5 Problem Solving Strategies

In order to be effective at problem solving you are likely to need some other key skills, which include: It is worth also considering our own view of what a problem is.We are constantly exposed to opportunities in life, at work, at school and at home.If you are hungry then your goal is probably to eat something.

In order to be effective at problem solving you are likely to need some other key skills, which include: It is worth also considering our own view of what a problem is.We are constantly exposed to opportunities in life, at work, at school and at home.

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From the information gathered in the first two phases of the problem solving framework it is now time to start thinking about possible solutions to the identified problem.

In a group situation this stage is often carried out as a brain-storming session, letting each person in the group express their views on possible solutions (or part solutions).

Following our examples above, if you feel hungry then your goal is to eat.

A barrier to this may be that you have no food available - so you take a trip to the supermarket and buy some food, removing the barrier and thus solving the problem.

However well prepared we are for problem solving, there is always an element of the unknown.

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Although planning and structuring will help make the problem solving process more likely to be successful, good judgement and an element of good luck will ultimately determine whether problem solving was a success.This stage involves: detecting and recognising that there is a problem; identifying the nature of the problem; defining the problem.The first phase of problem solving may sound obvious but often requires more thought and analysis.Following on from problem identification, structuring the problem is all about gaining more information about the problem and increasing understanding.This phase is all about fact finding and analysis, building a more comprehensive picture of both the goal(s) and the barrier(s).These barriers can turn a potentially positive situation into a negative one, a problem. It is human nature to notice and focus on small, easy to solve problems but much harder to work on the big problems that may be causing some of the smaller ones. Problems involve setting out to achieve some objective or desired state of affairs and can include avoiding a situation or event.It's useful to consider the following questions when faced with a problem. Goals can be anything that you wish to achieve, or where you want to be.Identifying a problem can be a difficult task in itself. What is the nature of the problem, are there in fact numerous problems? By spending some time defining the problem you will not only understand it more clearly yourself but be able to communicate its nature to others, which leads to the second phase.This stage involves: a period of observation, careful inspection, fact-finding and developing a clear picture of the problem.This stage may not be necessary for very simple problems but is essential for problems of a more complex nature.During this stage you will generate a range of possible courses of action, but with little attempt to evaluate them at this stage.