1. Ch. 6

2.  How did this problem come about?  Why does it need to be solved?  Try to limit the objective so that it can focus on finding a specific solution to a specific problem

3.  Decide on criteria  Criteria is a set of standards  Deciding this early will help you avoid many arguments  Once the criteria is chosen it shows you what a possible solution might look like

4.  Break the problem down into small pieces for close examination  Gather as much information as possible  Most problems have a long history, so learn all the background info

5.  Brainstorm possible solutions  Brainstorm- bombard problem with fresh ideas No idea is wrong Come up with as many ideas as possible The more ideas you can produce, the more likely you are to find the solution that works

6.  Does each solution meet the agreed upon standards?  The best solution is the one that most clearly fits the criteria

7.  Must make sure that solution is practical  If possible do a brief test