Strategies for Creative Problem Solving

Preface xiii Acknowledgments xix About the Authors xxi Chapter 1: Problem-Solving Strategies: Why Bother? 1 What's the Real Problem? 1 Correct Problem Definition/Wrong Solution 7 A Heuristic for Successful Problem Solving 8 Summary 11 Web-Site Material 11 References 13 Exercises 13 Further Reading 15 Chapter 2: The Characteristics, Attitudes, and Environment Necessary for Effective Problem Solving 17 Getting in the Right Frame of Mind 18 Having a Vision 22 Working Together in Teams 26 Responding to Criticism 30 Conflict Resolution 32 Summary 34 Web-Site Material 35 References 37 Exercises 37 Further Reading 40 Chapter 3: Skills Necessary for Effective Problem Solving 41 Critical Thinking 41 Summary 63 Web-Site Material 64 References 65 Exercises 65 Further Reading 73 Chapter 4: First Steps 75 The First Four Steps 76 Summary 90 Web-Site Material 90 Reference 91 Exercises 91 Chapter 5: Problem Definition 93 Defining the Real Problem: Four Techniques 93 Technique 1: Using the Duncker Diagram to Define the Real Problem 94 Technique 2: Using the Statement-Restatement Technique 98 Technique 3: Kepner-Tregoe Problem Analysis 103 Which Technique to Choose? 109 Determine Whether the Problem should be Solved 109 Brainstorm Potential Causes and Solution Alternatives 111 Summary 111 Web-Site Material 112 References 113 Exercises 113 Further Reading 125 Chapter 6: Breaking Down the Barriers to Generating Ideas 127 Recognizing Mental Blocks 129 Improving Your Creative Abilities 133 Risk Taking 135 Summary 141 Web-Site Material 142 References 142 Exercises 143 Further Reading 145 Chapter 7: Generating Solutions 147 Brainstorming 147 Free Association 148 Vertical Thinking 149 Lateral Thinking 154 Organizing Brainstorming Ideas: The Fishbone Diagram 157 Cautions 159 Brainwriting 159 Futuring 159 Cross-Fertilization 162 Analogy 165 Incubating Ideas 167 Triz 168 Use The Defect to Solve The Problem 177 Summary 179 Web-Site Material 179 References 180 Exercises 181 Further Reading 185

H. Scott Fogler is the Vennema Professor of Chemical Engineering and Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan, and a past president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He has chaired ASEE's Chemical Engineering Division and earned the Warren K. Lewis Award from AIChE for contributions to chemical engineering education and the 2010 Malcom E. Pruitt Award from the Council for Chemical Research. He is the author of the classic Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, Fourth Edition (Prentice Hall, 2006), and Essentials of Chemical Reaction Engineering (Prentice Hall, 2011). Steven E. LeBlanc is executive associate dean for academic affairs and professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Toledo. He has served as the chairman of the ASEE Chemical Engineering Division and as a co-chair of the 2007 ASEE Chemical Engineering Summer School for Faculty. Benjamin R. Rizzo is a chemical engineering graduate of the University of Michigan and currently is a production engineer for Shell Oil, working on Unconventional Reservoir Optimization.