Problem-Solving Champion

Winning the GAME of Innovation

Overview

Author: David Cutler

Contributions: Lance LaDuke

Illustrations: Patti Dobrowolski

Design: Cara Belloso

Problem-Solving Champion (projected publication: March 2021) is a visual book that helps individuals and organizations of all stripes crack life’s complex puzzles. After examining common problem-solving pitfalls (chapter 0), it unveils a flexible, step-by-step approach to building powerhouse processes, working effectively with teams, and arriving at the remarkable.

Part A – It's All GAMEs

Chapters 1 - 4

What if you approached life challenges as if they were GAMEs of profound consequences? Why not treat them with the discipline, tactics, and resolve of a skilled Olympian? Which problem will you confront? Who forms the team? What will they do? How is victory defined? Take great pains to build meaningful problem-solving processes. This section describes four central GAME elements applicable to any dilemma: Guidelines, Arena, Materials, Experience.

Part B – Color Your Perspective

Chapters 5 - 9

Problem-solving is a team sport. Yet even the most devoted puzzlers can lose focus and get off track. Learn a powerful approach to aligning your community and boosting productivity. Five colored lenses—GREEN (Gather), PURPLE (Propose), BLUE (Boost), RED (Rip), and ORANGE (Own)—ensure that everyone is on the same page at a given time. Chapters detail techniques for investigation, ideation, feedback, and committing to one choice at the expense of

a thousand others.

Part C – Playing to Win

Chapters 10 - 12

The design of a problem-solving GAME is critical, but only part of the puzzle. Just as important are your people. How are they led? How do they engage? What’s the culture? Shaping both the experience and outcomes, the final section focuses on facilitating effectively, cultivating happy teams, and arriving at the remarkable.

Foreword

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Introduction

Got Innovation???

Chapter 0

Problems, Pitfalls, and Play

• It’s All Problems

• 12 Puzzling Problems

• The GAME of Innovation

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Part A – It's All GAMEs

Chapter 1

Guidelines

What framework?

• Challenge

• Constraints/Criteria

Chapter 2

Arena

What conditions?

• Puzzlers

• Period

• Place

Chapter 3

Materials

What tools?

• Gatherables

• Gear

• Gameboards

Chapter 4

Experience

What process?

• Structure

• Sorts

• Samples

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Part B – Color Your Perspective

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Chapter 5

Problem-Solving Lenses

What perspective?

• Tragicomedy

• Great Gaming Goggles

Chapter 6

Green/Gather

What can be learned?

• Hunt for Clues

• LEARN Before Solving

• Interpret the Evidence

Chapter 7

Purple/Propose

What can be imagined?

• Brainstorming Rules

• 9 Creative Questions

• Prototyping Innovation

Chapter 8

Blue/Boost & Red/Rip

What works? What's wrong?

• The Challenge of Feedback

• 6 Approaches to Critique

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Chapter 9

Orange/Own

What decision?

• The Hardest Decision Of All

• 9 Techniques to Choose From

Part C – Playing to Win

Chapter 10

Facilitationing

What does it take to lead?

• The Gig

• 16 Facilitation Techniques

Chapter 11

Happy Teams

What does it take to collaborate?

• Team Tenets

• Particularly Prickly Personalities

• Champion Collaboration

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Chapter 12

Getting to WOW​

What does it take to win?