Problem-Solving Skills
Before committing to important decisions it is wise to invest time and effort in considering the issue and alternate solutions.
Six ideas to increase your success in problem-solving include:
- Identify the problem – state the problem in the form of several different questions.
- Identify the solution criteria – On what basis should you make the decision? What will the solution look like? What concerns will you have addressed? What factors need to be considered?
- Identify all of the possible causes of the problem.
- Generate alternatives/ideas considering all of the questions framed when identifying the problem; all of the solution criteria and all of the possible causes.
- Select the best alternatives using the solution criteria.
- After implementation, follow-up to confirm the success of your problem-solving process.