Andrzej Butra - doświadczony trener, mentor, konsultant biznesowy.

During the time we at Nowy Styl worked remotely and couldn't conduct full two-day Design Thinking workshops, the idea arose to hold Problem Solving workshops. We strongly emphasized that problem-solving is a process. We enriched the workshop with elements of Design Thinking to include the so-called Persona and the Lotus Blossom technique, often used during brainstorming.

Today, I would like to describe the "Lotus Blossom" technique, as it is very useful when... you run out of ideas. It was developed by Yasuo Matsumura, director of Clover Management Research. It is one of the more effective tools for breaking down the barrier of schematic and narrow thinking. For the generated ideas to be truly valuable and diverse, and not just a variant of the original idea blocking creative thinking, we need to be able to see the issue of interest from many perspectives and from a certain distance. Using the lotus blossom method facilitates this process by systematically broadening the mental "field of vision," which we achieve through associative "circling" around the indicated issues and topics.

What do you need? Either online brainstorming tools like Mindmeister, or ordinary "Post-it" notes and pens.

Having defined the problem (which we did during the training), we label it as a word or phrase and place it in the center of a piece of paper or a designated workspace. This place will be the center of the lotus blossom. The next step is to add petals on which we write down ideas for solving the stated problem. It is important to ensure their diversity – the less similar they are to each other, the better. The number of ideas we will use for further work should be six or eight. Once we have determined which ones are worth considering, we place them around the problem in the way that petals surround the center of a flower. For example, if our problem is to increase employee creativity, the "petals" around it might include suggestions such as training, a better work atmosphere, unusual work techniques, engagement, personal development, independence, stimulation.

The next stage is "developing the lotus blossom." We figuratively "detach the petals," that is, we rewrite the ideas onto other pieces of paper and/or arrange them concentrically around the original flower so that they can become the centers of new ones. Then, we repeat the whole process and write down "sub-ideas" around the proposed solution, which we no longer need to relate to the originally defined problem. As a result, ideas should emerge that are somewhat "distanced" from the issue of interest. After completing this stage, the workspace should contain the main "flower" and eight "side" flowers that have grown from it. If we are unable to fill all the empty spaces, we should not worry. Similarly, if we believe we can generate another "sub-level" of ideas, we should continue the creative process of "developing the flower." Increasingly wider circles will translate into an increasingly comprehensive picture of the problem. In the final stage, we should carefully examine all the generated solutions and choose those that most effectively deal with our problem. At this stage of work, critical thinking should be activated, and we should consider how to translate the highlighted ideas into practical action.

Using the Technique

We can use the lotus blossom technique to create new solutions, especially when we have run out of ideas or are stuck in a dead end of one way of thinking about the problem. The method requires developing diverse approaches and adopting multiple perspectives, which in turn leads to an opening up to new information and opportunities for action. Moreover, moving away from a "static" perception of the issue forces us to take into account various elements of the problem situation and the relationships and dependencies that exist between them. Thanks to this, we can notice properties of the problem or conditions of its occurrence that we have not been able to see before. And the more holistic and "dynamic" our view of a given matter, the greater the chance that the problem situation will be resolved effectively and in a way that is beneficial to us.

Try it and share the results!

From problem to solution: on generating ideas

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