Problem Solving 101 PDF

Problem Solving 101 | Ken Watanabe 03.27.2023 Problem solving isn't just a skill, it's a mindset. Once you solver your personal challenges, you'll find that your bigger dreams and accomplishments are within reach. Instead of being afraid and overwhelmed by th...

Problem Solving 101 | Ken Watanabe 03.27.2023 Problem solving isn't just a skill, it's a mindset. Once you solver your personal challenges, you'll find that your bigger dreams and accomplishments are within reach. Instead of being afraid and overwhelmed by the challenges in your life, you can learn to enjoy and overcome them. By balancing thinking and acting, problem solvers can get things done. Are you addressing the real source of your problems? Or are you just going all over the place? 03.28.2023 If you never take action, you never get feedback. When you don't receive feedback, you'll never grow as a problem solver. Problem solving should not be complicated. All you have to do is understand the situation, identify the root cause, develop an ef fective plan, and execute. Every problem is different; the only way to solve problems the most effective way is to constantly ask the "why" and the "how" to develop custom made action plans. 03.29.2023 Building a logic tree helps identify all the root causes of the problems you are facing. This allows you to list all possible problems without leaving anything behind. Diagnose the situation and identify the root cause 1A. List all the potential root causes of the problem The logic tree can also be transformed into a yes/no tree. These group people or objects into a simple yes/no question. This helps identify what the core issues are. 03.30.2023 1B. Develop a hypothesis for the likely root cause Call it a hunch. You find the most likely answer to your problem, that isn't confirmed yet. Let's say for example you plan to visit your grandma. It is post thanksgiving, and you know that it'll be busy outside. You jump into action without thinking; what happened? You ended up being stuck in traffic for 2 hours and weren't able to spend enough time with your grandma as you had hoped. By making a hypothesis about the traf fic, and finding an easy way to verify this hypothesis, you would have been able to find the best solution and could have spent more time with your grandmother . 1C. Determine the analyses and information required to test the hypothesis This is where the process of collecting information comes in play. Y ou just don't collect it to have fun and collect it, you're doing it to make a better decision. If you start collecting and analyzing data without clarifying the question, you end up realizing that the research was a waste of time and effort. 04.09.2023 1D. Analyze and identify the root cause The outcome on the analysis is sometimes dif ferent from the original hypothesis. Imagine what would happen if tofu and eggplant, from the story, proceeded with their hypothesis without testing it out first? They would have probably ended up with trying to raise awareness for their band instead of focusing on how to get people more interested. Develop the Solution 2A. Develop a wide variety of solutions to solve the problem Creating a logic tree of possible ways to help solve the problem can make coming up with a variety of creative solutions. Keep in mind to focus on the knowledge gained during the analysis process while listing down solutions as this will guide you throughout the process. You must create solutions that align with your goals. 2B. Prioritize the Actions In order to effectively prioritize actions, you must decide upon a key criteria. In eggplant and tofu's case, it was ease of implementation and impact. By using a priority matrix, you can determine the impact and ease of implementation by mapping it on the board. 04.12.2023 2C. Develop an Implementation Plan When implementing a plan, focus on the tasks on the top right box since they are the easiest ones with the most impact. In the story, by using the strengths of other people, eggplant and tofu were able to move certain items into the top right box. They were able to ask John Octopus to help with a poster and their other friend with creating a CD. Collaboration is essential to accomplish more in the aspects that you lack. Fishy goals and solid achievements Break down big dreams into smaller goals Problem-solving kids don't just have dreams; They create small goals that are implemented over the course of a month or a year. They ask themselves, "How am I gonna achieve my dreams", and after that they lay out the plan and start working on it. Step 1: Set a clear goal Take a moment to imagine an idea/goal. Now , is this goal you set descriptive, or maybe you just wrote down random words? Bad Example: " I want a computer" Good Example: " I want to use $600 to buy an apple computer in the next 6 months without borrowing money from others" The first example is vague, while the second example is precise and defines exactly what you want. Remember that when creating a specific plan, you must also write down the specific conditions that you will follow for that plan. Adding clarity to your plans allow you to create a more specific action plan that will align with your main objective. Step 2: Determine the gap between your goal and your current situation When the gap between your goals and your current situation are small, the solution may already be in front of you. In the book, John Octopus only needed half the amount he needed for a new computer. He would be able to reach his goal if he saved for six months. Step 3: Form a Hypothesis 3A. List many options and ideas to close the gap as much as possible Again, when listing ideas, it is always better to list ideas that are specific. Listing ideas such as: Make money, or Buy a lottery ticket are too vague and too much of a long shot. Using a logic tree to help in this instance can help you create specific ideas. In order to make the logic tree grow , you must continuously ask yourself "Are there any other ways to solve the problem?" 04.13.2023 3B. Select the best idea for your hypothesis When creating your idea branch, you'll come across ideas that are not effective or feasible, thus you have to cut off this branch. For John Octopus, those inef ficient branches were winning the lottery, getting a raise, and trying to invest. After finding the best ideas, creating a hypothesis pyramid can help. When you create a clear hypothesis and rationale, you are able to collect better information and a better analyses to discover if your hypothesis is true. Step 4: Check the Hypothesis 4A. Determine the analyses of information required to test the hypothesis To solve his problem, John figured out what information was needed to answer his hypothesis. He came up with a list to clarify his Issue, hypothesis, Rationale, Analysis & Activity, and Information source. 4B. Analyze and develop action plan Without proper analysis and development of an action plan, you may find yourself realizing that you had the wrong assumption of the problem. In John Octopus' situation, he realized that cutting down on buying games wouldn't be as ef fective as cutting down costs on energy drinks and comic books. The Most Critical Part: Execution Having the perfect plan for your problem is a great start, but it does not stop there! You must execute the plan! The impact of your actions is determined by the following: Impact = Effectiveness of plan x quality of execution If you have one but not the other , your plan will not work or may have very little impact. Once you have a concrete plan of action don't forget to create a schedule and write down what you are going to do and when you are going to do it. Realize that very few things in life go as planned. But, when your initial plan does not work out, you no longer need to panic. Why? Because you are now a problem solving kid who has the ability to overcome any problem.