Productive Thinking Model: determine what's going on, describe success, define the question, generate answers, develop a solution, and align resources. The big pluses of Think Better are the detailed descriptions of how to better accomplish each step and the tools that are attached to many of these steps. The tools are labeled with acronyms - IF, DRIVE, AIM, POWER, EFFECT.
The Productive Thinking Model - Action plan.
1.What's going on? This step is analyzed for stakeholder groups through questions to determine the irritant, the impact, and the information available - what is bothering us, what else is it affecting, and what do we know about it? Such primary investigations go better when the results are formulated into an initial vision of a Target Future - what do we want life to be like when this problem is resolved? The best Target Futures meet all I-3 criteria.2 Participants become more involved in decisions when all three I-3 criteria are present.
I -nfluence: Participants can Influence the outcome (vs having no control over the outcome).
I -mportance: Participants attach Importance to the outcome.
I -magination: Participants will need to use some Imagination to achieve the outcome.
2.What's success? It is initially determined with the tool of IF - Imagined Future. IF has participants write down their ideal vision of the future. This unconstrained view is then brought back to reality by answering the questions in the tool of DRIVE:
D-o: What is the solution supposed to do?
R-estrictions: Are there any external restrictions violated by the proposed solution?
I-nvestment: What resources are available for investment in the solution?
V-alues: Does the solution concur with corporate and personal values?
E-ssential Outcomes: What outcomes are essential and must be measured?
3.What's the problem question? It is determined by having participant list questions based on their prior analysis, use the tool of AIM to help them develop better questions, and use the tool C-53 to help them sort through the list. AIM forces users to delve more deeply into a problem by listing the Advantages, Impediments, and Maybes of their Target Future. C-5 has participants Cull, Cluster, Combine, Clarify, and Choose the critical questions.
4.Generate answers. These are found by having participants think hard and write down as many answers as they can. The best are then selected using the tool C-5: Cull, Cluster, Combine, Clarify, and Choose.
A number of methods are proposed that stimulate participants to generate more answers. This is essential since the best ideas are in the last third in good brainstorming - "The Miracle of the Third Third." Participants need to get there. Techniques for stimulating participants to generating better answers include: write long lists, consider others' perspectives, continually ask "How else," and use various techniques to relax - listen to music, go on a short excursion, take a break.
5.Forge the solution. It is found by evaluating three to six proposed solutions against the key Success Criteria defined in stage 2 and assessing these further with the POWER tool:
P-ositives: What is good about this proposal?
O-bjections: What are the drawbacks to doing this?
W-hat else? Do we have any other insights about this idea?
E-nhancements: Is there any way to strengthen this proposal?
R-emedies: Is there a way to overcome the objections?
6.Align resources. In this step, strategy is turned into action by listing and evaluating all action steps necessary to complete the plan. The order of the action steps is determined by placing them on a Wall of Time. Their evaluation is accomplished with the EFFECT tool.
E-nergy: Is a high level of personal commitment needed to accomplish this step?
F-unds: How many financial resources are needed? Where can further resources be obtained?
F-ree time: How much time is needed to complete this step?
E-xpertise: What knowledge is required? Where can this expertise be found?
C-onditions: Is a contract needed? Is there a contingency plan? Can this step be accomplished in any weather?
T-hings: What physical resources are needed? A laptop computer? Sticky notes? A construction crane?
Think Better.
The Productive Thinking Model - Action plan.
1.What's going on? This step is analyzed for stakeholder groups through questions to determine the irritant, the impact, and the information available - what is bothering us, what else is it affecting, and what do we know about it? Such primary investigations go better when the results are formulated into an initial vision of a Target Future - what do we want life to be like when this problem is resolved? The best Target Futures meet all I-3 criteria.2 Participants become more involved in decisions when all three I-3 criteria are present.
I -nfluence: Participants can Influence the outcome (vs having no control over the outcome).
I -mportance: Participants attach Importance to the outcome.
I -magination: Participants will need to use some Imagination to achieve the outcome.
2.What's success? It is initially determined with the tool of IF - Imagined Future. IF has participants write down their ideal vision of the future. This unconstrained view is then brought back to reality by answering the questions in the tool of DRIVE:
D-o: What is the solution supposed to do?
R-estrictions: Are there any external restrictions violated by the proposed solution?
I-nvestment: What resources are available for investment in the solution?
V-alues: Does the solution concur with corporate and personal values?
E-ssential Outcomes: What outcomes are essential and must be measured?
3.What's the problem question? It is determined by having participant list questions based on their prior analysis, use the tool of AIM to help them develop better questions, and use the tool C-53 to help them sort through the list. AIM forces users to delve more deeply into a problem by listing the Advantages, Impediments, and Maybes of their Target Future. C-5 has participants Cull, Cluster, Combine, Clarify, and Choose the critical questions.
4.Generate answers. These are found by having participants think hard and write down as many answers as they can. The best are then selected using the tool C-5: Cull, Cluster, Combine, Clarify, and Choose.
A number of methods are proposed that stimulate participants to generate more answers. This is essential since the best ideas are in the last third in good brainstorming - "The Miracle of the Third Third." Participants need to get there. Techniques for stimulating participants to generating better answers include: write long lists, consider others' perspectives, continually ask "How else," and use various techniques to relax - listen to music, go on a short excursion, take a break.
5.Forge the solution. It is found by evaluating three to six proposed solutions against the key Success Criteria defined in stage 2 and assessing these further with the POWER tool:
P-ositives: What is good about this proposal?
O-bjections: What are the drawbacks to doing this?
W-hat else? Do we have any other insights about this idea?
E-nhancements: Is there any way to strengthen this proposal?
R-emedies: Is there a way to overcome the objections?
6.Align resources. In this step, strategy is turned into action by listing and evaluating all action steps necessary to complete the plan. The order of the action steps is determined by placing them on a Wall of Time. Their evaluation is accomplished with the EFFECT tool.
E-nergy: Is a high level of personal commitment needed to accomplish this step?
F-unds: How many financial resources are needed? Where can further resources be obtained?
F-ree time: How much time is needed to complete this step?
E-xpertise: What knowledge is required? Where can this expertise be found?
C-onditions: Is a contract needed? Is there a contingency plan? Can this step be accomplished in any weather?
T-hings: What physical resources are needed? A laptop computer? Sticky notes? A construction crane?
Think Better.
