Common Creativity Tools and Techniques • 141
• Processes in management plans and replacing them with completely
new ones
• Tools and techniques and replacing them with new ones that enable
better performance of existing processes
PDCA Cycle
e Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, also known as the Deming Wheel,
is an approach for solving problems. Its major focus is on incremental con-
tinuous improvement. However, it is also useful for implementing new
ideas resulting in substantial change. Plan is determining the objective; Do
is executing the plan supporting the objective; Check is measuring perfor-
mance; and Act is analyzing results and determining improvements. is
cycle continues and is iterative. e PDCA cycle is an excellent approach to
determine the eectiveness of a new idea while being implemented in the
real world.
Keep in mind the following when applying the PDCA cycle:
1. Dene the idea as clearly as possible. It serves as a baseline for how
well the idea is implemented.
2. Use the PDCA cycle with other techniques (e.g., force eld analysis)
to eectively implement an idea.
3. Consistently apply the cycle. Avoid applying it only once. Oentimes,
problems and challenges associated with a new idea do not surface
right away. Creative ideas oen have long-term consequences, some
anticipated and some not.
4. Involve the people who have to implement a new idea. Have them
participate in the PDCA cycle. Doing so helps oset resistance that
may be directed toward a new idea. When developing a creative
idea, a sense of ownership generated during its implementation also
proves useful.
22
Some ways to use the PDCA cycle on a project include evaluating the
eectiveness of the following:
• Change to a process
• Risk response
• Scope change
• Solution to resolve a dispute
142 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
Scatter Gram
is technique reects the result of a relationship between two variables.
e result is plotted on a graph, demonstrating the causal or correlative
relationship between an independent and a dependent variable. To
showthe measure of central tendency, a line is drawn through the middle
of a cluster, indicating the average. While not directly a creativity tool,
itdoes help ag anomalies that provide fruit for creative thinking.
Keep in mind the following when using a scatter gram:
1. Determine a meaningful population. Be sure to make a reasonably
intelligent guess when identifying two variables, preferably one
being an independent variable and the other a dependent variable. It
should be anticipated that the independent and dependent variables
have a relationship. During tests, record the results on the graph.
2. Look at the measure of central tendency and draw a line through the
clustering. en look for anomalies, that is, those considerably below
or above the measure of central tendency. Such anomalies have the
potential to provide insight into new areas.
3. Of course, verify through further testing that a true relationship
exists between the two variables. What may appear as a relationship
may really be due to an unknown third variable.
23
Some ways to use a scatter gram on a project include:
• Ascertaining if training on a subject has reduced a learning curve
• Determining the impact of a change in cost and schedule baselines
• Identifying the relationship of two variables involved in making a
change to a process
Crawford Slip Technique
is technique is another brainstorming method used to develop creative
ideas to solve a problem. Rather than initially having everyone generate
ideas as a group, the participants, with the aid of a facilitator, rst dene
a problem. Using a well-dened problem statement, each person records
ideas and other supporting thoughts on a slip of paper or note card. Each
description should be clear and concise. en, the slips or cards are com-
piled, grouped, and summarized to reduce the number of categories.
eresults are incorporated in a nal report.
Common Creativity Tools and Techniques • 143
Keep in mind the following when using the Crawford slip technique:
1. Make sure the problem statement is well dened. If so, people can
focus their thoughts; if not, their thinking can go way beyond what
was intended.
2. As with other group techniques, select the right people. e right
people will encourage greater participation and enable them to focus
on a problem.
3. Make sure that everyone records their ideas the same way.
Consistency and uniformity will ensure ease of categorizing and
summarizing input.
24
Some ways to use the Crawford slip technique on a project include:
• Dening the cause of a key milestone slide in a schedule and then
compiling input from others on ways to take corrective action
• Dening the potential cause of a threat and compiling suggestions
for responding to it
• Dening the problem related to a process and then compiling poten-
tial improvements
Hypothetical Scenario
Like role playing and contingency planning, hypothetical scenarios
can encourage creativity about how to deal with someone or something
potentially occurring in the future. One goal is to identify the major facts
and data of a situation and determine the possible courses of action to
pursue.
Keep in mind the following when using the hypothetical scenario
technique:
1. Make the scenario as realistic as possible. A sense of realism prepares
participants for a real-life situation, should it occur. Be sure to capture
people’s thoughts while participating in the scenario, because many
creative ideas will be likely to deal with not only future situations,
but possibly the current way of doing business.
2. Give people enough latitude and freedom to learn more doing the
scenario. Too specic, and it will be dicult for them to exercise their
imagination; too general, and they will nd it almost too vague a
144 • Creative, Ecient, and Eective Project Management
challenge to address. Encourage team members to generate assump-
tions and assimilate facts on how they would respond to a scenario.
3. Conduct a lessons-learned session at the conclusion of the scenario.
A lessons-learned session should discuss how they came up with cre-
ative ideas as well as what problems or challenges they faced during
the scenario.
Some ways to use a hypothetical scenario technique on a project include:
• Determining the circumstances under which to take corrective
action as opposed to replanning
• Determining the circumstances under which to withdraw funds
from the management reserve
• Identifying contingency plans to respond to events
• Identifying responses to specic risks
Synectics
is technique uses analogies to develop creative ideas. Like brainstorm-
ing, it requires suspending judgment, but it also provides a way to select a
solution to a problem or issue.
Keep in mind the following when using synectics:
1. Engage the team members and other stakeholders in the process. is
engagement requires stating a problem clearly and concisely. Multiple
problem statements may be developed until the right one is dened.
2. Stakeholders develop a list of solutions to address a problem. is is
a dicult point in time because people must want to suspend their
judgments. Aer several iterations, the customer chooses the solution.
3. ey identify any reservations. e entire process repeats itself, only
to end once the customer is satised with the results.
4. Have a list of dierent analogies available to dene the problem and
generate solutions. Analogies can be personal, symbolic, or highly
abstract. e analogy is a key tool in synectics to encourage creative
thinking.
5. Keep the session short, emotional, and rational. During an approxi-
mately one-hour session, emotion plays a key role in selecting a
solution, for example, in terms of its characteristics and values.
Criticism is highly encouraged by the session leader, while at the
same time keeping minds positive about a proposed solution.
25
Common Creativity Tools and Techniques • 145
Some ways to use synectics on a project include:
• Improving cost performance
• Improving performance reporting
• Improving schedule performance
• Resolving issues more quickly and eectively
Storyboarding
is brainstorming technique is useful for generating a list of ideas and
evaluating them. e whole notion of storyboarding is to see the intercon-
nectedness of ideas to solve complex problems and enable piggybacking
or hitchhiking on ideas. All thinking is captured on paper with columns
to record thoughts as they relate to the topic and purpose. Capturing
information on paper serves as a basis to create at least four storyboards:
(1) for capturing signicant ideas to solve the problem; (2) for coming
up with subtopics for ideas; (3) for addressing questions related to who,
what, and when; and (4) and for communicating, by also answering who,
what, and where. Storyboards can be used for multiple purposes: creative
thinking to come up with new ideas and critical thinking to evaluate
ideas.
Keep in mind the following when using storyboarding:
1. Limit the use of storyboarding. It is an eective yet time-consuming
technique. Reserve its use for big problems.
2. Assign roles during the storyboard session. One role is the facilitator,
who ensures that the group progresses; another is the scribe, who
records results and other group output; and of course, the team itself,
which should not exceed eight people.
3. Storyboarding requires a lot of work and eort to apply it success-
fully. Considerable upfront planning is necessary to ensure that
success occurs downstream. Prepare as much as possible prior to
conducting this type of session so that people can focus on thinking
creatively and critically.
26
Some ways to use storyboarding on a project include:
• Enhancing the quality of deliverables in a manner that reduces the
number of defects
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