Problem Solving

[Racoon]

OK, I learned something a little while back in Sports Psych...

and I want to share, and solicit opinions and comment.

 

By the way, I loved that class! :doh: Coach Arnold (he's a Prof too) is an incredibly captivating man, and makes class so very interesting!

the enthusiasm is contagious. :)

 

Problem Solving: everyone has problems, but people need to learn to solve them.(including me :cup: )

 

7 Steps To Solving Any Problem:

 

Question/Step 1:

Are You Happy? (with it, your problem, situation?)

 

Yes - then no problem mate! :)

No - then proceed to Step 2

 

Step 2: Identify

What IS the problem? a. b. c.

Who's problem is it? a. b.

 

Step 3: Why?

Why is it a problem? a. b.

 

Step 4: Brainstorm :shade: :doh:

List All possible solutions: a. b. c. d. e. & f.

 

Step 5: Weigh

Weigh each possible solution - good points and bad points

 

Step 6: Pick One!

For each area of concern. *a. b. c. *d. e. *f. (*denotes picking)

 

Step 7: Try it for a while

-Honest effort

-Realistic goal

-Commitment

 

Hope that helps someone! :)

Any other methods?

[cwes99_03]

Well actually just a comment on the social reason for your needing to pin up this thread.

Most people have problems with problem solving because they never learned how to do steps 2-5 effectively. They simply know that something isn't right and either wait until someone else finds out why, or don't think long enough about the actual problem itself before trying solutions. Of course a solution isn't a solution if it doesn't deal with the why of the problem, it is just a band-aid.

[InfiniteNow]

Also, how can one list ALL possible solutions?

 

If they knew all solutions, they wouldn't be seeking to solve a problem in the first place.

[IDMclean]

Power of deductive reasoning, my friend.

 

One can List as many possiblities as one can see, and then elimate solutions by the probablity of it working, it's applicablity and so on and so on.

[UncleAl]

Complex social problems cannot be effectively solved to anybody's satisfaction. The only solutions are extreme solutions. The more complex the problem the fewer solutions overall exist. Compromise will always be wrong. That is why central management is always an *** - it is mathematically unavoidable.

 

Normalize any solution parameter on a scale of -1 (horrible) to +1 (wonderful) inclusive. Zero is full compromise. Now let's analyze a problem with ten independent parameters. We take our ten vectors, superpose their zeroes, and get a 10-dimensional unit hypersphere as the entire solution space.

 

Look up the volume of a unit hypersphere vs. number of dimensions and radius. First, for large numbers of dimensions, almost all of its volume is hard by its outer skin - only extreme solutions exist. Compromise isn't even in there.

 

Second, the volume of a unit hypersphere rapildy grows then shrinks with the number of dimensions. Increasingly complex problems have almost no solutions at all, and the few solutions that remain are always draconian.

 

Bottom line: Delegate local authority and have it solve problems fast when they are still simple. Never seek to compromise. Anything that grows globally will rapidly destroy you no matter what you do. Everybody will hate you afterward, and weasly compromise is worst of all. Finally,

 

Committee - none of us is as stupid as all of us. Authority, responsibility, and liability must simultaneously exist as identifiable personal responsibility. As soon as price and cost decouple, somebody gets screwed.

[Jay-qu]

Thats an interesting take on it Al.. I once did a speech on problem solving :lol:

[HappytheStripper]

hmmm .. a great resource .. thank you very much .. and whislt im telling my patients about my newly aquired resource and technique .. I can tell them this really famous guy gave it to me .. lol .. and you are famous .. :lightbulb

 

I work with teenagers .. your steps are simple .. I use only 3 .. another 4 is an added bonus ..

 

Might help them to understand more .. and cut out explanation time ..

 

Regards

 

Ashley

[Rebiu]

I have found that many problems simple require an alteration in one perception rather than a change in the situation. For example my wife was feeling restless about not getting anything done because she has to hold and feed the baby so much. This restlessness was greatly mitigated when she decided that the holding and feeding of the baby was legitimate work and accomplishment.

[Turtle]

My most formidable problem is not knowing when a 'thing' is a 'problem'. I have no apt description of how I solve problems except to say my experience indicates that it little resembles the methods of others.

 

Just do it. NOW!

/forums/images/smilies/banana_sign.gif

[ronthepon]

Now that is a good step to step procedure to help one get out of anykind of trouble. Great post Racoon!

 

I don't know if you know or not, but this is the way the army plans it's moves here in India.

 

I'll write it down, although it is very similar

 

1: Identify the problem clearly, write down the need for action, the possible extra disasters that may happen by ignoring the problem etc.

 

2: Find as many possible solutions to the problem, however silly or useless they may seem at the moment. Write them down to be better.

 

3: Gauge the pros and cons of all the solutions. Find all the implications of the solutions, taking one at a time. Think a lot ahead. Write it down next to the solutions.

 

4: Choose the best working solution and work it out!

[ughaibu]

UncleAl: How about using the Banach-Tarski paradox to produce an infinite number of ten dimensional hyperspheres? That would provide an infinite number of effective solutions.

[LaurieAG]

Hello all,

 

If you want to solve a repeating problem you must do another couple of steps once you have identified the best solution to the problem.

 

If you have all the information about the problem, the next step is to identify which key variables can be used to forecast when the problem will most likely occur in the future. During this step you are looking for good triggers and trigger points for minor corrective actions before they became major problems.

 

The second step involves developing a process that ties your previously identified triggers and trigger points into normal operational procedures to proactively prevent these problems from repeating.

 

By using these steps, you don't really ever need to develop a 'solution' for the problem at all, you just need to be able to identify and prevent the 'problem' form occurring in the first place, whatever it may be.

[leuv21]

anyone heard of Covey?? The one who wrote 7 habits of highly effective people... the guy makes a step between being active an reactive which he calls proactivity..

within this step one should adapt to the action and change it according to its will... This is the first step before internal change of the mentl mechanism...

 

action - proactivity - reaction

 

let yourself just make a pause within any thought that we have into our mind and let the perfect realisation occur.