THINKING TOOLS
CREATIVE THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING UTK2012
At the end of the topic, students are able to:
Comprehend the many uses of each and every thinking tools Understand the importance of thinking tools in solving problems Use different thinking tools to solve problems and make decision
•There are several thinking tools that can be considered as usfeul to help one’ thinking for a situation. •Mind mapping, thinking hats, looking for plus minus points, considering all factors, consequences, aims and objectives, evaluating priorities and taking other people’s view points in to account are among the aspects that can be considered for a situation.
A mindmap can be defined as a visual presentation of the ways in which concepts can be related to one another.
• A mindmap can be defined as a visual presentation of the ways in which concepts can be related to one another. • Mind Mapping is known by many other names, most notably, but also concept mapping, flowcharting, visual thinking, spider diagramming, memory mapping, semantic mapping, and thought webbing
• Mind mapping is a different way of creative thinking using visual diagrams. • A Mind Map always radiates from a central image. This image is the core theme.
• Every word or image becomes in its self a sub-centre of association, proceeding in a potentially infinite chain of branching patterns away from or towards the common centre. • Although the Mind Map is drawn on a two dimensional page it represents a multidimension reality.
1. The subject of attention is crystallized in the central image. 2. The Main themes of the subject radiate from the central image as a branch.
3. Branches comprise a key image or key word printed on an associated line. Topics of less importance are also represented as branches attached to the higher level branches. 4. The branches form a connected nodal structure The idea behind Mind Mapping is to enhance and enrich with colors, pictures, codes and dimension to add interest, beauty and individuality.
This in turn will aid creativity, memory, and help recall information.
• Krasnic (2011) has introduced a concised learning method to study with mind map in an easy way, as known as Concise Learning Method. • CLM, is a visual, flexible, meaningful, and systematic approach to effective and efficient learning through the use of an active, cognitive, inquiry-based, and constructive process. • CLM enables you to achieved via a five-phase process (looking for puzzle pieces) that involves meaningfully organizing and connecting key concepts in a visual map (putting together the puzzle pieces), critically thinking, and asking key
• Step 1: Draw the topic at the centre. • Step 2:Participate (participate actively in lectures) • Step 3:Process (process all lecture-related information into your visual map) • Step 4:Practice (practice by solving new problems). • Step 5: Produce (produce results and new ideas)
Exercise: Image Game • Draw one picture of house • Draw 4 rooms (or garden) in your house using only images • The big branches should indicate the room and the smaller branches will provide contents of that room
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Mind map of house
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The aim of this exercise is to: 1. Show the power of the visual cortex. 2. Enhance memory storing and recalling, through the use of images for emphasis and association. 3. To increase aesthetic pleasure. Drawing is enjoyable. 4. The idea that you can use images to learn. 5. Helps mental relaxation. 6. To develop visual and perceptional skills used by artist and visual thinkers think. 15
Examples of mind mapping Skeleton plan of today’s presentation:
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Examples of mind mapping Colmand Megan’s Presentation
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Examples of mind mapping Ti and Alan’s presentation
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6 Thinking Hats Edward De Bono
Edward De Bono is a world-known expert in creative thinking. The 6 Thinking Hats is one such technique. The main idea is to have the group only “wear one hat at a time� when considering a problem. The wearing of the hat is metaphorical. At any one time, everyone will wear the same colour, in other words, look at the problem at hand from only one perspective, the perspective indicated by the hat colour.
• 'Six Thinking Hats' is an important Thinking Tool. • It is used to look at decisions from a number of important perspectives. • This forces you to move outside your habitual thinking style, and helps you to get a more rounded view of a situation that will provide a means for groups to plan thinking processes in a detailed and cohesive way, and in doing so to think together more effectively.
• De Bono's six hats represent artificial distinctions in common patterns of thought. Their value lies in helping us to adopt different patterns of thought (taking our normal hat off and trying on another). • It is suggested around 4-5 minutes for each hat and then repeat the sequence if needed. Without the time alert there is a danger that the conversation gets stuck on one area. • This encourages the group to ‘try on other hats' when you have looked at a situation for too long and have become fixed in a specific style, e.g. too negative (black hat) or too emotional (red hat)
White Hat Image of data &Information
• Information we know • Information we need • How are we going to get that information? • Determines accuracy and relevance • Look at Other People’s Views (O.P.V.)
Red Hat Feelings, Intuition, Emotions
• Permission to express feelings without prejudice • No need to justify • Represents feelings right now • Keep it short • A key ingredient in decision making
• The skeptical view • It is used for critical judgement to compare between a sad and negative situation and why something cannot be done
Black Hat
• Reasons must be given
Risks, Difficulties and Problems
• Points out Thinking that does not fit the facts, experience, regulations, strategy, values • Points out potential problems
• Benefits and The optimistic view • Reasons must be given • Needs more effort than the black hat
Yellow Hat Benefits and Feasibility
• Find the benefits and values • Considers both short and longterm perspectives
Green Hat
• Creative thinking • Seeks alternatives and possibilities • Removes faults • Doesn’t have to be logical • Generates new concepts
Creative thinking, New Ideas, Possibilities
• • • • •
Blue Hat Managing the Thinking
“Control” hat Organizes the thinking Sets the focus and agenda Summarizes and concludes Ensures that the rules are observed
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Provides a common language Diversity of thought Use more of our brains Removal of ego (reduce confrontation) Focus (one thing at a time) Save time Create, evaluate & implement action plans
COGNITIVE RESEARCH TRUST (CORT)
Other People’s View (OPV)
Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI)
Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices (APC) First Important Priorities (FIP)
Consider All Factors (CAF) Consequence & Sequel (C & S) Aims, Goals, Objectives (AGO)
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (AGO) AGO focuses on the notion if purpose.
It is used to broaden a person’s perception of a situation. It is a device to get the thinker to focus directly and deliberately on the intention behind actions. AGO also helps us understand other people’s thinking if we know what their AGOS is.
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (CAF) CAF is a crystallization of the process of trying to consider all the factors in a situation. People naturally assume that they have considered all the factors, but usually their considerations are limited to the obvious ones. Turning CAF into a deliberate operation switches attention from the importance of the factors to looking around dor all the factors. When using CAF, we ask: • What factors have been considered? • What factors have been left out?
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (CAF) Doing a CAF is useful before choosing, deciding or planning.
E.g.: What factors need to be considered if we intend to market an animal robot?
Possible answers: • Market price • Target group • Affordabiliby • People’s attitude
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (FIP) FIP focuses on priorities. FIP is used to consider factors that should be given priorities. The thinker lists the factors related to the problem and then identify which factors out of the list should receive priority. Example: If you were appointed as the Prime Minister, what would your priorities be? Possible answers:
• Education • Defense • Moral values
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (OPV) OPV is the crystallization of the process of looking at other people’s viewpoints so that the process can be used consciously and deliberately.
OPV is an antidote to selfishness.
Instead of a general vaque feeling that other people’s points of view matter, there is a deliberate attempt to see another person’s point of view.
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (OPV) Example: You intend to build a new car. Whose points of view should we consider and what are their points of view?
Possible answers:
• Car buyer – want a confortable and practical car • Manufacturers – certain components of the new car may be difficult to produce • Economists – the time to produce new care may not be suitable
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (PMI) PMI focuses on the treatment od ideas and enlarges the view of a situation. It is a thinking that ask you to make an effort to find the good, the bad and the interesting points about an idea. The interesting points are those which are neither good or bad but are worth noticing.
Example: Doors should be made of transparent plastic intead of glass. DO a PMI on this idea. Possible answers: • P – They would not break easily. • M – Plastic would be more expensive than glass. • I - Perhaps doors could be of all colours if they are plastic.
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (C & S)
C & S is a crystallization of the process of looking ahead to see the consequences of some action, plan, decision, rule, invention, etc.
There are three types of consequences: • Immediate/ short term (1-5 years) • Medium term (5-25 years) • Long term (over 25 years)
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (C & S) Example: A new electronic robot is invented to replace all human labor in factories. The imvention is announced. Do C & S on this.
Possible answers: • Short term: Massive unemployment, retraining. • Medium term (5-25 years): Migration of people to other countries. • Long term: The country’s economy will suffer.
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (APC)
APC focuses on alternatives.
The APC operation is an attempt to focus attention directly on exploring all the alternatives or choices or possibilities – beyond the obvious ones.
The deliberate search for alternatives applies not only to actions but also to explanations.
BASIC THINKING TOOLS (APC)
To solve the problem of air pollutions, what alternatives can be done apart fromintroducing more stringent laws?
Possible answers: • Awareness campaign • Introduce environment at a school project. • Invent vehicles which do not produce smoke
WHAT LIES BEHIND OUR THINKING? The way we think is based or influenced by our world views and assumptions …
… and our world views and assumptions are usually influenced by a number of external and internal factors
THE EXTERNAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OUR ASSUMPTIONS Background
Position
Goals
Social Interaction
Jobs
Upbringing
Experience
Education
Situation
Leaders
Culture
Gender
Colleagues
Age Environ ment
Enemies Timing
Country
Followers
Friends
THE INTERNAL FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OUR ASSUMPTIONS
Religion
Knowledge
Thinking Capacity
Integrity
Emotion
Perception
Believes
Health
Personalities
Value System
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES Refer to the exercises in Unit 2 (Alat-alat Berfikir) Munir Shuib & Azlena Zainal. 2002. Aktiviti Berfikir. Selangor: Prentice Hall.