Forward-thinking solutions are distinguished from short fixes by creative problem-solving tactics. Creative techniques, which are truly an art, solve problems by teaching you to perceive them in a new perspective.
Is it possible to have an equal chance in a crisis? The response is frequently a loud yes when using these 6 inventive solutions to fix an issue.
Mechanism of Problem-Solving
In their intricacy, some issues appear to be overpowering. You’re at a loss on where to begin. And this lack of focus can cause you to go in circles.
The six-step problem-solving model assists you by establishing a disciplined and consistent approach to problem-solving. It allows you to take a step back, get your breath, and address the problem systematically.
Related: Commonly Asked 3 Financial Questions (and How to Work Through Them)
The following are the six steps of this method:
- Define the issue.
- Define the original problem core cause or causes.
- Make a list of possible solutions.
- Choose the most appealing option from the options presented.
- Put the plan into action.
- Evaluate the solution’s outcome.
Despite the fact that the steps are in order, any one of them can be repeated. For example, serious thought about Step 4 can lead you to recognise that you misdefined the problem’s core causes in Step 2. And the final stage’s review of the results may be unfavourable, requiring you to repeat the process. In this way, the model behaves like an algorithm, with feedback loops at each iteration.
Related: How Self-Compassion Can Be Taught By Giving Upper to Your Reflection
Screwdriver Methodology
The most challenging component of problem-solving is determining the root reasons of a problem. You’re aware that something isn’t quite right. Something isn’t working, as you can see. However, the causes remain ambiguous or opaque.
The drill-down technique aids in the resolution of this problem by breaking it down into smaller and smaller bits. To put it another way, you establish a huge problem and then “dig down” to the root reasons.
You’ll need to draw a simple table to use the drill-down technique. On the left side, put down the issue you’re having.
You list plausible sources of the problem to the right, in the centre. Further to the right, you’ll see a list of possible causes for each of the middle difficulties.
Although it appears to be difficult, a graphic example demonstrates how simple it is:
Store inventory is low, and the supplier is unpredictable. Some Products Have Been Retired
Goals aren’t being met by the outside sales team.
Low team morale due to high team turnover. You’ve drilled down from a massive problem to its essential aspects in this simple example. When you understand the core issues, solutions become more apparent.
In this scenario, you could want to hunt for a new, more dependable source that sells things that are similar to those that have been phased out. At the same time, you may want to meet with the outside sales team to demonstrate that you are concerned about their problems and are willing to assist them to solve them.
Related: 10 Simple Ways to Begin Creating Your Legacy
Coming Up With Ideas In Reversal
You’ve probably heard of brainstorming techniques before. That is a gathering of interested persons who will throw out unjudged ideas to a problem. The brainstorming session is frequently facilitated by a team leader writing the team’s ideas on a whiteboard. You can brainstorm on your own with practice.
What Is Reversed Conceptualizing, Though?
To an outsider, the process may appear to be the same. The distinction is that you do not attempt to solve the problem. You’re seeking methods to aggravate the situation.
Everyone provides ways to reduce sales, increase employee turnover, and increase expenses during reverse brainstorming—bring us your worst ideas.
It may appear goofy at first, but as the brainstorming period progresses, people will get more focused and creative. Once you’ve gathered a sufficient number of negative solutions, reverse them to find genuine solutions. The approach is quite good at coming up with fresh ways to address problems.
Reverse Engineering—A Dilemma Strategy That Works Backwards
Let’s take a look at the “work backwards problem solving method” while we’re in reverse. It’s not for everyone because it has roots in mathematics and engineering. However, you don’t need a math degree to try it out. As you learn to “step backward,” you’ll need a lot of patience with yourself.
Most of the time, we approach situations from the standpoint of the present. Then we identify the steps that must be taken in order to achieve our goal. However, each one of our actions could bring us away from the best and most effective path. However, sometimes well-intentioned schemes go completely awry when put into effect. Backward problem solution acts as a safeguard against this scenario.
You begin with your goal when using the work backwards approach to problem resolution. Then you move backwards: what was the last stage before you achieved your goal? And before that, what happened? You work your way backwards, one step at a time, to the current position. Compare the stages to your more traditional, future plan once you’re done. Where do they overlap and where do they diverge?
Make The Issue Larger (Also Known As The Eisenhower Principle or 10X Problem Solving).
The 10X Rule urges you to aim for ten times your current level of accomplishment. What if you tried to solve problems by making them 10 times bigger—or at least imagine them to be?
Any business is confronted with a slew of issues. Managers and entrepreneurs are in a constant scramble to tackle one mini-crisis after another. It’s easy to lose sight of the problems that are genuinely vital in this frantic situation. However, not all issues are worthy of equal attention. Imagine that each issue is ten times larger than it is.
This Is One Way To Manage Task Prioritising.
Assume you’re in charge of a ten-person office workforce. There are three issues to consider. Your administrative assistant forgot to arrange your critical lunch meeting, an employee is constantly 10 minutes late, and a corporate computer has gone missing. Each problem must be resolved.
And the late worker, in especially, gets under your skin on an intimate level.
However, if the problems were ten times larger, you might prioritise them differently. One lost PC appears to be a simple task to postpone.
However, if ten of them went missing, the entire office would come to a halt. Your initial step might be to contact security for assistance, after which you should address your administrative assistant’s lack of attention. After all, if you miss ten lunch meetings, one of them will be with the CEO. The tardy employee has till the end of the day to make up his or her time.
This method, which was famously adopted by General Eisenhower on the battlefield, allows you to take a step back and look at problems from a different perspective. You create a broad picture to help you prioritise your tasks.
Sleep On It Instead Of Just Taking a Step Back.
Each of the aforementioned innovative problem-solving solutions employs a unique approach. Despite this, they all have one thing in common: they assist you in taking a step back and re-evaluating the problem. However, if you’re stuck in a single, intricate problem that’s taking up your days and weeks, you might need to do more than just take a step back. You might want to give it some thought.
We sometimes exaggerate the advantages of “sticking with it.” We applaud the person who works hard, stays up late, and rises early the next day to tackle the problem once more. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, has a negative impact on your health. It can also keep your brain from doing what it’s supposed to do while you’re sleeping.
That is, analyse and correlate information from the day in ways that our waking intellect would have overlooked.
Numerous studies have shown that getting a good night’s sleep helps in problem-solving. That moment you awoke feeling energised and a solution appeared obvious? That wasn’t an isolated incident. Across civilizations, the procedure has been well-documented.
Throughout history, people such as Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and others have solved complicated issues while sleeping.
Yes, you may need to work till the wee hours of the morning to complete everyday duties. If you have to file taxes, meet payroll, and order merchandise all at the same time, you have a good cause to lose a few hours of sleep.
However, don’t go too long without sleep for sophisticated issue solving or overall health and wellness. That restful night’s sleep may yield new, innovative answers that your overworked conscious mind could never have conceived.