Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 1 5/22/2015 National Science Foundation Grant $350,000 Grant to Research Problem Solving Teams of Undergraduate and Graduate Students interacted with Industry Summers visiting Industries around the US Dow, DuPont, Dow Corning, Amaco, Shell General Mills, Eli Lilly, Proctor and Gamble Monsanto, Chevron,etc. To learn how they went about solving problems and what was the greatest hurtle they faced in Problem Solving

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 2 5/22/2015 What’s the Problem?

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The Annoying Wait Shortly after the upper floors of a hotel got renovated, guests started to complain that the elevators were too slow. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 4 5/22/2015

The Annoying Wait Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 5 5/22/2015 The manager’s instructions to solve the perceived problem: “Find a way to speed up the elevators.” Next, the manager’s directions were: “Find a location and design a shaft to install another elevator.”

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 7 5/22/2015 Find a Better Solvent A few years ago a major oil company was developing a process for the Department of Energy to produce liquid petroleum products from coal in order to reduce the U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Coal  Oil

Find a Better Solvent In this process, solid coal particles were ground up, mixed with solvent and hydrogen, then passed through a furnace heater to a reactor that would convert the coal to gasoline. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 8 5/22/2015

The Better Solvent Sometime after installation excessive amounts of a tar-like material were being deposited on the pipes in the furnace, causing fouling and plugging. Management told its engineers “Find a better solvent” Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 9 5/22/2015

The Better Solvent Why is the Deposit Forming? Brainstorm and List all the Possible Causes. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 10 5/22/2015

Improving Oil Recovery Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 11 5/22/2015 Perceived Problem Statement: “Find ways to improve oil recovery” Real Problem Statement “Learn why the well is not producing as expected”

New Bills Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 12 5/22/2015 Perceived Problem Statement: “Find a Better Printing Ink”

New Bills Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 13 5/22/2015 Better Problem Statement. Brainstorm and List all the things that could cause the ink to smear.

Darfur Cookstoves Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 14 5/22/2015

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 15 5/22/2015 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur Perceived Problem Statement: “Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn garbage into biofuel pellets ”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 16 5/22/2015 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur Perceived Problem Statement: “Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn garbage into biofuel pellets ” Not sufficient solid waste to meet the demands.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 17 5/22/2015 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur Perceived Problem Statement: “Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn garbage into biofuel pellets ” Real Problem Statement: “Redesign the cooking stove to obtain higher temperatures and make it more fuel efficient.”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 18 5/22/2015 Murray River Dams Right Problem Definition BUT Wrong Solution

Dam the Torpedo or Torpedo the Dam? Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 19 5/22/2015 The Australian government wanted to increase agricultural production by finding ways to grow crops on wastelands. It was decided to cultivate land in the New South Wales region of southeastern Australia, which is very arid.

Dam the Torpedo or Torpedo the Dam? The following solution was chosen by the Australian government: “Design and build a dam to divert the river water inland to irrigate the land.” Unfortunately, no new vegetation grew. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 20 5/22/2015

KT Potential Problem Analysis Unfortunately they did not apply The Kepner-Tregoe Strategy Potential Problem Analysis to learn what could go wrong Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 21 5/22/2015

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 22 5/22/2015 London Underground Right Problem Definition BUT Wrong Solution

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 26 5/22/2015 Jubilee trains didn’t fit track

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 27 5/22/2015 Define Generate Decide Implement Evaluate Safety Considerations Ethical Considerations Satisfy Objectives Experimental Design Carry Through Plan Critical Path Deployment Chart Gantt Chart K.T. Analyses Decision (Musts/Wants) Problem (Is/Is Not) Situation (Timing, Trend, Impact) Potential Problem A Heuristic PS/DS-Duncker Diagram Explore the Problem Find Out Where the Problem Came From Statement-Restatement Random Stimulation/Other People’s Views Osborn’s Checklist Blockbusting Analogy

Improving Oil Recovery Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 28 5/22/2015 Perceived Problem Statement: “Find ways to improve oil recovery”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 29 5/22/2015 The Five Steps of the Heuristic