Problem Solving & Critical ThinkingBUSINESS & COMPUTER SCIENCE

Quotes from the Greats

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”

Albert Einstein, Inventor

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

Problem Solving 4-Step Process

Process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues

Identify Problem

Create a Plan

Carry Out the Plan

Look Back (Reflect)

Step 1 – Identify Problem

In business, problems come from a variety of sources including competitors, customers, employees, and government regulations.

Some examples: Competitors selling a similar product at a much lower cost

Customers complaining about the performance of a product

Employees wanting a higher wage for their work

Government regulations change the way you must do business

Step 2 – Create a Plan

Various methods can be used to create plans, with no single way being best or the only way

Sometimes management just tells employees what to do

Brainstorming is a popular method for beginning the creation process

Definition: process for generating creative ideas and solutions through interactive group discussions

Flowchart

Step 3 – Carry Out the Plan

Also known as

implementation

Can be the most difficult step

People can be resistant to

change

Sometimes an issue of

resources

Step 4 – Look Back (Reflect)

Critical step for success

Most often overlooked step

Referred to as “Closing the

Loop”

Identify Problem

Create a Plan

Carry Out the Plan

Look Back (Reflect)

Critical Thinking

The art of thinking about your thinking while you are thinking in order to make your thinking better: more clear, more accurate, or more defensible.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

Process used by business where all the benefits of a given situation are added up and then the costs associated with taking that action are subtracted

Examples of Cost-Benefit Analysis

Ford Pinto Design flaw causing them to burst into flames when struck

Proposed wrongful death claims of $50 million

Proposed recall costs $138 million

Phillip Morris, Inc., RJ Reynolds, Brown & Williamson, & Lorillard Spent years denying their product caused cancer

Internal documents showed that they knew

In 1998 agreed to pay $206 Billion over 25 years

Cause & Effect

Causation when one action directly causes

another action

Correlation a mutual relationship or

connection between two or more things

Your Personal Rationale

What is it? A set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action or a particular belief.

1. Consider why you believe what you believe

2. Evaluate your sources and their validity

3. Don’t operate on prejudice

4. Use sound reasoning

“”

To thine own self be true.

SHAKESPEARE HAMLET ACT 1, SCENE 3

The End