Centre for Right Direction (CRD)

Problem solving forms an important part of thinking. Considered the most complex of all intellectual functions, problem solving has been defined as higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills. The nature of human problem solving methods has been studied by psychologists over the past hundred years. There are several methods of studying problem solving, including; introspection, behaviorism, simulation and computer modeling, and experiment.

Problems have some typical characteristics that can be summarized as follows:

	Intransparency (lack of clarity of the situation) & Commencement opacity
	Continuation opacity & Polytely (multiple goals)
	Inexpressiveness & Opposition
	Transience & Complexity (large numbers of items, interrelations, and decisions)
	Enumerability & Connectivity (hierarchy relation, communication relation, allocation relation)
	Heterogeneity & Dynamics (time considerations)
	Temporal constraints , Temporal sensitivity , Phase effects & Dynamic unpredictability

The resolution of difficult problems requires a direct attack on each of these characteristics that are encountered.

There are many approaches to problem solving, depending on the nature of the problem and the people involved in the problem. The more traditional, rational approach is given in the following steps: Clarifying description of the problem, analyzing causes, identifying alternatives, assessing each alternative, choosing one, implementing it, and evaluating whether the problem was solved or not.

Some Techniques in Problem Solving are the following:

Cause & Effect analysis (or Fishbone Analysis) provides a structured way to help you think through all possible causes of a problem. This helps you to carry out a thorough analysis of a situation.

Another, more state-of-the-art approach is appreciative inquiry. That approach asserts that "problems" are often the result of our own perspectives on a phenomenon, For Example, if we look at it as a "problem," then it will become one and we'll probably get very stuck on the "problem." Appreciative inquiry includes identification of our best times about the situation in the past, wishing and thinking about what worked best then, visioning what we want in the future, and building from our strengths to work toward our vision.

Coming up with ideas is important, and brainstorming is a good way to do that.  But, brainstorming won’t take the place of detailed financial analysis.  And brainstorming won’t tell you who’s going to oppose your definition of the problem.  And brainstorming won’t tell you how to persuade that person to support your definition or lead you to acknowledge that there may be merit in his or her position.  Brainstorming is a useful technique, but not for all occasions.

In general, force-field analysis is a useful technique for examining psychological and sociological factors or forces, but there are better tools available for diagnosing problems in physical systems.

Mind Mapping is a useful technique that improves the way you take notes, and supports and enhances your creative problem solving.  By using Mind Maps, you can quickly identify and understand the structure of a subject, and the way that pieces of information fit together, as well as recording the raw facts contained in normal notes. More than this, Mind Maps encourage creative problem solving, and they hold information in a format that your mind finds easy to remember and quick to review.

Decision Trees are excellent tools for helping you to choose between several courses of action. They provide a highly effective structure within which you can lay out options and investigate the possible outcomes of choosing those options. They also help you to form a balanced picture of the risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action.

The idea of the “core competence” is one of the most important business ideas that has shaped our world. It is one of the key ideas that lies behind the current wave of outsourcing, as businesses concentrate their efforts on things they do well, and outsource as much as they can of everything else.

SWOT analysis is a great technique for identifying your Strengths and Weaknesses and study any Opportunities and Threats you face. It is also a powerful strategic planning tool used to evaluate a project or in a business venture or in any other situation of an organization or individual requiring a decision in pursuit of an objective. It involves monitoring the marketing environment internal and external to the organization or individual.