Rope: Creative problem solving with creative approach

10. Jun, 2009 Categories: Creative Exercises by JavyWG 1 Comment

Defining a problem too narrowly can inhibit and delay finding a solution. The creative problem solver tries to state the requirements as broadly as possible at the beginning. If, after a reasonable time, no solution presents itself, he tries to restate it in such a way that a new avenue of approach becomes available.Less successful problem solvers, on the other hand, persist doggedly in the same direction, even when the difficulty does not yield to their efforts. They are blocked from considering new directions by stubborn commitment to the old. Use your creative problem solving skills and creative approach.

Look at the first sketch and imagine that you are the person shown standing in the room. You have been given the task of tying together the ends of the two strings suspended from the ceiling. The strings are located so that you cannot reach one string with your outstretched hand while holding the second in your other hand. The room is totally bare, and you have only the resources you would normally have in your pocket or handbag. How do you solve this problem using creative thinking techniques?

Most people will see the difficulty as a shortness of reach. That is, they state the problem to themselves as: “How can I get to the second string?” The consequence of this perspective is that all effort goes into vain efforts to find a means of making one of the strings longer. But the “givens” of this problem make such a solution impossible.If, however, you define the problem as “How can the string and I get together?”, another sort of solution may occur to you. The solution requires that you see the difficulty in terms of getting the second string to come to you. If you tie a small object-say, a key or a ring-to the end of one string and set it swinging like a pendulum, you can grab it while still holding the end of the second string in the other hand.