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Remember More. Think Clearly. Solve Problems Creatively.

Memory Training and Creative Problem Solving 1 day

Designed to help you remember facts, figures and names. Improve your memory with special memory and recall techniques. Solve problems using your logical mind and your creativity. Develop your problem-solving abilities with proven problem-solving methods. Improve your chances of success with this memory training and problem-solving course.

Available as bespoke in-house training tailored to your organisation.

★★★★★
"The course content was interesting and up to date. I have picked up some extremely useful techniques and information. The trainer's presentation was well-paced and easy to understand." - Laura Hookings, The Binding Site
Quality Training
Established 1997
6 CPD Hours

Course Overview

What is Memory Training and Creative Problem Solving?

Every day we are surrounded by facts, figures, names and numbers that we need to remember. Most people have never trained their memory, and as a result can only reliably recall five to seven items at a time. Within seconds of being introduced, people forget the names of those they have just met. This is not a fixed limitation; it is the consequence of using no system at all.

In the morning we focus on developing memory and recall skills using the RAISE method: Repetition, Association, Imagination, Structure and Effort. These five components work together to increase recall capacity dramatically, taking you from seven items to 100 and beyond, whether you are memorising names, facts, statistics or sequences of information. You will practise each technique through a series of hands-on exercises during the session.

In the afternoon, attention turns to creative problem solving. Our tools for problem solving are mental mapping and the decision matrix. Mental mapping allows you to analyse any topic into its component parts and reveal the structure inherent within it; once you understand the structure of a problem, finding solutions becomes far more manageable. The decision matrix provides a systematic way to approach six distinct categories of decision. By the end of the course, you will feel better equipped to deal with challenges in both your professional and personal life.

Unlike our Critical Thinking and Problem Solving course, which focuses on logic, inductive reasoning and structured analysis, this programme pairs a dedicated memory training system with creative and collaborative problem-solving methods; it is the practical complement to analytical rigour.

Core Skills

The Key Skills Covered

This course builds two complementary sets of capabilities: a proven memory system that dramatically improves recall, and structured problem-solving tools that harness both logical analysis and creative thinking.

  1. 1

    Rapid Recall and Memory Systems

    Understand why untrained memory is limited and how memory systems work differently. Learn the principles that underpin all effective recall techniques and apply them to the information you deal with every day, from names and faces to facts, figures and sequences.

  2. 2

    The RAISE Memory Method

    Master the five-part RAISE framework: Repetition, Association, Imagination, Structure and Effort. Each element reinforces the others, creating a reliable and scalable system for retaining information that you can apply across every area of your work and life.

  3. 3

    Association and Imagination Techniques

    Memory is built on connection. Learn how to form vivid mental associations between pieces of information, linking a word to its definition, a name to a face, a product to its price or an event to its date. Strong associations in the imagination create recall that is both reliable and lasting.

  4. 4

    Logical Problem Analysis

    Apply logical thinking to identify the true structure of any problem. Mental mapping allows you to break a complex issue into its component parts, imposing order on apparent chaos. When the structure of a problem is visible, practical solutions become far easier to generate.

  5. 5

    Creative Imagination Problem Solving

    Use creative imagination to generate solutions that logical analysis alone would not produce. Techniques include lateral thinking approaches and the mastermind method, in which multiple perspectives are brought to bear on a single problem to reveal possibilities that no individual would find working alone.

  6. 6

    The Decision Matrix

    Apply the decision matrix to six types of decision: what is most valuable; what is the best way; yes or no; if yes, which one; problem, cause and solution; and problem, implications and countermeasures. This structured approach converts difficult decisions into clear, defensible choices.

Who Is This Course For?

Who Should Attend This Memory Training and Creative Problem Solving Course?

Designed for anyone who needs to remember more, think more clearly and solve problems with greater confidence and creativity.

Managers and Team Leaders

Retain more from meetings and reports, and approach operational problems with a structured, creative toolkit.

Sales and Client-Facing Professionals

Remember names, preferences and details that build stronger client relationships and increase confidence in every interaction.

Analysts and Problem Solvers

Apply systematic mental mapping and decision-matrix methods to complex challenges, generating solutions grounded in both logic and creativity.

Anyone Seeking Greater Mental Agility

Develop a trained, reliable memory and a practical approach to problem solving that improves performance across every area of work and life.

Also valuable for technical specialists who handle large volumes of detailed information, aspiring managers who want to sharpen their analytical capabilities, and individuals seeking practical tools to improve their everyday mental performance.

Course Agenda

Memory Training and Creative Problem Solving Course Details

AM

Morning Session • Memory training and the RAISE method

Discover why untrained memory is limited and how the RAISE system overcomes those limits. Work through each component of the method in turn and practise applying the techniques to names, numbers, facts and sequences of information.

We open with an overview of the course and an honest assessment of how memory works in most people. Without any training or system, human recall is limited to approximately five to seven items at a time, and new names and information fade rapidly after first exposure. The introduction frames why this matters in professional life and explains how the morning session will address it through a practical, teachable method.
We introduce the concept of a trained memory and distinguish it from natural memory. People with an exceptional memory are almost always using a system rather than relying on innate ability. This section explains the principles that make memory techniques work: the mind retains vivid, unusual and structured information far more reliably than plain, undifferentiated content. Understanding why the techniques work increases both motivation and effectiveness when applying them.
RAISE is the five-part memory framework taught on this course: Repetition, Association, Imagination, Structure and Effort. Each component addresses a different aspect of the encoding and retrieval process. Working together, they create a comprehensive system that can be applied to any type of information. This section introduces the framework as a whole before the morning proceeds to explore each element in turn.
To remember anything reliably, we must repeat it, but not all repetition is equally effective. Random re-reading produces diminishing returns. Staged repetition, also called spaced repetition, involves reviewing information at systematically increasing intervals: shortly after first exposure, then after a day, then a week, then a month. This approach exploits the way the brain consolidates memory during rest and sleep, and produces long-term retention with far less total study time than massed repetition.
Memory training is built on the principle of association: linking new information to something already known in the mind. Isolated facts are difficult to retain because the brain has nothing to anchor them to. Associations provide those anchors. The stronger, more unusual and more personally meaningful the association, the more reliably it will serve as a cue for retrieval. This section teaches how to create purposeful associations between new information and existing mental frameworks.
The association between two pieces of information is formed in the imagination. The more vivid, exaggerated and multi-sensory the mental image, the stronger the association becomes. A faint or half-formed image creates a weak link; a bold, absurd or emotionally engaging image creates one that is almost impossible to forget. We practise constructing imagination-based links across a range of information types, including names and faces, technical terms and their definitions, and sequences of steps.
To be understood and remembered, information must be well structured. Disorganised information creates confusion and resists recall. Structure is imposed by categorising, sequencing and connecting pieces of information so that each item suggests the next. We explore how to organise lists, concepts and complex topics into logical frameworks that the mind can hold and navigate with ease.
A trained memory requires deliberate practice. Techniques do not become automatic on first exposure; they must be applied repeatedly until they become instinctive. This section addresses the role of effort and intention in memory development, and discusses realistic expectations for improvement. Delegates leave with a clear understanding of how to continue practising the RAISE method after the course.
The morning closes with a series of practical exercises in which delegates apply the full RAISE method to different types of information: remembering the names of a group of people introduced in sequence, memorising a list of statistics, retaining key points from a passage of text, and recalling a series of numbers. These exercises consolidate the techniques covered and demonstrate the measurable improvement that even a single day of training can produce.
PM

Afternoon Session • Creative problem solving and the decision matrix

Shift focus from memory to problem solving. Learn to analyse any challenge through mental mapping and logical methods, then use creative imagination and the mastermind technique to generate solutions that go beyond what logic alone can produce.

We open the afternoon by examining what makes problems difficult and why many common approaches fail. Problems often resist solution because they are poorly defined, their causes are confused with their symptoms, or the available thinking tools are not matched to the type of decision required. This section establishes a framework for thinking about problems systematically before attempting to solve them, reducing the risk of investing effort in the wrong direction.
Logical analysis involves breaking a problem into its constituent parts and examining the relationships between them. We cover causal analysis, which traces the chain of events from initial cause to final effect, and structural analysis, which identifies the components that make up a complex system or situation. Applying logical methods before reaching for creative solutions prevents the common mistake of generating answers to the wrong question.
Once a problem has been clearly defined through logical analysis, creative imagination can be used to generate solutions that go beyond the obvious. We introduce several techniques for stimulating creative thinking in a disciplined rather than random way, including analogy, in which you ask how a similar challenge has been solved in a different context, and assumption reversal, in which you list the assumptions underlying the problem and ask what happens if each one is changed or removed.
Mental mapping is a way of analysing any topic into its component parts and revealing the structure that is inherent in it. A well-constructed mind map places the central problem or topic at the centre and branches outward through categories, subcategories and specific details. When the full structure of a problem is visible on a single page, patterns and connections that were previously hidden become apparent, significantly improving the quality and range of solutions generated.
The mastermind method is a structured collaborative problem-solving technique in which a group brings its collective knowledge, experience and creativity to bear on a single challenge. One person presents their problem clearly; the group then contributes perspectives, questions, analogies and potential solutions in a disciplined format that prevents the conversation from drifting or becoming dominated by a single voice. The output is typically richer and more actionable than anything an individual would produce working alone.
The afternoon concludes with worked examples that demonstrate how the tools taught during the session have been applied to real business challenges. Delegates see the full process in action, from problem definition through logical analysis and creative generation to final decision using the decision matrix. Each delegate also applies the process to a challenge they are currently facing, leaving with a concrete plan rather than only abstract techniques.

Availability and Pricing

Delivery Options

Choose the delivery format that best fits your schedule and team.

All options deliver the same high-quality content.

Bespoke In-House

£2250+VAT

per training day

We come to you. Training delivered at your premises, tailored to your team's specific needs.

  • Your premises or online
  • Tailored to your organisation
  • Dates to suit your schedule
  • We can train in your timezone
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All Our Training Includes

Full 1 day of expert training delivered by an experienced trainer
CPD-endorsed course: 6 CPD training hours (plus 2-3 additional hours via post-course online learning)
Full digital interactive course notes
Official training certificate
Access to free additional training material via our post-course portal
3 months of free telephone coaching while you implement your learning

Questions? Call 020 3856 3037 or 01452 856091

Frequently Asked Questions

Course FAQs

You can book directly online via our course dates page, call us on 020 3856 3037, or make an enquiry and we will call you back. We accept payment by BACS, cheque or credit card. Once booked, you will receive a confirmation email with full joining instructions.
Yes. We can deliver this course exclusively for your team at your premises or online, on dates to suit you. Bespoke in-house training is priced per day rather than per delegate, making it cost-effective for groups of four or more. We can also tailor the content to address your organisation's specific challenges.
Memory training works by replacing random, passive exposure with a structured system. This course teaches the RAISE method: Repetition (staged repetition at increasing intervals), Association (linking new information to something already known), Imagination (forming vivid mental images to strengthen associations), Structure (organising information into logical frameworks) and Effort (deliberate practice to make the techniques instinctive). By combining these five elements, most people can significantly increase the amount of information they retain from meetings, reading and conversations.
The most effective ways to exercise your brain are those that involve active, effortful processing rather than passive consumption. Practising memory techniques, learning new skills, solving structured problems and engaging in focused reading all challenge the brain in ways that build cognitive capacity. This course provides two highly practical approaches: the RAISE memory system, which gives the brain a structured encoding method, and mental mapping and the decision matrix, which develop disciplined analytical and creative thinking. Regular use of these tools after the course is itself an effective form of mental exercise.
Yes, the training is highly interactive. Sessions include group discussions, exercises, case studies and individual action planning. The trainer actively teaches expert content rather than simply facilitating discussion, so delegates leave with structured knowledge they can apply immediately. The style is engaging and practical throughout.
Physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain, promotes the release of neurotrophic factors that support the growth and maintenance of neurons, and improves sleep quality, which is when the brain consolidates memories and clears metabolic waste. Research consistently shows that regular aerobic exercise improves attention, working memory capacity and the speed of information processing. While this course focuses on cognitive techniques rather than physical exercise, we discuss the relationship between physical wellbeing and mental performance as part of the broader context of improving recall and problem-solving capability.
Delegates come from a wide variety of roles and sectors. Common attendees include managers who need to retain more from meetings and reports, sales professionals who want to remember client names and details with confidence, analysts and specialists who deal with large volumes of complex information, and individuals who simply want to improve their day-to-day mental performance. The course is suitable for anyone, regardless of prior knowledge; it starts from first principles and develops practical skills that are immediately applicable.
Open courses run from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Delegates are welcome to arrive from 8:45 am; tea and coffee are available from that time. The course includes mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks plus a lunch break.

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Customer Reviews

What Delegates Say About This Course

★★★★★

"The course content was really inspiring. To learn about the effect of how you use language will be invaluable, getting the most from myself and my team. The trainer was excellent in the delivery of the course. He has a friendly nature and was clear and extremely insightful in all aspects of the course."

David Capper

International Greetings (UK) Ltd

★★★★★

"Clear set of goals which were all achieved. This course really let me visualise what I can do, as a manager, to make myself and my team more productive. Thanks for an excellent course Chris. The trainer's presentation was well structured, clear and the presenter was knowledgeable and confident."

Allyn Jefferrs

Truro College

★★★★★

"The course was brilliant. I especially liked the decision-making matrix and the past/future emotions chart. I've learnt a lot about how I work personally and how to try to better myself as a person. The trainer was energetic, to the point, clear and put his ideas across in a memorable way. I didn’t feel bored or disinterested at any point. Thank you Chris!"

Emma Price

Acora

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Ready to Improve Your Memory and Problem-Solving Skills?

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