Use The Zwicky Idea Box To Generate More Ideas and Solutions
In the Six Sigma DMAIC process, we are often told to use the brainstorming process to generate as many potential solutions as possible. Brainstorming is a common method for a team to generate a lot of ideas to solve a problem. It’s supposed to encourage open thinking when a team is stuck in the “same old way” thinking. It should get all team members involved so that a few...
Read MoreCreativity is a Measure of Practical Intelligence and is a Learned Skill
Creativity is defined as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. It is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to search for and find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. Creativity is a valuable skill because it can be used as a tool for developing new ideas, increasing efficiency, and...
Read MoreUtilize Six Thinking Hats To Better Solve Problems & Make Decisions
The Six Thinking Hats, co-designed in 1983 by Dr. Edward de Bono with Dr. Michael Hewitt-Gleeson and Eric Bienstock, was developed to improve creativity and lateral thinking. It helps us overcome one of the biggest enemies of thinking which is complexity. When thinking is clear and simple, it becomes more enjoyable and more effective. Unlike when I was growing up, very few people today wear...
Read MoreA Fascinating Story About Henry Ford And How Asking Why Opened Toyota’s Eyes
It’s universally recognized that Henry Ford was a pioneer in perfecting the automotive industry. He knew in detail every material used in his vehicles and his knowledge was not superficial. Ford thought flexibly about things without getting caught up in existing concepts. In his book, Toyota Production System, Beyond Large-Scale Production, Taiichi Ohno relates what Henry Ford talked...
Read MorePreventing Bad Decisions: There’s No Such Thing as a No-Brainer
Making decisions is one of the hardest things most of us do as individuals, spouses, parents, leaders, and executives. Bad decisions can damage a relationship, a business, and a career, sometimes irreparably. So what causes bad decisions – the alternatives were not clearly defined, the right information was not collected, the costs and benefits were not thoroughly assessed. But often...
Read MoreAre your improvement efforts being deceived by the average?
In his recent book, The 4-Hour Chef, Timothy Ferriss talks about the documentary, Objectified, where Dan Formosa, PhD, then with Smart Design’s research department, explained one of the first steps in its innovation process: “We have clients come to us and say, “Here is our average customer.” For instance, “Female, she is 34 years old, she has 2.3 kids,” and...
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