solution to the problem as defined... It is important to choose carefully and select evaluative criteria that will thoroughly test the ideas against reality. The better the evaluative criteria, the better ideas or decisions will evolve from the evaluation phase.

p.122 Apply the techniques you have learned in this book, and you will find that there is no problem to which a solution cannot be found. The basic reason people become confused and morose when a problem occurs is that they lack knowledge concerning procedures of how to attack and solve the problem.

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