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Simple & Pragmatic Problem Solving
#76Chapter 6: Group Creative Option Generation• Group Creative OptionsCreative and Hierarchical (Abstract to Concrete) ThinkingGroup Mode45-75 Minutes(Fast to Moderate)

Gordon/Little Technique

From the book "Advanced Problem-Solving Toolbox: 115 Creative Plays" | Compiled & Edited by: Mojtaba Goudarzi, Open translation: Mehrshid Goudarzi
Executive Synopsis & Core Logic:

Guided Technique William Gordon at Arthur D. Little; Starting problem solving from the highest abstract and conceptual level and descending step by step towards concrete details to escape from clichéd solutions.

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Category
Group Creative Options
Dominant Thinking
Creative and Hierarchical (Abstract to Concrete)
Participation
Group
Estimated TimeFast to Moderate
45-75 Minutes
Workshop
Input Format
Complex Challenge or Problem Locked in Level of Detail
Output Format
Idea Generation
Key Application
Solving chronic organizational problems, improving the productivity of specialized teams, redefining business and redesigning products with a history of failure.
Core Differentiator:

Temporarily hiding the precise and detailed nature of the problem and starting brainstorming in general philosophical and abstract layers, then gradually reducing the level of abstraction.

Quick Field Example:

To solve software project delays, a company first asks the team 'how to make the company perform better?', then 'how to make the team work more smoothly?' And finally it comes down to 'Optimizing the Scrum Method'.

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Preventing the mind from locking on minor obstacles and everyday excuses, opening the field of vision beyond the limited specialized area, connecting macro principles with micro solutions.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

At early levels of abstraction ideas may seem too general and impractical, requiring careful control by the facilitator to scale the levels.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Organization productivity management: improving engineering efficiency starting from the macro concept of 'creating value for people'.
Designing banking services: redesigning the lending process from the abstract layer of 'facilitating the flow of trust and financial peace in society'.
Resolving organizational conflicts: resolving disputes between two departments, starting from the fundamental concept of 'alignment of macro interests and system survival'.

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1We see the trees but not the forest: When people are stuck with everyday bugs, they're just patching, not innovating.
2Abstraction breeds creativity: high-level principles (eg, simplicity or automation) spark revolution when they enter the lower layers.
3Reduction of psychological resistance: People have less personal prejudice in general levels and agree with each other more easily.
4Fundamental Rooting: Ensures that the final solution does not just address the symptom of the disease, but is consistent with larger goals.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

"Gordon/Little Technique" (Gordon/Little Technique) was invented by William Gordon, the founder of Synetics at the famous company Arthur D. Little. The philosophy of this method is that when humans are very familiar with an operational problem, their horizons become blind and they only think of obvious and repetitive options. In this technique, the facilitator raises the problem in the first level abstraction layer (very general) and after ideation, he reduces the level of abstraction step by step and makes the problem more specific so that the ideas of the higher abstraction layers act as a driving engine for lower operational solutions.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Team Solving Chronic Delays in Software Development Team with Gordon/Little
1
Step 1: Design the first level of abstraction (enhancing the organization as a whole)The facilitator asked: 'How can we transform the value stream and the overall effectiveness of the organization?' Ideas: promoting a culture of trust, eliminating bureaucratic formalities and investing in empowerment.
2
Step 2: Design the second level of abstraction (inter-team productivity)The question changed: 'How to increase the productivity and joint interactions of teams?' Ideas: use of real-time visual tools, transparency of priorities and elimination of meetings without an agenda.
3
Step 3: Plan Third Level of Abstraction (Development-Specific Productivity)Question Determined: 'How to accelerate the software team's sprint process?' Inspired by the first layer (the culture of trust and the elimination of formalities), it was decided to remove the multi-layer coding approvals.
4
Step 4: Get down to technical and operational detailsUse an automated CI/CD review system, replace weekly meetings with daily agile text standups, and define modular code standards.
5
Step 5: Deployment and evaluation of the resultsof implementing the new process in two test sprints; Feature delivery times were reduced by 40% and team morale was restored.

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