Problem Solving: Is a process and skill that you develop over time to
be used when needing to solve immediate problems in order to achieve a
goal.
Problem solving steps:
Step 1. Identify the problem
Firstly you need to identify and name the problem so that you can
find an appropriate solution. You may not be clear of what the problem
is or feel anxious/confused about what is getting in the way of your
goals. Try talking to others, as this may help you identify the problem.
Step 2. Explore the problem
When you are clear about what the problem is you need to think about
from different angles. You can ask yourself questions such as:
- How is this problem affecting me?
- How is it affecting others?
- Who else experiences this problem?
- What do they do about it?
Seeing the problem in different ways is likely to help you find an effective solution.
Step 3. Set goals
Once you have thought about the problem from different
angles you can identify your goals. What is it that you want to achieve?
Sometimes you may
become frustrated by a problem and forget to think about what you want
to achieve. For example, you might become ill, struggle to complete a
number of assignments on time and feel so unmotivated that you let due
dates pass.
- Improve your health
- Increase your time management skills
- Complete the assignments to the best of your ability
- Finish the assignments as soon as possible
If you decide your goal is to improve your health, that will
lead to
different solutions to those linked with the goal of completing your
assignments as soon as possible. One goal may lead you to a doctor and
another may lead you to apply for extensions for your assignments. So
working out your goals is a vital part of the problem solving process.
Step 4. Look at Alternatives
When you have decided what your goal/s is you need to look
for possible solutions. The more possible solutions you find the more
likely it is that you will be able to discover an effective solution.
You can brain-storm for ideas. The purpose of brain-storming is to
collect together a long list of possibilities. It does not matter
whether the ideas are useful or practical or manageable: just write down
the ideas as they come into your head. Some of the best solutions arise
from creative thinking during brain-storming. You can also seek ideas
about possible solutions
by talking to others. The aim is to collect as many alternative
solutions as possible.
Step 5. Select a possible solution
From the list of possible solutions you can sort out which
are most relevant to your situation and which are realistic and
manageable. You can do this by predicting
the outcomes for possible solutions and also checking with other
people what they think
the outcomes may be. When you have explored the consequences, you can
use this information to identify the solution which is most relevant to
you and is likely to have the best outcomes for your situation.
Step 6. Implement a possible solution
Once you have selected a possible solution you are ready to
put it into action. You will need to have energy and motivation to do
this because implementing the solution may take some time and effort.
You can prepare yourself to implement the solution by planning when
and how you will do it, whether you talk with others about it, and what
rewards you will give yourself when you have done it.
Step 7. Evaluate
Just because you have implemented the
best possible solution, you may not have automatically solved your problem,
so evaluating the effectiveness of your solution is very important. You can ask yourself (and others) :
- How effective was that solution?
- Did it achieve what I wanted?
- What consequences did it have on my situation?
If the solution was successful in helping you solve your problem and
reach your goal, then you know that you have effectively solved your
problem. If you feel dissatisfied with the result, then you can begin
the steps again.
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