problem solving training module pdf

Problem Solving   Course Modules

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An Introduction to Coaching

Aims: • To enable participants to be able to define coaching and its purpose. • To explain the key differences between coaching and mentoring. • To enable participants to describe a basic coaching model. • To identify the core skills required by effective coaches.

Time: This exercise will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 24 participants.

Useful For: Staff at all levels.

You'll Need: • Plenty of space for participants to work in pairs for this module.

Notes: Endorsed by The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT.

Remote/Virtual Delivery: There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library.

At a Crossroads - Board Game for New Managers

Aims: • To explore some of the challenges participants will face as a manager and how to approach them with the right balance of ethics and pragmatism.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of between 4 to 18 participants.

Useful For: Learners who are brand new managers (or very soon will be), particularly if they have been promoted from within the team.

You'll Need: • Playing pieces, one per team. • Small prize for the winning team. • 60 second timer or stopwatch. • Facilitator Traffic Lights. • At a Crossroads Conundrum Cards. • At a Crossroads Diversion Cards (3 per team). • At a Crossroads Game Board. • At a Crossroads Suggested Answers (for the facilitator).

Notes: This exercise is suitable for use with groups of up to 18 participants. It is run as a competitive game, which is a race to the finish and played in teams of two or three players. We do not recommend having teams with more than three participants.

All the scenarios contained in the cards are based on actual experiences faced by managers in their first year of managing a team. It is a particularly useful exercise for people who have been promoted from within the team to become the manager and who are struggling to adapt to their new role with people who were once their peers.

At a Crossroads - Board Game for Trainers

Aims: • To explore some of the challenges participants will face as a trainer and how to approach them effectively.

Useful For: New trainers or those looking to build their skills and review challenges they might face or have faced.

All the scenarios contained in the cards are based on actual experiences faced by trainers.

At a Crossroads - Performance Management

Aims: • To explore some of the challenges participants will face whilst managing the performance of individuals in their team.

Useful For: Anyone who is responsible for the performance of others, or who soon will be.

You'll Need: • Playing pieces, one per team. • Small prize for the winning team. • 60 second timer or stopwatch. • Facilitator Traffic Lights. • Conundrum Cards. • Diversion Cards (3 per team). • Game Board. • Suggested Answers (for the facilitator).

Notes: This exercise is suitable for use with groups of up to 18 participants. It is run as a competitive game; a race to the finish, and played in teams of two or three players. We do not recommend having teams with more than three participants.

Brainstorming

Aims: • To explain the key rules of brainstorming.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 25 minutes to complete this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For: Junior staff or those unfamiliar with brainstorming as an idea generation technique.

You'll Need: • Flipchart paper and coloured marker pens for every team.

Notes: You may come across participants who question the use of the word brainstorming, and suggest it is offensive to people who suffer epilepsy.

Our research indicates that the concern over the word brainstorming is something of an urban myth. Charities representing those who suffer from epilepsy say they have asked people suffering from epilepsy and concluded that the word brainstorming does not cause concern. Indeed, the word bears no relation to what actually happens to someone suffering epilepsy.

Bridge Challenge - Maintaining Momentum

Aims: • To consider the importance of momentum when innovating. • To look at what builds momentum behind a project or idea, and what saps energy from a project or idea.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of any size.

Useful For: Managers.

You'll Need: For this exercise you'll need to be able to split your participants into 2 teams, each with a different room to work in.

You'll also need to gather a set of 'building materials' for each team.

Typically, we provide each team with the following: • 20 'pick-up' sticks. • 3 pairs of scissors. • 4 rulers. • 6 sheets of A3 card (or 12 sheets of A4 card). • A ball of string. • A roll of sticky tape.

You can vary the materials you provide in any way you wish - the important thing is that each team must have exactly the same materials to work with (including the same number of pairs of scissors etc). You'll also need a toy car for each team (each should be the same size and weight). Choose a car that is 'Dinky' sized, rather than 'Matchbox' sized. (More mature UK readers will know what we mean!) For those of you who don't, we mean a car that is not too small - aim for something about six or seven inches long and weighing about 1lb (500 gram). We want this exercise to be challenging.

Notes: For very large groups (20 or more participants) you’ll need more than 2 teams. Establish a number of small teams with 4 or 5 participants in them, and some very large teams with perhaps a dozen participants in them.

Bringing the Cows Home - Testing Analytical Thinking

Aims: • Test analytical skills and encourage clear thinking. • Test participants’ attention to detail, individually or collectively, and to test levels of accuracy under pressure. • Allow participants to work together to solve a specific problem.

Time: This game can be played in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 75 minutes.

Skills and Behaviours Tested: Analytical skills, attention to detail, problem solving, teamwork.

Group Size: We recommend placing participants into teams of 2–4 for this exercise. However, strictly speaking there is no minimum number of participants – this exercise can even be used to test individual skills.

You'll Need: • At least one Farm Map for each team; if teams have more than three people in them, you might prefer to provide teams with two copies of the map. • One copy of the Team Brief for each team.

Notes: In this exercise participants are presented with a lot of information and success will depend on their ability to approach the problem in a structured, methodical way and work effectively under pressure.

This exercise can also be used to examine the role of leaders within teams. If you wish to use the exercise in this way, you might want to pre-assign the role of leader to someone from each team.

Building Determination

Aims: • To demonstrate the importance of determination in building resilience. • To identify what determination is and where it comes from. • To list some of the key factors that help make people more determined. • To identify ways to become more determined.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of any size.

Useful For: Staff and managers at all levels.

You'll Need: Nothing other than the materials provided.

Building Strong Bridges - Basic Leadership Skills

Aims: • To encourage participants to consider planning and preparation as part of leadership. • To facilitate discussion around playing to the team's strength. • To consider factors that motivate staff to perform well. • To encourage staff to self assess, review and reflect on performance. • To encourage leaders to consider their communication skills. • To encourage leaders to consider the question of keeping people motivated. • To demonstrate leadership skills in a practical task.

Time: This exercise will take about 55 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 75 minutes to complete this module.

Useful For: First line managers and supervisors.

You'll Need: • Broadsheet newspapers (one per team). • Sticky tape (one per team). • A tennis ball.

Notes: In this exercise, participants will be working in teams of 4 or 5. Each team will need one broadsheet newspaper (for example, the Financial Times) and a roll of sticky tape. In addition, you will need a tennis ball (or similar) to test the strength of the teams’ structures.

Creating a Mission Statement

Aims: • To show the benefit of a mission statement when problem solving. • To demonstrate the importance of taking a step back and understanding our role in the relationships we have with others at work.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Useful For: Supervisors and above.

Notes: A useful module that looks at the importance of truly understanding the nature of the problem and the outcome desired. Useful for inclusion in any problem solving course, at the investigation stage of the problem solving process.

Creative Problem Solving Process

Aims: • To explore the process of creative problem solving. • To explain the role of idea generation and other creative thinking techniques.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: This module provides an introductory overview of a creative problem solving process. Trainers' Library contains many practical modules for developing the skills required for each stage, including modules that introduce techniques for generating, exploring and evaluating ideas.

Decision Making Approaches

Aims: • To help participants understand how, and the extent to which, they involve others in the decision making process. • To help participants identify whether the decision making approaches currently used are the most effective. • To consider the pros and cons of using different approaches in different situations.

You'll Need: • Prepared post-its. • Blank post-its of a different colour. • Prepared flipcharts.

Notes: You will need to familiarise yourself with the handout for this module before running it.

You will also need to prepare a sheet of flipchart paper and a set of 10 post-its for each participant (see trainer notes).

Decision Matrix

Aims: • To demonstrate how a decision matrix can be used, when trying to decide between various options. • To demonstrate the importance of weighting different criteria when making decisions.

Time: The exercises in this module can be completed within 15 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete the module.

Useful For: Staff up to junior managers.

Notes: This module introduces a simple scoring and weighting system to help the decision making process when choosing between several options.

An alternative module that also uses this approach is Honeymoon Dilemma .

Evaluating Ideas

Aims: • To show the importance of properly evaluating ideas and solutions. • To explain the need for a structured approach to evaluation. • To introduce one method for evaluating ideas and solutions. • To provide an opportunity for participants to practice evaluating ideas. • To encourage participants to recognise the need to tweak/adapt ideas and then re-evaluate them.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: You will need to ensure you have familiarised yourself with the 4-stage process explained in the handout, before running this module.

Fishbone Chart - Problem Solving

Aims: • To show participants how to break problems down. • To give participants an opportunity to practise using a Fishbone Chart.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 45 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

You'll Need: • Post-it notes and flipchart paper.

Notes: We suggest that before attending this training module, you ask participants to identify a workplace problem that they need to address. If participants work together you can encourage them to identify an issue they can work on together in the training.

You should pre-prepare a flipchart with the ‘bones’ of a Fishbone Chart for use in the first part of the module.

Forced Connections - An Idea Generation Tool

Aims: • To introduce ‘Forced Connections’ as a tool for generating unusual ideas by linking seemingly unrelated items. • To provide participants with an opportunity to practise using the technique.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

You'll Need: • A bag or other container containing a selection of small toys or other random objects. Try to make the selection as varied as possible. • The Activity Link and your PIN, and an internet connection to stream the video.

Notes: If you do not have an internet connection in your training room, we have included a handout containing a worked example of the technique covered by this module.

There are a number of modules that introduce different idea generation techniques. As well as this one, have a look at Reframe, Idea Box and Reversal.

We strongly recommend introducing several different idea generation techniques in any creative thinking or problem solving course/workshop.

Getting to the Root - Creative Investigation

Aims: • To introduce one way to investigate problems. • To provide a structured approach for identifying the causes of a problem.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 15 participants.

Notes: This module considers how problems are often expressed as symptoms and the importance of understanding what is causing those symptoms before taking action.

Gossip! - An Exercise in Communication

Aims: • To encourage participants to communicate effectively in order to gather all the information available. • To encourage participants to think about how they communicate. • To encourage participants to work co-operatively to solve a shared problem.

Group Size: The optimum number of participants for this exercise is 8, however it can be used with fewer. If you have more than 15 in your group, split them into teams.

You'll Need: Nothing, other than the materials provided.

Notes: This communication exercise is based on a logic puzzle.

You will need a minimum of 8 participants, which is the optimum number for the exercise. However, we have included additional Gossip Cards that enable the exercise to be used in groups of up to 15. (If you have more than 15 in your group, split the group into teams of 8 or more and get each team to complete the exercise separately.)

Please note that where there are more than 8 participants in a team some of the ‘gossip’ will be duplicated.

Half Full? - Optimism and its Importance

Aims: • To encourage participants to consider their attitude. • To encourage discussion around optimistic versus pessimistic outlooks. • To recognise the impact that attitude has on performance. • To enable participants to identify personal traits that might be holding them back. • To encourage leaders to consider how they might deal with negative attitudes in their team.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: This module provides an excellent opportunity, when working with a wide range of participants, to consider how attitude can impact on performance. Topics where the inclusion of a module looking at optimism/pessimism might be beneficial include: • Managing change. • Problem solving and decision making. • Customer service. • Selling skills. • Leading a team. • Strategic leadership. • Communication skills. • Planning and scheduling.

Honeymoon Dilemma - Decision Making Matrix

Aims: • To demonstrate how a Decision Making Matrix can assist with solving problems.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 35 minutes for this module.

You'll Need: • A clock or stopwatch.

Notes: For this exercise you need a copy of all five of the handouts for each team, but you only give out Handout 5 if the team requests it.

Hotel Doldrums Part 1 - Where Are We Now?

Aims: • To build an understanding of the key steps in strategic planning. • To encourage participants to analyse financial and other data using a SWOT analysis. • To encourage participants to think about where they are now, before moving on in the next module to consider where they want to be.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 75 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 120 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

It is strongly recommended that, for maximum impact and best overall use of time, this module is run in conjunction with the other modules from the Hotel Doldrums series.

Group Size: An ideal group size for this module is 12, with participants working in 3 teams of 4. If you have more than 15 participants in your group, you may want to consider ‘doubling up’ on some of the briefs with more than one team using the same scenario. This doesn’t detract from the learning; in fact it can be interesting to see how different teams approach the same problem and task.

Useful For: Staff at all levels including individuals, groups and teams that need to use strategic planning and analysis skills in the workplace.

You'll Need: Each team will need a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Notes: Hotel Doldrums is a series of modules that are designed to be run in sequence.

Together they form a complete 1.5 day workshop, which can be run as a single workshop, or as three independent sessions, each lasting between 2 and 4 hours. We’ve also suggested other modules you could add to the programme, if you have more time available.

Hotel Doldrums can also be run as a teambuilding game, where teams are left to compete with less facilitator involvement during the exercise, but a thorough review at the end. This takes about 3.5 hours to run.

If you prefer to use the teambuilding version of Hotel Doldrums, please download the trainer’s notes from the teambuilding games section of Trainers’ Library.

This series of modules is set in the context of the hotel industry but requires no specialist knowledge of it.

The modules, when used together, also draw out skills relating to business planning, problem solving, influencing, team working and making presentations.

Hotel Doldrums Part 2 - Where Do We Want to Be?

Aims: • To give participants the opportunity to identify and explore options and appraise these. • For participants to create a 3-5 year outline strategic plan based on the fictional case study they’ve been given.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, part 1, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 135 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 180 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

You'll Need: Each team will a hotel data pack (provided) and a syndicate room or area.

Hotel Doldrums Part 3 - How Will We Get There?

Aims: • To encourage participants to develop a strategy from the options generated in previous sessions. • To encourage participants to prepare and give a persuasive presentation outlining their strategy and the work they have done. • To reflect on the learning from the Hotel Doldrums series of modules.

This module follows on from Hotel Doldrums, parts 1 and 2, and is not designed to be used as a stand-alone module.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 140 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 240 minutes for this module if working with 10-12 participants.

How Long? - The Importance of Confidence

Aims: • To demonstrate a link between self-belief and results. • To encourage participants to consider the impact positivity has on their own performance and the performance of others.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 20 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 30 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of up to 15 participants.

You'll Need: • A syndicate room, or separate area in which Team 1 can work. • A pack of 54 ‘Filing Frenzy’ cards for each team. • A stopwatch/timer. • You might like to use a bell or whistle to announce the start/end of the exercise.

Notes: This exercise may not be suitable for participants who are colour blind or visually impaired. However, in most cases anyone who falls into this category can still be involved. Ask them to observe/listen to the teams during the exercise, identifying effective and less effective behaviours in order to provide constructive feedback afterwards.

How We Make Decisions

Aims: • To help participants understand the role of feelings, logic, intuition and sensations in the decision making process. • To briefly consider participant's use of each of these elements in their own decision making.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed within 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete the module.

Notes: This short module introduces a useful matrix, which is useful in raising awareness of factors that influence our decision making.

Idea Box - Idea Generation

Aims: • To introduce 'Idea Box' as an idea generation technique. • To provide participants with an opportunity to practise using the technique.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

You'll Need: If you don’t want to use a work related example in the exercise, write some randomly chosen objects such as the following on small pieces of paper and place them in a hat: • A bar of soap. • A box of cereal. • A bath. • A swimming pool. • An Easter egg. • A desk.

Notes: There are a number of modules that introduce different idea generation techniques. As well as this one, have a look at Forced Connections, Reframe and Reversal.

Implementing Solutions

Aims: • To examine the steps towards successful implementation of change.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Notes: This module is about the implementation of seemingly minor changes – a new process or procedure, a solution to a problem etc. It provides an overview of what needs to be considered before implementing any minor change.

Influencing Your Stakeholders

Aims: • Identify key stakeholders when delivering a workplace project. • Ensure that key stakeholders have a positive influence on the outcome of a project.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 55 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of almost any size.

Useful For: Staff at all levels working to deliver workplace projects.

You'll Need: • Flipchart paper, pens and post it notes.

Notes: This exercise involves creating an Action Plan for influencing stakeholders on a real project. We recommend that you encourage your participants to identify the project they will use before they come to the training session.

Introducing Leadership - A Logical Puzzle Based Exercise

Aims: • Understand the difference between leadership and management and the importance of both. • To identify ways that participants can lead and manage their most important team members.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 75 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to about 25 participants.

Useful For: Participants with current (or imminent) managerial responsibility.

Notes: This exercise is a great way to open up a workshop about leadership. It removes the need for the more traditional participant introductions and enables you to observe the participants in action and explore their priorities and attitudes to managing people.

You can run this exercise with a range of team sizes, with between 4 and 8 players in each team. Please select the correct Clue Card pack based on the number in the team. Choose the team sizes that work for you. For example, with a group of 15, the exercise can be run with 3 teams of 5 or 2 teams, one of 7 and the other 8.

Introduction to Counselling Skills

Aims: • To identify the key 'don't' when using counselling skills at work.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 10 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of almost any size.

You'll Need: • Glue or double sided sticky tape.

Island of Opportunity - A Test of Negotiation Skills

Aims: • To demonstrate the importance of building a clear understanding of needs and feelings in negotiation, through effective questioning and listening. • To show the importance of separating people and personalities from the problems. • To show the value of a shared problem/creative solution finding approach to negotiation. • To provide an opportunity to practise negotiation, teamwork and problem solving skills.

Time: This game can be played in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 90 minutes.

Skills and Behaviours Tested: Negotiation skills, communication, leadership, teamwork and collaboration, and problem solving.

Group Size: This game involves participants working individually (or in pairs) representing one of 3 or, ideally 4 tribes. So each game requires a minimum of 3 participants and a maximum of 8. You can have several games running concurrently alongside each other.

Useful For: Staff at all levels who are involved in negotiating but managers in particular.

You'll Need: • An island map for each group of 3 or 4 tribes and ideally they should be A3 or larger and laminated. • A different brief for each tribe. • Chinagraph pencils (or similar) and wipes are recommended if your maps are laminated.

Notes: It’s best to run this exercise module without too much explanation.

This exercise has many different potential solutions – the learning comes from the experience of trying to find one that all parties can agree to.

Jess Blonde - Tough Negotiations for Senior Managers

Aims: • To help participants develop their negotiation skills and in particular their ability to establish their needs and wants, and those of the other party, prior to commencing negotiating.

Time: This game can be played in about 90 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 120 minutes.

Skills and Behaviours Tested: Communication skills, leadership, negotiation, teamwork and collaboration, and problem solving.

Group Size: This exercise involves participants working in four teams. You’ll need a minimum of 2 participants in each team and a maximum of 6.

Useful For: Managers, and particularly those at a more senior level.

You'll Need: • Access to the Internet, to use our online scoring tool, necessary to assess teams’ performances and a printer to provide participants a copy of the results. (Only you will need this, not your participants.) • Plenty of space. Ideally each of your four teams will have a separate breakout room to work in. • A calculator for each team. • Highlighters, pens and pencils for each team. • A small prize for the winning team. • A bell (optional).

Notes: The exercise can also be used at the end of a training event focused on negotiation, allowing participants to apply new knowledge and skills.

Jobs! - An Exercise in Negotiation

Aims: • To consider the importance of understanding needs and feelings of others in negotiation. • To provide an opportunity for participants to practise overcoming differences.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 40 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

LACE - Handling Unhappy Customers

Aims: • To introduce managers to the subject of employee engagement. • To help managers begin to understand why employee engagement is central to being a successful manager.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 10 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 45 minutes for this module.

Aims: • To introduce participants to a simple 4-step process to follow when dealing with an unhappy customer.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of up to 25 participants.

Useful For: Staff at all levels, especially those in a customer-facing role.

You'll Need: • Flipchart and pens.

Notes: This exercise works very well as a follow up to The Shoe Shop – A Customer Service Dilemma .

Letters Solve a Problem

Aims: • To explore the challenge when solving a problem where a number of people are involved, particularly when those people may have other obligations that mean they can’t give your problem their complete attention.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 25 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 40 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of almost any size. Where you have more than 12 participants, you should consider splitting your group and running two versions of the exercise separately in tandem.

You'll Need: • A stopwatch.

Notes: This exercise requires a minimum of 6 participants. Where you have more than 12 participants, you should consider splitting your group and running two versions of the exercise separately in tandem.

It is important that all of the cards are distributed and that every participant has a card but some participants can receive more cards than others – in fact it’s better if they do.

Magnifying the Problem - Creative Problem Solving

Aims: • To explain the dangers of making assumptions about the nature of problems. • To provide a technique that will help participants look at problems from different perspectives. • To provide an opportunity for participants to practise rephrasing problems different ways.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 20 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: This is a useful module to include in Creative Thinking and Creative Problem Solving training. It is best run before any idea generation techniques are introduced.

Experience has taught us that this exercise is particularly powerful when preceded by Fishbone Chart .

Making Continuous Improvement Happen

Aims: • To identify improvements that can be made. • To identify things that need to be taken into consideration when planning continuous improvement activities. • To plan one improvement that can be implemented in the workplace.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 35 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

Remote/Virtual Delivery: There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library called Planning an Improvement .

Making the Impossible Possible - A Brainstorming Technique

Aims: • Introduce participants to a new approach to brainstorming. • Demonstrate the importance of looking for solutions to problems.

You'll Need: • Nothing other than the materials provided.

Notes: During this exercise participants will be solving a problem. We have provided some suggested topics but, where appropriate, we recommend using a real issue that your participants need to address.

For example, this exercise was used with a government’s Transport Department. The participants (from junior to senior members of staff) used this technique to identify how to tackle the congested roads in their biggest city.

One Hump Or Two? - An Introduction to Continuous Improvement

Aims: • To provide a basic understanding of continuous improvement as a process and management tool. • To place continuous improvement in context through a participatory exercise.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 50 minutes to complete this module.

You'll Need: • Old newspapers and sticky tape - see notes.

Notes: You will need a large pile of old newspapers and some reels of sticky tape for this exercise.

You will also need to have made one "standard design" camel from folding or scrunching newspaper and using sticky tape.

This camel should have discernible legs, a head and a hump; but does not have to be a work of art! The participants need to be able to roughly copy it (note - the exercise is about improving upon the original). Finally you need to make a baton from newspaper, which will be used to bat the camel along in the camel races.

You will also require space to set up a track - this can usually be achieved by safely moving tables and chairs to the sides of the room.

You may wish to have a supply of small prizes available for the camel race winners.

Pareto Analysis - Problem Solving

Aims: • To show how Pareto can be applied to problem solving. • To illustrate the importance of focusing problem solving activities on the right things.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 30 minutes to complete this module.

Pitfalls and Trampolines - Call Centres and Telesales

Aims: • To examine common problems/conundrums associated with call centres and telesales and discuss ways of overcoming these. • To highlight and share best practices and tips for making calls successful.

Time: This game can be played in about 30 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion and evaluation, we recommend allowing 60 minutes.

Skills and Behaviours Tested: Telesales and telephone skills, customer service, communication skills, effective questioning, building rapport, creative thinking and problem solving.

Group Size: In this exercise participants can play individually, although we recommend they play in pairs/small teams.

You'll Need: • A counter for every team. • Dice. • A 'Pitfalls and Trampolines' game board and a set of Pitfalls cards and Trampoline cards for each game in play.

Notes: Pitfalls and Trampolines is a fun board game. It can be used at any point within a training event, but is perhaps most useful as a tool for reviewing key learning points and for sharing knowledge and ideas.

Some of the cards may not be applicable to your participants so, before starting the exercise, review all of the Pitfalls and Trampoline cards and remove any that aren't relevant.

Endorsed by The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, NASBTT.

Planning for Change

Aims: • To identify the questions that need to be asked in advance of implementing any change. • To create a ‘bench’ of pre-defined questions to use when planning.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed within 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

Useful For: Team leaders and junior managers.

Notes: This module is about planning the implementation of seemingly minor changes – a new process or procedure, a solution to a problem etc.

Problem Solving Process

Aims: • To introduce a structured process for problem solving. • To provide an opportunity for participants to apply this process to a real work-related problem.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 180 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 240 minutes to complete this module.

Useful For: Staff at all levels and managers in particular.

Notes: This module is intended to provide an overview of a problem solving process as well as provide a way of formalising and monitoring the completion of each stage.

You might wish to use this as the foundation for a problem solving course and intersperse each step in the practical exercise with other modules that provide tools and techniques that can be used during the process.

Alternatively, you might prefer to use this module as the basis of a detailed practical exercise after participants have learnt various techniques for use at each stage.

For ideas on applicable tools and techniques, have a look at modules under the Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making categories within Trainers' Library.

Problem Solving Quadrants - Getting Your Priorities Right

Aims: • To help participants understand the importance of prioritising the problems they face. • To allow participants to plan their next steps in addressing problems based on both their ability AND desire to solve them.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 35 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 50 minutes for this module.

You'll Need: • The Problem Solving Quadrants grid pre-drawn on a flip chart. • Pens and post it notes.

Notes: It may help to facilitate the initial discussion if you have a workplace problem of your own to share.

Whilst designed as a group training session, this technique also works well for 1:1 coaching.

Productive Thinking

Aims: • To explain the difference between reproductive and productive thinking. • To explain the dangers of relying on reproductive thinking when solving problems. • To provide an opportunity for participants to practise productive thinking. • To get participants in the right mindset for productive idea generation.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 60 minutes to complete this module.

Project Planning Part 1 - Introducing a 5-stage Process for Planning a Project

Aims: • To provide participants with a simple but effective five stage method for planning a project or complex task.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 100 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 155 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of up to 24 participants. Ideally, you'll have an even number of participants so they can work in pairs.

Useful For: Anyone who needs to set up and/or commission and/or manage projects.

You'll Need: • Post-it notes.

Notes: There is nothing particularly complex or difficult about project planning; it simply requires a logical approach. If you are new to the topic, we suggest you take time to read and digest the pre-module reading. You might find it helpful to work through each of the stages yourself, using a project of your own - perhaps planning a course.

Although you will have asked participants to bring the pre-module reading with them, in practice some will forget. It’s a good idea to have spare copies ready in case this happens.

It’s a good idea to print more copies of the handouts than there are participants because these may be needed if someone has a particularly complex project to plan.

We have suggested that you ask participants to work in pairs. However, this module could easily be adapted and used by a complete project team to plan one project.

It is helpful if each pair has a table of their own where they can carry out the practical exercises. If you have a large group you will probably need a breakout room.

Project Planning Part 2 - Risk Analysis and Contingency

Aims: • To minimise the likelihood of crises and project failure through a simple risk analysis and contingency planning process.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 70 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 80 minutes for this module.

Notes: This is the second module in the Project Planning series, covering Risk Analysis and Contingency Planning. The first module, Project Planning – Part 1 , must be run before this one.

If you are running this module on a different date from the first module it would be sensible to remind participants to bring their completed project plan from the previous session to this one.

Reframe - Idea Generation

Aims: • To introduce 'Reframe' as an idea generation technique. • To provide participants with an opportunity to practise using the technique.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 45 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: Refer to the handout for a worked example of the technique covered by this module.

This is a very powerful tool but a bit more difficult to use effectively than Reversal. We suggest using reversal first if groups aren’t familiar with idea generation techniques.

Restaurant Revolution - Teamwork and Conflict Resolution

Aims: • To give participants insight into the destructive nature of a blame culture. • To demonstrate the importance of empathy in conflict resolution. • To take participants on a journey from conflict to understanding and conflict resolution.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 60 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 90 minutes for this module.

Group Size: This module can be used with groups of up to 15 participants. Ideally, you'll have at least 6 participants though so that you can create 3 teams of 2 or more.

Useful For: Anyone who needs to work with other teams and/or manages conflict or misunderstanding across teams.

Notes: This exercise was generously donated to Trainers’ Library by Andrew Kitton of AKF Training and was developed following attendance on our Trainers’ Masterclass, ‘Using Metaphor to Ignite Learning’.

The activity in this exercise consists of three short team exercises that progress the teams from conflict to understanding and resolution.

Remote/Virtual Delivery: There is a Remote Delivery version of this module available in Trainers’ Library called Revolting Restaurant .

Reversal - Idea Generation

Aims: • To introduce 'Reversal' as an idea generation technique. • To provide participants with an opportunity to practise using the technique.

This tends to be one of the first idea generation techniques we introduce, as it is very easy to teach and participants tend to be very receptive to it.

We strongly recommend that you follow it up with some more techniques for idea generation. Options include Forced Connections, Reframe and Idea Box.

Snakes and Ladders - An Introduction to Risk

Aims: • To encourage participants to think about the nature of risk. • To encourage participants to think about risk in relation to project management. • To provide participants with an understanding of basic risk management strategies.

Time: The exercises in this module will take about 30 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 80 minutes to complete this module.

Useful For: Team leaders and junior management.

You'll Need: • A large supply of sticky labels that participants can write on. (Ideally these should be in a variety of colours). • Plenty of coloured pens. • A prize for the ‘best’ Snakes and Ladders board would be a nice touch.

Notes: This module can be used as a follow on from The Wedding Planner , and The Runaway Bride to create a half-day training programme.

The Anatomy of Conflict

Aims: • To define conflict. • To identify the main phases of conflict. • To enable participants to describe the typical behaviours that are used when conflict is not constructively managed.

Group Size: This module is suitable for use with groups of up to 12 participants.

Useful For: Anyone who needs to manage conflict and interpersonal relationships.

Notes: It is recommended that you keep the participant group size to twelve or fewer for this module.

The Brainstorm Bench

Aims: • To generate ideas for improving customer service, a process, department, business…any aspect of a business or organisation. • To encourage participants to think from different angles.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 40 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 70 minutes for this module.

Useful For: Anyone who wants to generate ideas for continuous improvement.

You'll Need: • A set of ‘Brainstorm Bench’ cards.

Notes: Although the brainstorm/discussion activity and discussion can be completed in 40 minutes, we strongly recommend adding the action planning activity outlined at the end of the module, which adds a further 30 minutes, unless this is incorporated elsewhere in your training.

We’ve included some wacky questions in the set of Brainstorm Bench cards. These are in blue to make them easier to identify, so you can decide if you’d like to include them.

Thinking Outside the Box - Demonstrating Agile Thinking

Aims: • To see how creatively participants are able to address a simple challenge. • Understand the importance of ‘thinking outside the box’ to achieve even better results.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 45 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 60 minutes for this module.

You'll Need: • An empty box for each team. • Building materials such as pipe cleaners, newspaper, paper clips, lollypop sticks, string, glue dots, paper straws and dried spaghetti. • 1 golf ball or hard-boiled egg per team, with an additional 6 to use for testing the bridges. • A separate room for each team. (If that is not possible, we encourage you to look for ways for the teams to shield their activities from the other participants.) • Post-it notes. • Flipchart paper and pens. • Several small prizes for the winning teams (optional).

Notes: You will need to prepare a box for each team containing an identical selection of the building materials of your choice. Each team will also need at least one golf ball or egg.

Trouble at the Inn - Managing Poor Performance

Aims: • To encourage participants to consider different approaches to improving poor performance, and the relative merits of those different approaches. • To encourage participants to think about appropriate timescales over which they might expect to improve performance and standards. • To consider the implications of not taking action to improve poor performance.

Time: This exercise will take about 80 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 180 minutes to complete this module.

Useful For: Managers, or those who soon will be.

Notes: There are two different versions of the team brief for this exercise.

For junior managers we recommend using version 1, which contains a list of actions that the managers could consider when dealing with the issues of poor performance.

For more experienced managers, we recommend using version 2, which does not provide any clues about the type of action they could take and encourages them to come up with their own solutions.

This module is ideally suited for inclusion in training around managing change.

You can reduce the amount of time needed for this module by approximately 30 minutes by not requesting a formal presentation and simply asking each team instead to talk through its proposed actions.

Understanding Decisions

Aims: • To help participants understand the nature of decisions in relation to problem solving.

Time: The exercise in this module will take about 15 minutes to complete. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing 40 minutes to complete this module.

Notes: A simple flipchart exercise that encourages participants to think about the nature of decision making. This is a useful introductory module on the subject of decision making.

With Authority Comes Freedom - Introducing Tannenbaum and Schmidt

Aims: • To understand the importance of delegating authority appropriately to other colleagues. • To introduce the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Continuum as a method of deciding what levels of authority to delegate.

Time: The exercise in this module can be completed in about 55 minutes. In total, allowing for discussion, we recommend allowing about 90 minutes for this module.

Useful For: Those who have responsibility for other staff, or who will do very soon.

You'll Need: • One set of cards for every team of 2-3 participants. • Blu-tack.

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Problem Solving

Audience: Anyone

Prerequisites: None

Course on How to Solve Problems as a Group by Brainstorming, Idea Generation and Collective Decision Making

Fully Customisable Training Course Material

Description

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Albert Einstein

In just about any industry or any role, we are almost constantly involved in solving problem. It is what makes humanity progress forward by constantly searching for better solutions to common problems or new solutions to new problems as our societies become more complex.

As the problems have become more complex, the need to solve problems in a group has increased. Groups now contain a variety of experts looking at a problem in relation to their own respective domains. This course is ideal for groups of people who aim to solve problems collectively together. Solving problems as a group has its own unique issues. For example, some people like to dominate a meeting with their ideas at the expense of other less talkative members. This could be because of their character or a political agenda. This can lead to suboptimal solutions. Without a good thinking system a group may never come across novel ideas and even if it does, the idea might quickly be put aside, criticised or ridiculed.

Today, there are many powerful group-based problem solving and brainstorming techniques that can be used to increase creativity and productivity.

The aim of this exercise-driven course is to get the delegate practice these techniques in a simulated environment working on smaller problems. This allows them to learn how these techniques work. If the delegates are from the same organisation, you can also run it as a team building course where delegates go through a shared experience while solving problems. They will learn how to work together and improve their communication skills.

The course is also effective if delegates are from different organisations as they can focus on the details of the techniques and learn from each other’s approaches or how various techniques might be used in different industries.

The course contains many exercises. Optional exercises are also provided so the content of the course can be biased based on the requirements of the delegates.

A series of extra problem solving techniques are also discussed briefly at the end of the workbook. These can be explored by those interested to know more about this topic after the course.

In this highly practical course participants will learn:

What Is Problem Solving?

• Why people fail in solving problems?
• What are the helpful attitudes that can help to solve problems more efficiently?
• What are the ideal roles in a productive meeting?
• What techniques help to improve problem solving?

Defining the Problem

• What techniques are helpful in systematically exploring a problem domain?
• How to search for root causes of problems and visualise this using a powerful technique

Generating Ideas

• How to generate lots of ideas as a group and methodically organise them as they are generated
• How to use a powerful visual technique to increase the creativity of a group in coming up with new ideas
• How to avoid killing new ideas before they can be given a chance
• How to get a group to cooperate with each other when solving a problem rather than competing with each other

Brainstorming

• What should you do to improve your brainstorming sessions?
• What are good questions to ask in a meeting or when someone suggests an idea?
• What are bad questions?
• What are commonly used brainstorming techniques?
• What are their strengths and limitations?

Decision Making

• How to take advantage of a number of powerful qualitative decision making techniques to decide on a course of action
• How to use a system that helps to look at making a decision from many angles
• What is a Work Breakdown Structure?
• How can you use Gantt charts to plan?
• How to analyse work package dependencies to find out how late a work can finish without affecting the overall schedule
• How to analyse requirements to make sure you only focus on those that matter the most and can prioritise your plan 

Everything you need to run the course:

• Trainer Notes
• Specific Course Guidelines
• Guidelines on Training Methodology
• Course Outline
• Recommended Readings
• Feedback Forms
• Certificate of Achievement

Course Objectives

By the end of this course delegates will be able to:

• Avoid attitudes that hinder problem solving  and adopt those that increase your chances of success
• Explore and  define the problem systematically  by viewing it from different angles and search for root causes
• Methodically  generate ideas  and use  visual techniques  to organise them into meaningful logical categories
• Use a number of established  brainstorming techniques  to search for solutions by  maximising idea generation ,  participation and creativity
• Make  qualitative decisions  by evaluating various aspects of potential solutions using a systematic method
• Plan to implement your solution by  scheduling, analysing critical parts  of the plan, managing resources and carrying out a  requirements analysis
• Use problem solving techniques to  address issues as a group

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You can customise, edit and modify the content as you desire

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The downloadable training package contains all you need to deliver a course

Designed based on the latest research in educational psychology, cognitive psychology, social sciences and business practices

Designed in line with the principles of accelerated learning

Designed to include many examples, case studies and exercises to improve learning and retention

Order online and download immediately after purchase

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About the Design Philosophy of Problem Solving Course

This is a course on problem solving and creativity which introduces delegates to effective and efficient problem solving techniques that can be used is groups.

The course is structured around various problem solving techniques and the exercises to practice those methods. The training content aims to increase the awareness of delegates about best practices and guidelines that will increase team productivity.

Instructions are also provided on the pacing of the course so depending on the number of participating delegates you can adjust the content to ensure the course runs smoothly and on time. 

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Clear user-friendly script and detailed guidelines on training methodology to achieve measurable results

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