Creative Problem Solving at LMU Munich: Bridging Disciplines (and, Beyond!) in Science

For the past ten years, Inclusive Innovation has partnered with EMBO—an organization of over 2,100 leading researchers dedicated to advancing life sciences—delivering Creative Problem Solving (CPS) Training Workshops for labs within its network. These intensive two-day workshops introduce researchers to CPS, a structured methodology that enhances collaboration and innovation. Participants engage with each stage of the process—Clarify, Ideate, Develop, and Implement—while exploring practical tools to support each step.

The goal? To equip researchers with the collaborative and creative skills needed to work more effectively across disciplines. Instead of abstract exercises, participants tackle real challenges relevant to their work, applying the CPS approach firsthand over the course of the workshop.

Beyond a traditional CPS Training Lab

When Annika Guse, Professor of Molecular Biology at LMU Munich, approached us for a CPS workshop, she had an even more ambitious vision. Beyond training her lab, she wanted to dive deeper into tangible challenges and explore interdisciplinary collaboration. She was preparing a joint grant proposal with an ecology lab, and saw an opportunity: why not bring both labs together for a longer (3 days) CPS workshop—not just to learn the method, but to actively use it to structure their collaborative proposal?

Not everyone, however, would focus on the grant. Some participants would use the workshop to tackle practical lab challenges—rethinking how they use shared space or exploring ways to translate their science for society—ensuring that the CPS process remained relevant to everyone involved.

People involved

The workshop brought together researchers from two key labs at LMU Munich: Annika Guse’s molecular biology lab and Niels Dingemanse’s ecology lab—with participants ranging from early-career scientists to senior researchers.

To strengthen the grant proposal, Annika also invited external scientists whose expertise aligned with the project, ensuring a broader pool of insights.

Finally, she brought in a few unusual suspects—including an artist and a graphic designer—adding fresh perspectives and sparking creativity throughout the process.

Workshop Process

Over three days, participants engaged in a structured CPS process, moving from broad challenges to concrete action plans.

• On Day 1, the group set the stage—introducing objectives, surfacing key challenges (“wishes”), and exploring available data. By the afternoon, they began reframing challenges into problem statements and launched their first round of ideation.

• Day 2 focused on deepening the ideation process, using creative techniques to expand possibilities before narrowing them down with clear selection criteria. The afternoon was dedicated to refining promising ideas through peer feedback and translating them into actionable plans.

• On Day 3, participants presented their ideas and workplans, then shifted to hands-on facilitation practice—applying CPS methods themselves. The workshop closed with group reflections and next steps, ensuring participants left with a clear path forward.

Output & Impact

The workshop fostered both intangible and tangible outcomes that will shape future collaborations.

On a relational level, it strengthened connections between participants—especially across disciplines. Through small-group discussions, researchers from molecular biology and ecology gained deeper insight into each other’s methods and perspectives, laying the groundwork for future interdisciplinary work.

At the same time, several concrete projects took shape, each shaped by collective input and feedback throughout the workshop, including:

• A clear vision of a grant proposal integrating cell biology and evolutionary ecology.

• A plan for an interdisciplinary collaboration platform to connect researchers across fields.

• An emerging project exploring how to translate scientific knowledge into society, inspired by the idea of a comic book.

• Concrete ideas to create a more inspiring & creative lab environment.

By combining structured problem-solving with open collaboration, the workshop not only generated actionable ideas but also helped bridge disciplinary divides, setting the stage for long-term impact.

“The CPS workshop was a great experience—I would love to do it again! I really enjoyed the fun activities, the team, the group work, and the opportunity to try out different methods and reflect on them together. The energy and atmosphere were fantastic. After the workshop, I’m motivated to further develop the action plans and start acting on the topics we worked on.” Prof. Dr. Annika Guse, GuseLab at LMU Munich