Rebecca Hormann
What to keep in mind while solving a problem
Problems are something that we encounter on a daily basis. Whether it is something simple, like deciding what to eat for breakfast or something complex, like having our car break down in the middle of the highway, we are trained to solve these problems when they come our way. Some are better problem solvers than others but, according to Psychology Today, there are a few basic steps that we should keep into consideration when faced with a problem.
The article tells us that a problem itself is something that is in the way of one achieving their goal. Whether that goal be extremely simple and trivial, like getting out of bed, or something more complex and life-effecting, like getting a job that you want. There are two different types of problems: well-defined and ill-defined. A well-defined problem involves something that has a clear path to the solution. A recipe might be a perfect example of this. One needs food and has all the ingredients, the solution is to follow the recipe to omit the problem. An ill-defined problem is something a little more realistic and complex. Think of a goal that you would like to achieve in your life time. Maybe travel the world, for example. Well first you must get the money to do so. Before that you must find a job in order to get that money. Things grow more and more complex as you break them down and then the matter of time itself comes into play. These types of problems don’t have guidelines.
According to the post on Psychology Today the main steps to solving a problem are understanding the problem, creating a plan, execute the plan and then reflect. I find these steps to be extremely practical and easy to follow… in certain situations. Realistically thinking, many people make a 5 year life plan to achieve their goals… but what if something goes wrong. Suppose you, in 5 years, want to end up married and starting your family. Well what happens if you haven’t even met someone who you would potentially marry and have been hopping around jobs for 4 of those years. It is all and good to have a plan, but we must be open to the fact that plans will not always work out and problems do change over time. What may be a problem today may not be a problem for us in a month because our perspectives change.
The article also talks about how many people jump this first step, they do not stop to understand the problem. This I do find to be very accurate but only in certain, smaller situations. When it comes to life goals and problems we need years to solve, then we do take the time to understand the problems we face. But it is something trivial that angers us in the moment, we most definitely do not stop to understand the logistics of the problem.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/good-thinking/201309/how-solve-problems-expert
Hello Rebecca,
Following rules to solving problems seems to be extremely efficient, but from personal experience I can definitely say that consciously thinking of the problem and how to solve it rarely happens. Some problems aren’t important enough to consciously think of it, for example if the same problem has happened many times then there is a good chance you will automatically solve it as best you can. Other problems, as you mentioned, are long term and therefore far more important but much more difficult to see it go through. A five-year plan takes a long time and can fall through at any time. Having a method to solve problems also has to be flexible, not in the sense that you should have back up plans but you should be able to adapt to the situation. Adapting to the situation is much more useful as it would unrealistic to have thought of every possible situation. Having methods can be extremely useful specially for standardized problems but not for problems that have an unpredictable nature.