Computer-based group problem solving method and system

• US 5,878,214 A
• Filed: 07/10/1997
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synectics Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Synectics Corp. (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gilliam, Terry K., Harriman, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US08/891,171
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 348/15, 348/17, 348/94.3, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/88.09, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/93.01, 379/93.21, 345/501, 395/200.34, 455/12.1, 370/467
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems using a group assembled at a computerized meeting. One participant of the group is the client who is the owner of or is responsible for the problem or opportunity to be resolved. Each participant is provided with a computer which is networked with all other computers. A group list is created of all the participants of the group, and one participant is designated the facilitator who controls the problem solving process of the meeting. The remaining participants are designated as resources. An agenda is created consisting of placeholders and activities. The resources enter creative springboards into their computers based on the problem to be solved, and these springboards are distributed to all participants. Builds and elaborations are generated by the resources based on the springboards and distributed to all participants. Participants are polled about their opinions about the springboards, and one or more beginning ideas are selected based on high newness and intrigue. Participant engage in excursions to gather action oriented ideas concerning the beginning ideas. Action oriented ideas are selected to become emerging ideas, and positive aspects and concerns are identified. Excursions are then used to resolve the concerns about the emerging ideas. Emerging ideas are selected as possible solutions if the emerging ideas have an element of newness, the ideas are feasible, and the group is committed to implementing the idea. Finally, actions are listed; accountability is assigned; and time lines are generated to implement the possible solutions.

Claims

1. A computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems using a group having a plurality of participants gathered in a computerized meeting, a first participant being a client, who is the owner or is responsible for a problem or opportunity to be resolved, said method comprising:

providing each participant of each said group with a computer;

linking said computers together through a computer network;

creating a group list of all of said participants of said group;

designating a second participant of said group as a facilitator, said facilitator controlling an innovative problem solving process, including an agenda of said meeting;

designating the remaining participants as resources;

establishing said agenda and a process plan for said meeting, said agenda consisting of placeholders and activities;

stimulating and gathering creative springboards from said resources regarding a problem to be solved, said creative springboards entered by said participants into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

gathering, building and elaborating from said participants upon said springboards, said builds and elaborations entered by said participants into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

polling said participants'"'"' opinions about said springboards through a selection process, said polling accomplished through said participants entry of said opinions into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

selecting one or more beginning ideas from said springboards for further action, said beginning ideas selected on the basis of high newness and intrigue by entry by said participants into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

stimulating using an excursion process and gathering action oriented ideas to accomplish said beginning ideas, said action oriented ideas entered by said participants into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

selecting one or more of said action oriented ideas to become one or more emerging ideas, said action oriented ideas selected by entry by said participants into said participants'"'"' computers and distributed throughout said group through said computer network;

responding to said emerging ideas, said response in the form of a first and a second list, said first list identifying the positive aspects of said emerging ideas and said second list identifying concerns about said emerging ideas, said first list and said second list gathered through entry of said responses into said participants'"'"' computers and distributing said responses throughout said group through said computer network;

addressing and resolving said concerns identified about said emerging ideas using said excursion process to modify said emerging ideas;

identifying said modified emerging ideas as possible solutions if said emerging idea has an element of newness, said idea is feasible, and said group is committed to implementing said idea; and

listing actions and assigning accountability and time lines to be taken to implement said possible solutions.

2. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting as claimed in claim 1, wherein said excursion process comprises the steps of:

putting the problem being worked on temporarily out of the minds of the resources;

directing the resources to focus on one or more unrelated topic and to create a list of associations and thoughts based on said unrelated topic; and

looking for clues in the list of associations to help generate novel ideas to solve said problem.

3. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting as claimed in claim 2, wherein said unrelated topic comprises a keyword unrelated to the problem being solved.

4. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting as claimed in claim 2, wherein said unrelated topic comprises an object unrelated to the problem being solved.

5. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting as claimed in claim 2, wherein said unrelated topic comprises a new identity for the resources from which to address the problem being solved, said new identity unrelated to the problem being solved.

6. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein establishing said agenda further comprises:

creating one or more task headlines to become a focus for said meeting; and

creating a set of analysis highlights, said highlights providing said participants with specific information required to generate creative thought and connections about said task headlines.

7. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein creative springboards stimulated and gathered comprise single sentence responses to said task headlines in a form selected from the group of ideas, thoughts, connections, options and analogies.

8. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein said selection process comprises ranking said responses, based on high newness and intrigue, in order of preference and displaying said rankings in a form selected from the group consisting of matrixes, graphs and tables.

9. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein said selection process comprises rating said responses on a scale of one to ten and displaying said ratings in a form selected from the group consisting of matrixes, graphs and tables.

10. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein said selection process comprises indicating the extent of agreement on a five point scale and displaying voting results in a form selected from the group consisting of matrixes, graphs and tables.

11. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein said selection process comprises voting yes or no on each response.

12. The computer-based method of solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, wherein said selection process comprises selecting one or more responses and displaying voting results in a form from the group consisting of matrixes, graphs and tables.

13. The computer-based method of solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, further comprising an electronic whiteboard, said whiteboard allowing said members of said group to draw drawings, annotate said drawings, and edit said drawings.

14. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing one or more folders on said group members'"'"' computers, said folders each comprising a distinct group list and a distinct agenda; and

allowing said members to access said folders randomly, whereby a single individual may be a member of multiple groups simultaneously.

15. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, further comprising allowing each of said members to add electronic links to other computer applications and to access said other computer applications.

16. The computer-based method of innovatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups gathered in a computerized meeting in claim 1, further comprising:

creating an electronic connections pad for each of said members;

accessing said electronic connections pad from each of said members'"'"' computers; and

writing notes in said electronic connections pad.

17. A computer-based innovative problem solving process comprising:

gathering a group of problem solvers;

providing each member of said group with a computer;

linking said computers together through a computer network;

designating one member of said group as a facilitator and the remainder as participants, said facilitator beginning a discontinuous pass-along story to said participants;

providing each participant with an electronic discussion sheet for the entry of a thought or connections relating to said story;

electronically exchanging said electronic discussion sheet between participants, such that each participant has another participant'"'"'s sheet;

commenting by each participant on said electronic discussion sheet before said participant or adding a new thought to said electronic discussion sheet;

using excursion processes to aid in the generation of creative thoughts or connections at any point in the innovative problem solving process when the participants'"'"' capacity for generating creative thoughts or connections has diminished; and

continuing to exchange said electronic discussion sheets until said facilitator calls a halt to said exchange.

18. A computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting comprising:

at least two computer terminals;

a means for networking said computer terminals;

a computerized means for establishing a process plan and an agenda for said meeting;

a computerized means for gathering creative springboards about said problems from said individuals;

a computerized means for gathering building and elaborating about said springboards from said individuals;

a computerized means for polling said individuals opinion about said springboards, builds and elaborations;

a computerized means for selecting beginning ideas from said responses;

a computerized means for creating action oriented ideas to accomplish said beginning ideas;

a computerized means for selecting one or more of said action oriented ideas to become emerging ideas;

a computerized means of evaluating to said emerging ideas with benefits and concerns and a means for resolving said concerns;

a computerized means of identifying emerging ideas as possible solutions to said problem; and

a computerized means of generating a list of actions to be taken, accountabilities and time lines to implement said possible solutions.

19. The computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting of claim 18, further comprising a means to allow participants to engage in excursion processes to aid in the generation of creative and novel ideas at any point in the problem solving process when the participants'"'"' capacity for generating new ideas has diminished.

20. The computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting of claim 19 further comprising a computerized means of allowing said individuals to exchange drawings, annotate drawings and edit drawings.

21. The computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting of claim 19 further comprising a computerized means of allowing said individuals to access other applications from within said computer system.

22. The computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting of claim 19 further comprising a computerized means of allowing each of said individuals to take notes in a private electronic notepad, said notepad not accessible by other individuals.

23. The computer system for creatively solving one or more problems through one or more groups of individuals gathered in a computerized meeting of claim 19 further comprising a computerized means for each of said individuals to belong to one or more of said groups and a computerized means to switch between each of said groups.