Critical Problem Solving

Defining the Problem State it in clear terms—question or statement Figure out who has a dog in this fight Establish a context and a history for the problem Figure out what barriers there are to solving the problem—among all the stakeholders, including you!

Generating Solutions Gather information from credible and retrievable sources Identify the components of the problem Be creative in approaching the information search Keep track of where you get the information from

Evaluating Solutions Figure out your criteria for what makes a good solution Apply same criteria to each possibility for fairness—establish the pros and cons of each Don’t be afraid to do a preliminary sort—but don’t be hasty in ruling things out, either If needed, break the problem down into subgoals and evaluate the solutions to each step

Trial and error or thinking backwards may work but may not be the most effective way of reaching a solution—it depends on the problem Allow time for reflection Allow for compromise—just because a solution isn’t your favorite doesn’t mean it may not work Evaluate the solution you choose—how will you know if you made the right choice?