We have talked about problem solving and generating great ideas on this blog a few times, but it’s never a bad idea to be exposed to other techniques or related techniques. Recently I attended a presentation “The Secrets of Creative Problem Solving” by Otto Schmidt hosted by Innovation Initiative. The Innovative Initiative is a non-profit forum supporting innovative businesses, so many inventors are members. The technique outlined below is also good for inventors who need some stimulation.

Key Objective for Creative Problem Solving

• Observe and notice more
• Improve ability to analyze
• Learn and use problem solving
• Practice solving real problems and situation

Observe and Notice More

• Scan: Notice and identify as many details as possible. Gather a set of details which the mind processes into ideas, concepts and understanding.
• Search: Consciously find details.
• Focus: Make clear in the foreground, middle or background. What the senses make clear is what the mind will think about.
• Attention: A willingness to give things time.

Improve Ability and Analyze:

Examine things methodically by separating into parts and studying interrelations to discover essential features.

1. Take things apart and put them back together. Notice the relationships when putting it back together, can you leave parts out?
2. Look from different points of view.
3. Use your imagination and determine the orders and steps. Why in that order?
4. Notice cycles or systems in the world. An example they gave is to look at your digestive system, if you take it away, the body stops to function.
5. Sort things in different ways.
6. Look for double meanings and hidden elements (parallels to past problems).
7. Find “ING” Words (Gerunds). An example: Say for instance your task is to build a superior bicycle, what are the important things you have to think about? Using “ing” words you would probably come up with sitting, pedaling, steering, braking, levering, changing, rolling, balancing, turning, protecting, rotating. You would use this concept with other problems.

• Problem Solving (Graham Wallas Creativity Model)
• Preparation: Data collection
• Incubation: Laying the issue aside, unconscious processing
• Illumination: Aha, new ideas emerge
• Verification: Check it out

Problem Solving Model Simplified

• Identify the real problem.
• List ways to solve it.
• Plan and test solution.
• Review the effectiveness of the solution.
• Adjust the solution.

How can you use this information? What do you have to add to the conversation? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right hand side) by email or RSS Feed.

Image Credit: Google images (redferret.net)

Further Reading

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The Art of Invention

Creative Problem Solving

How to Read to Problem Solve

Do You Have This Critical Workplace Skill?

Related posts:

1. Creative Problem Solving
2. Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome
3. Book Review: How the Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie Can Help You Improve Your Problem Solving Skills
4. What Kind of Problem Solver Are You?
5. How to Read to Solve a Problem

Learning and memory specialist James D. Weinland developed 10 steps to remember a particular fact. In the 1960 book, Learn While You Sleep: The Theory and Practice of Sleep-Learning, the author David Curtis reported:

“In defining memory, James D. Weinland writes that there is no sharp dividing line between learning and memory, since all learning is based on memory. He makes time the one distinction, in that memory is learning that persists. A memory so ingrained that it requires no effort at all is a habit. Memory is a function of the mind, and greater intelligence and better memory usually occur together.”

In previous blog posts I have stressed the importance of learning for a reason and not for the sake of learning, and I have also emphasized that when you learn you shouldn’t do so in a vacuum, but connect it to what you already know. This is paramount, especially when you are working toward becoming an expert in a particular field.

Here are James Weinland’s 10 steps to remember a particular fact:

• What’s the value in remembering the fact? How will it benefit you? Try to see its significance, try to be interested in it.
• Focus on the fact, be sure you have it right.
• Be sure you fully understand it.
• Intend to remember it.
• Be confident you can remember it.
• Involve the ego if possible.
• Associate it with other related facts. What do you already know that you can relate to this new piece of information?
• File it in its proper place in your memory system.
• Nothing exists in a vacuum, see the fact as a part of a larger whole.
• If there is a basis for doing so, learn it as part of a small group of related facts.

(Source: Learn While You Sleep; The Theory and Practice of Sleep Learning, David Curtis, 1960)

The 10 steps are simple, yet profound. I have added to some of the steps based on my experience and what I know. To learn and retain any information, you stand a better chance if you are motivated and have an interest in learning the new information. It’s also good to evaluate, interpret and analyze the information, all critical steps in problem solving.

What do you have to add to the conversation? What process do you use to remember facts? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right hand side) by email or RSS Feed.

Further Reading

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The Art of Invention

Creative Problem Solving

How to Read to Problem Solve

Do You Have This Critical Workplace Skill?

Photo Credit: Flickr via Apture

Book link is affiliate link.

Related posts:

1. Three Steps to Claim Legitimacy for Your Work
2. Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome
3. When It’s Okay to Make Assumptions

You have heard the phrase that assume makes an ass out of you and me. And in The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, one of the four agreements is Don’t make assumptions (the other three are Be impeccable with your word, Always do your best and Don’t take things personally).

But there are situations where you have to make assumptions. Let’s say you are working on a new project, and you have to gather information to understand the situation. You talk to the stakeholders, you observe how things are done, and you use other types of data collection techniques such as surfing the internet or online databases. At some point you have to stop collecting information and start analyzing what you have found. You stop collecting information because it doesn’t make sense cost-wise, or you simply cannot find more information on the topic.

The point is that you will never have all the information you need to make decisions in life, so you have to make assumptions based on your experience – what you already know. But you have to make it clear what assumptions you have made. So a simple rule to follow is to state:

1. What the facts are
2. What you don’t know
3. What assumptions you’ve made to fill in the information gaps, and why you’ve made them

So there are situations when you have to make assumptions, but making assumptions about people because you do not like them, or whatever reason, or making assumptions about situations and circumstances, shouldn’t be done lightly. Follow the three steps above.

What do you have to add to the conversation? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right side) by email or RSS Feed.

Book link is Amazon affiliate link.

Related posts:

1. Your Assumptions, Friends or Foes?
2. How to Make Better Decisions
3. The Uber Successful Make Time for Reading, Do You?
4. Can a Group of Thoughtful, Committed Citizens Make a Difference? Margaret Mead Thought So
5. Wanna Make History? Learn How Today!

The ability to write and problem solve effectively are  excellent skills to have. Below are three websites that allow you to cultivate those skills.

Daily Writing Tips

This website is a free subscription-based one. I like this website because it presents words that people often use incorrectly and provides examples for correct usage. Many people will find this website very useful and it will prevent you from making embarrassing mistakes.

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/

The English Club

Though the English Club website is for people who want to learn or teach English, it has a lot of good information. If you spend some time browsing the website you’ll discover a very good grammar guide among other things.

http://www.englishclub.com/

Ask Nature

Ask Nature is a project of the Biomimicy Institute. If you have challenges to resolve and problems to solve and are looking for some creative solutions, the Ask Nature  portal is the perfect place to start. Biomimicry is a new field, only about 20 years old, is innovation inspired by nature. To start the problem solving process, at the Ask Nature website, type in your question in the search box. You will receive responses that will take you down a path that you would likely have not taken, isn’t that what innovation is about?

http://asknature.org

Please refer to How to Problem Solve, Reverse Problem Solving and  How to Read to Problem Solve. Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

Related posts:

1. Websites to Know About
2. Websites Where Knowledge Rules
3. Are You an Avid Reader? 10 Websites to Save You Money
4. Five Websites to Expand Your Mind

Every so often I present websites that I think you should know about. A few days ago I presented a hybrid creativity model based on Graham Wallas‘ and James Webb Young’s creativity model. In the model you have general information, which are things you discover and file away for future use. The websites today are geared toward rounding out your general knowledge. The more varied your knowledge, the more creative you are. The creative you are, the more creative ideas you unearth for problem solving.

One website I added to the mix because many people travel so I thought it would be handy for discounted airfares.

Space Adventures

Provides private spaceflight opportunities.  It’s the first company to have taken clients into space.      

Virgin Galactic

Are you interested in space travel? Virgin Galactic is a space tourism operator which will be providing sub-orbital flights. It is an offshoot of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson‘s enterprise.

Ask Nature

It’s the design portal for the Biomimicry Institute. Biomimicry is a fairly new field where nature is used to inspire problem solving. The Ask Nature website is filled with lots of information that will round out your general knowledge.

Travel Alerts

You will find discounted vacation and last minute travel. Get the alerts sent to your email box each week http://www.travelalerts.com.

If money were no object, would you invest in space travel? Please keep the conversation flowing, click on the comment link below and leave a note for me. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

Ted talk: Biomimicry in action: Janine Benyus

Biomimicry in action: Janine Benyus

Space Tourism Markets What We Know And What We Don’t Know

Space Tourism Markets What We Know And What We Don’t Know

Photo Credit: Zemanta
Video Credit: YouTube via Apture

Related posts:

1. Five Websites to Expand Your Mind
2. Websites Where Knowledge Rules
3. Are You an Avid Reader? 10 Websites to Save You Money
4. How to Generate Creative Ideas

Problem solving is a coveted skill in business today, and those who excel at that skill will progress farther than those who don’t.  If problem solving is not one of your best skills, the good news is that it’s teachable, and there are several links in this post to articles that will help you to become a better problem solver. But today, I am more interested in the way in which you approach the problems that you encounter. Have you ever thought about the kind of problem solver you are?

This is an educational blog and my intent is to assist you in mentoring yourself by providing you with relevant information to give you an edge. We have talked about reading to solve problems, to master subjects, how to read and so on. These are often things that you usually wouldn’t thing about, after all you are very busy.

After analyzing the interviews for my book Tales of People Who Get It, and many of the other interviews that I have conducted since, I noticed a pattern emerging in the way in which people problem solve. Take a look at the four types of problem solvers and determine which one most closely reflect you. This is important because it informs the way you approach problem solving. Please also refer to my article Which Kind of Problem Solver Are You?

Inspirers: They nurture people and relationships and have the ability to inspire confidence. Whenever they face a challenge or problem, people rally around them offering their assistance. They have easy access to the information that they require to solve their problems.

Reflectors: These problem solvers do not rush when making decisions, instead they take their time, mull things over for a while, step back from the situation to get a new perspective and then act. After they have collected the information they need to problem solve, they mull it over for a while.

Innovators: These individuals have the unique ability to come up with creative solutions to any challenge or problem that they might encounter. It could be an entirely new solution or the blending of two known solutions into something fresh and exciting.

Influencers: These problem solvers are expert at getting others to support their cause, and they excel at finding solutions to “people” problems that involve change. Influencers are great at getting people to “buy in.”

Please refer to How to Problem Solve, Reverse Problem Solving and  How to Read to Problem Solve. Let’s keep the conversation flowing, click on the comment link below and leave a note for me. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here. View the video on the Home and About Page and let me know what you think.

For your research and writing needs, consider my firm Ambeck Enterprise for white papers, articles, fact sheets, anniversary booklets, you name it. Since I am the best kept secret you may not know this, but I have over 15 years research and writing experience. I KNOW content. And if you cannot figure out which books to read for professional development, I am your WOMAN. I can assist you with that too. Visit my sales page for resources such as The Invisible Mentor Toolkit and The Problem Solver Toolkit to assist you in acquiring wisdom from a distance. For free white papers click here.

Related Resources

The Importance of Problem-Solving by Ken Watanabe (The Huffington Post Online, April 23, 2009)

Related articles by Zemanta

• Solving Problems vs Fixing Problems (newcommbiz.com)

Related posts:

1. Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome
2. How to Read to Solve a Problem
3. How to Problem Solve
4. Creative Problem Solving
5. Do You Have This Critical Workplace Skill?

Do you have a difficult problem that you are trying to solve? A systematic approach to problem solving will make your task that much simpler. Below is a process to assist you, follow the steps in How to Read to Solve a Problem and record the information in the problem solver template. Read the blog posts How to Problem Solve and Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome for additional information. Information from this post was extracted from the Invisible Mentor Toolkit which I developed to assist you in acquiring information and knowledge from a distance.

How to Read to Solve a Problem

1. Describe a problem that you are having in your organization simply, clearly and not too broadly or narrowly.
2. Uncover the facts surrounding the problem
3. What are the underlying causes of the problem?
   1. Are the underlying causes internal or external to the organization?
   2. Are the underlying causes solvable?
4. Look at problems in many different ways, and find new perspectives that no one else has taken
5. On a blank sheet of paper do a brain dump for 15 minutes, writing down as many answers and solutions to the problem. If necessary, go back to Step 1 and redefine the problem
6. Compile a bibliography of books that could potentially help to resolve the problem?
   1. Ask colleagues for book recommendations
   2. Ask subject matter experts for recommendations
   3. Check the bibliography of scholarly journals and books on the topic
   4. Search the catalogues, or ask a librarian at a good reference library to find titles
7. Spend half a day at the library inspecting[1] the books listed in the compiled bibliography to:
   1. Whittle down the number of titles on the list
   2. Get a cursory understanding of the topic/situation
   3. Determine which  books say anything important about the topic of interest
8. With a cursory understanding of the subject:
   1. Develop questions you are trying to answer or issues to resolve
   2. Clarify the information that you are seeking. Distinguish between ‘must know’ and ‘nice to know’
   3. Write down the elements of what you require
   4. How will you know when you have found the answers?
9. Inspect the books identified as relevant to solving the problem
   1. Find the most relevant passages and record page numbers
   2. Record the answers to the questions by authors (Refer to the Problem Solver Template)
10. Read and analyze all the information gathered
    1. Distill the information germane to the problem
    2. Compare and contrast the answers to each question
    3. Reorganize the information in many ways. Combine, and recombine, ideas, and thoughts into different combinations no matter how incongruent or unusual
    4. Draw conclusions and identify possible solutions (Do not limit yourself to what has been done before but be open to new and better alternative solutions)
    5. Which option best serves the organization?
    6. Is the option consistent with the mission, goals and objectives of the organization
    7. Select the best option
11. Implement the solution
12. Evaluate the solution
13. If the solution does not work, repeat Step 10 c through to 10 d

[1] Refer to How To Read A Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading to find out how to quickly inspect a book.

The Problem Solver Template

Title of Book/Name of Author

Why is Author Qualified to Answer?

Question1

Answer 1/Page Found

Question2

Answer 2/Page Found

Question 3

Answer 3/Page Found

Question 4

Answer 4/Page Found

Question 5

Answer 5/Page Found

Let me know what you think about the questions. It is my vow to assist you on your professional development journey. If there are additional ways that I may be of service please let me know.

Click on the comment link below and leave a note for me. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the left side) by email or RSS Feed. I created a Mini Learning Toolkit and you can grab a copy by clicking here.

For your research and writing needs, consider my firm Ambeck Enterprise for white papers, articles, fact sheets, anniversary booklets, you name it. Since I am the best kept secret you may not know this, but I have over 15 years research and writing experience. I KNOW content. And if you cannot figure out which books to read for professional development, I am your WOMAN. I can assist you with that too. Visit my sales page for resources such as The Invisible Mentor Toolkit to assist you in acquiring wisdom from a distance. For free white papers click here.

Photo Credit: Google via Apture

Related Resources

Inspirer, Reflector, Innovator or Influencer, Which One Are You?

What Type of Problem Solver Are You?

The Importance of Problem-Solving by Ken Watanabe

Related posts:

1. How to Problem Solve
2. Mining Wide and Deep to Problem Solve
3. Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome
4. Creative Problem Solving
5. Do You Read in a Vacuum?

Many times we face problems that we think are unique to us, but similar problems have already been solved in a related or unrelated industry. How do we cross sectors to see what’s going on in their backyard, so that we may learn from them? How can we cross pollinate our ideas for superior solutions?

I love Fast Company magazine, and I was completely mesmerized while reading their recent article “Does Architecture Have a Foot Fetish?” by Michael Cannell. Cannell made an analogy between shoes and buildings, “What are shoes, after all, but mini buildings for your feet?” Do you agree with that statement? After reading the article and seeing some of the shoe designs, I will never look at shoes the same way again.

Now that the economy is slow, some architects have been applying their knowledge in building design, to designing shoes. Take a quick look at “Does Architecture Have a Foot Fetish?” and tell me what you think. The first shoe design is quite classy in my opinion, but the others are too futuristic, Star Trekky for me (no offense Star Trek fans).

In another Fast Company article, “A Problem-Solver’s Guide to Copycatting” by Dan & Chip Heath (authors of the bestseller Made to Stick), they present a few case studies where executives used nature (biomimicry) to solve organizational problems that appeared unsolvable.

How can you cross pollinate our ideas for superior solutions? And how can you build a body of general information that you can merge with specific information when problem solving? Simply read up on topics that you wouldn’t usually read: biomimicry, botany, biology, zoology, astronomy, agriculture, philosophy, science and so on. And read a few magazine that you usually wouldn’t read as Futurist, Utne, Skeptical Enquirer. And make sure to take a look at what other industries have done and are doing.

Even though the grass is seldom greener on the other side, it’s worth it to take a look. Please keep this conversation going, provide comments.

Photo credit: Flickr

Further Reading

Does Architecture Have a Foot Fetish?

A Problem-Solver’s Guide to Copycatting

No related posts.

Do you know how to solve your own problems? You have been asked by the new management team to look at the feasibility of re-introducing a product, which failed five years ago, what steps do you take before you report back to them in two months?

I am experimenting with the way I present information, so I am posting a previous post but in a different format. Please let me know which format you prefer. How can you use the information in the presentation to solve the challenge outlined above? Are the steps given, detailed enough for you to follow them?

Now let’s re-frame the problem slightly, the management team has asked you to re-introduce a product, which failed five years ago. You have been given six months to launch the product. Using the Reverse Problem Solving Technique, how do you proceed? Let’s keep the conversation going, what are your thoughts?

Related Post

Technique for Producing Great Ideas

How to Problem Solve

Reverse Problem Solving

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

The Art of Invention

Creative Problem Solving

How to Read to Problem Solve

Related posts:

1. Reverse Problem Solving: When You Must Have a Certain Outcome
2. How to Problem Solve
3. Summary of A Technique for Producing Great Ideas by James Webb Young
4. How to Make Better Decisions
5. You Cannot Step Into the Same River Twice

What did you decide?

Decision making is a step in the problem solving process and the quality of your solutions and decisions is only as good as the information they are based on.

Decision Making 101

1. Define the decision to be made
2. Collect information
3. Analyze the information
4. Develop possible solutions
5. Evaluate the quality of each solution
6. Choose a solution
7. Implement the decision
8. Test the decision (Did it do what it was supposed to do?)

From my extensive experience in research, the eight simple steps would translate into the following process, which will help you to become a better decision maker and a more valuable employee.

Anatomy of a Decision Making Process

Stage 1: Define the Decision

• State the decision to be made in your organization in clear and simple language and answer the following questions

1. How important is the decision?
2. How do decisions get made in your organization?
3. Why does the decision have to be made?
4. What is the impact of not deciding?
5. Who will be impacted by the decision, and how?
6. Who are your allies in the organization?
7. Is the decision permanent or reversible?
8. What are the desired outcomes of making the decision?
9. Is acceptance and support for the decision critical for its implementation?
10. How much time is available for making the decision?

Stage II: Gather Information

• Every decision is a response to a situation, what are the root causes of the situation?

1. Collect files, records and other relevant documents
2. Talk to stakeholders
3. Brainstorm with colleagues
4. Conduct focus group interviews
5. Look at best practices
6. How accurate is the information
7. Does it represent a diversity of points of view
8. Are there any biases

• Read all the information gathered and evaluate the quality of them

• Distil the facts pertinent to the decision to be made
• Restructure the definition of the decision if you have to
• Draw conclusions from the information gathered and identify possible solutions (Do not limit yourself to what has been done before but open yourself to new and better alternative solutions)
• Develop a set of decision criteria to judge the quality of each solution and assess its suitability

Stage III: Consider Solutions

• Use the set of decision criteria developed in Stage II to judge the quality of each solution and assess its suitability

1. State the advantages and disadvantages of each solution
2. State the costs, benefits and implication of implementing each option
3. Do not focus only on short-term costs but also look at long term benefits
4. State obstacles to each option and how they could be handled

Stage IV: Make a Decision

• Which option best serves the desired outcome stated in Stage I?
• Is the option consistent with the mission, goals and objectives of the organization
• Select the best option
• Explain your decision to those involved and impacted

Stage V: Implement the Decision

• Put the decision into action
• Does the decision feel right to you? Learn to trust your instincts

Stage VI: Test the Decision

• Did the decision resolve the situation?
• Are you comfortable with the decision?
• If no to the above, how can you rework the decision? Can you combine elements of the alternative solutions to form a hybrid solution?
• Go through the process again if you have to

Like with everything in life the more practice you get the more adept you become. By applying the process to your unique situation, in no time you will become a better decision maker. And the best part is that the process also works for your personal life.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Many readers read this blog from other sites, so why don’t you pop over to The Invisible Mentor and subscribe (top on the right hand side) by email or RSS Feed.

Related posts:

1. How to Problem Solve
2. How to Analyze Information