Category : Science and Education
Archive   : DYNAMIND.ZIP
Filename : DYNMANUL.TXT
DynaMind USER'S MANUAL
Copyright (c) 1988 by David L. Salahi
INTRODUCTION
DynaMind is a program which could best be described as an idea
processor or a thinking tool. You can use it whenever you have a
particularly complex or important problem to solve. You can also use it
when you want to develop some innovative or creative new approaches to
a situation.
DynaMind can help you to clarify and focus your thinking. It assists
you in identifying and prioritizing your goals and in understanding
what is motivating you toward them. Once you have clearly defined your
situation and your goals, DynaMind can help you to create strategies
for achieving your goals. It helps you to generate ideas through a
variety of techniques which have been shown to stimulate creativity and
imagination. Finally, it helps you to evaluate your alternatives and to
choose the best one for implementation.
DynaMind can be used by just about anyone with a problem to solve,
whether for business, education, or personal use. In addition to
helping you solve problems, it can also help you to communicate with
others about them. After you have analyzed a situation, you can provide
a DynaMind file to another individual who can then see exactly what has
gone into your decision. You can also use DynaMind for cooperative
efforts at problem-solving. After one person has worked with a
situation, someone else can work with the same file to generate
additional options or to evaluate the ones already presented.
Here are some examples of business applications:
* Hiring a new employee or making promotion decisions
* Investing in equipment
* Opening a new store, office, or plant
* Developing a new product
* Deciding on mergers or acquisitions
Here are some ways DynaMind can be applied for personal use:
* Buying a home
* Buying a car or recreational vehicle
* Making investment decisions
* Making career choices
* Choosing a college major
As helpful as DynaMind is, it does not think for you. By itself, it is
incapable of creating or evaluating any options for your situation.
What it can do is provide you with a framework for building ideas and
suggest techniques for shaping them into viable plans. It helps you to
examine your problem from a variety of angles and to make sure that
nothing is overlooked. DynaMind asks a variety of incisive questions
which are designed to get you thinking and creating. We hope that you
will find it as rewarding to use as we have found it to develop.
DynaMind Windows
DynaMind is comprised of fourteen information entry and analysis
windows. Typically, you start by entering information into the first
one, the Describe the Situation Window, and proceed one at a time until
you reach the last one, the Evaluation/Action Plan Window. However, it
is not necessary to use all windows for every situation you work with.
Once you become familiar with DynaMind, you can use those windows which
are most applicable to a particular problem. The windows are arranged
into four menus, as follows:
DESCRIBE MENU:
In this group of windows, you enter information about your
situation and the people, organizations and factors affecting it.
GOALS MENU:
Used to define your goals and objectives and to examine your goals
to be sure that they reflect your genuine desires.
STRATEGIES MENU:
The strategies windows stimulate you to generate ideas and provide
a medium to record the alternatives you create.
EVALUATION MENU:
These windows are used to analyze each of the options you produce
in the strategies windows and to create a plan for implementing
the best one.
These four menus contain the following windows:
DESCRIBE
Describe the Situation:
Enter a general description of your situation in this window.
People & Organizations:
Enter the names of the other people and organizations which
are involved in your situation here.
Rules & Assumptions:
Enter a list of the basic parameters and assumptions which
delineate your situation.
GOALS
Goals & Objectives:
Enter the specific outcomes which you desire from your
situation.
Analyze Goals:
Examine each of your goals in detail to determine if they are
what you really want and rank them in order of importance to
you.
STRATEGIES
Focus on Goals:
Create strategies by looking at your goals one at a time.
Other Viewpoints:
Create strategies by looking at your situation from other
perspectives.
Change the Rules:
Look for innovative approaches by expanding the boundaries of
your situation.
Metaphors for Your Situation:
Find parallels to your situation in other dynamic situations.
Reverse Your Goals:
Develop strategies for achieving your goals by discovering
some things that won't work.
Transform Your Strategies:
Look at all your options in one place and combine and rework
them to create new and more workable plans.
EVALUATION
Develop Criteria:
Create a list of standards to use in judging your ideas.
Pros, Cons, & Neutrals:
List the pluses and minuses of each approach.
Evaluation/Action Plan:
Develop a final evaluation of your ideas and select one or
two of the best to create an implementation plan.
DynaMind Data Structure
The information you enter into DynaMind forms a structure depicted by
the diagram below:
[Insert Diagram Here]
In this diagram, each of the boxes represents one of the windows and
the colored boxes illustrate four of DynaMind's menu groups. The arrows
connecting the windows indicate the interdependent nature of the data
in the windows.
The arrow linking the People & Organizations window to the Other
Viewpoints window shows that the people entered in the first window are
used in the second one. Similarly, the goals entered in the Goals &
Objectives window are used to form strategies in the Focus on Each Goal
window. The bidirectional arrow between Goals & Objectives and Analyze
Goals illustrates that the results of your goal analysis may cause you
to go back and modify your goals.
All the strategies produced in the strategies windows may be examined
in the Pro, Con & Neutral window. These pros and cons come together
with the strategies and the evaluation criteria in the Action Plan
window. Here you weigh the ability of each strategy to satisfy your
criteria. You then select a strategy to develop an implementation plan.
Getting Help While Using DynaMind
Operational Help
DynaMind has several kinds of context-sensitive help which you can
request while using the program. The first kind, simply called "Help"
refers to instructions on how to operate the program. This kind of help
may be requested at any time by pressing F1. A pop-up window will be
displayed containing information pertinent to the function you are
performing at the time.
When you start DynaMind, the cursor is on the help option in the File
menu. If you press F1 at this point, you will get a help window
introducing you to DynaMind.
Suggestions
The second kind of help is called "Suggestions". These are ideas on
what type of information to enter into a particular window or how a
window can be used. There are also questions in most of the Suggestions
windows which you can use to stimulate your thinking and be sure that
you haven't overlooked anything.
Editor Help
The third kind of help is a brief description of the DynaMind editor.
DynaMind does not have full word processing capabilities but it does
have an easy-to-use text editor. You can bring up a synopsis of the
DynaMind editor functions by pressing F3 whenever you are in the data
entry area of a window. There is a separate section in this manual on
the editor and more instructions on how to use F3 to call up editor
help in the sections describing the individual windows.
Scrolling Through and Expanding Help Windows
When a DynaMind help window is displayed, it starts out as a small
window at the bottom of the screen. Frequently, there is more help text
for a subject than will fit in this small window. To see additional
text, you may move through the window by using the arrow keys and the
PgUp/PgDn keys. You may also expand any help window to fill the full
screen by pressing Alt-F1 (hold down the Alt key and press F1).
Exiting From Help
To exit from any help window, press Return or Esc. The main thing to
remember is if at any time, you don't understand what DynaMind is
asking, press F1 for a context-sensitive description of what is valid
input at that point.
Entering Information with DynaMind
There are a few principles which are used throughout DynaMind that you
need to know. First, to exit from any window or prompt, you can use the
Esc or F10 key. If, at any time, you seem to be stuck, try pressing one
of these two keys.
DynaMind Function Keys
Each DynaMind window has several functions which are assigned to the
IBM-PC function keys. Depending on the model of your PC, these will be
arranged at either the left side of the keyboard or along the top of
it. At the bottom of each window along the border, there will be a line
indicating the functions assigned to the keys for that window. We have
already introduced the use of the keys F1, F2, and F3 to get three
different kinds of online help. They are available in all windows.
Two other functions which are common to most DynaMind windows are Add
and Delete. You use these functions to add and delete items to/from the
window. The Add function is assigned to key F4 and the Delete function
is assigned to key F5 in all windows having those functions. Other
functions are assigned to other keys as needed for the individual
windows.
Entering Information in DynaMind Windows
Many DynaMind windows are split horizontally into two or more areas. In
any window, the maximum number of lines of text you may enter depends
on the number of lines on the screen for that type of data. You may
have a number of items in a window area which, taken together, do not
all fit in the area at one time. You may view the other items by
scrolling up or down with the arrow keys. However, all the lines of a
single item will always be visible on the screen since it is not
possible to enter more lines than there are available to display it. If
you come to the bottom of an area and try to enter more lines, DynaMind
will make a thud sound.
Using Menus and Command Keys
Using Menus
You can select DynaMind windows either by using menus or by using
control-key commands. When you first start DynaMind, the File menu is
displayed. You can move through the menus by pressing the up/down and
left/right arrow keys (on the numeric keypad). If the cursor does not
move and the system beeps, this means that your keypad is in NumLck
state (it generates numbers instead of cursor motion commands). To
change it to cursor keys, press the NumLck key.
To select a window from the menu, you can move the cursor to the window
name and press Return or you can press the key shown at the beginning
of that window. For example to select the Describe the Situation
window, you would press the D key since a D is shown at the beginning
of the line for the Describe the Situation window.
Selecting Windows Quickly with Command Keys
DynaMind also allows you to jump instantly between windows using a
command key method. Once you are familiar with the DynaMind windows,
you can use this method to change windows more quickly than by using
the menus. This command key method cannot be used when a menu is
displayed, however. It is only available when you are in the data entry
area of a window.
At the end of each line in the menus, there are three characters in
parentheses indicating what the command key sequence is to select that
window. For example, at the end of the Describe the Situation line in
the menu, are the characters ^TD. The first two characters ^T refer to
a control-T. This command is generated by holding down the CTRL key and
simultaneously pressing the T key. After you have pressed CTRL-T, a
small menu box appears in the center of the screen to remind you what
your choices are. If you then press the D key, the Describe the
Situation window will be immediately displayed. Naturally, you would
only use this command while in a window other than the Describe the
Situation window.
If you press any key other than the ones shown in the small pop-up
selection box, you will be returned to the currently active window.
There is one exception to this, however. To make it easier for you to
select windows through the command key method, DynaMind will accept the
second character whether you press the upper- or lower-case version of
it or even the control- version of it. In other words, if you press
CTRL-T followed by CTRL-D, DynaMind will still send you to the Describe
the Situation window since that is most likely what you intended.
You will notice that in the Strategies menu, the Metaphors window
command is ^SM. This means that if you press CTRL-S followed by "m",
"M", or CTRL-M, you will be sent to the Metaphors window. However,
CTRL-M is exactly the same as the Return key. Therefore, if you press
Return intending to cancel the command, you will instead be sent to the
Metaphors window.
The DynaMind Editor
The DynaMind text editor allows you to enter information into each of
the windows. There are two modes, Insert and Overtype. When in Insert
mode, the cursor is displayed as a flashing underline. When in Overtype
mode, it is displayed as a flashing block. To switch between the two
modes, press the Ins key (keypad must not be in NumLck state).
Moving the Cursor
To move the cursor through text, the arrow keys and other numeric
keypad keys are used. The left and right arrows move one character at a
time and the up and down arrows move a line at a time. The Return key
also moves down one line at a time. To move a word at a time, hold down
the Ctrl key and press the left/right arrows. The Home key moves to the
beginning of the line and the End key moves to the last character on
the line. The PgUp key moves to the first character of the first line
in the current item and the PgDn key moves to the first character of
the last line in the current item.
Deleting Text
To delete the character to the left of the cursor, press the BackSpace
key. To delete the character under the cursor, press the Del key. To
delete the word to the left of the cursor, press Ctrl-Home. To delete
the word to the right of the cursor, press Ctrl-End. To delete an
entire line, press Ctrl-BackSpace but use caution because once a line
is deleted, it cannot be restored. If there is only one line left in
the current item, it cannot be deleted with Ctrl-BackSpace. To delete
all the text from the only line in an item, use Ctrl-Home/Ctrl-End.
Formatting Text
There is no word wrap in DynaMind but you can achieve the same effect
by inserting text and reformatting it. When inserting text it may be
necessary to insert a blank line to make room for the new information.
To insert a line, move to the location where you want to add new text
and press Ctrl-Return. All the text following the cursor on the current
line will be moved to the next line and all lines after the current
line will be moved down a line. (If there is no room in the window for
an additional line, Ctrl-Return will be unable to insert a new line and
will beep instead.)
After you have inserted text in this fashion, you may have some lines
which are only partially full. To reformat the item so that it looks
better, move to the line at which you want reformatting to begin and
press Ctrl-PrtSc. Reformatting will take place from the beginning of
the current line to the end of the item. After reformatting, there may
be some blank lines at the end of the item. To remove these, move to a
blank line and delete it by pressing Ctrl-BackSpace.
Reformatting Multiple Paragraphs
To format an item so that it appears in several paragraphs, begin
reformatting at the beginning. This will have the effect of compressing
everything into one paragraph. Next, move to the location where you
want the second paragraph to begin and press CTRL-Return twice. This
will move the text to the next line and insert a blank line between the
two paragraphs. Then reformat again (by pressing Ctrl-PrtSc) from the
beginning of the second paragraph. Repeat this process for each
paragraph, working your way through the text from the first paragraph
to the last.
FILE MENU
This section describes the options on the File menu.
Help
You can get an introductory help window by pressing F1 while the cursor
is on this option in the File menu. If you press H or Return while the
cursor is on the help option, you will get a short help window
instructing you to exit that window and press F1 for the introductory
help window.
Retrieve File From Disk
This option is used to retrieve a file you have previously created and
saved using the Save option. You can enter any valid MS-DOS filename
with or without a directory name. DynaMind does not append any
extension to your filename. If you want an extension, you must supply
one explicitly. We suggest the extension .DYN for DynaMind files.
Example file names are WORK.DYN, SCHOOL.DYN, NEW_JOB, and {TEST}.(_).
Examples of filenames with an explicit disk drive and directory might
be B:TEST.DYN and D:\WP\DAVE.DAT.
When you select the Retrieve option, a default filename will usually be
displayed. If you want to retrieve the file shown, just press Return.
If you want to retrieve a different file, type the name of the file.
When you type the first keystroke, the default filename will be removed
from the screen unless the first key you press is one of the cursor
movement keys. If you press the left or right arrow key, you can edit
the displayed filename. For example, if the filename TEST were
displayed and you wanted to retrieve TEST2, press the right arrow four
times and then press the 2 key, followed by Return.
Whenever you make changes to a file, you must save the file to disk in
order for those changes to be permanent. If, after working on one file,
you attempt to retrieve another one without first saving the current
one, DynaMind asks the following question:
Unsaved changes have been made; retrieve anyway?
This is to remind you that you have entered information which has not
yet been saved to disk. If you press N or Return, you will be exited
from the Retrieve option. If you want to save the information, do so
using the Save option. If you press Y, the information in memory will
be erased and the new file retrieved. (The file will still exist on
disk as it was the last time you saved it.)
If you select the Retrieve option and then decide that you do not want
to retrieve a file after all, press Esc to exit from the Retrieve
option.
Save File to Disk
The Save option is used to save the information you have entered into
the DynaMind windows to a disk file. See the section on the Retrieve
option for examples of valid filenames and for information on editing
the default filename displayed.
Whenever you save a file in DynaMind, a configuration file
(DYNAMIND.CNF) is updated with the name of the file saved. The next
time you use DynaMind (in the same directory) DynaMind will read the
configuration file and supply the last saved file as the default for
subsequent saves and retrieves.
If you select the Save option and then decide that you do not want to
save the file after all, press Esc to exit without saving.
Configure
DynaMind has two items which can be configured: which printer port to
use and which disk contains the help files. Whenever you change one of
these items, you must exit DynaMind and restart it before the changes
will take effect.
Configuring a Printer
The printer port must be a parallel port and can be either LPT1 or
LPT2. Enter either 1 or 2 to select a printer port. If your printer is
connected to a serial port rather than a parallel port, you can direct
printer output to a disk file and then copy the disk file to the serial
port. See the next section for instructions on how to print to a disk
file. An example of an MS-DOS command to copy a text file to a serial
port is the following:
COPY filename.ext COM1
You would need to set the communications parameters for the serial port
beforehand with a DOS MODE command. You could also use a word
processing program to retrieve this text file and edit or print it.
Configuring the Help Files
DynaMind normally looks for its help files in the current directory of
the current disk. This is the most convenient way to use DynaMind on a
hard disk system. There are three such help files, DYNAMIND.HLP,
DYNAMIND.TXT, and DYNAMIND.TUT.
If you have a dual-floppy system with 360K drives, the help files will
not fit on the same disk with the program. Therefore, you must tell
DynaMind where to find them. If the program file DM.EXE is on your A:
drive, then you will probably put the help files on a disk in the B:
drive. To configure DynaMind to find the help files on another disk,
press a key corresponding to the letter denoting the drive where the
help files may be found. Remember to exit to DOS and restart DynaMind
after making any configuration changes.
Speeding up Help File Access
As mentioned above, on a hard disk system the help files will normally
be installed in the same directory with the program, DM.EXE. However,
if you have a RAM disk, you can speed up DynaMind's access to these
files by placing them on the RAM drive. (DynaMind itself loads entirely
into memory when you start it so there is no advantage to putting
DM.EXE on a RAM disk.)
Monitors
DynaMind will run on either a monochrome or color monitor with no
configuration changes required. DynaMind detects what kind of video
adapter is in use and adjusts accordingly. If you run DynaMind on a
color monitor but do not get colors, try exiting to DOS and entering
the following command:
MODE CO80
Then restart DynaMind. Certain programs can leave the system in a
monochrome state even on a color system.
Selecting Windows to Print
You can print the contents of one or more DynaMind windows with the
print option. To select a window to print, press a number or letter key
corresponding to the window. The line containing the name of the window
will be highlighted to show that it has been selected. To deselect a
window which is currently selected, press its key again.
The information printed is organized by windows where that is the most
logical way. However, in some cases, the information is grouped
according to logical relationships between the items. For example, if
you select the Analyze Goals window, the analysis for each goal is
printed along with the goal it relates to. This means that when you
select the Analyze window, you must also select the Goals & Objectives
window. Otherwise, the goal analyses would not be able to print. This
is also the case with the Pro, Con & Neutral window. Pros and cons only
print if you are printing one or more strategies windows.
Also, if you print any of the strategies windows, any strategies which
you entered in the Transform Strategies window will also be printed.
Selecting All Windows
To select all windows, press the Z key. Pressing the Z key repeatedly,
toggles all windows on and off. The first time you press it, all
windows are selected. The next time you press it, all windows are
deselected.
Begin Printing
When you have selected the windows to be printed, press the P key to
begin printing (or to send output to a disk file - see below).
Print Options
There are several print options which you can select. Press O to
display the print options window. You can set the top and bottom
margins (number of lines) and the number of lines on your printer
paper.
Printing to a Disk File
You can also send the print output to a disk file, if desired. This is
an ASCII text file which can then be imported into a text editor or
word processor. To send output to a disk file, answer the "Print to
disk file" question with Y and enter the name of the file in the field
below.
Also, if you have do not have a parallel printer, you can send the
output to a disk file and then copy the text file to a serial port. See
the Configure section for an example command for doing this.
Exit
When you have finished using DynaMind, you can exit to DOS by selecting
this option. If you have been working on one problem and you want to
start a new, empty file, exit to DOS and start DynaMind again. You can
select exit from within any window by pressing CTRL-F followed by E
(see the section on command keys, above).
If you have made any changes to your file and have not saved it,
DynaMind will ask the question:
Unsaved changes have been made; exit anyway?
If you answer by pressing Y, DynaMind will exit and the changes you
have made will not be saved to a disk file. If you press N, DynaMind
will return to the current window or menu, thus allowing you to save
your file if you so desire.
SITUATION MENU
Describe the Situation Window
The Describe the Situation window is the one where you usually begin
work on your problem. By entering a brief summary of your situation,
you can focus your attention on the important factors and perhaps take
a step back and gain some perspective on it. When dealing with a
difficult problem, writing about it can frequently help you get a
handle on it and make it seem less imposing.
Entering Text
As in all DynaMind windows, you may enter as much text as will fit into
the on-screen space for that item. In this window, that includes the
entire screen (except for the borders). However, it is not possible to
scroll once the window becomes full. (In other windows you can enter
more than will fit within the window by creating multiple items and
scrolling.)
Help & Exiting
The only functions available in this window (in addition to the Editor)
are the help functions. Pressing the F1 key brings up a help window
which describes the other function keys. Pressing F2 for suggestions
displays a window with some ideas on the type of information which
should be entered here. There are also a number of questions to help
you be sure that you have included all the essential factors. To get
help on how to use the DynaMind editor, press F3.
When you have finished entering a synopsis of your situation, press F10
or Esc to return to the menu.
People & Organizations Window
In this window you should enter a list of all the people who are
involved in your situation. You may find it helpful to enter the names
of people you would like to involve as well as those already involved.
Also, consider entering the names of people you could ask for advice or
assistance.
Entering People
When you select this window, you are placed in position to enter the
first name. After entering the first person, press F4 to add the next
one. A new item number will be created. It is not necessary to press
Return after entering each person's name since pressing F4
automatically starts a new entry.
Once you have several people entered in this window, you can move
through them by pressing the up and down arrows.
Deleting People
To delete any of the people you have entered, press the F5 key. A pop-
up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. To proceed
with the deletion, press the F5 key again. Pressing any other key will
abort the delete operation, thus preserving the name. Once a person has
been deleted, there is no way to undelete so be sure you want to delete
before confirming.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the People & Organizations window.
Press F2 for suggestions on which people to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
To exit from the People & Organizations window, press F10 or Esc.
Rules & Assumptions Window
The Rules & Assumptions window is provided to help you become aware of
those aspects of your situation which limit your ability to realize
your goals. Once you identify your obstacles, you can begin to overcome
them. Also, you may find that some of the restrictions you have been
subconsciously assuming can be altered or diminished. Naming the things
which define the boundaries of your situation is the first step toward
getting a handle on them. You will have the opportunity to explore this
in depth in the Change the Rules window.
Entering Items
You add rules and restrictions by pressing the F4 key and entering the
text with the DynaMind editor.
Deleting Items
To delete any of the rules and restrictions that you have entered,
press the F5 key. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the
deletion. To proceed with the deletion, press the F5 key again.
Pressing any other key will abort the delete operation, thus preserving
the item. Once an item has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it
so be sure you want to delete before confirming.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Rules & Assumptions window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
To exit from the Rules & Assumptions window, press F10 or Esc.
GOALS MENU
Goals & Objectives Window
The Goals & Objectives window provides you with a place to describe the
desired outcome of your situation. You are much more likely to achieve
a satisfactory result if you have carefully considered what results you
want. The process of entering your goals can also help you to
crystallize your thoughts. In addition, having your goals in written
form helps you to keep your attention focused on them.
Entering Goals
You add goals by pressing F4 and entering the text with the DynaMind
editor.
Deleting Goals
To delete any of the goals that you have entered, press the F5 key. A
pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. To
proceed with the deletion, press the F5 key again. Pressing any other
key will abort the delete operation, thus preserving the goal. Once a
goal has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it so be sure you
want to delete before confirming.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Goals & Objectives window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
To exit from the Goals & Objectives window, press F10 or Esc.
Analyze Goals Window
The Analyze Goals window assists you in examining each of your goals to
determine what benefits you will obtain and to be sure that you focus
on the things that are most important to you. This windowasks a series
of questions which allow you to see how attaining each objective will
affect you and what will be required to achieve it.
At the top of the window you will see one of the goals you entered in
the Goals & Objectives window. Below this is one of several questions
which you will be asked to answer. In the bottom half of the window is
space for you to enter your responses to these questions.
Answering Questions
When you enter this window, the first three lines of your first goal
will be displayed in the Goal area at the top and the first question
will be displayed in the Question area. To begin your analysis, answer
this question in the space provided for response 1. You can enter as
many lines of text as necessary up to a maximum of what will fit in the
response area of this window.
When you have completed your response to the first question, press the
down arrow key to move to the second response. Next, press F7 to move
the cursor to the Question area. Then press the down arrow key to
display the second question. Finally, press F7 again to return the
cursor to response 2 in the Response area. Now you can enter your
answer to the second question.
After answering the second question, press F7 again followed by the
down arrow to display question 3. Then press F7 once more to return to
the response area and enter your answer in response 3. By continuing
this process you can display and answer all seven questions.
When answering the questions, you may fill up the Response area before
you have answered all seven questions. If this occurs, just press the
down arrow key to move to the next response number when you run out of
room. The previous responses will scroll up to make room for your next
answer.
Moving to the Next Goal
After you have answered all the questions for your first goal, you may
want to do the same for each of your other goals. To move to the second
goal, press F6 to move the cursor to the Goal area. Then press the down
arrow key to display your second goal. Next, press F6 again to return
the cursor to the Response area.
After selecting the second goal, the Response area will be cleared to
make room for your answers for this goal. Enter your responses one at a
time as described above. Continue this process until you have analyzed
each of your goals.
You can view your responses for any goal with the following procedure.
Press F6 to move the cursor to the Goal area. Press the up or down
arrow keys until the desired goal is displayed. Then press F6 again to
return to the Response area. The response area is updated only after
you return the cursor to it.
Goals Wrap Around
While moving through the goals, when you come to the last one, if you
press the down arrow key again, the first goal will be displayed.
Similarly, when the first goal is displayed, if you press the up arrow
key, the last goal will be displayed. This allows you to position to a
desired goal more quickly.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Analyze Goals window. Press F2
for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for information
on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have completed you goal analysis, press F10 or Esc to exit
from the Analyze Goals window.
STRATEGIES MENU
Focus on Each Goal Window
The Focus on Each Goal window allows you to develop strategies for
achieving each of your goals by concentrating your attention on each
one. By keeping your goals firmly in mind as you create your plans, you
help to insure that your plans will have the desired effect.
Entering Strategies
When you enter this window, one of your goals will be displayed at the
top and there will be room below it for you to enter strategies for
obtaining this goal. After entering the first strategy, you can enter
additional ones by pressing F4.
Deleting Strategies
To delete any of the strategies that you have entered, press the F5
key. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. To
proceed with the deletion, press the F5 key again. Pressing any other
key will abort the delete operation, thus preserving the strategy. Once
an item has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it so be sure you
want to delete it before confirming.
Moving to the Next Goal
When you have finished entering strategies for the first goal, press F6
to move the cursor to the Goal area. Then press the down arrow key to
display another goal followed by F6 to return to the Response area. The
Strategies area will be cleared to make room for you to enter
strategies for the new goal.
You may now enter as many strategies as you like for the goal
displayed. By pressing F6 and the up and down arrow keys, you can
create strategies for each of the goals you entered in the Goals &
Objectives window. You may view the strategies you have entered for the
various goals by displaying the appropriate goal. Be sure to press F6
after selecting a goal to return to the Strategy area. The strategies
are not redisplayed until you return to the Strategy area.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Focus on Each Goal window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
You may find that one of your strategies can be used to achieve several
of your goals. When this occurs, it is best not to repeat the strategy
each time. Simply enter it once and just be aware that you have already
entered it when you think of it again.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Other Viewpoints Window
The Other Viewpoints window helps you to create new alternatives by
looking at your situation the way that another person might.
Familiarity with a situation can sometimes bring with it a failure to
look beyond the conventional ways of doing things. In this window, you
are asked to take on the attitudes and outlook of another person. Each
individual has his or her own style of problem-solving. By employing
another person's methods, you may be able to come up with a fresh
approach to your situation.
Adding Strategies
When you enter this window, you will see at the top the name of one of
the people you entered in the People & Organizations window. Below this
is an area for entering strategies which you may devise by looking at
your situation from this person's point of view. You may enter as many
strategies as you like from this person's point of view. Press F4 to
begin new strategies.
Deleting Strategies
To delete any of the strategies that you have entered, press the F5
key. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. To
proceed with the deletion, press the F5 key again. Pressing any other
key will abort the delete operation, thus preserving the strategy. Once
an item has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it so be sure you
want to delete it before confirming.
Displaying the Names of Other People
When you are finished entering strategies for the first person, press
F6 to move the cursor to the Person area at the top of the window. Next
press the down arrow key to select the next person from the People &
Organizations window. Then press F6 again to return the cursor to the
Strategy area. When you press F6 again, the Strategy area will be
cleared to make room for new strategies from the new person's
viewpoint.
Repeat the above process to enter strategies from the viewpoint of each
of the people you entered in the People & Organizations window.
Viewpoints of Famous People
DynaMind provides the names of a number of famous people, both real and
fictional, for you to use. These people range from Winston Churchill to
James Dean so that you can get a wide variety of viewpoints. Some of
them would likely have attitudes quite different from your own and may
help you to think of things in a new way.
To see the names of these people, press F7. The name previously
displayed there will be temporarily replaced with the name of one of
DynaMind's famous figures. To see each of the various people, press the
down arrow key; you may press the up arrow key to go back to a name
previously displayed.
When you see a name which you would like to work with, press F9 to mark
it. You may continue through the list marking as many names as you
want. If you wish to unmark a name after marking it, press F9 again and
the highlighting will be removed. When you are finished looking at the
list of names, press F7 again to return to the Strategy area. The
display will be restored to its state prior to pressing F7.
To display the people you have just selected and enter strategies,
press F6 to move the cursor to the People area. Press the up/down arrow
keys and the people you have selected will now be displayed. When you
come to one that you want to work with, press F6 again to return the
cursor to the Strategy area.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Other Viewpoints window. Press
F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Change the Rules Window
The Change the Rules window suggests that you take a look at the
assumptions you have made about your situation. Often, we get used to
thinking that because things are a certain way, they have always been
that way and will continue to be that way. By questioning some of these
assumptions, you may find that some of the supposedly unchangeable
aspects of a situation can, in fact, be changed.
Beyond this, however, breaking the rules gives you the freedom to
explore a completely different path toward your goal. Before
Copernicus, most people thought that the Earth was at the center of the
universe. However, Copernicus questioned what everyone else took to be
obvious. By doing so, he was able to conceive a more accurate
explanation for the motions of the planets.
Adding Strategies
When you enter this window, you will see one of the rules or
restrictions which you entered in the Rules & Assumptions window. Below
this is an area for you to enter strategies based on the notion that
this restriction is no longer valid. You may enter as many strategies
as you can think of by mentally breaking this rule. To add strategies,
press F4.
Deleting Strategies
To delete any of the strategies that you have entered, press the F5
key. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. To
proceed with the deletion, press the F5 key again. Pressing any other
key will abort the delete operation, thus preserving the strategy. Once
an item has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it so be sure you
want to delete it before confirming.
Displaying Other Rules & Assumptions
When you have finished entering strategies for the first rule, press F6
to move the cursor to the Rules & Assumption area. Then press the down
arrow key to display the next restriction. Press F6 again to return to
the Strategy area. When you press F6 the second time, the Strategy area
will be cleared to make room for you to enter strategies based on the
new rule.
Repeat the above process to enter strategies based on changing each of
the rules you entered in the Rules & Assumptions window.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Change the Rules window. Press
F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Metaphors for Your Situation Window
The Metaphors for Your Situation window asks you to look at other
situations as metaphors for your own situation. If you look closely you
can frequently find parallels between two situations which are
basically unrelated. Techniques which you might use to deal with one
situation can sometimes be adapted to the other situation. In addition,
taking a side trip away from your problem can sometimes expand your
thinking so that when you return to it, you can come at it from a
different direction.
Structure of the Metaphors Window
The Metaphors window is divided into three areas. At the top, a
metaphorical situation is displayed along with a question asking you
how your own situation resembles the one shown. In the middle area, you
are asked what techniques might be used in dealing with the
metaphorical situation. At the bottom, you are asked how these
techniques might be modified to be used in your situation.
Entering Information
You start by answering the questions at the top and work your way to
the bottom. To move from one area to the next, press F6. Pressing F6
repeatedly allows you to cycle through all the areas. To add items in
any area, press F4. The maximum number of lines in a single item is
limited to the amount of space available in its area of the window. If
you need more room, press F4 to create a new item.
Deleting Items
To delete items, press F5. When you press F5, you will be asked to
confirm the deletion by pressing F5 again. If you press F5 again, the
item will be deleted. If you press any other key, it will be retained.
Be sure that you wish to delete the item before confirming deletion
because once it has been deleted, there is no way to undelete it.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Metaphors window. Press F2 for
suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for information on
how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Reverse Your Goals Window
The Reverse Your Goals Window asks you to formulate goals which are the
opposite of your actual goals and then to devise ways of achieving
these reversed goals. Next, you reverse these strategies to come up
with options which could be used to accomplish your real goals. While
this may seem like a backwards approach, you will find that it points
out some things you will want to avoid in pursuing your objectives. And
as with the other strategies windows, being unconventional can help you
to loosen up your thinking.
Entering Reversed Goals and Strategies
At the top of this window, you will see one of the goals that you
entered in the Goals & Objectives window. You begin by entering the
opposite of the goal shown. When you have done this, press F6 to move
to the middle Strategy area. Here you can enter some strategies for
attaining the reversed goal. To complete the process, press F6 to move
to the bottom Strategy area and enter strategies for achieving your
true goal.
In any of the areas, you can enter multiple goals or strategies by
pressing F4. You may delete any of these items by pressing F5 and
confirming deletion by pressing F5 again.
Displaying Other Goals
When you have finished working with the first goal, press F7 to move
the cursor to the Goals area at the top of the window. Press the down
arrow key to display the next goal followed by F7 again to return to
the Reverse Goal area. The information entry portions of the window
will be cleared to make room for the goals and strategies you will
enter for the new goal. Repeat the process described above to develop
strategies based on the current goal.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Reverse Your Goals window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Transform Your Strategies Window
The Transform Your Strategies window displays all of the strategies you
have entered in the other strategies windows. This allows you to see
each of your strategies in relation to the others and to combine
similar ideas. It also provides a place for you to rework some of your
ideas which may not yet be fully developed. The suggestions window
contains a series of questions to stimulate your thinking and help you
to modify your strategies.
Entering Information
You can add new ideas to this window by pressing F4. On occasion, you
may find when attempting to add lines to a strategy that DynaMind beeps
and does not allow you to do so. This will occur if the strategy to
which you are attempting to add lines already has the maximum number of
lines. The maximum number of lines for a strategy is determined by the
number of lines for that strategy in the window that it was originally
entered in. For example, the maximum number of lines you can enter for
a strategy in the Focus on Each Goal window is 17 but the maximum
number of lines for a strategy in the Metaphors window is only 6.
You can also delete any duplicate or unwanted strategies by pressing
F5.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Transform Your Strategies
window. Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3
for information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering strategies in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
EVALUATION MENU
Develop Criteria for Evaluating Your Strategies Window
This window provides a place for you to make a list of the standards by
which you will judge the various alternatives that you develop. Having
such a list enables you to measure each of your options according to
the same criteria. If one alternative provides some important benefit,
then it would be important to note whether other alternatives also
offer this benefit. A list of criteria also helps you to be objective
in appraising your choices. While the goals you set are guided by your
subjective desires and emotions, the capacity of various plans to
achieve those goals can usually be measured in a more objective manner.
Entering Information
When you select the Develop Criteria window, you will see one of your
goals displayed at the top of the screen. Below this, will be a place
for you to enter the various criteria by which you will measure your
strategies. As you think about the goal displayed, enter one or more
specific conditions which you can use to determine whether the goal has
been achieved.
You may enter as many criteria as you like by pressing F4 to create new
ones and you can delete criteria by pressing F5.
Viewing Other Goals
After you have entered one or more statements which describe the
successful attainment of the first goal, press F6 to move the cursor to
the goal area. Then press the down arrow key to select the next goal,
followed by F6 again to return the cursor to the Criteria area. You may
now enter criteria to apply in judging your strategies' effectiveness
in accomplishing this goal.
Continue the above process until you have developed a complete list of
standards by which you can measure the merits of each of your options.
Using Standard Criteria
DynaMind has a list of standard criteria which can be applied to many
common situations. You can select one or more of these criteria to use
in evaluating your choices. To see the list, press F7. The Goal area
will be temporarily replaced with a criterion from the standard list.
If the criterion shown would be useful in judging your strategies,
press F9 to mark it; it will be highlighted.
To see each of the standard criteria, press the up and down arrow keys
repeatedly. Each time you press one of these keys, a different
criterion will be displayed. You can select any of these criteria by
pressing F9 while the desired criterion is displayed. To deselect a
criterion, press F9 again; the highlighting will be removed.
When you have finished selecting criteria from the standard list, press
F7 again to return the cursor to the Criteria area. Each of the
criteria you marked will be copied into the working Criteria area. If
your Criteria area happens to already be full of criteria, you will not
see anything happen on the screen. However, the criteria have in fact
been copied to the end of your list. You can see them by pressing the
down arrow key to scroll them into the window.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Develop Criteria window. Press
F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished entering criteria in this window, press F10 or
Esc to exit.
Pro, Con & Neutral Window
The Pro, Con & Neutral window provides a means of examining each of the
strategies you develop and listing their advantages and disadvantages.
You focus on one strategy at a time to avoid the confusion of trying to
mentally juggle a number of scenarios. Also, explicitly stating the
pros and cons helps you to separate the objective aspects of an idea
from your subjective preconceptions about it.
In addition, there is a place for entering notes for each strategy.
This space is called neutrals and may consist of things which are not
necessarily either pros or cons. Or a neutral could be something which
is an advantage at one time or when viewed from one perspective while
it might be a disadvantage at another time.
Entering Pros, Cons, & Neutrals
This window is divided into four areas. At the top, you will see a
strategy that you entered in one of the Strategies windows. Below the
Strategy area are areas for entering pros, cons and neutrals for the
strategy displayed. The number of lines you can add to a single item is
limited by the space available in that area of the window. However, you
can create as many items of each kind as you need. As with all DynaMind
windows, you create new items by pressing F4 and you delete items by
pressing F5. In any of the three areas, to display items which are not
currently shown, use the arrow keys to scroll up and down.
To move the cursor among the Pro, Con and Neutral areas, press F6. Each
time you press this key, the cursor moves from the current area to the
next. By repeatedly pressing F6, you can cycle through all three areas.
Moving to the Next Strategy
When you have finished entering pros, cons and neutrals for the
strategy shown, press F7 to move the cursor to the Strategy area. Next,
press the down arrow key to display the next strategy. Then press F7
again to return the key to the Pro area. The Pro, Con and Neutral areas
will be cleared to make room for information for the newly-displayed
strategy. Follow the procedure described above to enter pros, cons and
neutrals for this strategy. Continue moving through each strategy until
you have entered pros and cons for each of the strategies you wish to
consider.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Pro, Con & Neutral window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished evaluating strategies, press F10 or Esc to exit
this window.
Evaluation/Action Plan Window
The Evaluation/Action Plan window is where you make a final decision on
which of your alternatives you will implement. You can view each
strategy along with its pros, cons and neutrals and you can review each
of the criteria you entered in the Develop Criteria window. An area is
provided for you to summarize the relative merits of each strategy and
to enter a brief plan of action for one or two of your most likely
candidates.
When you enter this window, you will see one of your strategies in the
Strategy area at the top of the screen. Below this, you will see one of
the pros you entered for this strategy. At the bottom is a place for
you to enter a descriptive evaluation or an action plan.
Displaying Pros, Cons, Neutrals & Criteria
You can change the type of information displayed in the middle section
by repeatedly pressing F7. The first time you press F7, the pro in the
middle area is replaced with one of the cons for the current strategy.
The next time you press F7, the con is replaced with a neutral.
Pressing F7 again replaces the neutral with one of the criteria that
you entered in the Develop Criteria window. If you press F7 again, the
criterion will be replaced with the pro which was originally displayed.
Repeatedly pressing F7 allows you to display one of these four types of
information.
Selecting Individual Pros, Cons, Neutrals & Criteria
Since there is only room for one item at a time in the
Pro/Con/Neutral/Criterion area, a means has been provided for
displaying the others. For example, when a pro is displayed in the
middle area, you can press F8 to move the cursor to this area. You can
then press the up and down arrow keys to display each of the pros which
apply to the current strategy. You can return the cursor to the
Evaluation/Action Plan area at any time by pressing F8 again. This
technique will also work to display the various cons, neutrals and
criteria.
Moving to the Next Strategy
When you have finished considering the strategy displayed, press F6 to
move the cursor to the Strategy area. Press the down arrow key followed
by F6 again to return to the Evaluation/Action Plan area. You can now
view the pros, cons, etc. for this strategy and enter an evaluation or
action plan for it. By repeating this procedure, you can view each of
your strategies and formulate action plans for those you wish to
pursue.
Help & Exiting
Press F1 for help on how to operate the Evaluation/Action Plan window.
Press F2 for suggestions on what information to enter. Press F3 for
information on how to use the DynaMind editor.
When you have finished evaluating strategies, press F10 or Esc to exit
this window.
Creativity and Problem-Solving Techniques
Factors influencing creativity
Everyone has some amount of creativity although some of us have more
than others. No one really knows whether a person's innate amount of
creativity can be increased but one thing is certain. That creativity
which a person does possess may be stimulated through the use of
certain techniques which may be learned and applied to any problem.
DynaMind helps to guide you in the use of these techniques.
Intelligence and education are not prerequisites for creativity. Thomas
Edison had only a grade-school education but he was determined and he
had faith. Motivation and emotion are key factors. When you are excited
and involved in a problem, there's a better chance that you will find a
solution than when you are indifferent. Motivation must be optimized,
however. Too much leads to rash decisions, too little to easy
distraction.
This is not to say that technical knowledge is unimportant; it is
important insofar as the situation you are approaching is a technical
one. Generally, the more you know about a subject, the more experience
you will have to draw on and the more approaches will be available to
you. Beware of rigid thinking, however, and believing that you already
know all the answers.
Beware, also, of the discouragement of others. Just remember that many
of the great ideas in history were laughed at when first proposed.
Someone said of the telephone, when first invented, "It's an
interesting device but I can see no practical use for it". Instead,
associate with those who believe in your talent and ability. Creative
thinking requires a positive attitude, including enthusiasm, faith and
self-confidence.
Situations vs. Problems
Even though you are frequently dealing with problem-solving when using
DynaMind, you may want to think in terms of situations rather than
problems. This is partly because of the negative connotation of the
word problem but also because the term problem is highly subjective.
One person may look at a situation as being a problem while another
person sees no problem.
For example, a parent might consider it a problem if his teenage child
told him that he was having sex with his girlfriend. However, not all
parents would feel this way. Another parent might see it simply as a
natural part of growing up. By seeing the situation as a problem, the
first parent might limit his set of responses such that effective
communication would be hampered.
In a similar vein, even though most people might not see a problem in a
situation, other highly-motivated or progressive-thinking people might
see one. For example, Thomas Edison thought that kerosene lamps were a
nuisance, what with the wick having to be trimmed and the chimney
cleaned, not to mention the fire hazard. However, most of the world at
that time had little or no conception of anything better. Sometimes,
then, it can be useful to look for "problems" where they are not
necessarily apparent.
The point here, is that what we really have in any situation is a
particular set of circumstances comprised of people, things, resources,
ideas, events and obstacles. What we really need to do is examine the
situation from all possible angles and determine what, if any, change
we would like to effect.
Solving the Appropriate Problem
Associated with this is the concept of solving the right problem or
defining the problem appropriately. For example, if you define your
goal as "buying a new car", you may overlook other alternatives such as
leasing a car or having your company provide you with a vehicle. If you
define the problem even more broadly as "acquire a new means of
transportation", you might look at buying a used car, repairing your
existing car, using public transportation, or buying a van, truck,
moped, motorcycle.
On the other hand, you must not be too vague. If you don't narrow the
choices somewhat, you may also consider buying a helicopter or a boat.
For some people, these may be viable solutions but the rest of us need
to make sure our problem statement and goals are appropriate for our
circumstances.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a method for quickly generating lots of ideas. The key
principle in brainstorming is to withold judgment of the ideas offered.
Instead, concentrate on generating the maximum possible number of
ideas. Use any idea which comes to mind, no matter how outlandish. Even
when an idea is truly impractical, you may find that putting it down
leads you to another idea which is more practical. Feel free to follow
a train of thought which seems preposterous. You may be surprised to
discover where it will lead you.
Judgment inhibits creativity if applied too soon. In the idea-forming
phase of problem-solving, imagination should take priority over
judgment. The spark of creativity is easily extinguished. This is a
time when it pays to fan the fire - even if it seems out of control.
The purpose of brainstorming is to generate copious quantities of
ideas. The best ideas are not necessarily the obvious ones. You may
have to generate 20 mediocre ideas before you hit upon a brilliant one.
If you stop at the second or third idea, you'll never know what kind of
creative alternatives you've passed up.
Transcending Your Personal & Cultural Biases
As you think of ways to approach your problem, step outside the bounds
of your daily life.
Become another person, process, object, material, idea.
Pretend you can fly or have X-ray vision; pretend to be an animal.
How would you perceive this situation if you were from another
planet, were super-intelligent, had the intelligence of a chimpanzee
or dolphin?
What if you had six arms and hands, eyes in the back of your head,
four legs, wings...?
What if you could not see, could not hear?
In the Other Viewpoints window, pretend you are an artist, pilot,
janitor, athlete, storekeeper...
Think of how your father, mother, daughter, son, brother, sister,
aunt, uncle... would handle the situation.
What would you do if you were smarter, older, younger, more self-
confident, richer, poorer, more experienced, more educated, lived in
another country or time, had more or less time, had a family/no
family, different business associates? What is preventing you from
actually acting in this way?
Role playing and role reversal are effective techniques in
interpersonal situations. Become your adversary. What will his strategy
be? What would his strategy be in your situation? How does he see you?
Forced Relationships
The Metaphors window uses a technique known as the forced relationship.
In this technique, you take two unrelated ideas and force yourself to
make some connection between them. Doing this will frequently trigger
an idea which you otherwise might not have thought of.
When using the Metaphors window, you can use this technique to the best
advantage by focusing on the strongest or most unusual characteristics
of the situations. These will have the greatest emotional and symbolic
meanings and therefore be more likely to trigger associations for you.
Researchers have shown that our memories are triggered by associations
between things which occured together. It is likely that ideas can be
generated this way, as well.
Another way of using this technique is to think of an object and ask
yourself how your situation is like the object. Or pick two objects and
force a relationship between them. Then see if there is some way to
apply that concept to your situation.
For example, consider a pencil. What are its characteristics? It is
sharp and pointed but it can get dull. When it gets dull, you can
sharpen it but this grinds it down a little, using it up. Perhaps
grinding down a problem would be a useful technique in some situations.
Conclusion
Creativity and the paths to it are personal things. Use what works for
you and don't allow yourself to stay stuck if you're not making
progress. Try a different window or technique. Sometimes, getting away
from a problem can be the best thing. Letting a problem simmer on the
back burner of your brain while you do something else can help. You may
get the inspiration you need when an association is formed during a
completely unrelated activity.
Of course, successful problem-solving doesn't happen on its own. That's
why we have created DynaMind. We hope you will find it a useful tool
for planning and creating the experiences you desire.
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