Problem Solving Techniques

 There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the problem.  The traditional approach involves:  Clarifying the problem  Analyzing causes  Identifying alternatives  Assessing each alternative  Choosing one  Implement  Evaluate

Problem Solving Techniques  Other approaches:  Assume the absurd –  Putting a store in the home was absurd, but not anymore.  Pick few absurd solutions  If “assuming the absurd” is difficult then “assume the opposite.”

Problem Solving Techniques  Solve problems by causing them –  Ask how you can cause problems.  If you want to reduce stress, try first to increase it even more.  If you want more customers, try to scare them away first.  Knowing the causes of the problem can help you find a better solution.

Problem Solving Techniques  Appreciation –  Appreciation is a very simple but powerful technique for extracting the maximum amount of information from a simple fact.  How to use tool:  Starting with a fact, ask the question 'So what?' - i.e. what are the implications of that fact? Keep on asking that question until you have drawn all possible inferences.

Problem Solving Techniques  Fact: It rained heavily last night  Fact: It rained heavily last night  So What?  - The ground will be wet  So What?  - It will turn into mud quickly  So What?  - If many troops and vehicles pass over the same ground, movement will be progressively slower and more difficult as the ground gets muddier and more difficult.  So What? - Where possible, stick to paved roads. Otherwise expect movement to be much slower than normal

Problem Solving Techniques  PMI - Plus/Minus/Interesting  What is PMI?  PMI stands for 'Plus/Minus/Interesting'. It is a valuable development (by Edward de Bono) of the 'pros and cons' technique used for centuries.

Problem Solving Techniques  Should I move to the big city?  Plus Minus Interesting

Problem Solving Techniques  Brainstorming –   Brainstorming is a group creativity technique that was designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a problem.

Problem Solving Techniques  Focus on quantity: quantity breeds quality.  No criticism : It is often emphasized that in group brainstorming, criticism should be put 'on hold'. criticism  Unusual ideas are welcome: To get a good and long list of ideas, unusual ideas are welcomed.  Combine and improve ideas: Good ideas can be combined to form a single very good idea.

Problem Solving Techniques  Nominal Group Technique is a structured from of with up to 10 participants and an experienced facilitator (or up to 3-4 groups of up to 10 participants, with a spokesperson for each group and a single facilitator overall)  Nominal Group Technique is a structured from of BrainStorming with up to 10 participants and an experienced facilitator (or up to 3-4 groups of up to 10 participants, with a spokesperson for each group and a single facilitator overall)BrainStorming

Problem Solving Techniques  Anonymous generation of ideas in writing, begins with the facilitator stating the problem and giving the participants up to 10 minutes to jot down any initial ideas privately.  Round-robin recording of ideas, allows each person in turn to read out one idea, which the facilitator writes up on a flip chart for all to view and numbered sequentially.  Serial discussion to clarify ideas and check communication is encouraged by the facilitator.  Preliminary anonymous vote on item importance is usually carried out.  Further discussion and voting, takes place if the voting is not consistent.

Problem Solving Techniques  Delphi Technique:  Finding experts.  Sending them a letter explaining the problem.  Returning back the letters.  Sending them back again.  Commenting on other’s ideas.  Continuing until we reach a consensus.

Problem Solving Techniques  The Edison Technique

Problem Solving Techniques  The Edison Technique –  He left 3500 notebooks, which are preserved today in New Jersey.  He was granted 1093 patents of invention.  No formal education

Problem Solving Techniques  1. Quantity:  Generating as many ideas as possible.  Out of quantity comes quality.  Setting idea quotas (minor invention in 10 days and a major one in 6 months).  More than experiments to invent alkaline storage cell battery, and 9000 experiments to perfect the light bulb.  Initial ideas are usually poorer.

Problem Solving Techniques  2. Challenge all assumptions –  His lack of formal education was “his blessing.”  Too much education corrupted people.  Approaching any idea with wild enthusiasm and would try anything out of the ordinary.  If seasoning the soup before tasting it he would not hire anyone for research.

Problem Solving Techniques  Challenging assumptions:  List your assumptions about a subject.  Challenge your fundamental assumptions by reversing them. Write down the opposite of each assumption.  Ask yourself how to accomplish each reversal. List as many useful viewpoints as you can.

Problem Solving Techniques  Reversal is a good tool for improving a product or a service. To use it, ask the opposite of the question you want to ask, and apply the results.  Example:  Imagine that you want to improve the response of a service center. Using Reversal you would ask 'How would I reduce customer satisfaction?'. After considering this question you might give the following answers:

Problem Solving Techniques  Not answering the phone when customers call  Not returning phone calls  Have people with no product knowledge answering the phone  Use rude staff  Give the wrong advice

Problem Solving Techniques  After using Reversal, you would ensure that appropriate staff members were handling incoming phone calls efficiently and pleasantly. You would set up training programs to ensure that they were giving accurate and effective advice.

Problem Solving Techniques  Example (start a novel restaurant)  1. List assumptions about restaurants. (Like all restaurants have menus)  2. Reverse this assumption (without menu)  3. List all possible ideas to make the reversal work (How can I operate a restaurant that does not have a menu).  4. Asking chef to present what he has bought; present ingredients to customer.

Problem Solving Techniques  3. Nothing is wasted –  Ask what the failure reveals.  Reviewing ideas aborted earlier.  Learning all the time from mistakes and failures.  Learning from trial and error.

Problem Solving Techniques  The Einstein Technique

Problem Solving Techniques  The Einstein Technique:  "Imagination is more important than knowledge“ Some researchers credit 90 to 95% of the major discoveries made during the past two centuries to Einstein-style visual thinking, though the method became public only in the 1930s and 1940s when Albert Einstein popularized it.  "Imagination is more important than knowledge“ (Albert Einstein) Some researchers credit 90 to 95% of the major discoveries made during the past two centuries to Einstein-style visual thinking, though the method became public only in the 1930s and 1940s when Albert Einstein popularized it.

Problem Solving Techniques  Let the mind enter into the problem.  Sitting for hours almost dead.  Going off in space analyzing the faults in his theory.

Problem Solving Techniques Lecture Summary

 There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the problem. Which one of the following is not part of the traditional approach?  A) clarifying the problem  B) analyzing causes  C) choosing an alternative  D) assuming the absurd

Lecture Summary  Sometimes it is quite difficult to assume the absurd. If this is the case then the best thing to do is:  A) find an alternative  B) assume the opposite  C) assume the unthinkable  D) none of the above

Lecture Summary  True/False  If we want to solve a problem we should first try to cause it.  If we know the causes of the problem can help us finding better solutions.

Lecture Summary   ____________ is a group creativity technique that was designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a problem.   A) Delphi technique   B) Nominal Group Technique   C) Brainstorming   D) Edison Technique

Lecture Summary  Which one of the following is not part of brainstorming technique?  A) focus on quantity  B) no criticism  C) improve ideas  D) critique ideas

Lecture Summary  Brainstorming  Example  Problem: How to reduce road accidents?

Lecture Summary  1. Less cars  2. Less people  3. Teach people to be careful  4. Teach drivers to be careful  5. Make drivers more careful  6. Put dead people in the road  7. Put policemen at every junction  8. Put cameras at every junction  9. Put cameras in every car

Lecture Summary  What is Nominal Group Technique?  What is Delphi Technique?

Lecture Summary  What are the three most important elements of Edison’s Technique?

Lecture Summary  We can challenge our assumptions by taking into consideration the following element (s):  A) List your assumptions about a subject  B) Challenge your fundamental assumptions by reversing them  C) Ask yourself how to accomplish each reversal  D) All of the above

Lecture Summary  Why reversal is a good tool for solving our problems?  Was Edison right when he claimed that nothing is wasted; that we can learn so many things through trial and error?

Lecture Summary  Do you agree with scholars who claim that Einstein’s visual thinking is a great technique of finding solutions to various problems?