Creative+Problem+Solving+Assignment

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING PROJECT This assignment will focus on the creative problem solving process as you complete this project.

 THE PROJECT Building on our last assignment where we examined print advertising, you will create a print ad with you as the target audience, selling yourself on your product (goal).

 ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS 1. Identify a goal you would like to achieve that is related to your professional path. What is a professional goal you want to achieve in the near future? Don’t select something you think “will work” but something you really want to “succeed” at. This will be your product.

2. Develop a “personal advertisement” to sell yourself on your product.

3. Notes from brainstorming meetings, your questions & individual notes, thumbnails, etc. Record your thinking process. These can be rough and dirty.

4. Attendance at brainstorming meetings.

5 . A paper for reflection = . = 6. Bibliography : Did you interview others? Talk to others? All you need to do here is identify what you did. It doesn’t need to be a bibliography in the traditional sense .
 * 1) The initial selection of the product (goal) and advertisement.
 * 2) Explain how it was chosen.
 * 3) What criteria did you use for selection? Most effective message, time, costs, etc.
 * 4) Discussion of creativity process used. Did you create incubation time for yourself?
 * 5) Discussion of the creative problem solving process used. Provide the specifics you used in each of the steps as you identified the goal to be sold and the design & creation of the advertisement.
 * 6) Explain the processes used in generating ideas. At least three types should be used.
 * 7) How did your creative process change your initial idea?
 * 8) The evaluation of final product
 * 9) Is your end product reflected in what you wanted to do?
 * 10) Does it exhibit craftsmanship for which you are satisfied?
 * 11) Are you happy? Satisfied?
 * 12) Conclusions and lessons learned. What were your strengths and weaknesses? What strategies will you continue to use in the future?

THE PRESENTATION Share your final advertisement with the audience and what specifically you found interesting about the process of creating it: the creative process steps; the creative problem solving or appreciative inquiry steps; which questioning or idea generation strategies were effective or not; working individually or bouncing ideas off of others; the process of initially identifying the goal and the evolution of the advertisement from the beginning ideas to the final version.

Create a short outline or speaker notes that will guide you through a succinct and organized presentation.

PRODUCT: The final advertisement must exhibit craftsmanship.

** CREATING YOUR OWN AD **

What makes you happy? What do you enjoy?
 * MARKETING RESEARCH/EXPLORATION **

Think of your three top accomplishments and write a paragraph about each. These do not need to be related to school or your major. Feel free to tap into anything you have done well.

List your personal strengths (abilities, skills, positive qualities).
 * o Stop and count the number of items you have.
 * o Triple that number. If you listed 5 now increase it to 15. Use divergent skills of fluency, flexibility & originality to help you with this.


 * o Review the list. Now think convergently and narrow your list to 5.
 * o Answer the questions:
 * § How many ideas were generated during the second round?
 * § In what ways did divergent thinking help you?

Identify goals you have already accomplished.

Examine the themes from your 50 questions list.

Create a wish list for future. Where do you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? List a 100 statements including relationship, career, health, money

Make a list of 20 challenges you have.

Think of a problem or an opportunity and generate a list of at least 50 way of dealing with the situation. How about your post graduation plans?

Who are important influences in your life? What do they want you to do?

The goal can’t be about you wanting it. It is about having it. Write one goal down on a post-it note and put it on your bathroom mirror. After looking at this post it for a few days, are you happy with it? If not rewrite it. Post rewritten goal. I want to walk again vs. I walk because I can.
 * TAKE A STEP **

For every new behavior there are always alternative behaviors. It is time into identify direct or indirect competition. Make a list of things that directly or indirectly compete with your target goal. Note the strengths and weaknesses of each. What makes them so appealing to you? Direct: Eat chocolate instead of orange. Indirect: Drink alcohol instead of meditating.
 * KNOW YOUR COMPETITION **

You now know your product/ goal. How do you think about it?
 * POSITIONING YOUR BRAND **

What are the benefits of the product/goal? What feelings do the benefits evoke in you? Cereal appealing to children might be fun to eat,yummy. Cereal appealing to adults might help with heart health, reduce weight

Idea Generation & Evaluation

Roger von Oech's blog is filled with great ideas.

Cartman: //"I'm not big boned. It is a life style choice."//