research skills  resources

The four steps of Problem Solving 

1. Identify the problem
2. Generate solutions
3. Evaluate the possible solutions, decide on the best course of action, and put it into action
   
4. Evaluate the outcome. If the problem is not solved, repeat from step 2.
   

Identify the problem This step may sound obvious, but sometimes identifying the problem can be more difficult than it appears. Once the problem is clearly identified, this often goes more than half-way to solving it. Identifying the problem means clearly working out what one's goal is, and what is currently preventing one from achieving this outcome.

Generate solutions The key at this stage of the process is not to be overly critical or evaluative of the solutions generated, but to simply think of as many different ways of solving or addressing the problem as possible. This is like a 'brain-storm'. You get more creative solutions if you feel free to table anything.

Evaluate solutions and choose the best one to act on Having generated a list of possible approaches to dealing with the problem, it is now necessary to evaluate each of the options and decide which is the preferred approach, taking into consideration everything that might be relevant to the decision. One's knowledge is rarely perfect, so this is a matter of a 'best guess' in most cases.

Evaluate the outcome Having tried a solution, it is important to evaluate the success of the solution. If it hasn't worked, return to step 2, and revisit the possible solutions. Continue this process until the problem is resolved.

EXAMPLE: My foot hurts

Identify the problem
It hurts where my shoe is ripped: the problem is the rip in my shoe

Generate Solutions

1. Buy new shoes
   
2. Walk bare feet
3. Loosen up my laces
4. Put duck tape over rip

Evaluate and select

• No shoes for sale in school
  
• Not safe and uncomfortable
  
• Better but still hurts
  
• Sounds good let's try it

Evaluate the solution
It feels better but it hurts when I walk because I now have blister 

Generate solutions (2)

• stop walking
  
• put on a band-aid

Evaluate Solution (2)

• I need to go to my next class
  
• Sounds good lets try it
  

Evaluate the solution (2)

It doesn't hurt: problem solved