by Roger Firestien | Mar 15, 2023 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
We have been taught that our initial impression of what we think is the problem really IS the problem. Here are three traps we fall into when it comes to solving problems that are complex, ambiguous, potentially dangerous and need creative ideas. Ready for a quick... by Roger Firestien | Feb 20, 2023 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
Drastic conclusions can be made when we don’t challenge our assumptions. Louise Neilson, MSc has worked as a professional mediator in the Portland, Oregon area for the last 30 years. She has worked with activists, lawyers, educators, police officers, not-for-profit... by Roger Firestien | Jan 19, 2023 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
Several years ago I bought a drill press for an artist friend of mine. A drill press is an electric drill mounted on a base. Because the drill is on a base and not handheld, it allows the operator to set the precise depth, angle and width of each hole. My friend was... by Roger Firestien | Dec 1, 2022 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
How solving the real problem kept two doggies from being eaten by coyotes My friend Laree and her husband Dan were living in Placerville, California. Placerville is a California gold rush town that sits at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is a lovely rural... by Roger Firestien | Oct 18, 2022 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
Assume: To take for granted or without proof. Twelve-year-old John is experiencing severe tailbone pain. The pain is so bad that his parents decide to take him to the local children’s hospital. As the secretary at the hospital’s orthopedic department is checking John... by Roger Firestien | Sep 28, 2022 | Creative Problem Solving Techniques
“They can’t see the forest for the trees.” This old saying means the inability to understand or appreciate a situation fully because they are focused on only a few details of it. In my new book Solve the Real Problem, I talk about four things that we need to do to...