Problem Solving

Faculty of Civil Engineering and GeosciencesDelft University of Technology

Jack P. Oostveen

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Problem Solving Training / Education

introductionproblem solving a human activity

problem solving a social activity

problem / solutionproblem solving methodologyproblem solving training /

learning2


learning and trainingor

learning by training

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Problem Solving

problem solvingcurrent reality

specific problem

apparent best

solution

transformation cyclus

transformation

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Problem Solving

stimulus: problem

response: solution

reality person:black box

stimulus: problem

response: solution

current external reality of present

person:learning, studying and fantasising intention,

offeringmanaging and validating

transformation

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Problem Solving a Human Activity

Problem solving is a human activity

stimulus: problem

response: solution




Characteristic of the problem

1. Something fails or is missing, indicated by bad experiences.

2. There is a good functioning, but indicated by experiences it could be better.

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Because the problem is a concrete product of experience it can be described by several points of view

stimulus: problem

response: solution




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Characteristic of a good solution

1. The bad experiences has been abolished (partly) by the present solution.

2. There is a better functioning by the present solution.


Characteristics of stimulating forces (I):Intention and motivation:Why?

is it loving the good

or is it hating the bad, loving a higher good more then a lower good;

stimulusproblem ► bad situation

response:solution ►good situation




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Characteristics of stimulating forces (II):Offering

What offers has to be given?how much do you like to reach the target;how much is the love to the final good;against what effort are you prepared to get that target; what goods will you give up for the higher goods.






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Characteristics of stimulating forces (III):strength of will

is there enough potential energy (to study, to labour, to give up goods, money or any other kind of offers) and motivation to overcome difficulties to reach the objective.






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stimulus:problem ► bad situation



Characteristics of managing controlling all available efforts needed for reaching the goal within the limits of what is possible in technological as well as in economical, juridical and ethical waylooking for new efforts, like technological research as well as financial sources, needed to reach the goal or to make the goal potentially better

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Characteristics of validatingessentially: good solution, according the requirementseconomically: efforts versus profits i.c. the results of the solution




mentalsensorial

storagepassive storage

observation separated

images by sensors

sensorial observation

technique

sensorial activity

separated sensorial images of activity

activity selectio

n

mental images of actual reality

mental perceptio

n names of actual

conceptions and ideas

name giving

experience

active storage:actual knowledge or ideas; current internal reality of past, present

and future

learning recognisin

g

stimulus

response

transformation

science technolog

y artresults of study, design and

fantasy:knowing, meaning, suspecting,

believing and guessingscientifical and technological

concepts

analysing designing diagnosti

c creativit

y

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Model of Human Activity

managementcurrent external

reality of present

person:intention, offering, managing and validating

talents & capacity

mental images of future reality

images selection

scienc

e

experiencein

tuition

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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Current ‘external reality’The current 'external reality' exists as an intrinsic actual moment, continuously moving between past and future. Because of the conservation of substance, this “external reality” manifests itself by a continuous transformation of which by observation the images are “printed as being things” in the “internal reality”.

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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‘internal reality’The 'internal reality' is an actual representation of the past and present impressions as well as the ideas of the future. At which the ideas of the future are generated by the current knowledge and obviously based on the past and present experiences basicly.Conforming the ideas of the future, the “internal reality” will be the norm to transform the 'external reality‘.

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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continuous dynamic process: The 'external reality' becomes an 'internal reality' by observation and name giving. After transformation by integration of the ideas of the future into this ‘internal reality’ it becomes 'external reality' again by transformation activities in the 'external reality' according to the norms defined by the 'internal reality' This process is a continuous transformation process, in which infinite increments of current moments leaving the past and flowing into the future can be distinguished

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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continuous dynamic process: Determined by the managing activity of the person, during this continuous process some of the distinguished activities can be done more conscious, while others passes more or less unconscious, instinctive or automatic.The distinguished activities, that are taken more conscious can differs from moment to moment, depending of the stage of the process at one hand. At the other hand this behaviour can be influenced by the character of the person strongly.

potential knowledge

current knowledge

domain knowledge

knowledge of individuals

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Field of the problem / solution

Problem solving a social activity

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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Problem Solving a Social Activity

Social act: Some distinguished activities of the human activities can be taken more conscious then others. This can differs from moment to moment, depending of the stage of the process at one hand. At the other hand this behaviour can be strongly influenced by the character and quality of persons. The knowledge needed for solving problems can be distinguished by several disciplines and domain knowledges. Therefore by social activity the best and strongest properties of the involved persons can be activated and used, by which the total field of the problem can be covered.

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Social act: several people: different stimuli and

different responsesone leader: cooperating and communicatiing

with others

stimulus: problem

response: solution

stimulus: problem

response: solution stimulus: problemresponse: solution

stimulus: problem response: solution

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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Individual workingOne person is leading the process:

problem (internal reflexion: no discussion)

Managing specialists advicessolution (internal reflexion: no

discussion)

stimulus: problem

response: solution

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Team working A group of persons representing all necessary specialisations for solving the problem leaded by one person (chairman)Problem (reflexion by group: discussion)

Managing the groupspecialists for advices

Solution (reflexion by group: discussion)

problem• it is specific• it is not limited by the borders of a certain domain• it is not limited by the borders of individual knowledge

solution• it has been integrated by several domains • there is not a specific solution, but only one solution can be carried out:

“apparent best solution”

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Problem / Solution

a specific problemexperience knowledge

• wide, but limited by the borders of experiences• depends on individual experiences• subjective

scientific knowledge

• specialistic and general, but limited by theoretical assumptions • abstract, systematical and fundamental• objective

a specific ‘apparent best solution’24

Problem / Solution

problem – subproblem /subsolution - solution

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Problem / Solution

complex problems can be distinguished by interactive sub problems with their specific sub solutions on which

the final solution can be founded

problem

solution

sub problemsub

solution

sub problemsub

solution

sub problemsub

solution

problem description (diagnostic act)observation of the problem, which can be distinguished by various good and bad experiences: • several sensorial observations of the various symptoms by which the problem shows up• is there a problem?

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Problem Solving Methodology

problem description (diagnostic act)problem analysis, integration of the various symptoms into a coherence and consistence description or image of the problem: what fails or what is missing• is it only a bad functioning or is there something missing• the history of the problem: how does the problem occur• is it a permanent or a temporary problem• is it a local problem or more general• is it a singular problem or a complex one• how does the problem relate to the environment • is it a serious problem• is there an interaction with other problems• what is the source that causes the problem and by what can it be influenced• for whom is it a problem (social context)

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problem description (diagnostic act)

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influences

what causes the problem and what are influencing substances• looking for the basic source of the problem as well as the main influence(s)

source cause

current problem

sub problemssequencessub causes

making the problem more/less worse

problem description (diagnostic act)

definition of the problem: • what is the problem

an adequate definition of the problem is required because this stage will be the root of all further steps of the problem solving. So, this definition will determine the final solution highly.

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Problem Solving Methodologyproblem and experiences

problem has been recognised, similar solutions were satisfied:• ”satisfied solution” is like a paradigma and similar variations can be used

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Problem Solving Methodologyproblem and experiences

problem has been recognised, similar solutions did not satisfy, could be optimised or the problem seems to be complex:• there is no good paradigma and new solutions has to be foundProblem has not been recognised:• there is no paradigma and new solutions has to be found

objective (diagnostic and creative acts)description of what has to be achieved to solve the problem

Because the objective is founded by the problem definition, a description of what has to be achieved for solving the problem, makes the objective both: a source and a target. However at this stage the resulting solution is still defined as a matter of principle. After this stage the final solution will be determined by the restrictions of the several circumstances at one hand, while at the other hand depending on the grades of freedom the creative act of the human being will form the solution too

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1. Hard conditions which cannot be changed at all;

2. Less hard conditions defined by the preferences of the principal, they can be discussed

3. Soft conditions, more or less based on uncertaintities;

restrictions I (diagnostic act)in order to achieve the goal (objective), there will always be restrictions which make it harder to do it in a certain way.

Because the final solution will be determined by restrictions of the several circumstances after it has been defined by the objective essentially, the restrictions has to be analysed systematically. Therefore the restrictions can be distinguished explicitly by:

restrictions II (diagnostic act)boundary conditions• hard conditions, like laws, which can not be avoided

the actual situation boundary conditions from natural laws, like

hydraulics, geotechnical and applied mechanics geographical boundaries political agreements and juridical or legal laws technical constructive boundaries economical boundaries

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restrictions III (diagnostic act)premises

starting points from preferences by the principal or authorities that order to solve the problem, which areless hard • technical-constructive premises• geographical premises• social premises• ecological premises• financial premises

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restrictions IV (diagnostic act)assumptions

in case of uncertainties, when it is not possible to do all necessary research work (for instance by a lack of time or money), reasonable assumptions has to be made.

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because of the limits of the validity of the boundaries and the subjectivity of the premises and assumptions, it is very important to notice them all systematically.this is the main boundary for making the total procedure transparant and clear for discussions.

program of requirement (diagnostic act) list of requirements for solutions of the problem, following the restrictions:

• where are the limits of the restrictions as the diagnostic act• what are the grades of freedom for the creative act

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After the systematical noticing of and discussions about the restrictions the several requirements related to these restrictions has to be defined not only qualitatively but quantitatively too

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method of approach (diagnostic and creative acts)description of the several steps to solve the problem:

• analysing the actual versus the desired situation• defining the expected steps and interim results• prelimenary time schedule• allocation of tasks


It is very important to realise the several steps that has to be taken as well as who is responsible for each step or for the several sub problems

potential solutions (creative act)Investigation of all potential solutions

• “brain storming” (individually or by a team)• working out the solutions roughly, but certainly not in detail• working out in sufficient detail to compare and judge the several potential solutions

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selecting of the “best solution” (diagnostic act)

multi criteria• costs• environmental impact• social impact• durability of solution• hindrance during construction• etc.• veto, if an essential part fails

each criterium will have its own weight

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selecting of the “best solution” (diagnostic act)

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each criterium will have its own weight

although by adding such weights to the several criteria this selecting proces seems to be objective, basicly because the weights added are subjective, this selecting procedure is subjective too.in spite of this subjectivity, by adding weights to the several criteria the selecting procedure is getting transparance and it can be discussed clearly.

solution (creative act)work out the “apparent best solution” in detail and make a final design: On your way to the solution other sub-problems occur !!

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implementation (creative act)implementation of the “apparent best solution”

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It is very important, to realise that the implementation of the solution takes part of the problem. This implementation is fully bounded by the nature of the things. Not only by the physical, social and psychological laws but it will also be diverged into a lot of parts, ordered in space and time.

evaluation (diagnostic / analysing act)evaluate the “best solution” on its requirements, boundaries and restrictions

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Problem solving with limited knowledge

process activityobservation of the problemanalysing the problemobjective of the problemdetermining the restrictionsdetermining the requirementsanalysing the approachgeneration of solutionsselecting criteria for the “best solution”working out the “apparent best solution”

evaluation of the applied solution

results

description of the problem

description what to solve

boundary conditionsprogram of requirements

method of approachnumber of possible

solutons“apparent best

solution”design, result of computations &

researchfinal solution

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skills to solve the problemaims skillsintegration of domains

communication

limited knowledge

experts advices resp. team working

evaluation interdisciplinair processes

written reportsoral presentations

defending of the “apperent best solution”

literature studyconsulting specialists

initiating some research activity46


requirements for a good training problem

• current (civil engineering) problem• availability of sufficient data, like maps, drawings, computation programs, etc.• the possibility of several solutions• the solutions can be worked out and compared to each other by tools available for the students • the solutions can be worked out within the time available for the students (so if there is no sufficient experience with the large numerical models, they cannot be used. It takes to much time to get such an experience)

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Problem Solving Training

learning and training• problems are restricted by knowledge from the past lectures.• Problem Based Education is a method of training mainly.

learning by training• problems are not restricted by knowledge from the past lectures, students has to learn by the training substantially.• Problem Based Education is not only a method of training, but also studying and doing research activities outside the scoop of the lectures belonging to it

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current civil engineering problem

Vietnam / Mekong Delta geotechnical applications

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Problem Solving