Home / Non-Accredited / Project Management, Agile & Process Improvement / Creative Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Course (3 days)
Quick Look Course Summary:Creative Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Course (3 days)
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Length: 3 day(s)
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Price (at your venue): 1 Person R 14,997 EX VAT 3 Person R 11,205 EX VAT 10 Person R 8,120 EX VAT
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Certification Type:Non-Accredited
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Locations & Venues: Off-site or in-house. We train in all major city centres throughout South Africa.
Creative Problem Solving – self-paced online, 6 months’ access: R750 per learner (ex VAT); teams of 10 or more pay less.
Critical Thinking – self-paced online, 6 months’ access: R750 per learner (ex VAT); teams of 10 or more pay less.
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Creative Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Course (3 days)
A complete three-day programme that turns problem solving, critical thinking and creativity into everyday team habits – and produces better ideas and better decisions.
Organisations ask their people to innovate, solve problems faster and make better decisions, yet few teams are shown how. Ideas get shut down in meetings, problems are fixed at the symptom, and the loudest voice decides. This three-day creative thinking course is BOTI's most complete programme in this area: it builds the problem-solving method, the critical judgement and the creative culture that teams need, together.
Day one covers the creative problem-solving process, from information gathering and problem definition through idea generation to selecting and implementing a solution. Day two develops critical thinking: observation, analysis and inference, evaluating evidence, recognising bias and groupthink, and changing perspective. Day three focuses on creativity and innovation in the team: how the creative process works, how creativity differs from innovation, the myths that hold people back, obstacles such as fear of failure and stress, and what managers can do to build a workplace where new ideas are welcomed and tested.
Delegates work on real challenges from their organisation and leave with an action plan for themselves and their team.
Why this course
For your organisation
- More and better ideas from every level of the team
- Problems solved at the root, with decisions based on evidence
- Managers equipped to build a culture that welcomes new ideas
- Fewer ideas lost to fear of failure, groupthink or the loudest voice
- A shared method and language for problem solving and innovation
For your delegates
- A complete toolkit: problem-solving steps, critical-thinking checks and creativity techniques
- More confidence to put forward and test new ideas
- Practical ways to manage obstacles such as stress, distraction and fear of failure
- A personal and team action plan
What delegates will be able to do
- Apply the six-step creative problem-solving process to a real problem
- Use several idea-generation techniques and select solutions against clear criteria
- Evaluate information critically and recognise bias, assumptions and groupthink
- Look at a situation from different perspectives before deciding
- Explain the stages of the creative process and how creativity differs from innovation
- Challenge common myths about creativity and recognise your own creative strengths
- Reduce obstacles to creativity such as fear of failure, distraction and stress
- Take practical steps to build a creative, innovative team
Who should attend
Managers, team leaders, project managers, innovation and product teams, business owners, and HR and L&D practitioners who want a full programme rather than a single workshop. It suits leadership development groups and teams tasked with improving services, products or processes.
Course outline
Day 1 – Solving problems creatively
The creative problem-solving process
- Problems, symptoms and the six-step process
- Gathering information: facts, opinions and the key questions
- Defining the problem: present state, desired state and origin
- Writing a problem statement
Generating options
- Clearing mental blocks and setting up the session
- Brainstorming, brainwriting and mind mapping
- Duncker diagrams and the morphological matrix
- The six thinking hats and the blink method
Choosing and implementing
- Criteria, wants and needs, and cost/benefit analysis
- Paired comparison and potential problem analysis
- Planning tasks and resources
- Implementing, evaluating, adapting and recording lessons learned
Day 2 – Thinking critically
Understanding critical thinking
- What critical thinking is and when to apply it
- Logic and reason: observe, analyse, infer and communicate
- Traits of a critical thinker
Evaluating information
- Avoiding assumptions and asking clarifying questions
- Recognising bias in yourself and others
- SWOT analysis
- Considering every possibility before concluding
Barriers and perspective
- Time pressure, missing knowledge and closed minds
- Autopilot thinking and groupthink
- Changing your point of view, reverse thinking and consequences
Strengthening the habit
- Active listening and questioning
- Visual mapping of arguments
- Reflecting on your thinking and learning from mistakes
- Case exercise: testing a decision
Day 3 – Creativity and innovation in the team
Understanding creativity
- What creativity is, and what thinking outside the box really means
- The ingredients of creativity and the habits of creative people
- Myths: creativity is inherited, only for artists, a solo act or a sudden flash
The creative process and innovation
- The stages of the creative process, from preparation and incubation to insight and testing
- From creativity to innovation: closing the gap
- Experiments and innovation projects
- The innovative leader
Creativity and business results
- Growth and competitiveness through creativity
- Morale, engagement and productivity
- Where creative problem solving fits
Building a creative team and workplace
- Diversity, feedback and flexibility
- Respect, listening and shared goals
- Creative spaces and collaboration
- Running idea sessions that produce results
Overcoming obstacles and next steps
- Fear of failure, distractions, stress and time pressure
- Building confidence and taking sensible risks
- Motivation and mindfulness
- Personal and team action plan
How it is delivered
Three days, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20; exercises can use real challenges from your organisation. Workbook, technique guides and templates included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“All training programmes were delivered in a highly professional manner, with effective coordination and strict adherence to our scheduling requirements. The facilitators demonstrated a commendable level of expertise, and the quality of delivery consistently met our expectations.”
“The facilitator was excellent and took time to ensure that the employee understood the content and was able to apply the learning in order to develop the portfolio of evidence.”
“The training was well received and we were impressed by the knowledge of the facilitators and the quality of overall training.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa. We can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
How does this compare with the one-day and two-day courses?
The one-day course covers the creative problem-solving process. The two-day course adds critical thinking. This three-day course adds a day on creativity and innovation in the team, which makes it the best fit for leadership groups and teams expected to innovate.
Can we use our own challenges?
Yes. Send us two or three current challenges beforehand and the facilitator builds them into the exercises across all three days.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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Get your price – the more delegates, the less each pays
Change the options to see your price per person, then email yourself the quote and course outline.
Contact us now – we reply within 15 minutes during office hours
Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. After hours, we reply on the next working day – or call 011 882 8853.