CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS
DIRECT ATTENTION THINKING TOOLS

“This workshop will change the way you make perceive a situation!"

DATT is a framework of 10 tools that will make problems simpler to resolve and decisions more targeted.  If you have ever said:  “I didn’t even think of that; it never entered my mind!”—DATT can help.

The way we see the world—our perception of it—determines the decisions we make.  Perceptions and existing beliefs powerfully drive our thinking, choices, and actions. Unfortunately, most mistakes in thinking are mistakes in perception.  We often confuse action with accomplishment and frequently jump to action without enough thought.  DATT encourages a broad and inclusive viewpoint.  The tools create a framework for defining any situation.  The ten tools are:

·        CONSEQUENCE AND SEQUEL:  Directs your attention to the future state.  It causes you to look ahead to see consequences of an action, plan, decision, or rule.

·        PLUS, MINUS, INTERESTING:  Ensures that all sides of a matter have been considered before a decision or commitment is made.

·        RECOGNIZE, ANALYZE, AND DIVIDE:  A tool that helps one break a larger concept into smaller, more manageable parts so that thinking can be sharpened.

·        CONSIDER ALL FACTORS:  Used early in the thinking session, one can explore all factors related to an action, decision, plan, judgment, or conclusion.

·        AIMS, GOALS, OBJECTIVES:  A focus tool that helps to clearly define the topic deliberately about the intentions behind actions.

·        ALTERNATIVES, POSSIBILITIES, CHOICES:  A creative tool that deliberately causes one to find other ways to achieve results.

·        OTHER PEOPLE’S VIEWS:  Forces one to direct attention to specific other people who may be impacted by the solution or decision.

·        KEY VALUES INVOLVED:  Helps to identify positive and negative values and helps ensure that your thinking serves your values.

·        FIRST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES:  A narrowing tool which helps select the most important ideas, factors, objectives, consequences, etc.

·        DESIGN/DECISION, OUTCOME, CHANNELS, ACTION: An action tool, this tool helps define the outcome of thinking and the plan to deploy or carry it out.

These tools can make performance and thinking more deliberate, more structured, more organized, and more effective.  DATT is a type of “software for the mind.” DATT provides strategies for sharpening perception and focusing thinking in a more comprehensive, effective, and efficient manner.

 “DATT helped me increase proficiency in systematic thinking and decision making that will give me better thinking ability and a common language to use with other folks from within my organization.”

(Michael Bosscher, Steelcase)

“You can do no better than to attend an Edward de Bono seminar.”

(Tom Peters)