UNIT
Not applicable.
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop the habit of thinking in a more creative way. No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement. |
This unit applies to individuals who need to develop and extend their critical and creative thinking skills. Creative thinking involves looking at things differently, musing, testing, experimenting and challenging existing thought patterns. Creative thinking can take place anywhere - at home, at work, lying in bed at night, in the shower or on the bus. It can be applied to any type of issue or situation. When used effectively it can assist with the improvement of existing, or the development of entirely new or innovative services, products or processes. Sometimes creative thinking may pay off in a seemingly unconnected way at a future time and in an apparently unrelated context. Creative thinking can be learnt and applied through thoughtful application of skills related to observation, analysis, reflection, problem solving, evaluation and critical appraisal. Effective use of creative thinking skills opens up new opportunities for individuals, businesses and communities. |
Not applicable.
This unit contains employability skills. |
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Evidence of the following is essential: active participation in a range of creative thinking activities, including ability to ask relevant questions and to generate a range of ideas in response to a given situation or issue understanding of creativity and creative thinking at a basic level, including its impact and importance for individuals, communities and businesses knowledge and application of different creative thinking techniques and processes to a range of situations. | |
Assessment must ensure: interactions with challenges, situations and scenarios to which creative thinking may be applied (usually this would involve interactions with others to reflect the nature of the creative thinking process). | |
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate direct observation of the candidate participating in collaborative creative thinking activities evaluation of ideas generated by the candidate (with or without others) and of the processes used to generate and test those ideas evaluation of a presentation made by the candidate articulating the process of developing ideas or pieces of work, plus evaluation of candidate debating and discussing ideas with others evaluation of a (non-computerised) game developed by the candidate, played with others, challenged and re-invented oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of creative thinking techniques, concepts and definitions of creativity. | |
Creative thinking always occurs in a specific context. Therefore holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is highly recommended. Assessors must, however, retain a strong focus on the creative thinking skills as described in this unit. | |
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
are there any boundaries I need to consider? are there new ideas we can bring to this situation? how could I solve this problem? is there a different way of doing this? what am I or others trying to do? what do I need to do to make this better? what extra information do I need? what is missing? what is required? who do I need to talk to about this? why is this so? | |
clients or customers family members friends funding bodies general public history organising committees regulatory authorities self specialists or experts supervisors or managers work colleagues | |
brainstorming: stop and go sequencing buzz session bulletin board computer-aided daydreaming and mental wandering Edward de Bono's six thinking hats ego alter or heroes graphic organisers: visual maps webbing concept fans lateral thinking games making associations mind mapping morphological analysis storytelling sub-culture surfing trigger words use of metaphors and analogies vision circles visualisation wishful thinking word salads | |
cultural emotional environmental family ideas and perceptions about how we should behave, such as: play according to the rules don't ask questions don't be silly do as you're told be practical (taken from Lotherington 2003: Flicking Your Creative Switch) intellectual peer pressure perceptual risk aversion 'way it's done round here' | |
available resources (human, financial, physical) established tradition or practice in a given field of activity communication protocols procedures and processes specifications unspoken agreements about who does what and how work conditions | |
accepting the limitations of one's own knowledge or capacity challenging established authority challenging the continuation of current ways of doing things changing the rules exposing oneself or others to possible criticism facing personal fears and apprehensions letting go of control radically changing long established tradition, practice or norms taking financial risks taking self or others outside of a comfort zone | |
colleagues community groupings friends hardware stores information sources with little direct link to the question at hand journals junk stores libraries museums recycling yards shopping centres websites workshops | |
Creativity and Innovation - Creative Thinking |
Not sure where to start? Sign up to download unit details or start mapping in Michi's help.
Effortlessly sync unit data from training.gov.au
Create mapping groups from one or more units, for streamlined unit & cluster mapping.
Easily download your maps stylised to your taste as Excel, Word, or PDF documents
Receive an alert whenever training.gov.au updates or supersedes a unit you have mapped. Choose to apply the update, or migrate your map
Experience the efficiency of our AI-driven tools that make importing and organising your mapping content effortless.