Problem Solving Digging Deeper
Several tools are used for analysis and evaluation at each of these steps. Examples of tools that help find the root causes of the problem are the cause-and-effect diagram and five-why analysis. Cost-benefit and force-field analysis help in choosing the best solution.
This course helps you recognize the value of honest, fact-based analysis and demonstrates how the application of a few tools greatly assists you when determining the root cause of a problem and the best solution. The course first discusses problem analysis, illustrates steps to follow when analyzing problems, and outlines the tools used for uncovering the root causes. It then describes how to use evaluation and analysis when choosing the best solution from the alternatives available, as well as some of the tools you can use to assist in your endeavors.
Problem Solving Determining and Building Your Strengths
Whatever you think of your current problem-solving skills, it is always possible to improve upon them, and even to develop new skills. To improve, you first need to assess your existing problem-solving style, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and develop an ongoing strategy for sharpening and building your skills. You also need to recognize the key barriers that lie in the way of effective problem solving – your biases – and develop techniques for reducing their impact on your ability to solve problems.
This course helps you assess and develop your problem-solving skills, and also aims to help you recognize and overcome several types of bias. The course first takes you through the process of assessing and interpreting your existing problem-solving styles. It then introduces approaches for identifying areas for improvement in your problem-solving skill set and recommends strategies for enhancing key skills. Finally, it explains how to recognize and overcome biases in a problem-solving situation.
Problem Solving The Fundamentals
'The problem,' says author and psychiatrist Theodore Rubin, 'is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.' A problem is a question or situation that presents doubt, perplexity, or difficulty. It's an issue that needs to be corrected or overcome in order to achieve a desired state. Problem solving involves goal-oriented thinking and action in situations for which no ready-made solutions exist.
Whether consciously or unconsciously, everybody solves problems relating to their personal or work life every day. However, you can greatly improve your problem-solving effectiveness by gaining a better understanding of the problem-solving process, essential skills, and required competencies, as well as an awareness of the mind traps and pitfalls that impair the process. This course takes you through the essentials of problem solving and explores some of its challenges.