Problem Solving, Decision Making And Critical Thinking
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
In our previous article we covered the different barriers that a person usually faces when trying to solve a problem. This article covers the different strategies that can be used to solve problems. However, it is not limited just to these. There are many other methods. These methods are a few of the most common strategies that have been used in the process.
Problem solving strategies are those steps that are used to identify the problems that one faces while trying to achieve a goal. This is usually referred to as the ‘problem solving cycle’. The cycle usually begins with identifying the problem, followed by defining the problem – the goals; try to
identify a strategy that could be used to decide on the problem, separate the relevant and irrelevant information and land on an accurate solution. This is called a problem solving cycle since problems keep arising. The minute you finish solving one problem, you have the next problem right before you. This problem solving cycle will be explained in detail later.
The techniques given below are the strategies that are most commonly used while solving problems.
1. Abstraction
Abstraction is a technique where the actual problem is broken down into smaller problems. Each of these problems is first solved in order to find a solution to the bigger problem. These solutions are first tested on a system. If the solution works, it is applied to the real system. Another name for this technique is to divide and conquer. This technique was used by most armies while invading any country during the medieval period.
For instance, consider a mathematics problem on differentiation. The problem here is to identify whether the function provided is a maximum or a minimum function. For this, we have to find the first and second derivatives. Once we find the first and second derivatives, we can deduce whether or not the function is maximum or minimum. Here you have used abstraction to solve the problem. You have identified your set goal and divided the problem into smaller problems and used the solution obtained in those problems to solve the bigger problem.
2. Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis testing is a common statistical method where assumptions are made to explain the problem at hand. The method works towards proving the assumptions that have been made.
For example, we have to identify if there is a relation between smoking and lung cancer. The problem here is to identify the relationship. The assumption (hypothesis) made could be that there is no relationship between smoking and lung cancer. The alternative to this assumption (hypothesis) is that there is a relation. Since our main assumption is that there is no relation, we
have to find certain techniques to prove whether this hypothesis is true or not. That way we will be able to identify a solution to the problem.If there is no connection then we do not have to come up with further solutions. However, if the hypothesis is proved false, we have to identify certain solutions to reduce the effect of smoking on the lungs.
3. Lateral Thinking
Lateral thinking is thinking out of the box. The major barrier to this strategy is the mindset. One cannot think out of the box since he is used to a certain method of solving problems. Lateral thinking often obtains solutions which make the problem seem very obvious.
For example, the production of soap was supposed to be 2000 per hour. Over the last few days, the production dropped to 800 soaps an hour. Through the other strategies you try to identify ways to overcome this problem and increase the production rate. However, it is different in lateral thinking. The solution to the problem might state that there is no harm in a drop in production since this would mean that the quality of the soap has increased. This increase in quality would mean a greater number of sales implying a higher profit. This would in turn motivate the workers and the employees to do better!
4. Means End Analysis
In means end analysis you create sub goals in order to reach the final goal. You try to bridge the
gap between the initial state and the final goal state. There are many examples to this method of
problem solving that are very popular. One of the best examples is the ‘Towers of Hanoi’.
While using this strategy you have to identify the initial state and also your final goal. The initial
state to this problem is represented by the first three disks of the tower being stacked in the order
of the size of the disk on the first peg, also called the start peg. The goal is to represent these disks
being stacked on the last peg, or the end peg, which is the third peg. This must be done in exactly
the same order!
The rules to this problem are:
-You can only do this by moving one disk at a time.
-You can only move a disk that is on top of the stack
-You cannot put a bigger disk on top of a smaller disk.
Since we are using the technique of means end analysis, we will have to first create our sub goals.Below is one possible way of creating sub goals.
-Move the disks that are on the largest peg onto the second peg
-Move the biggest disk to the third peg
-Move the other disks onto the third peg as well.
This can be applied continuously in order to reduce the magnitude of the problem. You will finally come to a stage where you will only have to move one disk to reach your final goal. You can use this strategy to solve problems that you might face in your daily life as well – identify the correct train connection, correct road map to follow to go on a road trip. You will have to identify every aspect of your journey in order to reach your final goal. These small aspects of your journey are your sub goals.
5. Analogy
Analogies are another common strategy to solve problems. Here similar problems are viewed and solved. Using these solutions the problems that are being faced now can be solved. A recent study was conducted where a song that is stuck in your head was compared to an itch. You can only let go of the song or forget the song by singing it repeatedly. That solution is something similar to relieving yourself off an itch by repeatedly scratching yourself. This is also called restructuring.
The perfect example for this is the radiation problem that was stated by K. Duncker in the year 1945. When you have a patient with a tumour, you might have to use radiation in order to get rid of the tumour. This ray is harmless. But when the intensity of the ray increases, it kills the tumour inside the body but also harms the other healthy tissue that comes in its way. The problem here was to identify how to prevent the latter. When the experiment was conducted on a certain number of subjects, they were asked to identify a solution to the same problem. They were stumped and could not identify a solution. The problem was then restructured. The subjects were told a story
that went along these lines:
‘A General was looking at capturing his enemy’s fortress. He decided to launch an attack at the enemy. He had a large army and was confident of winning. Then he learned that every road that led to the fortress was rigged with mines. Only small groups of men could pass through those roads without setting the mines off. He then divided his men into smaller groups and then led the attack on the enemy’s fortress.’
Here the General was compared to as the source of the problem, the enemy’s fortress was compared to radiation, the fortress was compared to the tumour and the big army was compared to the ray. The solution that was obtained through this method was that the ray had to be subdivided into smaller rays which could then be sent in without harming the healthy tissue in its way. That way only the tumour would be harmed.
It was then stated that this strategy was a three step strategy:
Notice
You will have to try to identify or notice an analogical connection that might exist between the source of the problem and the target problem.
Map
Once you identify the problems, you will have to map the attributes in the analogous problem to the problem at hand.
Apply
You will have to then use the solution that was used in the source problem to solve the target problem.
6. Proof
In this strategy you have to be pessimistic in the beginning and state that the problem cannot be solved. You will then have to prove why this problem cannot be solved. The minute you reach the stage where you find that it is difficult to prove your assumption, you will have to begin solving the problem.
7. Reduction
Reduction is a combination of both Abstraction and Analogy. You will have to break the problem down through abstraction and by using analogy you will have to identify solutions to those smaller problems. Using these solutions, a consolidated solution is found for the bigger problem.
8. Trial and Error
Trial and error is one of the most common strategies that are used to solve problems. However, this is very tedious and might take a lot of time. Here you will have to try and use all the different solutions that you might find to solve a problem. You will have to see which solution worked best to solve the problem. You might not find the accurate solution in the first go. The barrier, mindset, might actually prove helpful in this situation. You can use all the solutions that you are used to in order to solve the problem at hand.
THE PROBLEM SOLVING CYCLE
Problem solving is usually looked at from two perspectives. The first perspective is that there is only one solution to the problem that is at hand. Mathematical problems are a classic example of such problems. If you have an equation with one unknown, you only have one solution. You cannot
have multiple solutions to solve an equation. This type of a perception is grounded by psychometric intelligence. The second perspective is problems that have solutions that constantly change. These are usually socioemotional problems. For example, your favourite colour is a problem since it changes almost every day and it might sometimes depend on your mood. Another example would be what to get you for your birthday. You might not know what you want or you might want so many things making it hard for you to decide.
This topic covers the general problem solving cycle followed. This is a rational approach. You must remember that all problems cannot be solved using this approach. However, this will help you get started and will help you work towards solving your problem whatever it might be.
Define the Problem
Defining the problem is the hardest part. We usually tend to worry about the problem before trying to identify what the problem actually is. We perceive a problem, which might not actually be the problem and start worrying about it. Instead, try to define the problem!
Defining the Problem with help from others
When you are trying to define the problem, you must ask yourself and others involved in the problem the following questions.
1. What are the causes to the problem? Here you might not identify the main causes as such but it is a start. You have to keep in mind that you are not blaming somebody as a cause to the problem right at the beginning. The person might be the cause, but see what led to that person being the cause of the problem.
2. Where is the problem actually occurring?
3. How is the problem occurring?
4. At what times specifically is the problem occurring?
5. Who is the problem happening with?
6. Why is the problem arising? Here you will have to note down the exact details as to why the problem is occurring.
Finally, you will have to take a sheet of paper and summarize the above answers. You could begin with “The following is not happening because of _______________”.
Defining Complex Problems
This step also requires you to follow the steps 1 – 6 that have been stated above. However, since you find that the problem is overwhelming, you will have to break it down and make it simpler. Repeat the steps 1 – 6 for these smaller problems in order to define the complex problem as a whole.
Check your understanding of the problem
Since you are working with other people in identifying the problem, you will find it easy to verify whether your understanding of the problem is the same as your peers.
Prioritize your problems
We usually confuse important problems with urgent problems. Important problems are those that need to be addressed first. For instance, while at work you might be answering calls that you deem are urgent. Since these calls are urgent, you do not necessarily have to answer those over important calls. In order to help you answer these calls, you can create a system that screens your calls. Most smartphones have the option where you can prioritize the contacts in your phone and only receive calls or messages from those contacts when you are busy. These are important calls.
At times, you might have to deal with multiple problems. You cannot work on all the problems simultaneously since you would not be doing justice to either problem at hand. What you could do is segregate these problems into the categories of ‘Important’ and ‘Urgent’. This categorization is similar to that of your phone calls!
Identify your role
It is essential that you identify your role in the problem. The way you perceive your role in the problem greatly influences how you perceive another’s role in the problem. For instance, if you are stressed out, you might find that everybody else who is a part of the problem is stressed out.
You might also blame somebody else in haste. If you feel guilty, you might excuse another person’s role in causing the problem. You might end up taking the complete blame.
Identify Potential Causes for the problem
There is a lot to know about things you do not know. Since you do not have too much information about the problem at hand, you will need to use help from your peers. You will need to understand the perspective of the people who are facing the problem just like you are. People however might not be willing to provide the information that you might ask. They might be influenced by others making it difficult for you to gauge the cause of the problem. You might have to obtain the information separately. You must write down your perception on the causes of the problem as well. You can then compare the different perspectives and then identify the actual cause or causes of the problem.
You must then clearly define the cause. You can follow the steps that are provided to you when you are trying to define your problem. Repeat the steps 1 – 6 to help you define the cause. This brings you one step closer to identifying a solution to your problem.
Try to identify a strategy and a solution
Now that you have defined the problem and also identified the causes to the problem, you will have to work on identifying the solutions. If this is a problem that you and a group of others are facing, you can use the strategy of brainstorming to identify solutions that will help you solve the problem with ease. You cannot always use this strategy. If this is a problem that you are facing on the personal front you might not want to involve any other person. At such a time, you can use the strategy that you feel most comfortable with. The different strategies that are commonly used are described above. You have also been given examples to complex strategies that will help you identify the best strategy that you can use!
Select the most feasible solution
You would have identified a lot of solutions to your problems through the previous step. You will have to now select the best approach to solving your problem. You will have to consider the following when identifying the best solution to your problem.
1. Which solution will solve the problem for the short term as well as the long term?
2. Are there any risks associated with the solutions?
3. Is it a realistic goal to use the solution to solve the problem?
4. Is it financially viable?
5. Do we have the time to solve the problem through this method?
If it is a personal problem, you do not have to answer the fourth question for obvious reasons. You might find it strange to answer the second question too. But you must realize that there are risks that we might face in life when trying to solve a problem. There might be repercussions to any problem that might have been solved using a particular method.
Plan on how to implement your most feasible solution
The following section helps you plan on how to use your most feasible solution to solving a problem.
1. You will have to remember that there are two sides to a coin. In the same way there might be two sides to a solution that is used to solve a problem. The solution could either create a good effect or a bad effect. You will have to carefully consider the consequences – good or bad – to the solution.
2. What steps should be taken to use this solution?
3. Are there any changes that you might need to make in your systems? If this is a personal problem, you might have to identify if there is anything that you might have to change about yourself in order to overcome the problem.
4. You will need to verify whether or not the steps in the solution are being addressed. This is a check point for you. You will be able to estimate the time in which the problem can be solved.
5. Do you need any extra resources? If it is a personal problem, you might need to talk to a friend about the same. You will have to identify that friend and see if that friend is available for you as support. You cannot use resources that have crossed their lifetime. You can only use the support that is stable and will provide you with the required output.
6. You will need to schedule your entire approach. You must identify the time that you will take to solve your problem. Your schedule must time box all your activities right from the start of the activity to the end of the activity.7. You will have to identify the person who is responsible for ensuring that your plan takes perfect shape.
8. You will then have to create a separate plan for yourself in order to reach your end goal. This is your Plan of Action and you will need to follow it word for word.
The most important thing to remember is that you must observe this plan continuously. You must be open to taking feedback as well. If they identify that there is a certain aspect to the plan, give feedback and make the necessary changes. You must also be open to taking feedback – negative
or positive. That way you will be able to come up with a fool proof plan!
You can also use the concept of SMART goals to create the perfect plan. SMART is an acronym for
S – Smart
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Time Bound
This acronym helps you create goals with ease. The words speak for themselves and do not require too much of an explanation. You can use this as an alternative to create an easy and accurate plan!
Check whether or not the problem has been solved
This is the final step to the problem solving cycle! This one step gives you all the joy in the world since it bears the fruit of your hard work. One of the best ways to check whether the problem has been resolved is to revert back to the regular flow in the organization. Although the problem has been solved, there are some aspects to consider:
1. What can be done to avoid similar problems like the one faced in the future? Do changes have to be made to existing policies, technologies, and work ethics?
2. Identify the learning from the entire process. You might have identified solutions for problems that have not taken shape yet. You must keep a tab on all the learning in order to safeguard your organization. If it is a personal problem that you have overcome, you can see what changes you can make in your behaviour to avoid facing such similar problems in the future.
Write a brief memo to keep the spirits of your peers and yourself up. Highlight the best parts of the problem solving process and ensure that everybody knows about it!
Let us now work on a personal problem. We will try to identify the process of trying to solve the problems a person with a chronic illness faces on a regular basis.
Problem Solving for personal issues
Now that we have covered the strategies and the problem solving cycle, we have a good idea on how to solve problems. However, it is difficult to do so when you are suffering from personal issues. You face a few more problems when compared to the organisational problems. You will need to follow a systematic method of solving these problems.
Take for instance your car. You know how to fix it when it breaks down. But do you know how to communicate your fears to your family, friends and your doctors? It is true that personal problems are usually hard to solve. But you can learn to deal with them effectively. Let’s begin!
How does problem solving help with personal issues?
There has been tons of research conducted on how problem solving had helped people suffering from personal issues. It was found that people were able to focus on multiple problems without a fear of failure. They were able to work on these problems and find constructive solutions to the same. Read on to find out how this can be done!
Identify the problem
Like stated above, the first step to problem solving is to identify the problem. The main problem that you might face when you have personal issues is that you might not be able to meet the demands of your family, friends, work or your health. After having identified that try to see if you can describe some of your observable behaviours. These behaviours can be changes to help
overcome the problem as well.
You must be aware that at times there might be more than one problem that you might have to solve. These problems could be interrelated. You might find that even after solving one problem you have difficulty since the root problem was not addressed. You must aim to find the root cause of the problem since that makes it easier for you to create a plan and progress towards achieving your goal.
Look at the following example. ‘Brian and Carol have had a baby. After taking care of the baby for three years, Carol wants to get back to work. Brian would love it if Carol had a career but he is worried about child care. He feels that Carol should not go back to work because it is not financially viable to spend on child care. He is afraid that she might find him less interesting once
she makes friends at work. Carol senses Brian’s unease and does not bring her dream up after the first time. She does not want to lose Brian. She starts losing confidence about starting her career once again. But she brings it up when they face a financial crisis. She states that they would not have been in this situation had Brian let her go back to work’.
In the above example, there are multiple problems that could be identified.
1. No good child care
2. Difficulty in communication
3. Carol’s lack of confidence
4. The mismatched expectations
5. Fear of losing each other.
Brian and Carol might only identify the problem of child care and might work around their finances to provide the best for their child. However, they might continue to fight because of the latter issues.
Identify the Causes of those Problems
Now that you have identified the problem, you can try to understand the cause behind those problems. The main cause of the problem here is finances.
Set goals
Sometimes you might be unable to identify the goals that you can set to overcome a problem. You can always talk to people you know who have faced a similar situation and ask for help. You will need to understand the perspective of the people who are facing the problem just like you are.
People however might not be willing to provide the information that you might ask. They might be influenced by others making it difficult for you to gauge the cause of the problem. You might have to obtain the information separately.
You will have to ensure that the information that you are procuring from others is not biased. It has to be valuable information that you can use. Discard information that is irrelevant to you.Set goals that will help you in overcoming the problem. These goals have to be realistic! You can use the acronym SMART for this! Also you must consider what you are compromising on. The goals that you come up with must not be good enough. They have to be the best to ensure that the problem never comes back.
Brainstorm
The next step was to identify a strategy to bounce around ideas to identify the perfect solution to your problem. In personal problems, brainstorming is the best strategy since you have another person to help you with ideas. You will be able to come up with alternative solutions to the problem that you are facing. The most important thing is that you generate multiple solutions. They rightly say ‘The more the merrier’.
You can also list out certain changes that you might want to make. You must remember that these changes must help you in solving the problem at hand. Since you are bouncing around ideas, you must reserve your judgment. You should not reject any idea. The craziest idea might in fact be the perfect one for you to use to solve the problem. It is great to involve others since they have a fresh perspective. They would not be biased to either of you and might give you the best solution.
In the above example, if Brian and Carol had talked to each other they could have come up with a certain plan to overcome all their problems. Here brainstorming would have been perfect since they would have a lot of ideas that they might come up with that favour both Brian and Carol.
Choose a solution
You would have identified a lot of solutions to your problems through the previous step. You will have to now select the best approach to solving your problem. You will have to identify the consequences to all the solutions. You should consider the long term and short term consequences that might affect you and the people who are important in your life.
In the same way, you can try to identify a solution that Brian and Carol could use to solve their problems. Once they brainstorm, they can select a feasible solution. This solution must be financially viable for them since that is the main cause of the problem.
Describe the plan
You must define your plan and time box all your activities. You should create a schedule. While creating the schedule try to understand what the potential roadblocks might be. Also ask yourself and others involved on how you can overcome these roadblocks and if you could eliminate them what methods should you use.
Identify the people who should be involved in helping you overcome the problem. This person has to be someone you can rely on and someone who will be committed to helping you achieve your goal.
When you are creating your schedule try to identify what your end goal is for each aspect of your problem. You will have to have check points to see whether or not you are closer to achieving success. Put your plan into place but always be open to taking feedback on whether or not the plan is working successfully.
Review and Revise
You will have to keep a constant check on the plan that you have constructed. You will have to have a rating scale that will help you measure the effectiveness of the plan. You could have a simple rating scale of 1 – 10, 1 being the lowest mark and 10 being the highest.
It is a great idea to keep a note of all the things that went well when you were executing your plan. You have to also keep note of the things that made you feel happy. Even if the plan was not the perfect plan, you might have made some changes that have impacted your life for the better.
To know what to do better next time, you will have to keep a track of all the mistakes that you might have made while executing the plan. You have to evaluate the difference between your expected outcomes and also your observed outcomes. It will help you plan better for the future. You can use the feedback that you have received in this problem to help you overcome other problems in the future.
Problem solving is a process that repeats itself. That is why it is called a cycle. There might be occasions when you are standing face to face with the biggest problem in your life. The first time you use the process might not fetch you the results that you had expected. It might take you repeated attempts to identify the perfect and optimum solution to the problem. However it is a good idea to keep a track of your progress. You might have developed your mind into solving problems with ease.
Remember that if the solution that you have designed does not work for you, it is not a bad solution. Everybody learns through their mistakes. After all failures are the stepping stones to success. You will be able to learn more and will learn which path to avoid while trying to solve problems. Do not lose faith in yourself but keep forging ahead!
In our next article we shall discuss on how to apply critical thinking to everyday problems.