PROBLEM SOLVINGPROBLEM SOLVINGPROBLEM SOLVINGPROBLEM SOLVING

TEN STEPS TO SUCCESSTEN STEPS TO SUCCESS

KNOWING A PROBLEM IS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU MEET ONE

• Does the problem use any reasonably important decision making activity?

• Say to myself “This is a problem. I need to slow down and think it through?”

PREVIEWING THE OUTCOME

• Do I look ahead and preview or estimate the outcome?

• Do I know what the solution will look like?

ASSESSING THE FEASIBILITY• Can I solve the

problem?• Do I need outside

help to do so?• If so, from whom or

from where?• How long will it

take?

• How difficult will this be?

• What are the costs and benefits of solving the problem?

• Is it worth the effort?• What will happen if I

try to solve it?

MOBLIZING RESOURCES

• What do I need to solve the problem?

• Have I seen this kind of problem before?

• If so, what have I done before that has worked well?

THINKING LOGICALLY

• If I do this, then …• How did I come to that conclusion?• Can I think of any good analogies

that would explain what I did or how you solved the problem?

CONSIDERING DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND PICKING THE

BEST ONE

• Did I consider more than one approach?

• Why don’t I try doing this, and if that doesn’t work then …

• I can always try that other approach or try the one I just thought of.

STARTING AND PACING

• Slow down my thinking and figure things out logically – step by step

• Cool it and think more slowly before making decisions.

SELF-MONITORING• Am I getting

anywhere with this?• Am I on the right

track?• How is it coming

along?• Is this the right or

best answer?

• Does my answer make sense?

• Have I done a good enough job with this?

• Do I think I could make a better approach?

DEALING WITH IMPASSES

• How do I respond when problem solving encounters an obstacle?

• What happens when a selected strategy has stopped working?

• Do I have an alternative plan?• Am I flexible?

ARRIVING AT THE SOLUTION• Can I think of the different times and

places where this kind of problem solving can be used again?

• Do I pace myself or rush through a problem?

• Do I have a strategy or do I do the first thing that comes to mind?

• Do I preview or do I have no way of estimating the answer?

PROBLEM SOLVING CHECKLIST

• Did I rush through this?• Did I use my strategies?• Did I estimate or preview my

answer?