Title:SP 215 Small Group Communication Structured and Creative Problem Solving in Groups
Description:
A process in which groups analyze a problem and develop a plan of action for ... Unrepresentativeness distorting the facts (ex: pit bull dogs being mean) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation
Title: SP 215 Small Group Communication Structured and Creative Problem Solving in Groups
1 SP 215 Small Group CommunicationStructured and Creative Problem Solving in Groups 2 Decision Making and Problem Solving
Problem Solving
-A process in which groups analyze a problem and develop a plan of action for solving the problem or reducing its harmful effects
Decision Making
-Passing judgment on an issue under consideration
-The act of reaching a conclusion
3 Costs and Benefits of Group Decision Making
Costs Group decisions take longer and run the risk of causing conflict and hard feelings.
Benefits Groups generate more ideas than individuals and are better equipped to find rational and workable solutions to complex problems.
4 Decision-Making Methods
Voting
Consensus
When all group members agree to support a group decision
Authority Rule
When a single person or someone outside the group makes the final decision with or without recommendations from the group
5 Voting
Voting works best when
The group is pressed for time.
The issue is not highly controversial.
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6 Consensus Guidelines
Listen carefully to others.
Dont change your mind to avoid conflict or to reach a quick decision.
Welcome differences of opinion.
Avoid agreeing to a false consensus.
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7 Match the Decision-Making Questions
A. Question of Fact Is it true did it happen what was the cause
B. Question of Conjecture Will it happen
C. Question of Value Is it right moral good
D. Question of Policy What should be done
___ Should the U.S. provide healthcare for all citizens
___ How many Americans lack health insurance
___ Will stem cell research help cure diseases
___ Is the Canadian health care system better than the U.S. system
8 PowerPoint Quiz
Should the company assist employees with their child care needs This group discussion question asks a question of
policy.
procedure.
fact.
conjecture.
value.
9 The Need for Structured Procedures
Benefits of Structured Procedures
Balanced Participation
Effective Conflict Resolution
Clear Organization
Group Empowerment
10 The Two-Step Creative Process
The Creative Thinking Process
Searches separates and connects thoughts from many sources while limiting judgment
The Creative Output Process
Combines previously unrelated elements into something new
11 Identify the Creative Process Stages
A. Investigation
B. Imagination
C. Incubation
D. Insight
___ Unusual ideas are generated and discussed.
___ Imaginative ideas percolate and recombine in new ways.
___ The Aha! moment occurs and a new solution emerges.
___ Members gather information and analyze the problem.
12 Match the Types of Group Action
A. Inertia
B. Instruction
C. Imitation
D. Innovation
__ Someone showed us how to do it.
__ We have developed a new way to do it
__ Weve seen how its done.
__ Weve done it before.
13 Problem Solving Models 14 The Standard Agenda
The Standard Agenda
Task Clarification
Problem Identification
Fact Finding
Solution Criteria and Limitations
Solution Suggestions
Solution Evaluation and Selection
Solution Implementation
15 Functional Theory
Effective preparation requires that members
are interested and energetic
research and use quality information
select an appropriate procedure
Effective procedures require that members
understand the issues
agree upon solution criteria
identify possible solutions
review pros and cons
select the solution
16 Single-Question Format
Focuses on a single question that if carefully analyzed and responsibly answered should provide a solution
Identify the problem.
Create a collaborative setting.
Analyze the issues.
Identify possible solutions.
Resolve the question.
17 Creative Methods 18 Brainstorming
Brainstorming . . .
can generate many ideas in a short period of time.
works best when members are comfortable with a freewheeling process.
can fail if members are self-conscious and sensitive to implied criticism.
can enhance creativity and produce numerous worthwhile ideas.
19 Brainstorming Guidelines
Brainstorming Guidelines
Sharpen the Focus
For All to See
Number the Ideas
Encourage Creativity
All Input No Put Down
Build and Jump
Explanation
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20 PowerPoint Quiz
All of the following are guidelines for effective brainstorming EXCEPT
Evaluate ideas only at the end.
Post the ideas for all to see.
Wait awhile for group members to think before starting to brainstorm.
Avoid combining ideas.
21 Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
Developed to maximize participation while minimizing interpersonal problems associated with group interaction
A collection of people who at first work individually rather than collectively.
Two NGT phases
fact-finding
evaluation
22 NGT Fact-Finding Phase
Each member writes ideas on paper.
Structured sharing of ideas takes place.
Recorder writes all ideas on flip chart.
Round-robin listing continues until all members indicate they have no further ideas to share.
23 NGT Evaluation Phase
Discussion is structured so that each idea receives attention before voting.
Members are asked to clarify or state support/nonsupport of each idea.
Independent voting by ranking ideas.
Group decision is a mathematically pooled outcome of individual votes.
24 Decreasing Options Technique (DOT)
Helps groups reduce and refine a large number of suggestions into a manageable number of ideas
Five Basic Steps
Generate Ideas
Post Ideas
Sort Ideas
Dot the Ideas
Prioritize Ideas
25 When to Use DOT
Use DOT when the group . . .
is so large that a discussion of many ideas is unworkable.
has generated many competing ideas.
wants everyone to contribute.
wants to restrain dominant members from exerting too much influence.
lacks time to discuss multiple or controversial ideas.
26 Ways to Enhance Group Creativity
A. Control judgment
B. Encourage innovation
C. Ask What If
D. Use metaphors
__ Minimizes negative responses to new ideas
__ Encourages members to think outside the box
__ Discourages preconceived notions about what can and cant be done
__ Forces group members to look at a problem in new and creative ways
27 Problem-Solving Realities
Factors that affect the outcome of group decisions
Politics
Preexisting preferences
Power
Use an established decision-making procedure to minimize these factors.
28 Group Decision Making and Problem Solving
We discussed decision making and problem solving before however there are some factors to consider.
8/5/2009 28 29 Information Overload
Information is the raw material of the group decision making and problem solving.
Information overload occurs when the rate of information flow into a system and/or the complexity of that information exceeds the systems capacity.
8/5/2009 29 30 Four main consequences of information overload
1) Impairs critical thinking Separating the wheat from the chaff.
Vast amounts of information makes it difficult to distinguish useless from useful information.
2) Indecisiveness Conclusion Irresolution.
Too much information can promote indecisiveness.
8/5/2009 30 31 Four main consequences of information overload
3) Information Bulimia Binging and Purging.
Information Bulimia is a binge and purge cycle of information processing.
Ex Students who cram facts for an exam.
8/5/2009 31 32 Four main consequences of information overload
4) Group Attention Deficit Disorder Difficulty Concentrating.
Information overload can produce a kind of group attention deficit disorder (ADD).
The megamountains of information competing for group members attention makes focusing on any one idea concept or problem extremely difficult.
8/5/2009 32 33 Coping with information overload
1) Screen information limit exposure to information.
2) Shutting off technology turn off cell phones pagers and so on.
3) Specializing knowing more about a little than knowing little about a lot.
Ex Dont try to feed us the entire pie give us as slice.
Know a lot about a little.
8/5/2009 33 34 Coping with information overload
4) Becoming Selective attend to information that relates directly to group goals and priorities.
5) Limiting the Search set time for searching and time for deciding.
6) Narrowing the Search use credible databases find patterns.
8/5/2009 34 35 Information Underload
Information overload is more prevalent and a significant problem than information underload.
Information underload refers to an insufficient amount of information available to a group for decision making purposes.
8/5/2009 35 36 Information Underload
Information underload is usually a problem of too much closedness in a system.
Develop perceptual mindsets the group members all seeing the world in the same way.
8/5/2009 36 37 Collective Inferential Error
Conclusions made about the unknown based upon what is known group members draw inferences from previous experiences factual data and predispositions.
In other words members rely on their own knowledge base.
8/5/2009 37 38 Sources of Inferential Error
1) General sources of inferential errors
Seriously limited information base (insufficient quantity of information).
Faulty information base (poor-quality information)
8/5/2009 38 39 Sources of Inferential Error
2) Specific sources of inferential errors
Vividness the graphic outrageous shocking controversial dramatic event draws our attention and sticks in our minds (i.e. NEWS Stories).
Unrepresentativeness distorting the facts (ex pit bull dogs being mean).
Correlation X causes Y (Pos/Neg as you get older your skin wrinkles).
8/5/2009 39 40 Groupthink - Janis
Definition A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group when the members striving for uniformity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
In other words loss of objectivity within the groups decision making process.
8/5/2009 40 41 Groupthink -Main symptoms
1) Overestimation of the groups power and morality arrogance.
Illusion of invulnerability.
Unquestioned belief in the inherent morality of the group.
2) Closed-Mindedness
Rationalizations.
Negative stereotyped views of the enemy.
8/5/2009 41 42 Groupthink -Main symptoms
3) Pressures toward Uniformity presenting a united front.
Self-censorship of contradictory opinion.
Illusions of unanimity.
Direct pressure applied to deviants.
Self-appointed mindguards.
8/5/2009 42 43 GroupthinkMain prevention
Preventing Groupthink
Recognize groupthink when it first begins.
Minimize statues differences
Seek information that challenges emerging concurrences.
Develop norms that legitimizes disagreement.
8/5/2009 43 44 Group Project 8/5/2009 44 45 Group Project
John Deweys Problem Solving Sequence.
Eight (8) Steps
8/5/2009 45 46 Group Project
Step 1 Define the Problem.
This step includes defining exactly what the problem is.
What are the symptoms which lead group to become aware of the problem.
Major
Minor
8/5/2009 46 47 Group Project
Defining the problem is very important in arriving at solutions that will help solve the problem.
If you dont know or understand the problem it will difficult to solve the problem.
8/5/2009 47 48 Group Project
An improperly defined problem may result in a solution which may bring some change but not in the area the group hoped would change.
Word the problem correctly.
8/5/2009 48 49 Group Project
Step 2 List the causes of the problem.
This step is very complex at times but is critical to help solve for the problem.
The group must attempt to discover ALL apparent causes for the problem.
8/5/2009 49 50 Group Project
Understand that it is impossible to do away with all the causes to solve for the problem but it is still important to know to what extent each cause contributes to the problem and which causes can be solved.
Sometime large problems need to be broken down into smaller parts with each part analyzed and solved separately.
8/5/2009 50 51 Group Project
Step 3 Criteria for picking a solution.
The groups main goal in problem solving is to think of a solution to help solve for your problem.
In order to pick the best possible solution to solve the problem the group needs to develop a criteria for choosing the best solution.
8/5/2009 51 52 Group Project
The criteria will be the yardstick by which the group can measure the various possible solutions to see which solution BEST fits the current situation.
The criteria for selecting the best solution for the problem is vital and MUST be done before solutions can be considered.
8/5/2009 52 53 Group Project
Some general considered criteria are
The solution must be financially feasible
The solution must be legal.
The solution must do away with certain causes.
The solution must be moral.
These criterions are general the group may have more specific ones for solving the problem.
8/5/2009 53 54 Group Project
Step 4 List all possible solutions.
List every possible solution the group develops or thinks of.
Dont exclude possible solutions simply because they may not sound good at the time.
This step is simply the listing of possible solutions with no consideration whether they will or will not work.
The more solutions the group has the better.
8/5/2009 54 55 Group Project
Step 5 Picking of the best solution.
Picking the best solutions is done by comparing various possible solutions against one another.
List out the criteria the group has developed and check to see which solution best fits the criteria.
8/5/2009 55 56 Criteria Picking the best solution. 56 57 Criteria Picking the best solution.
Some times there may be more than one solution to help solve for the problem.
Incorporate the solutions to work in concert with one another.
8/5/2009 57 58 Group Project
Step 6 Implementing the solution.
How is the group going to implement the solution(s)
Why hasnt this been implemented before
When would the implementation occur
Threshold at what point in time
8/5/2009 58 59 Group Project
Step 7 The benefits
List the benefits that come as a result of helping to solve the problem.
What do we get out of solving the problem
Federal
State
Local
8/5/2009 59 60 Group Project
Step 8 Evaluating the success/failure of the
project.
The evaluation takes place through the process of the project. The objectives of the project are feasible dated measurable and indicate an acceptable level of achievement.
Nothing could be easier to evaluate.
8/5/2009 60 61 Group Project
Bottom Line Either you did it or you didnt.
8/5/2009 61 62 Group Project
Group work time
8/5/2009 62
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