Visionary and Strategic Thinking are the two complementary skills that together make up the first stage of the Creative Problem Solving process. The purpose of this Clarification stage is to vision future states and determine what dreams are worth pursuing. An image of where you want to go helps to articulate the desired future creating a singular focus though which all efforts can become channeled.

Although CPS is designed so that one can begin at any stage in the process, the starting point in the Thinking Skills Model is Clarification. Excluding the meta-step of Assessing the Situation, Exploring the Vision is always the starting point for determining the focus and all other activities to follow. An exception applies when the goal is clear.

Storyboard visioning uses imagery to construct a story and create the future in sequence, allowing a vision to have a pathway toward realization.

A shared vision of team alignment is the best position for groups to move forward in the direction of intention.