Creativity, Problem Solving and Design Thinking

Course overview

Creative problem solving is increasingly recognised as the most sought-after skill in business. This is true across a wide range of industries, and across both private and public sectors. Entrepreneurs, employees, managers, and leaders are all required to find valuable opportunities, generate and develop new ideas and then trial and implement innovative solutions. These processes can be modelled on design activities, where key stakeholders are identified and designed for through processes of research, ideation and prototyping. This is all equally applicable to the development of strategies, products, processes and a variety of socio-technical systems.

This course will help you to learn about the role of creativity in problem solving, and the application of design thinking to different business tasks. You will discover the characteristics of difficult problems, the thinking skills that are used to address them and the various biases that need to be overcome. Through the course content and activities, you will recognise and develop your creative skills, gaining confidence in them and in your capacity to develop them further. This applies not just to individual work, but also to group work, where diverse perspectives and skills can be leveraged.

The course offers an excellent opportunity for professional development, whether you are looking to advance in your current role or change roles or sectors. Through the course, you will apply a structured process to identifying problems and generating wide-ranging solution ideas before selecting and developing one (or more) for communication and implementation. You will have the opportunity to practice these skills in various course-specific scenarios, and also to a project that is relevant to your own professional context. The course is highly interactive, and you will be encouraged, through individual and collaborative work, to apply and manage a selection of evidence-based creative approaches.

This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 48 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. Cambridge Advance Online accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

What will I learn?

By the end of the course, you will have a broad understanding of the application of creative approaches, processes and tools, including how to:

• articulate the components of creative work, and the skills (and biases) that are involved
• apply creative processes and tools yourself
• manage the application of creative processes and tools by others
• develop confidence in your creative skills, and in your ability to improve those skills
• represent your own creative skills and experiences, and elicit those of others.

Who is this course for?

• Those interested in improving how they think and act creatively, moving past learned behaviour to reach new and effective solutions.
• Professionals working in business development, transformation, or strategy who are seeking a structured and innovative approach to solving problems.
• Individuals facing novel problems in the workplace, who need to challenge conventions to develop original solutions and pitch these to stakeholders.

Course delivery

Our certificated courses reflect the Cambridge experience and values, with low student to tutor ratios and academically rigorous standards. Our learning model is designed to help you advance your skills and specialise in emerging areas that address global challenges. We will help you build your network through an engaging and impactful learning journey that encourages collaboration. Courses are delivered in weekly modules, allowing you to plan your time effectively. The assessment criteria will be presented to you at the start of the course, so you can approach your studies with confidence and motivation, knowing what is expected of you and how to meet those expectations. 

Throughout your online learning experience, you will have access to your course tutor, who will help facilitate your learning and provide you with support and guidance during your studies. You can interact with your tutor through a range of media, such as live sessions, discussion forums, email or canvas messaging. 

Each course includes a balance of:

• interactive learning and real-world application so you can directly apply what you’re learning to your own context
• diverse teaching methods to enhance learning outcomes which will be delivered via learning activities such as University of Cambridge academic led videos, quizzes and group work
• optional live sessions (1 hour) with University of Cambridge academics and tutors to deepen your understanding of the week's material. These sessions may include an informal Q&A, a short lecture or a breakout activity that builds on the content introduced that week. All sessions are recorded and made available to stream so you can catch up whenever suits you
• guided critical thinking via our reflective workbook so you can collect, structure and summarise information and your thoughts as you progress through the course. 

What will I get on completion?

Evidence your learning with a Certificate of Achievement from the University of Cambridge on successful completion.