1. Present State and Desired State

2. Present State and Desired State Matching
An alternative method in which a problem can be properly formulated is to determine the present state (PS) and the desired state (DS). Present state is also referred to as problem state and desired state may also be referred to as solution state. After the PS and DS are specified, the engineer may then modify either the PS and DS, or both, until the two relate to each other.

3. Present State and Desired State
Example:
PS: I need to study physics.
DS: I want to earn an A in engineering design.
In this example there is no correlation between the PS and DS. However, after reflection and reformulation these phrases may be rephrased as:

4. Present State and Desired State
Rephrased statement:
PS: I need to study physics because I have an exam next week.
DS: I want to earn an A in engineering design.
Even though the two statements were rephrased, there still remains no connection between the two.

5. Present State and Desired State
Rephrased statements:
PS: I need to study physics because I have an exam next week, but the only time that I can devote to physics is already scheduled for my term project in engineering design.
DS: I want to earn acceptable grades in both engineering design and physics.
Now, we are starting to see the relation between both the PS and DS, but further refinement is still needed.

6. Present State and Desired State
Rephrased statement:
PS: I am not sufficiently prepared for my upcoming physics exam and I also need to work on my term project in engineering design.
DS: I want to earn acceptable grades on both my engineering design term project and my physics exam.
Finally, a direct and obvious correlation between the PS and the DS exists.

7. Present State and Desired State
After finding the direct relation between the PS and DS and that they match in terms of specificity (project, exam) and explicit requirements ( acceptable grades), one may then look for possible solution paths leading from both the PS and DS.

8. Present State and Desired State
Some such solutions may include:
I must become more efficient
I will speak with my professors, and seek tutoring help
I will decrease the number of hours each week spent watching television and devote this time to my academic work
I will reformulate my term project so that less time is needed to complete it