Problem Solving

TOPIC: PROBLEM
SOLVING
Presented To: Mr. Mubbashir Hussain

PROBLEM SOLVING
The process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues.
The ability to develop a well thought out solution within a reasonable
time frame.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PROBLEMS
Putting together an argument for an essay
Debugging a computer program
Dealing with an awkward customer when working
part-time in a shop or restaurant
Thinking about how you are going to manage your
budget to keep you going until the end of term
Working out why your printer won’t respond.
Developing a strategy to reach the next level of a
computer game.

DEVELOPING YOUR
ANALYTICAL AND
PROBLEM-SOLVING
SKILLS
Mind games
Computer games
Practical interests
Working with sound or lighting
equipment
Academic study

ACTIVITIES FOR ENHANCING
IMAGINATION AND BECOMING
MORE CREATIVE/INVENTIVE

What can you do with coat hanger?

How to say no.
write down as many possible ways for “how people say ‘no’.

PROBLEM SOLVING
EXAMPLES:
Now we will have a look on different problems and will
solve them by following these steps:
1. Evaluate the problem
2. Identify solutions
3. Select the best solution
4. Test and review

EXAMPLE 1
1. Evaluate the problem – Sales need to be increased by 20%
Increase the markup
Increase the number of items offered for sale
Decrease the cost of goods
3. Select the best solution – Increase the markup
4. Test and review – Look at how the solution you chose is working
and determine whether that was the right solution. When the answer
is yes, carry on with your decision. When the answer is no try another
solution

EXAMPLE 2
1. Evaluate the problem – The time to close the store at the end of
the day takes too long and needs to be cut from 45 minutes to 20
minutes.
Add more staff on closing.
Reduce the number of tasks that have to occur at closing.
Move tasks that can be done earlier to earlier in the day.
3. Select the best solution – Add more staff on closing.
4. Test and review – Look at how the solution you chose is working
and determine whether that was the right solution. When the answer
is yes, carry on with your decision. When the answer is no try another
solution.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO A
GOOD PROBLEM
SOLVING?
The key to a good problem solving is that you deal with
the real problem not its symptoms.
For example, if performance in your department is
substandard, you might think the problem is with the
individuals submitting work. However, if you look a bit
deeper, the real issue might be a lack of training, or an
unreasonable workload

PROBLEM SOLVING
ACTIVITIES:
Step 1: Define the Problem
Problem solving activities that help you phrase and
understand the problem you are trying to solve:
#1. Newspaper Headline – Try writing your problem as if
it were a headline in a newspaper

#2. 40-20-10-5 – Explain your problem in up to 40
words. Then cut it down to 20 words; then to 10, then
finally to only 5 words. These 5 words are the root of
your problem (and likely the root of your solution as
well).
#3. Explain Life I’m Five – Explain your problem as if you
were talking to a 5-year old kid. Use basic language and
simple metaphors if necessary.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas
Problem solving activities that help you generate a list of
possible solutions that will solve your problem*:
#4. Ad Game – When someone offers up an idea,
everyone emphatically says “Yes!” and then the group
continues to generate ideas, often building off the last
idea that was just offered.

Step 3: Decide on a Solution
Problem solving activities that help you narrow your list
of possible solutions down to the best solution.
#5. Idea Trial – When you can’t get agreement on which
solution to choose, have the proponents of each idea
represent them in “court.” Go through opening
arguments, call witnesses and allow closing statements.
Have the project board choose the winner.

#6. Coin-Flip – When deciding between two equally good
solutions, flip a coin. When the coin is in the air, take
note of what you secretly hope the result is and go with
Step 4: Implement the Solution
Problem solving activities that help you implement the
solution you have chosen:
#7. End in Mind – To create your plan, start with the end
in mind and work backwards. Establish key milestones
and dates in reverse order, starting with the end-of-
project celebration and ending with today.

Step 5: Review the Results
#8. Stop-Start-Continue – Review the way you completed
your project and pick activities you should stop (things
you did on this project that you don’t think are necessary
for future projects), start (things you didn’t do on this
project but that you should do on future projects) and
continue (things you did on the project that you should
do on future projects).

PROBLEMS WITH LITTLE OR NO
DATA OR INFORMATION.
Use these five numbers and apply any mathematical operation to
make number 120.
2, 3, 5, 10, 24

THINK OF PROBLEMS
AS CHALLENGESIn Chinese the character of danger and opportunity is same.

THINK OF PROBLEMS
AS OPPERTUNITIES
Problems can also be opportunities they allow you to see things
differently and to do things in a different way, perhaps to make a
fresh start.

BRAIN EXERCISES
Try to do something different from your daily routine.
Solve those problems in a different way that already have solutions.
Sticking with the example of writing, the routine way may be to write
by using your right hand. But when you try to learn writing using
your left hand, meaning the one that you don't usually use, you are
putting your brain to a different kind of stimulus. This simple
exercise will help the nerve cells in your brain to create new
connections and therefore help your brain in functioning better.

BRAIN EXERCISES
 Try brushing your mouth using your other hand
If you usually stay at home, try camping out for the weekend and
enjoy the different stimuli that come from being in another
environment
Next time you're sitting on a train or in a cafe try to listen and follow
2 different conversations at the same time.

A logic puzzle to test your problem solving skills
1. There are five adjoining houses in a row in different colors: blue, green, red, white and yellow.
2. In each house lives a person of different nationality: British, Indonesian, German, American and Dutch.
3. Each person drinks a different beverage: grape juice, coffee, milk, tea and water.
4. Each person has a different job: journalist, postman, magician, astronaut and actuary.
5. Each person keeps a different pet: tiger, zebra, parrot, shark and aardvark.
6. The British person lives in a red house.
7. The Dutch person keeps an aardvark.
8. The Indonesian drinks tea.
9. The green house is on the left of the white, next to it.
10. The owner of the green house drinks coffee.
11. The journalist rears parrots.
12. The owner of the yellow house is an actuary.
13. The person living in the house in the centre drinks milk.
14. The American lives in the first house.
15. The astronaut lives next to the person who owns a tiger.
16. The man who keeps a zebra lives next to the actuary.
17. The postman drinks grape juice.
18. The German is a magician.
19. The American lives next to the blue house.
20. The astronaut has a neighbor who drinks water.

Problem Solving

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