1. Critical Problem Solving

3. 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!

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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?