1. Real-world problem-solving Dealing with complexity
Anna Hiley
Jacquie Wilson
‘A multi-disciplinary team’

2. What do today’s problems have in common?
Problem of Bio-fuels?
Problem of climate change?
Source of photographs; something-interesting.co.uk

3. What do today’s problems have in common?
Problems of population growth and poverty?
Source of illustrations: way.com

4. Problem context
The complex challenges and “wicked” problems today’s society faces require a creative approach to problem identification and problem-solving within multi-disciplinary environments

5. Student context Students in general
Find the concept of ‘more than one answer’ to be alien
Have difficulty in coping with open-ended and ‘wicked’ problems
Do not think they can be creative
Are task or solution focussed
Do not understand the problem-solving process

6. Our belief
All individuals have the potential to develop creative problem-solving skills
In some disciplines the term used for this process is “design”
Source of cartoon; harpers.org

7. What approach should students develop?
To become process-oriented rather than solution-oriented.
“Thinking from concept level was totally new to me, as I am one of these people who used to dive in and start coming up with elaborate ideas to solve the problem, instead of first trying to determine what the task and indeed the problem actually was.”
(Student Report Dec. 2002)

8. The aim of the current unit
A programme unit that is applicable across a wide range of disciplines to promote the evolution of creative problem-solving skills, especially for those open-ended, ‘wicked’ problems.
10 credit unit offered through MEC in both Semester 1 and 2 (MSEC23011 and 23012)

9. The programme unit
The approach used is based on guiding students through a series of activities, each of which is devised to raise awareness of particular elements of the creative problem-solving process.
Each session includes:
an interactive presentation on a topic;
a related activity through which learning by exploration takes place;
feedback.

11. What learning outcomes are we aiming for?
Students should be able to:
define problems, requirements and criteria;
analyse and interpret information;
create, evaluate and assess solution-options;
exercise original thinking;
apply non-judgemental critical-evaluation skills;
make reasoned decisions.

12. Student’s expectations?
“My first experiences (of this process) gave me a bit of a shock…..Never before had I realised the whole range of steps that needed to be undertaken just to write a design brief let alone get a complete design down on paper.”
(Student Report Dec. 2002)

13. Example of student work

14. The elements of the process
What is meant by open-ended problem-solving
The concepts of ‘tame’ and ‘wicked’ problems
The importance of context
Determining parameters and limits
How problems are defined
the importance of problem definition in the process of finding solution options

15. Example of student work

16. The elements of the process
Requirements, constraints and criteria
How these factors affect the problem-solving process
The factors involved in decision-making and evaluation
Choosing between solution options
The importance of reflective practice
The benefit of hindsight and its role in the creative open-ended problem-solving process.

17. Example of student work

18. (Student Report Dec. 2002) The student response
Indicates that high level transferable creative problem-solving skills can be developed.
“In conclusion, skills learned… are not module specific…. Rather they provide a framework that one can consult, and which is applicable to countless situations encountered.”
(Student Report Dec. 2002)

19. Surprising the students
“I found that two people can interpret the same question in two totally different ways, both come up with a design and neither of them be wrong.”
(Student Report Dec. 2002)
“After completing this module I have discovered that I had so many abilities that only (can) be seen when explored. I wish that I had discovered these abilities earlier.”
(Student Report Dec.2002)

20. In conclusion
Our approach potentially reaches beyond those traditionally thought of as ‘problem-solvers’ or ‘designers’ and brings creativity to a whole realm of subjects and to the resolution of a raft of complex or ‘wicked’ problems.
The end