Showing posts with label Problem Solving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Problem Solving. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Rephrase the Problem

Einstein’s Secret to Amazing Problem Solving's first step is to rephrase the problem;
Words carry strong implicit meaning and, as such, play a major role in how we perceive a problem. In the example above, ‘be productive’ might seem like a sacrifice you’re doing for the company, while ‘make your job easier’ may be more like something you’re doing for your own benefit, but from which the company also benefits. In the end, the problem is still the same, but the feelings — and the points of view — associated with each of them are vastly different.

I've been struggling to talk about transportation without using the tired old bikes vs. cars terminology. For me this isn't about bike vs. cars. It's about everyone reaching their transportation goals and getting to their destination (or just enjoying themselves in the process)

With this in mind, I like the term "active transportation" for all modes of non-motorized travel. I'm sure I'm going to be adding to my list of terms as I work through this blog.

Problems Solving Strategies

While surfing the net I ran across this interesting post titled "Einstein’s Secret to Amazing Problem Solving" I know, I know, the title is bloghype...but the content is pretty interesting nonetheless. I'm going to use the suggested steps to help guide me through my journey to fix Market Street.

1. Rephrase the Problem
2. Expose and Challenge Assumptions
3. Chunk Up
4. Chunk Down
5. Find Multiple Perspectives
6. Use Effective Language Constructs
7. Make It Engaging
8. Reverse the Problem
9. Gather Facts
10. Problem-Solve Your Problem Statement