The creation

1. the CIA’s Secrets to
Creative Problem
Solving

9. How do we cross
the river?

10. CREATIVE THINKING INSTRUCTORS

11. Office of
Strategic Services

13. Heuer Jr. R. J. Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. Center
for the Study of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency.
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-
intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-
monographs/psychology-of-intelligence-
analysis/PsychofIntelNew.pdf
Full text at cia.gov
Minds are like parachutes.
They only function when
they are open.
Richards Heuer, 1999

14. It is “crucial to find a
way of routinizing, even
bureaucratizing, the exercise
of imagination.”
9/11 Commission Report, 2004
Kean, Thomas H, and Lee Hamilton. The 9/11 Commission
Report: Final Report of the National Commission on
Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Washington,
D.C.: National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the
United States, 2004. Print.
Delivered more than
70 courses in creative
thinking
over the last 10 years

15. More than 60% of 1,500
CEOs surveyed stated that
creativity was one of the top
skills they looked for in new
hires.
IBM, 2010
Top 3 job skills in 2020 will
be complex problem solving,
critical thinking, and
creativity.
World Economic Forum, 2016
IBM Global CEO Study. May 2010, IBM.
http://www.ibm.com/ceostudy
Future of Jobs Report. 18 January
2016, World Economic Forum.
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the
-future-of-jobs

16. Thinking Model
Razumnikova O.M. (2013) Divergent Versus Convergent Thinking. In: Carayannis E.G. (eds)
Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY.
DIVERGENT CONVERGENT
• Exploring possibilities
• Ideating solutions
• Creating choices
• Selecting plan
• Idea implementation
• Making choices
? !

19. Thinking Model
Razumnikova O.M. (2013) Divergent Versus Convergent Thinking. In: Carayannis E.G. (eds)
Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY.
DIVERGENT CONVERGENT
? !

20. Creativity is hard.
Yours is hiding undercover.

21. Framing Bias Comfort Zone
Preference for Logic Status Quo

22. WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking
OTTER
Breaking Patterns

23. Framing the Problem
WOMBAT

24. Questions are at the HEART of
intelligence analysis.
?
?
?
?
?

25. How will commercial autonomous vehicles
change our world in the next 5-10 years?
What might be all the ways the rise of
driverless vehicles will change our
future?
How will environment and climate change
impact access to fresh water supplies?
In what ways could environment and
climate change impact the
safety/access of our water?
What would happen if global food supplies
ran short?
What might be all the scenarios if our
global food system failed
?
?
?

27. FRAMING
BIAS

28. REFRAME
QUESTIONS
Invitational
Language
Invitational
Language
Invitational
Language
Invitational
Language

29. How do we do
our work better?

30. How do we do
our work better?
What might be all the
ways to do our work better?
WoMBAT = What Might Be All
The

31. What might be all the
METHODS to do
our work better?
What might be all the
TOOLS to do
our work better?
What might be all the
PEOPLE WE NEED to do
our work better?
What might be all the
SMALL TWEAKS to do
our work better?
The answer is in the
question!

32. How will commercial autonomous vehicles
change our world in the next 5-10 years?
What might be all the ways the rise of
driverless vehicles will change our
future?
How will environment and climate change
impact access to fresh water supplies?
In what ways could environment and
climate change impact the access to
our water?
What would happen if global food supplies
ran short?
What might be all the scenarios if our
global food system failed
simultaneously?
?
?
?

33. Framing the Problem
WOMBAT

34. Invitational Questions
What might be all the [+ plural noun] . . . ?
In what ways could . . .?
How might . . . ?
Ask for plural answers and play with new language.
Reframe question with open-ended verbs. Consider using the WoMBAT.
• Do you like green eggs and ham?
In what ways could you try green eggs and ham?
• How do you solve a problem like Maria?
What might be all the other jobs for Maria?
• Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?
How might we find Carmen Sandiego?
u
v
Inspired by: Isaakson, A. & Treffinger, D. (1985). Creative problem solving: The basic course. Buffalo, NY:
Bearly Limited. http://www.creativeeducationfoundation.org/facilitation_tool/invitational-language-stems/

35. How do we cross
the river?

36. What might be all
the ways to cross
the river?

38. Exploring Outside Your Box
WOLF

39. entre chien et loup
between a dog and a wolf

40. COMFORT
ZONE

41. EXPLORE
OUTSIDE
YOUR BOX

42. • National Security Agency
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
• National Air & Space Intelligence Center
• Missile & Space Intelligence Center
• Civilian Aviation Intelligence Analysis Center
• And others!
Who might we collaborate with to
understand the Malaysia Airlines
Flight 17 crash?

43. Dr. Susan
Blumenthal
What might be all the
technologies to help improve
mammograms?

44. EXPLORING
FAR BEYOND
the typical

45. DRAWING OUT
your problem

46. DRAWING OUT
your problem

47. Exploring Outside Your Box
WOLF

48. Alternative Worlds
• Fashion designer
• Auctioneer
• Mechanical engineer
Ask “In what ways can I learn or borrow
from another profession that’s not my own?”
u
• Winemaker or brewer
• Commercial fisherman
• Start your own unique list!

49. Alternative Worlds
Ask “How might I stretch my thinking beyond my normal routine?”v
• Draw your problem with crayons
• Visit a new museum
• Buy a magazine you normally ignore
• Sculpt your ideal end state
• Explore a new neighborhood

52. Analogical Thinking
WOOD DUCK

54. LOGICAL
THINKING

55. ANALOGICAL
THINKING

57. • Movie metaphors spur new ideas
• Visual analogies solidify vision for future
What might be all the scenarios
for the future of automation?

58. • One of the most diverse sets of expertise in a
brainstorming session on terrorism
• Take a public health perspective
• How might we learn from those with
immunities?
• How might we develop approaches to
stem “moral panic”?
• What might be all the societal antibodies
at play?
In what ways might terrorism be
akin to a societal disease?

59. the ART of
ASSOCIATION

60. the ART of
ASSOCIATION

61. Analogical Thinking
WOOD DUCK

62. Metaphorical Mad Libs
1. An activity I do regularly on the weekend is . . .
2. One of my favorite scenes from a movie is . . .
3. A meal or dish I am famous for is . . .
4. One of my favorite books from childhood is . . .
5. With my free time, a hobby or avocation I enjoy is . . .
6. One of my favorite works of art is . . .
Finish these prompts OR have a friend do it . . .u
Inspired by: Parnes, S. Gordon, W.J.J. (1971). The Basic Course in
Synetics. Cambridge, MA: Porpoise Books. Geschka, H. (1980).
Methoda and Organization of Idea Generation. S. Gryskiewicz.

63. Metaphorical Mad Libs
1. An activity I do regularly on the weekend is . . .
visiting the National Zoo with my toddler.
2. One of my favorite scenes from a movie is . . .
the opening monologue of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
3. A meal or dish I am famous for is . . .
Cincinnati chili.
4. One of my favorite books from childhood is . . .
The Phantom Tollbooth.
5. With my free time, a hobby or avocation I enjoy is . . .
watching reality competition television shows.
6. One of my favorite works of art is . . .
Rene Magritte’s The Treachery of Images.
Finish these prompts OR have a friend do it . . .u

64. Metaphorical Mad Libs
Roll a die or randomly select an answer.v
Use your answer and prompts below to craft an analogy.w
• In what ways is my challenge related to <answer>?
• What actions or processes are similar?
• Are there solutions that emerge
as the metaphor grows?
• Which relationships are reminiscent of my problem?
• How might the environment
of <answer> be similar to my problem?
• Any potential pitfalls or other lessons
that emerge from <answer>?
The more random the selection, the more
breakthrough thinking you’ll receive.

69. Breaking Patterns
OTTER

71. STATUS
QUO
STATUS
QUO
STATUS
QUO

72. BREAK
PATTERN
STATUS
QUO
STATUS
QUO

73. • No topic “ownership”
• Intimate office with no
cubicles or partitions
• Collective ideations with
varied experts
• Support from senior ranks
Creativity bolstered by:
“tell me things that other
people aren’t telling me
and will make senior
analysts uncomfortable”

74. • Black Swans
surprise event with major effects
• Gray Rhinos
problems everyone knows
are coming but still surprised
when they occur
• Dogs That Don’t Bark
areas of concern that may
amount to nothing
• Plate Tectonics
dramatic changes over
long and slow timeline
Hunting strategic surprises like:

75. • What might be all the
things that will never
happen?
• What might people be
thinking but are unwilling
to say?
• How might ideas and
views on the fringe
become new realities?
Challenged to and given the
cognitive leeway to ask
questions like:

76. “Unlike in the movies, cover stories
are normally designed to be boring
so as not to attract attention . . . but
we weren’t dealing with a normal
situation here . . . So instead of
boring, what if we went in the
opposite direction?
What if we designed a cover story so
fantastic that nobody would believe it
was being used for operational
purposes?”
Tony Mendez
Mendez, A., Baglio, M.
Argo: How the CIA and
Hollywood Pulled Off the
Most Audacious Rescue
in History.

77. “The plan, which would normally
be out of the question for most
clandestine operations, had
several attractive features.”
• Film crews are made up of
people from all over world
• Only Hollywood eccentrics
would shoot a film in a revolutionary
country
• It was fun and helped “house
guests” connect with cover story
Mendez, A., Baglio, M.
Argo: How the CIA and
Hollywood Pulled Off the
Most Audacious Rescue
in History.

78. Breaking Patterns
OTTER

79. Status Quo
Brainstorming
• What we normally do is . . .
• In the past, we always . . .
• Everybody knows that . . .
• Clearly . . .
• It’s obvious that . . .
• It’s plain to see that . . .
Brainstorm as many norms, assumptions, standards, and customs as you can.
The prompts below may help . . .
u

80. Status Quo
Brainstorming
• What we normally do is . . . build a bridge.
• In the past, we always . . . have 2 or 3 backup plans.
• Everybody knows that . . . barrels hold whiskey and wine.
• Clearly . . . we have three ropes.
• It’s obvious that . . . the river is very wide.
• It’s plain to see that . . . we don’t have a lot of time.
Brainstorm as many norms, assumptions, standards, and customs as you can.
The prompts below may help . . .
u

81. Status Quo
Brainstorming
Ex: Everybody knows that . . . barrels hold whiskey and wine.
If that wasn’t true, what might be all the other functions of the barrel?
Choose some of your status quo answers to reverse, flip, or break.
Ask “What might be all the ways to make this untrue?”
v

83. Status Quo
Brainstorming
Ex: It’s plain to see that. . . we don’t have a lot of time.
How might we make our lack of time untrue?
Choose some of your status quo answers to reverse, flip, or break.
Ask “What might be all the ways to make this untrue?”
v

84. What might be all
the ways to cross
the river?

85. How might we
escape in this
moment?

88. How might YOU
cross the river?

89. Office of
Strategic Services

91. Framing Bias

92. WOMBAT
Problem Reframing

93. WOMBAT
Problem Reframing Comfort Zone

94. WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
WOMBAT
Problem Reframing

95. Preference for Logic
WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box

96. WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking
WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box

97. Status Quo
WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking

98. OTTER
Breaking Patterns
WOMBAT
Problem Reframing
WOLF
Exploring Outside Your Box
WOOD DUCK
Analogical Thinking

99. the CIA’s Secrets to
Creative Problem
Solving
#CIAWombat
@CIA
CIA
www.cia.gov