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Creative Thinking Processes and Methods
Skill Developement

Creative Thinking Processes and Methods

Explore practical ways to think creatively, recognize everyday problems, and turn ideas into workable solutions. This activity based winter school introduces observation, problem framing, brainwriting, SCAMPER, analogy, concept selection, prototyping, and testing. Through short lectures, collaborative exercises, and a mini project, participants practice generating alternatives, making informed decisions, and improving an idea through feedback.
Course ModeHybrid
Duration2 Weeks
Starts15 Feb 2027
Ends26 Feb 2027
Course Fee
₹1,000 /-
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About The Course

Overview

Creative thinking can be practised through structured methods and reflection. This course introduces a sequence for understanding a situation, defining a manageable challenge, exploring alternatives, selecting a concept, and testing it through a simple prototype. Everyday examples make the methods accessible across disciplines.

Participants work in small teams on one continuing challenge. They document their observations, ideas, selection decisions, and feedback, then present a revised concept. Both classroom and online participants can use paper, photographs, or shared slides to complete the activities.

Learning Goals

Course Outcomes

By the end of the winter school, participants will be able to demonstrate the following abilities through their individual work and team project.

1. Understand creative thinking

Explain divergent and convergent thinking and recognise when to generate possibilities and when to evaluate them.

2. Observe and frame problems

Separate observations from assumptions, ask neutral questions, and write a focused problem statement for a specific user and situation.

3. Apply creative methods

Use brainwriting, SCAMPER, analogy, and assumption reversal to develop meaningfully different ideas.

4. Select concepts with reasons

Compare alternatives using explicit criteria and explain the reasoning behind a chosen concept.

5. Prototype and improve ideas

Create a low fidelity prototype, observe a peer attempting a task, and make a revision linked to the findings.

6. Communicate and reflect

Present the development of a concept clearly and explain individual contributions, learning, and remaining limitations.

Curriculum

Course / Modules

Day 1: Introduction to creative thinking

  • Creativity in everyday situations and the value of exploring alternatives.
  • Divergent and convergent thinking; fluency and flexibility.
  • Activity: generate and cluster alternative uses for a paper cup.

Day 2: Observation and questioning

  • Understanding users and everyday experiences through observation.
  • Distinguishing evidence, interpretation, and assumptions.
  • Activity: observe a task and practise short, neutral peer interviews.

Day 3: Problem framing and opportunity identification

  • Finding patterns in observations and identifying a user need.
  • Writing problem statements and How might we questions.
  • Activity: narrow an everyday challenge and exchange peer feedback.

Day 4: Brainwriting and SCAMPER

  • Silent idea generation and building on the ideas of others.
  • SCAMPER prompts for transforming an existing idea.
  • Activity: timed brainwriting and three individual SCAMPER transformations.

Day 5: Analogy and assumption reversal

  • Borrowing useful principles from different contexts.
  • Questioning assumed rules and exploring workable alternatives.
  • Activity: forced connections and reversal of a project assumption.

Day 6 : Idea evaluation and concept selection

  • Moving from exploration to informed selection.
  • Comparing alternatives through relevance, feasibility, and distinctiveness.
  • Activity: use a weighted matrix to select one of three concepts.

Day 7: Prototyping ideas

  • Using low fidelity prototypes to explore an important uncertainty.
  • Choosing a paper model, storyboard, role play, or slide prototype.
  • Activity: build version 1 and define a user task and success indicator.

Day 8: Peer testing and feedback

  • Facilitating a neutral task attempt and observing behaviour.
  • Separating test findings, suggestions, and interpretations.
  • Activity: exchange prototypes with a partner team for task based testing.

Day 9: Iteration and project development

  • Making revisions linked to evidence and recognising test limitations.
  • Explaining the relationship between the problem, ideas, and solution.
  • Activity: build version 2, recheck the task, and prepare the final pitch.

Day 10: Project presentation and evaluation

  • Three minute team presentations of the concept and creative process.
  • Discussion of the test findings, revisions, and next steps.
  • Course recap, learner feedback, and guidance on further practice.

 

 

Learn From Experts

Our Trainers

Sushmita Shahi
Sushmita Shahi
Sushmita Shahi is a design educator with over six years of teaching experience across more than ten universities in India. She specializes in User Exp...
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Frequently Asked Questions

Students and interested learners from design and other disciplines who want to strengthen creative problem solving through guided practice. The course is accessible to beginners and encourages varied perspectives within teams.