Problem solving

by
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
Mtech(IIT Delhi) ,CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
Contact -+919007224278,
e-mail -muktesh_prasad@yahoo.co.in
for book ”Decoding Services Selection Board” and
SSB guidance and training at
Shivnandani Edu and Defence Academy,Kolkata,India
Problem Solving
(Cognitive psychology-4)

Problem Solving
 The term problem-solving refers to the mental process
that people go through to discover, analyze and solve
problems.
 A problem can be defined as ‘where there is a need to
bridge gap between a current situation and a desired
situation”.
 Broadly there are three types of problem
 diagnostic problems – working out what’s gone wrong
and ﬁxing it – for example, a machine or a process isn’t
working properly and needs to be ﬁxed or improved
 design problems – identifying what needs to be done to
create a new product or process and planning how to do it
 contingency problems – resource planning and working
with others to plan and manage a project, such as
organising an event.
 Problems with personal or emotional relationships
are not a problem although they often make for
interesting scenarios.

Thiking Skill in Problem Solving
 Step 1- Identifying, clarifying and exploring
the problem.
Skills needed- Analytic and creative
 Step 2- Thinking of ways to tackle the
problem and choosing one way.
Skills needed- Creative, analytic and evaluative
 Step 3- Planning and carrying out the plan.
 Skill needed- Analytic and systematic
 Step 4- Checking to see if the problem has
been solved, reﬂecting on the problem-
solving process, reviewing and evaluating.
Skill needed- Analytic and evaluative

Problem-Solving Strategies
 Through learning and becoming self-aware and self-managing young
people will:
 develop a positive sense of their own identity and self-esteem
 be able to enjoy life and be positive about its challenges
 use their imagination and creativity to develop new ideas, insights and new
ways of doing things
 learn to assess their skills, achievement and potential to set personal goals,
negotiating and planning ways to meet them
 understand that achievement is life-long and that there are different ways to
succeed to achieve their best
 aim to achieve personal excellence, enjoy learning and be motivated
 Participate in compelling leaning experiences allows one to learn new
things and meet new challenges .For example:
 performance – through drama, choirs, orchestras, public speaking, sports
 taking responsibility – undertaking leadership and support roles in events
and activities, such as outdoor and adventurous activities, playground
leaders
 collaboration and participation in events – such as mini-enterprise
activities environmental or local history projects, clubs and visits etc
 encountering challenging and unfamiliar contexts – such as residential
and community-based work, work-related learning and working with

Problem-Solving Strategies…
 Algorithms: An algorithm is a step-by-step procedure that
will always produce a correct solution. While an algorithm
guarantees an accurate answer, it is not always the best
approach to problem solving.
 Heuristics: A heuristic is a mental rule-of-thumb strategy
that may or may not work in certain situations. Unlike
algorithms, heuristics do not always guarantee a correct
solution.
 Trial-and-Error: A trial-and-error approach to problem-
solving involves trying a number of different solutions and
ruling out those that do not work. This approach can be a
good option if you have a very limited number of options
available.
 Insight: In some cases, the solution to a problem can
appear as a sudden insight. According to researchers,
insight can occur because you realize that the problem is
actually similar to something that you have dealt with in
the past, but in most cases the underlying mental

Problems and Obstacles in Problem-
Solving
 Problem-solving is not a flawless process. There are a number of
different obstacles that can interfere with our ability to solve a
problem quickly and efficiently.
 Functional Fixedness: This term refers to the tendency to view
problems only in their customary manner.
 Functional fixedness prevents people from fully seeing all of the
different options that might be available to find a solution.
 Irrelevant or Misleading Information: When you are trying to solve a
problem, it is important to distinguish between information that is
relevant to the issue and irrelevant data that can lead to faulty
solutions.
 When a problem is very complex, the easier it becomes to focus on
misleading or irrelevant information.
 Assumptions: When dealing with a problem, people often make
assumptions about the constraints and obstacles that prevent
certain solutions.
 Mental Set: Another common problem-solving obstacle is known as a
mental set, which is the tendency people have to only use solutions
that have worked in the past rather than looking for alternative
ideas.

Levels
 Levels are related to the
 nature of the problem, as well as the
 range and complexity of the techniques used, and
 the extent to which candidates take responsibility for the problem-
solving process.’
 At Levels 1 and 2 the problems will will be well defined with their
main features clearly identified.
 At Level 1 the problem, resources are familiar.
 The plan is straightforward and step-by-step methods are used to
check if the problem has been solved.
 At Level 2 the learner identifies the problem with help and takes some
responsibility for coming up with ways of tackling it and for obtaining
help from others.
 Identifies strengths and weaknesses of their approach to problem
solving.
 At Level 3 the problem should have a number of sub-problems.
 There should be several ways of tackling it and there will be a range of
factors to take into consideration.
 The learner explores the problem and its sub problems, using a variety of
methods and resources, compares ways of tackling it and decides on and
justifies one approach.

Problem Solving calls for a range of skills and
qualities which are more than just applying
problem-solving
Process skill Personal qualities Interpersonal skill
Clarifying Conﬁdence Consulting with
others
Exploring Taking the initiative Communicating
needs
Planning Persistence Collaborating
Implementing Reliability Communicating ideas
Checking Openness to
feedback
Asking questions
Reﬂecting Willingness to learn
from
experience
Listening to others
Reviewing Asking for help and
feedback

Problem Shaping
 Defining a problem is the most important step in finding a solution
because every subsequent act is based on how the problem is shaped.
 Problem solving begins with problem shaping, and that’s where most
people go wrong. They immediately define the problem within their own
skill set.
 Example found on standardized tests focusing on a predetermined
solution.
 In an elimination boxing tournament, boxers are paired for
competition. The loosing boxer from each fight is eliminated, and
the process repeats itself until only one boxer is left. If 512 fighters
enter the tournament, how many fights must be fought to determine
the winner?
 Algebraic approach leads to an equation that is quite lengthy hence high
odds of making a mistake.
 Re-frame the problem to focus on the losers rather than the winner, the
approach requires only simple math. How many fighters must lose in
order for there to be one winner?
 Total Boxer-one winner=Total Fights
 In another example, when a truck managed to wedge itself under a “LOW
CLEARANCE” bridge, a team of police, firefighters and engineers limited
their focus to how to raise or remove the bridge. A child proposed a far more
elegant solution: “Let the air out of the tires!”

Different Techniques to help
developing Problem solving skills
 Brainstorming
 Spider diagrams
 Force-ﬁeld analysis
 Different views
 SWOT analysis
 Six thinking hats
 Risk analysis
 Cost– beneﬁt analysis
 Timelines
 Flow charts

Problem solving

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