Project Planning: The Effects of Using Formal Planning Techniques on Creative Problem-Solving

Two lines of research have emerged in the study of planning techniques. The psychological approach emphasizes the cognitive processes that underlie planning while project management researchers have focused on applications of planning in organizational settings. The purpose of this study is to examine how the use of formal planning techniques influences planners' creative problem‐solving. Specifically, three planning techniques, Gantt charts, case‐based planning and critical path analysis, were examined. We attempted to ascertain the impact of using these techniques on a planner's ability to develop innovative solutions. It was found that participants demonstrated higher levels of creativity when they were encouraged to consider events that could jeopardize successful goal attainment rather than using cases from memory and planning specific tasks to be done.