Seeing the Point (online version)

• Improving problem solving skills
• Developing creativity and innovation skills
• Exploring & rehearsing thinking skills that enable learners to break old patterns and establish new ones
• Experiencing the differences between incremental, sequential problem solving, and ‘breakthrough thinking’ approaches
• Exploring the nature of ‘limiting beliefs’ and their potential to reduce the effectiveness of creative and innovative thinking processes
• A practical demonstration and explanation ‘synergy’ - doing more with less
• Change management by thinking 'outside the box'
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Seeing The Point is an excellent short duration or icebreaker activity focused on developing creative and innovative thinking skills that can be applied to problem solving. It is ideal as an introduction to training in creative and innovative thinking, and an interesting and engaging way of introducing the concepts of ‘alignment’ and synergy'. 

The initial problem posed is challenging to solve in its own right but then the further challenges presented to participants require different thinking skills and collaborative behaviours to develop a successful solution.

It brings to life a common problem facing many teams: ‘I’m repeatedly being asked to do more with less, and it can’t be done!' This activity encourages learners to look at things in a different way: seeing beyond the obvious problem and the solutions they expect to work. 

Initially the participants in up to 4 x subteams are allocated 7 x components which they must combine to make 4 x shapes. They can each manipulate the components on-screen - moving and rotating them. The next challenge - to make 5 x shapes requires a different type of thinking! In stage two each team can see all components from each of the other teams (but only move their own). Can they make more shapes as a large group, compared to when they were in their sub-teams (silos)? It is possible.

The activity can also be used to highlight the value and positive aspects of diversity - should all colours be mixed together they can create more than when the colours are separated!

The physical version of Seeing the Point is an activity originally created by Dr. Jim Cain, and we are grateful for his inspiration and support in using that idea in this online version!

The annual licence allows for unlimited use for groups of up to 20 people. If you want to run this actvity with larger group sizes then please contact [email protected] for further information.