Become a certified VIEW Practitioner.
Why choose VIEW certification?
Imagine this: a team of smart, motivated people is sitting around a table to tackle a complex issue. Yet the collaboration isn’t going smoothly. One person wants to start generating new ideas right away, thinking far outside the box. Another wants to thoroughly understand the problem first and proceed step by step. One person thinks out loud and needs others to help shape their thoughts. A colleague needs silence to reflect before sharing anything. One makes decisions based on data and logic. The other primarily weighs the human impact.
No one is wrong. Everyone is creative—but in a fundamentally different way.
These are not personality flaws or team conflicts. They are style differences — deep-rooted, consistent preferences in how people approach problems, process information, and make decisions. And they are completely normal, universally present, and extremely valuable — if you recognize them and know how to make them productive.
That is exactly what VIEW: An Assessment of Problem Solving Style was developed for.
What makes VIEW unique is that it does not pass judgment. No single style is better or more creative than another. VIEW reveals how someone is creative—not how much. That distinction, the so-called level-style distinction, is the conceptual core of the instrument and constitutes one of the Cognitive Styles Project’s most significant contributions to global creativity research.
As a certified VIEW Practitioner, you possess the knowledge, interpretation skills, and tools to use this instrument professionally and responsibly. Whether you work as a coach, facilitator, HR professional, team coach, or organizational consultant—VIEW provides you with a common language to discuss diversity in thinking and utilize it productively.
Evidence-based results
VIEW is not an intuitive model or a popular theory. It is the result of more than 40 years of systematic research, conducted within the Cognitive Styles Project and continued by an international network of researchers and practitioners. Here are some of the most relevant insights.
WHAT IS VIEW?
The Three Dimensions of VIEW
The VIEW model was developed by Edwin C. Selby, Donald J. Treffinger, and Scott G. Isaksen, and is based on more than two decades of research conducted as part of the Cognitive Styles Project. It integrates insights from cognitive psychology, educational psychology, and the field of psychological types.
VIEW distinguishes three independent dimensions of problem-solving style:
Dimension 1 — Orientation to Change (OC) Explorer ↔ Developer How do you deal with structure, originality, authority, and the search for information? Explorers seek radical innovation and challenge existing paradigms. Developers refine and improve within existing frameworks with an eye for usability and efficiency.
Dimension 2 — Processing Style (PS) External ↔ Internal When and how do you share ideas? External processors think out loud, building ideas through interaction with others. Internal processors reflect first, refine, and share only when they are ready.
Dimension 3 — Decision-Making Style (WD) Person ↔ Task Where do you start when you have to choose or decide? Person-oriented decision-makers weigh relational harmony and human impact. Task-oriented decision-makers start from objective criteria, logic, and a focus on results.
Every combination of styles is valuable. VIEW does not distinguish between better or worse — it makes diversity visible and open to discussion.
People who understand their own problem-solving style are better able to monitor and adjust their thought processes. Research shows that this metacognitive awareness — the ability to reflect on one’s own thinking — is one of the strongest predictors of academic achievement, problem-solving ability, and creativity. VIEW offers a concrete and accessible framework for developing that awareness.
Cognitive diversity in teams — differences in how people think and approach problems — has been shown to be linked to higher creative output and better decision-making. But diversity without understanding leads to conflict and inefficiency. VIEW gives teams a common language to identify, understand, and leverage differences in thinking styles. Facilitators and coaches who integrate VIEW into their guidance see teams reach consensus more quickly and collaborate more inclusively.
Een veelgestelde vraag: “Kan je je stijl aanpassen?” Het antwoord is genuanceerd. Stijlvoorkeuren zijn stabiel — ze veranderen niet wezenlijk door een training. Wat wél verandert, is hoe bewust en flexibel je met je stijl omgaat. Onderzoek van Murdock, Isaksen en Lauer (1993) bevestigde dat cognitieve stijlvoorkeuren niet significant veranderden na een volledig semester CPS-training — maar deelnemers leerden wél hun stijlcomfort bewuster te benutten en buiten hun voorkeur te werken wanneer dat nodig was.
The three VIEW dimensions align seamlessly with the components and phases of Creative Problem Solving version 6.1™. Research by Hurley (1993), Schoonover (1996), and Isaksen & Geuens (2007) shows that people with different styles have distinct preferences for specific CPS tools and phases.
An Explorer will naturally gravitate toward broad divergence exercises and generating radical ideas. A Developer will be more comfortable refining solutions and creating implementation plans. A certified VIEW Practitioner can respond to this and consciously design sessions so that all styles contribute optimally.
VIEW has been validated on large, diverse samples across multiple countries and contexts—ranging from university students to managers in international organizations. The instrument has strong psychometric properties and has been translated and used in Europe, North America, and Asia. It is used by coaches, HR professionals, CPS facilitators, researchers, and executives worldwide.
What will you learn in the VIEW Practitioner Certification Training?
The certification training combines in-depth theory with direct practical application. You won’t leave with a folder full of theory—you’ll leave with the ability to immediately apply VIEW professionally in your own practice. Upon completion of the training, you will be able to:
1.Thoroughly understand and explain the VIEW model
You understand the scientific foundations of VIEW: the level-style distinction, the Cognitive Styles Project, and the connections to cognitive psychology, learning psychology, and psychological type theory. You can clearly explain the model to participants without jargon and answer frequently asked questions such as “Is this the same as the MBTI?” or “Can I change my style?”
2. Administer and process the VIEW Assessment professionally
You know how to administer the assessment correctly, how to process the results, and how to generate individual and group reports. You are familiar with the psychometric properties of the instrument and work within the ethical frameworks of certified use.
3. Interpret and discuss individual VIEW profiles
You can read and interpret an individual profile: what does a pronounced Explorer style mean in practice? What are the strengths of an Internal Processor? How does someone with a moderate preference for the Decision-Making Style work? You conduct feedback conversations that are empowering—not reductive. You help people recognize their profile in their own behavior, without pigeonholing them.
4. Analyzing team profiles and making the style mix productive
You’ll learn how to bring together the individual profiles of a team into an integrated team overview. You’ll recognize potential areas of tension and blind spots in the style mix, as well as the unique strengths that diversity offers. You’ll guide teams in discussing their style differences in a constructive, psychologically safe way.
5. Integrating VIEW into CPS facilitation
You will learn how to consciously apply VIEW when designing CPS sessions: which tools appeal to which styles? How do you ensure that Explorers and Developers, Internal and External Processors, and People- and Task-Oriented Decision-Makers all contribute optimally? You will adapt your facilitation style based on the style mix within the group.
6. Utilizing the three sub-elements of Orientation to Change
You work not only with the three main dimensions but also with the refined sub-elements of the OC dimension: Preference for Novelty, Structure & Authority, and Search Strategy. This nuance makes it possible to make meaningful distinctions even within the Explorer or Developer preference and to provide more targeted feedback.
7. Applying VIEW outside the facilitation context
You’ll discover how VIEW can be applied in individual coaching programs, leadership development, selection and development interviews, onboarding processes, and team charters. You’ll translate the style insights into concrete behavioral recommendations that people can apply immediately.
8. Working ethically and responsibly with style diagnostics
You work from a value-neutral position: all styles are equal and potentially valuable. You avoid reducing people to their profile, safeguard confidentiality, and create a safe context for feedback. You understand the limitations of the tool and know when other tools or expertise are more appropriate.
VIEW Practitioner Certification Course, July 2 and 3, 2026
Agenda
This certification is conducted entirely online.
Preparation: Complete VIEW: An Assessment of Problem-Solving Style, preparatory reading, and Quiz #1. Due date: July 1
| Thursday, June 2nd
9:00 – 18:00
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Friday, June 3rd
9:00 – 18:00
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Who is this certification for?
The VIEW Practitioner Certification Training is not a standard course on personality types. It is an in-depth professional development program for people who work daily with groups, teams, or individuals in a context of learning, collaboration, or change—and who want to enhance that work with a scientifically grounded and practical tool.
You don’t need to be a psychologist. However, you do need to have a professional context in which you can apply VIEW meaningfully and responsibly. Do you recognize yourself in one of the profiles below?
- Coaches and leadership coaches
You guide individuals or managers in their professional development. You notice that many of the patterns you encounter in coaching—procrastination, conflicts in decision-making, difficulty collaborating—are related to differences in style that people cannot explain to themselves.
VIEW provides you, as a coach, with a validated framework to make those patterns visible and discussable. Not as a label or diagnosis, but as a starting point for a more meaningful coaching conversation. You help your coachees understand how they naturally approach problems, where their strengths lie, and how they can switch gears more consciously when the situation calls for it.
- CPS 6.1™ Facilitators
You are familiar with Creative Problem Solving and guide groups through complex issues and innovation processes. You know that not every participant engages with a CPS session in the same way—and that some tools or phases feel much more natural to certain people than to others.
VIEW gives you the language and insight to understand those differences and respond to them consciously. You’ll learn to design sessions that do justice to the full mix of styles in the group—so that Explorers and Developers, internal and external processors, and people- and task-oriented decision-makers can all contribute at their best. The combination of CPS 6.1™ and VIEW is therefore one of the most powerful tools you can have at your disposal as a facilitator.
- HR and L&D Professionals
You are responsible for talent policy, leadership development, or learning and development programs. You work with assessments, competency models, and development pathways—but find that standard tools do not adequately capture the richness and complexity of cognitive diversity.
VIEW offers you a value-neutral, scientifically grounded tool that you can use for onboarding, team composition, career coaching, or designing inclusive learning environments. Because VIEW does not establish a hierarchy among styles, it empowers all employees—regardless of their background or job level.
- Team Coaches and Facilitators
You work with teams that want to collaborate more effectively, understand their internal dynamics, or navigate a period of change. You see how style differences lead to misunderstandings, frustrations, and missed opportunities—but also how that same diversity can be a tremendous asset when leveraged consciously.
VIEW provides you with a structured approach to identify, discuss, and leverage the mix of styles within a team. You’ll learn how to facilitate a team discussion based on VIEW profiles, how to address blind spots without offending anyone, and how to turn the complementarity of different styles into genuine teamwork.
- Consultants and advisors in change and innovation
You guide organizations through transformation, innovation initiatives, or cultural change. You know that the human side of change—how people react to new structures, uncertainty, or radical ideas—is at least as decisive as the substantive strategy.
VIEW helps you, as a consultant, to quickly and accurately understand why certain people or groups show resistance, why some teams perform better than others, and how to design interventions that take into account the diversity of styles within the organization. It makes your consulting practice richer, more nuanced, and more effective.
- Trainers and Educators
You design and deliver training sessions, workshops, or educational programs—on leadership, collaboration, creativity, communication, or another domain. You notice that participants react differently to your approach: some want to experiment right away, while others need more structure. Some thrive in group discussions, while others prefer to work individually.
VIEW provides you with a scientific framework to understand these differences and to tailor your instructional design more consciously to the mix of learning styles among your participants. This enhances the transfer of your training: what people learn sticks better when it aligns with how they naturally learn and work.
- Researchers and academics in creativity, organizational psychology, or HRM
You have a professional interest in the scientific foundations of creativity, cognitive style, or organizational behavior. The level-style distinction, the Cognitive Styles Project, and the theoretical foundations of VIEW align with your research domain.
The certification training offers you not only practical tools but also a thorough introduction to the theoretical architecture behind VIEW—including the connections to cognitive psychology, learning psychology, psychological type theory, and the creativity literature. A solid foundation for those who want to use VIEW in research contexts or academic education programs.
Do you recognize yourself in multiple profiles? That’s not an exception—it’s the rule. VIEW is just as versatile as the professionals who use it. What all participants have in common is a genuine interest in how people think, collaborate, and grow—and the ambition to make a meaningful contribution to that as a professional.
Investment for participation and materials: €2,350 (excl. VAT)
Participants receive:
- Access to the VIEW Assessment for yourself (including a personalized feedback report)
- In-depth insight into the theoretical and psychometric foundations of VIEW
- Practical tools for individual and group feedback
- Manual and interpretation materials for certified practitioners
- Access to the community of certified VIEW Practitioners
- Certificate of VIEW Practitioner (issued by Better Change Tools / o2c2 Consulting)
- Listing on the network of certified VIEW Practitioners at o2c2.eu
Registration closes on June 25, 2026.