NCJ Number
112313
Journal
Judges' Journal Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1988) Pages: 34-38
Date Published
1988
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Concept Group ('think tank') of the Oakland County Probate Court (Michigan) is designed to conceive productive innovations in court management that will improve court efficiency.
Abstract
Criteria for selecting group members are intelligence and flexibility, demonstrated initiative, performance, diverse thinking styles, and representative of various court areas. The group process consists of a preparation phase (discussing and researching a problem), concentration phase (defining or redefining the problem), incubation phase (2-week time between meeting to allow ideas to germinate), illumination phase (generation of potential solutions or alternatives), and verification and production (evaluation of possible solutions and alternatives). During the 2 years the group has operated, some group proposals that have been implemented are a quarterly Concept Group Newsletter emphasizing creativity, a 3-day workshop for court personnel to examine the court's functioning, monthly informal briefings by the chief court administrator, a continuing education program, an employee work-satisfaction survey, and new uses for court volunteer groups. Some obstacles to creativity groups are dormant work products, fear of failure, and pressure for immediate practical results.