Leading by Historical Example Creative Solutions to Problem Solving

Innovation, Creativity and Problem-Solving

Innovation, creativity, and problem-solving should all be part of successful engineering projects. Creativity is the process of coming up with new ideas, at which point innovation comes into play to turn creative concepts into real products and processes. Problem-solving plays a supportive role insofar as it is used to overcome challenges that arise during the innovation process. For an engineering leader, the interconnectedness of these elements is important, as engineering itself is all about confronting challenges that demand solutions. Without these three, the engineer has no real tools for addressing the needs of the task. But with creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, the engineer can rise to any challenge.

The problem-solving methods of the articles by Parker and Moseley (2008) and Puccio et al. (2010) can foster innovation in an engineering context. For example, the Kepner-Tregoe Decision Analysis is structured approach to decision-making that relies on evaluating and prioritizing creative ideas, which a team can then use to identify the best way forward. Or, one can use the “Creativity on Demand” approach, which focuses on understanding historical approaches to creativity and how they can help people innovate even today.

Of course, there are methods that might not be very beneficial. For example, those that are too rigid can stifle creativity. For innovation to flourish, there should be a degree of tolerance in the workplace so that ideas have room to breathe and be tried out. Failure should not be seen as an occasion for punishment but rather an opportunity for learning.

As an engineering leader driving innovation, I would say that the choice of method would hinge on the specific challenges of the task. The Kepner-Tregoe Decision Analysis would be helpful in projects where the decision should be far-reaching. However, in situations where creative learning is required, I would use the approach recommended by Puccio et al. (2010), as it can get the whole team involved and coming up with new ideas.