101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving.Copyright © 2005 by John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Pfeiffer, an Imprint of Wiley. http://www.pfeiffer.comStereotype Handout
Suppose the challenge is to improve quality control in a manufacturing process and your
group selects the occupation of carpenter. You then might write down the following notes
about carpentry:- A carpenter pounds nails on the tip with a hammer to prevent splitting wood.
- A good carpenter always “measures twice and cuts once.”
- The quality of sanding determines the quality of the final finish.
- It’s easier to saw wood with the grain than against it.
- Always use the right tool for the job (for instance, don’t use a screwdriver as a ham-
mer).
These descriptions then might prompt the following ideas:- “Blunt” the impact of errors by developing a quality program that “hammers” on the
theme of quality improvement. - Require all manufacturing employees to check their output twice.
- Provide all employees with additional training in quality control activities.
- Conduct regular meetings with employees to make sure they are aligned with man-
agement’s goals and philosophy. - Make sure all employees use the latest technology to improve job quality.
70 101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem Solving
04 VG 39-76b 10/5/04 5:31 PM Page 70