Problem solving

1. Problem solving

2. Introduction • Engineers need to be good at solving problems and making things • Road to solutions just as important as solution itself • All students need problem-solving skills for technological 21st century, engineers or not

3. Analytic and Creative Problem Solving • Analytic • Only one correct answer exists • “What’s in your toolbox” • Critical for decisions that may put the public at risk • Creative • There is no single correct answer • “How you handle your tools” • Ability to see how a product could malfunction or be misapplied

4. List of Possible “Tools” for Solving Simple Problems • Look for a pattern • Construct a table • Consider possibilities systematically • Act it out • Make a model • Make a figure, graph, or drawing • Work backwards • Select appropriate notation • Restate problem in own words

5. List of Possible “Tools” for Solving Simple Problems • Identify necessary, desired and given information • Write an open-ended sentence • Identify a sub-goal • First solve a simpler problem • Change your point of view • Check for hidden assumptions • Use a resource • Generalize

6. List of Possible “Tools” for Solving Simple Problems • Check the solution; validate it • Find another way to solve the problem • Find another solution • Study the solution process • Discuss limitations • Get a bigger hammer • Sleep on it • Brainstorm • Involve others

7. Many Strategies • Most people rely on two - three strategies • Get stuck when those do not work • Developing additional tools or methods will allow you to tackle problems effectively

8. Analytic Problem Solving Methods • Scientific Method • Define the problem • Gather the facts • Develop a hypothesis • Perform a test • Evaluate the results • Analytic Method • Define problem, make problem statement • Diagram and describe • Apply theory and equations • Simplify assumptions • Solve necessary problems • Verify accuracy to required level

9. Step 1: Problem Statement • Restate problem to be solved in your own words • Engineering challenges are large and complex • Critical to understand what you need to solve

10. Step 2: Description • Describe the problem and list all that is known • Formally writing down info helps sort what is needed and what is required • Diagrams or sketches aid in understanding problem

11. Step 3: Theory • State explicitly the theory or equations needed • Starting with full equations and simplifying reduces the possibility of overlooking important factors

12. Step 4: Simplifying Assumptions • Assists in solving a problem in a timely and cost-effective manner • Record assumptions and how they simplify the problem • Conservative Assumptions • Introduces errors on safe side • Need to develop ability to answer: • “What problem am I solving?” • “How do I get the solution I need most efficiently?”

13. Step 5: Problem Solution • Can be done by hand or with computers • Document what is done when arriving to solutions with computers • Allows for finding errors quickly • Shows others what was done

14. Step 6: Accuracy Verification • Engineers responsible for verifying accuracy of their own solutions • Be Sure of Standards!! NIST Helps Verify Accuracy of the World’s Best Rulers for Measuring Time and Frequency

15. Methods of Verification • Estimate the answer • Simplify problem and solve • Are answers consistent? • Compare with similar solutions • Compare to previous work • Ask a more experienced engineer to review the results • Compare to published literature on problem

16. Methods of Verification • Ask yourself if the results makes sense • Compare to your own experience • Repeat the calculation • Run a computer simulation or model • Redo the calculation backwards

17. Estimation • Provides answers to problems quickly and can verify complicated analyses • Experienced engineers can estimate close to actual answer before analysis • Have confidence in your results by developing tools to verify accuracy

18. Creative Problem Solving • Dividing the process into steps allows you to break a large, complex problem into simpler problems where your various skills can be used • 5 Questions for Creative Problem Solving • What is wrong? • What do we know? • What is the real problem? • What is the best solution? • How do we implement the solution?

19. Divergence and Convergence • At each phase there is a divergent and convergent part of the process • Divergent Process • Start at one point and reach for as many ideas as possible • Quantity important • Identifying possibilities is the goal • Convergent Process • Analytical and evaluative tools used to narrow possibilities to one most likely to yield an answer • Quality is most important • Find best possibility to move the process to next phase

20. What is Wrong? • Identify an issue • Can be stated or determined on your own • May involve • Optimizing a process • Improving customer satisfaction • Addressing reliability issues

21. What do we know? • Gathering all facts and information related to problem identified • Do not evaluate whether the data are central to the problem

22. What is the Real Problem? • Often skipped, but critical to effective solutions • Answers “Why” • Create a list of potential causes • Evaluate each to its validity • Rank each in order of impact

23. What is the Best Solution? • Potential solutions need to be generated • Wise to confer with experienced experts about problem’s solution • Go to more than 1 source • Most productive after list of causes generated

24. Implementing the Solution • Appropriate additional problems must be selected, done, and completed • Divergent Phase • Brainstorming • Convergent Phase • Selection of implementation plan

25. Evaluating the Solution • Problem solving, just like design, is a cyclic process • Obtain a neutral view from someone not involved with formulation or solution process • Allows you to learn from the process and the solution • Reflection process

26. Personal Problem Solving Styles • Isaken and Treffinger Six Linear Steps • Dr. Min Basadur’s Simplex Model • Basadur Simplex Creative Problem-Solving Profile

27. Isaken and Treffinger Six Linear Steps • Mess Finding • Data Finding • Problem Finding • Idea Finding • Solution Finding • Acceptance Finding

28. Dr. Min Basadur’s Simplex • Problem finding • Fact finding • Problem defining • Idea finding • Evaluating and selecting • Action planning • Gaining acceptance • Taking action

29. Basadur Simplex Creative Problem-Solving Profile • Four styles, each correlating with 2 of the 8 of his Simplex model • Grouped into Quadrants • Q1 - Generator • Q2 - Conceptualizer • Q3 - Optimizer • Q4 - Implementor

30. Generating • Getting the problem-solving process rolling • Problem & fact finding • Direct Experience • Questioning • Imagining Possibilities • Sensing Problems and Opportunities • Viewing from different perspectives • Focus on creating options rather than evaluating

31. Conceptualizing • Gaining understanding by abstract thinking • Keeps innovation process going • To them, a theory must be logically sound and precise • Problem and idea finding

32. Optimizing • Moves innovation process further • Converts abstract thinking into practical solutions and plans • Create optimal solutions to a few well-defined problems or issues • Idea evaluation, selection and action planning

33. Implementing • Completes the innovation process • Learning by direct experience • Prefer situations where they must get things to work • Gaining acceptance and implementing

34. Your Creative Problem-Solving Style • Reflects your preferences for each of the quadrants • Teams require strength in all four quadrants to succeed in creative problem-solving • Skills in all four quadrants are equally valuable

35. Brainstorming • Goal of brainstorming is to stimulate your mind to trigger concepts or ideas that normal problem solving might miss • Let your mind wander and write down any ideas that come into your head

36. Alex Osborn’s List of Stimulating Words • Adapt • Put to other uses • Modify • Magnify • Minify • Substitute • Rearrange • Reverse • Combine

37. Bob Eberle’s Modified Osborn List (SCAMPER) • Substitute? • Combine? • Adapt? • Modify? Minify? Magnify? • Put to other uses? • Eliminate? • Reverse? Rearrange?

38. Individual Brainstorming • Advantage of privacy • Write down any ideas that come into your head • Get everything down on paper in thumbnail sketches or drawings that capture the thinking

39. Group Brainstorming • Same goal as Individual Brainstorming • Generate as many potential solutions as possible without judging any of them • Advantages • Additional people look at problem differently and bring fresh perspectives • Others get involved in the process early

40. Guidelines in Using Group Brainstorming • Involve everyone • No evaluating • Eliminate duplicates • Pick three • Pick a facilitator • Define the problem • Select a small group • Explain the process • Record ideas

41. Facilitator • Record ideas • Keeps team focused • Makes sure the ground rules of brainstorming are followed by everyone

42. Define the Problem • All participants understand the problem • Definition discussion occurs BEFORE brainstorming begins • Avoid distractions • Bring process to a halt

43. Select a Small Group • Manageable size • Limited to three people • Break larger groups into subsections and reconvene with separate ideas

44. Explain the Process • Provide the details of the process group will follow • Participants feel comfort knowing what they are getting into

45. Record Ideas • Visibly record all ideas for group to see • Semi-circle around recorder • Multiple senses stimulate more ideas • Record ALL ideas • Often the best ideas come from a trigger of a silly idea

46. Involve Everyone • Start with one idea from facilitator or another volunteer and write down • Easier to start with something on page • Go around group quickly allowing each person to submit one idea • If a person draws a blank, pass and come back • Power lies in taking advantage of everyone’s creative minds

47. No Evaluating • Telling someone their idea is subpar will result in less ideas spoken from that individual and the group • Wacky ideas may trigger the final solution • Participants need to feel at ease when brainstorming • Avoiding negative comments and other subtle signs • Saying “good idea” to one and not the other

48. Eliminate Duplicates • Examine list of all ideas • Eliminate repeated ideas

49. Pick Three • Have members evaluate each suggestion by selecting top three choices • Mark each choice • Do not number • Groups time is optimized and no one feels like their ideas were “Number 4”