Learn problem solving by actually solving a problem

To know how to solve problems, you need to actually solve problems

Learning basics

Just as you can’t learn swimming by reading about swimming, you can’t become a problem solver just by reading books or attending lectures on problem solving. You have to actually solve problems and analyze the problem solving experience for learning to solve further.

It might be that you intend to learn real life problem solving but can’t think of any significant real life problem that you may solve. Learning mathematics or any other subject is much easier! Isn’t it? There are too many problem exercises available in the books for you to solve in a lifetime.

One way to get around this problem is to solve artificial problems that are carefully designed for exercising your general problem solving abilities such as deductive reasoning, problem breakdown, analysis, evaluation criteria formulation, pattern identification and recognition, abstraction, innovation and so on. Once you solve such a problem and analyze the process of your problem solving, you are on the path of assimilating the principles, concepts, techniques and approaches of real life problem solving. This enables you to test your skills as a real life problem solver when you confront such a problem as a DA or a problem owner. This practice is to be continuous as will be your growth in abilities. In a short span of time it is possible for you to be able to confront a problem not in a random manner but with confidence being equipped with new resources for systematically tackling any kind of problem that may come.

It doesn’t mean you will become an expert problem solver in no time, it only means your approach towards problem solving will change from random or heuristic to systematic and analytical which will further result in improved quality of the solutions you will reach.

To be able to acquire problem solver’s abilities you have to solve specially designed problems (and real life problems if you get them) and through the process of solving the problems will acquire what I call the Problem Solving Armory (PSA) resources.

Problem Solving Armory resources

Our Mental Problem Solving Framework (or MPSF) uses a suitable set of Problem Solving Armory (or PSA) resources to solve a particular problem that we face at any point of time. The PSA resources may consist of collections of:

·         Basic problem solving principles: these are abstract principles effective in many problem solving situations. You have been exposed to a few. List of such principles is open-ended and personal. You can form your own set of basic principles that you found effective in solving your problems.

·         TRIZ 40 principles: this is a set of 40 inventive principles primarily meant to be used for generating innovative solutions systematically. These are part of TRIZ, a large system for systematic innovation.

·         Problem Solving Techniques: these are different from principles, as each of these techniques gives you a mechanism for dealing with a particular type of problem situation. A technique is not a principle and consists of steps and processes. Examples are: deductive reasoning, problem breakdown, key information discovery, find the troubleshooter, find the champion, find the expert, pattern identification, enumeration, prototyping and so on. There are many and these are not difficult to understand. Knowing a set of these powerful techniques will automatically increase your problem solving ability.

·         Problem solving tools: these are not the same as techniques. For example, computer spreadsheet software is a powerful tool for making the life of a problem solver more comfortable. Further examples are: Venn diagram, Set theory, Sudoku, Alert mechanisms, Graph theory and so on. Working knowledge of such tools automatically increases problem solving ability.

·         Problem solving methodologies: over time many approaches or systems have been created for problem solving by groups of people working in different domains. All are valuable, generally without conflict with each other and practiced by specific groups of practitioners. When we can learn good things from every domain, why should we limit our learning in only one domain? Methodologies are generally large and complex to understand and apply. Examples are: TRIZ, AHP, lateral thinking, brain storming, Synectics and so on.

·         Problem solver’s skills: if we can identify the required skills, we may improve a set of such more important skill of problem solving through prescribed or our own methods. Some of the skills are: Definition, Prioritization, Abstraction, Analysis, Reasoning, Information discovery, Pattern identification, Innovation and so on.

·         Problem solving approaches: these are the most important components of the all-important PSA. By analyzing the problem at hand, MPSF selects a suitable approach and only then proceeds to go further. Approaches are most important.

If you thought or if I had told you that overnight you may become a problem solver, you thought wrong. It takes a lifetime to become a problem solver. On the other hand it is also possible to start walking the path of a problem solver anytime. More than an innovator, you need to become a self-aware problem solver. 

If you solve well-designed artificial problems, analyzing the process, principles, techniques, methods and approaches used in solving the problems you gradually incorporate these in your mental problem solving framework (or MPSF). This in turn will enable you to apply these when you face a real life problem. Unless you had learned the special approaches and techniques that you have used effectively in solving the academic but well-designed problems, you may still have approached a real life problem solving in a random manner, without any finesse.

These specially designed problems are formulated specifically to bring out one or more than one technique or principle valuable for solving real life problems also.

As a first step we will solve one such problem and analyze our learning.

Four square problem

 

Now you have to answer 4 questions about this square. You will have to be ready and think quickly. Okay?

Question 1: Divide the light grey unshaded area of square A into two equal pieces.

Take a pause and think.

Got the answer? Fine. It’s easy, isn’t it?

Just draw a diagonal line from top right corner of the inner shaded square to the upper right corner of the enveloping square.

Get ready for the second question.

Question 2: Divide the light grey unshaded area of square B into three equal pieces.

Still easier? Should be.