Which of the following are common characteristics of problems that groups should consider when working to resolve a problem?

by David K. Moldoff, Founder of AcademyOne.  Follow me on Twitter @DavidMoldoff

Perspective is how you approach a problem. Seeing things from various sides of a problem is a good way to get all there is out of the experience. Creative problem solving is a skill that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Everyone runs into obstacles along the way. If we get lost driving a car or riding a bike, we have several choices. We can stop and ask someone for directions. We can pull out a map and view the landscape from where we are. We can call ahead and ask for pointers to look for to help guide us in our attempt to get back on track. Each approach will help us in different ways. Understanding the obstacle and how to approach it takes patience. In other words, don't freak. Keeping a stable and balanced view of an obstacle is a must. I always hated taking tests. My palms would get sweaty, my head would spin and I would always focus on what if I failed. This was a personal demon that I faced throughout my formal education, but I survived. Here are fifteen tips on how to problem solve:

1. Reinforce a positive outlook. Smile. The first thing you should do when faced with a difficult problem is to start with a positive outlook. Sometimes our first reaction is to fear uncertainty. That’s pretty natural. However, I’ve realized over the years it is the unknown that has given us, as individuals, the curiosity to try new things and aim for the stars. Don’t fear the problem itself. Look at it as an opportunity to learn something new and to test your ability and wit. That is not easy to do with deadlines and pressure, but keeping a positive outlook will go a long way toward making each issue a bit less daunting.

2. Ask questions to understand the problem. I remember many courses where my classmates sat in class dumbfounded. We did not understand an important point during the lecture, yet nobody asked a single question. Why? A lot of it has to do with the fear of looking stupid. Most of the time I find people do have the same questions as I do, but for some reason are too afraid to ask them. Regardless, before you can solve a problem you must first understand it. If there’s something you don’t understand, ask as many questions as you need. Don't feel shy. You are not stupid. There are no stupid questions, only those you do not yet have an answer for.

3. Be open-minded. An old saying goes, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.” The way you have done things in the past may not always work for all situations. A hammer may be good for prying nails out of wood and plunging them into wood, but you should not use a hammer to pickup leaves or to unscrew a rusty bolt. There are better tools for these things. In life, I find there are often many solutions to a given problem. Some are more effective than others. Some are more appropriate than others. When faced with a difficult problem, do not assume you know the answer from the start. Don't jump to conclusions. Stop for a second and take time to understand what the problem or question is truly about before applying a solution or answer. Be open to all possibilities. Do not presume everything is a nail.

4. Look down on a problem. Sometimes the problem we are trying to solve isn’t the real problem at all. It could be a symptom and not the cause. In order to solve a problem, we may need to take the perspective of looking down on it. From a different vantage point, we may discover that the problem we have focused on is in fact part of a bigger problem – one which would require a completely different approach. Before attempting to put a solution in place, seek out the “real” problem. Once you understand the problem in its entirety and context, only then can you determine the best course of action.

5. Define the problem completely. Take a minute or two to actually define the problem. In doing so, identify what the problem isn’t about first. Isolate what the problem is about. When you understand the problem thoroughly, you may already know what tools you need to apply or what solutions to avoid because they are not appropriate. Sometimes, when given a problem, we naturally assume it is something it really isn't and thereby implement the wrong solution. It is often more effective to ensure you understand the problem, its symptoms and causes before proceeding. Ask what, where, why, when, how and whom. Write the problem down, draw diagrams, create lists and plans, etc.

6. Take bite-sized chunks. Would you eat a whole pizza in one mouthful? Probably not. In a similar fashion, some problems are simply too big to chew all at once. A useful technique for solving complex problems is drilling-down into the detail and continuing until each piece becomes manageable. Once you have a set of manageable pieces, solve each individually. When a given problem is broken into bite-sized chunks, it is easier to see the patterns, symptoms, tools, and techniques to apply and the actions that need to take place.

7. Think logically. Simple problems don’t often require a plan of attack. Remember Spock in Star Trek? I am a Trekkie and watched the TV show back in 60's. It changed my perspective. Spock was the logical counterpoint to Kirk, who had the passion, spit and intellect to run the Enterprise. They worked as a team. Given a complex problem, or one which involves an extended time frame, having an actionable plan identifying what needs to be done is crucial. The plan is a good reminder for you of what and when things need to happen as well as a communication tool for all the people involved. Dependencies must be revealed. Creating a plan requires that you think through all the issues logically and identify all the relevant issues and constraints.

8. Find similarities. This is like pattern recognition. I love doing this. Whenever you are faced with a problem, ask yourself whether this problem shares the same characteristics as something else you may have solved. Often, problems mask themselves within their context but the root issue is the same. If you find you have a problem which shares the same characteristics as something else, you may be able to leverage the solution you have applied to that other problem. I find this is most useful in conjunction with the previous tip. When a problem is broken down into its constituent parts, you’ll find some of these parts occur frequently in other places.

9. Mistakes happen. Problem solving and making mistakes often go hand-in-hand. Sometimes in order to find the best solution to a given problem, we have to go through a hundred bad solutions first. Thomas Edison was a master of this process. For every invention he developed, he made a thousand tries at things that did not work. The most important thing here is to remember that mistakes are okay. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t get frustrated. Use the mistakes as stepping stones to get to the desired solution. If you have gone through a hundred options to no avail, you have found a hundred ways not to do something rather than one hundred failures.

10. Keep emotions in check. Emotions or stress can sometimes affect our thinking and judgment. Do not let these cloud your mind. In most cases, problems are best dealt with logically. Try adopting a rational mindset and let your mind govern your actions. In your mind, go through what the problem is and then identify the steps which are required to resolve the situation before taking action. If you find you are too emotionally charged, pause for a moment and let yourself calm down first. Step back from the challenge and maybe give it another day.

11. Focus on the end game. This is like visualizing the solution. Remember those tracing games someone would give you when you were younger...like a maze for example? Problem solving is about getting from one state to another state. This is known as traversing the solution path. Sometimes getting from the start state to the end state is not as immediately obvious as seeing how the end state can come from the start state. In many ways, this is like navigating using a map – we can either trace a path from where we are to where we want to go or we can start from the destination and work backwards. In many cases, I find it is useful to focus on the end state and then work backwards. As I get to familiar territory, I can then relate the solution to the path.

12. Take notes and record your progress. This was not one of my strengths; however, I forced myself to get notebooks and to take notes. With a computer today, I now do it with my keyboard and store my thoughts in documents. When a problem is open-ended and you’re working in uncharted space, be vigilant with your note taking and record your progress. Keep a diary. You may find months later an offhand note you made can be the breakthrough you are looking for. It may not be immediately obvious at the time, so record your progress and ensure you can trace back to the things you have tried and what the results were.

13. Challenge your assumptions. As you progress, be mindful of the answers you have obtained and assumptions you have made. I tend to jump to conclusions too fast. Slow down. We all make assumptions to try and hasten our progress. Ensure they are logically consistent and “make sense.” Mistakes do happen, so check, recheck and then check again. You do not want to develop or depend on a solution made upon incorrect answers and assumptions. When you are satisfied with your solution, don’t forget to test it under various conditions, not just the most likely scenario. Only with rigorous testing can you be sure your solution meets the initial requirements.

14. If you don't find success, start over. Problems and obstacles are not always solved on the first pass, or second or third pass. This is a lot like college transfer. It is a difficult challenge to address from my vantage point. Multiple iterations may be necessary in solving any problem. Testing solutions will often reveal gaps and issues not addressed through review and from various perspectives. You can step back and restart any steps previously mentioned. Solutions can evolve and improve.

15. Be honest and realistic. One of the key risks we have in problem solving is believing in a solution more than the facts reveal. There are judgments to be made based upon the information you have at hand or you can readily discover. We need to be honest with ourselves and ideas. It is okay to take a leap of faith. Not all solutions visualized can be expressed in facts and figures. There is value in judgment. Taking a solution too seriously or personally though may cause us to skip the rigor and testing. That too is a decision. When is enough testing enough? This is not a debate on beliefs. We are talking about stressing realism and well grounded analysis during the whole process of problem solving.

Learning the skill and techniques of problem solving will last you a lifetime.

Depending on the problem, the cost and the level of effort, we have to be true to the level warranted. This is not being pessimistic. Explore things with an honest process, and I believe most things will work out for you. Learning the skill and techniques of problem solving will last you a lifetime. Employers will pay a premium for people who have learned how to solve problems. Entrepreneurs and people following their passion have this in common. They tend to focus on overcoming their obstacles using techniques they have mastered through experience. College will help you test your problem solving skills and techniques.

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