1. Problem Solving GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills

2. 2GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Terminology of Problem Solving Seven terms of terminology to be understand are: 1. Purpose What we want to do or what we want to be. Without clear purposes, we cannot think about problems. 2. Situation What a circumstances is. Situation is neither good or bad. We should recognize situations objectively as much as we can. Usually almost all situations are not problems.

3. 3GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Terminology of Problem Solving 3. Problem Problem is some portions of a situation, which cannot realize purposes. If the purpose is different, the identical situation may be a problem or may not be a problem. 4. Cause What brings about a problem. Some problem solvers do not distinguish causes from problems. Causes are more specific facts, which brings about problems. Finding specific facts which causes problems is the essential step in Problem

4. 4GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Terminology of Problem Solving 5. Solvable Cause Some portions of causes. Finding solvable causes is another essential step in Problem Solving. Extracting solvable causes is a useful step to make Problem Solving efficient. 6. Issue The opposite expression of a problem. Some problem solvers do not know what Issue is. At the worst case, you may mix the problems, which should be negative expressions, and the issues, which should be positive expressions.

5. 5GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Terminology of Problem Solving 7. Solution Specific action to solve a problem, which is equal to a specific action to realize an issue. Some problem solvers do not break down issues into more specific actions. Issues are not solutions. Problem solvers must break down issues into specific action.

6. 6GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Types of Problems: A. Degree of Constraint I. Well Defined Problems The given information, the operations and the goal state are completely specified e.g. 3x = 2, solve for x II. I’ll defined problems Problems in which there is uncertainty in either: the given information, the permissible operations or the final state. Because of uncertainty, the problem cannot be completely specified. e.g. Cooking dinner Writing a term paper Building a career III. How to cope with I’ll defined problems Break the problem into a series of sub-problems that are well defined.

7. 7GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Types of Problems: B. Classes of Problems I. Problems of inducing structure e.g : 8 5 4 9 1 7 6 3 ? 0 (what is the missing number?) II. Transformation Problems e.g. Water jar problems Jars A B C Size 28 7 5 How do I obtain 11 units of water? III. Arrangement Problems e.g. What is the word: lespo ?

8. 8GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Types of Solutions A. Algorithms Sets of operations that can be applied systematically and exhaustively to generate a solution. Example: Calculate the mean for the following set of scores: 3, 4, 2, 5, 3, 6 Algorithm solution: Sum the scores, divide by n NOTE: algorithms exists only for well defined problems!

9. 9GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Types of Solutions-cont. B. Heuristics: Strategies, or rules of thumb, that can be applied to a problem that often help generate a solution. Example: In Black Jack, when do you take another card? Heuristic: Stay at 15 or more. NOTE: Heuristics do not guarantee success!

10. 10GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Problem Solving Method ~ Rational Thinking Set the Ideal Situation Identify a current situation Compare the ideal situation and the current situation and identify the problem situation Break down the problem into its causes

11. 11GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Conceive the solution alternatives to the causes Evaluate and choose the reasonable solution alternatives Implement the solutions Rational Thinking

12. 12GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving Problem Solving Method ~ System Thinking System thinking is a more scientific Problem Solving approach than the rational thinking approach. We set the system, which causes problems and analyze them based on systems of functions.

13. 13GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving System Thinking

14. 14GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Problem Solving System Thinking In order to realize Purpose, we prepare input and through Function we can get Output. But Output does not necessarily realize Purpose. Result of the Function may be different from the Purpose. This different is created by Outside Cause and Inside Cause. We cannot solve Outside Cause but we can solve Inside Cause. System Thinking is a very clear and useful method to solve problems.