Valuable Life Lessons

My 9-Step Problem-Solving Strategy

You can customize these steps, principles, and practical tips to produce successful solutions

Every problem comes with a solution and an opportunity. However, every solution or opportunity manifests as a problem initially until it becomes apparent. Therefore, problem-solving skills are vital to leveraging the power of possibilities in personal and professional life.

Problem-solving is a universal skill. Everyone needs it, as no one lives without problems, whatever their position or circumstances are. The most common issues manifest in your jobs, health, finances, culture, and relationships.

Readers who found a recent story titled “10 Lifehacks Schools Couldn’t Teach Me” showed interest in my problem-solving approach when experimenting to solve pressing issues and create solutions with new and original ideas.

It is a pleasure to share my approach by summarizing the key points, hoping it can benefit many people. Your success will delight me.

I have used many methods to solve problems in my professional and personal life. Some have hundreds of steps that are impossible to cover in an article. Besides, each method is bespoke and might not meet everyone’s needs.

Therefore, I provide a condensed and generic roadmap to solve problems so anyone can customize it and elaborate on details by researching the literature in their discipline and learning from successful people in their fields.

To be an efficient problem solver, apart from focus, attention, and task switching, we also must improve our working memory and enrich our procedural memory.

Here is an outline of my problem-solving approach with brief explanations and examples.

1 —Recognize, Accept, Define, and Describe the Problem.

Recognizing, accepting, defining, and describing a problem are initial and critical steps in solving any issue.

The first step in solving any problem is to recognize that there is a problem. For example, we need to acknowledge that something is missing or not working as it should be.

Once we have recognized a problem, the next step is to accept it as real and requires a solution. Denying or ignoring a problem can delay the solution and does not bring value.

It is good to be optimistic. However, hoping for a problem to disappear hardly works apart from some exceptions, such as problems beyond our capacity, capability, or control.

Defining a problem involves breaking it down into smaller parts and examining each component to understand how it contributes to the problem's solution. We need to be specific when defining the problem to ensure that the solution is tailored to address the root cause of the issue.

Once we define the problem, we must explain it to ourselves or others if it is a group problem. Describing the problem in detail can help the team members engage in solution-finding, understand the issue, and allow them to work as a team effectively to address it.

Articulately describing the problem based on the definition can help deconstruct the parts and brainstorm solutions.

2 — Deconstruct or partition the problem.

Some problems have multiple facets. Deconstructing parts of the problem in smaller chunks helps us see the bigger picture and solve the components and the entire problem faster.

Deconstructing a problem means breaking it into smaller, more manageable parts to make it easier to understand and solve.

By breaking down the problem, you can focus on smaller components, understand how they relate to other parts, and quickly identify the root causes.

For example, if your car does not work, you might start thinking about the battery, petrol, ignition system, or engine by assessing possibilities.

Or, if your business has sales issues, you might start looking at the marketing tactics, product quality, customer choices, and financial trends in the market.

Deconstructing a problem can add focus and clarity to resolution. Solving small chunks can contribute to the solution of the entire problem.

3 — Brainstorm for multiple solution approaches.

By looking at the problem from various angles and thinking creatively, you can produce multiple ideas to find solutions. You can write them as solution statements. These statements can help you create the solution components.

The more options we create, the better decisions we can make. I’d like to give a couple of examples.

If your customers complain about your slow website, you might start creating statements such as: 1) reduce the size of website images, 2) optimize scripts, 3) increase the capacity of servers, and 4) use a content delivery network.

If your department executive tells your team members are not productive, you can write statements like 1) identify common patterns, 2) provide customized education to members, 3) Offer flexible hours, and 4) offer better incentives.

4 — Understand the symptoms and causes of the problem.

Symptoms and causes are critical terms in problem-solving. The symptoms of a problem are visible or tangible signs indicating something is wrong. Causes, on the other hand, are the underlying factors or conditions that lead to the problem.

You can usually observe or measure symptoms. A symptom can be a painful situation, a disturbance, or a desire from the customer’s perspective. Understanding the symptoms by reviewing them from multiple angles is essential.

In the website example, the site is slow, and the users have difficulty accessing it. Or it takes five minutes to load a page instead of ten seconds. In the employee example, the sales team is closing only three deals daily instead of nine. However, addressing symptoms does not necessarily solve the problem.

The causes of problems are the underlying reasons for the symptoms. For example, the cause of your slow website could be the size of images, faulty scripts, low memory or processor of servers, malware, and outdated software updates.

You need to identify and understand the causes to be able to solve the problem. Understanding the root causes and addressing each cause can provide a sustainable solution to a problem.

5 — Set goals for each solution component and ask questions during this process.

When you deconstruct a complex problem and identify symptoms and causes, the next step is setting goals for solving each small part.

Your goals must be specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timely. You can remember these adjectives with the popular acronym SMART.

Setting SMART goals for each solution component is essential in problem-solving because it can clarify your vision, provide direction and focus, measure progress and success, increase motivation and accountability, and enhance problem-solving capability.

Asking the why question consistently until reaching the bottom of a series of events is an effective way to find the root causes of symptoms in a problem and link the solution components.

In addition, you can focus on the how questions when setting your solution goals so why and how questions are essential for understanding root causes and linking solution parts.

6 — Integrate solution components

Once you have multiple solution components, you must integrate them logically and coherently. Integrating solution components can enable the different parts of the solution to work together effectively to address the underlying issues.

Integration involves combining the different solution components into a coherent and comprehensive solution that can be implemented for end products or services. It is a critical step to creating sustainable solutions.

Integration of solution components can enhance the solution’s effectiveness by ensuring each component works harmoniously.

So integrating components ensures that all parts of the solution are compatible, minimizing the risk of conflicts or issues arising from implementing individual solutions separately.

7 — Use relevant methods for different problems.

Complex problems require following a method. Different disciplines use different methods. These methods are proven and save us time. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Depending on their nature and complexity, different problems require different methods, tools, and techniques. A method is like a cooking recipe. It gives step-by-step instructions to complete a solution.

To use relevant methods for different problems, you must first identify the problem, evaluate the available methods, tools, and techniques, select the most appropriate method, and use them in a structured approach to ensure the problem is addressed systematically.

For example, I introduced the method I used for digital transformation solutions in an article (book chapter) titled Digital Transformation Handbook for Solution Architects. Hundreds of solution architects and designers used this method to create complex solutions for various organizations.

I also provide a simplified methodical approach to aspiring designers in an article titled Here’s Why and How Anyone Can Be a Designer.

Using relevant methods can increase the effectiveness of the problem-solving process, saves time and resources by minimizing risks, and increase the accuracy and precision of solutions.

8 — Use problem-solving tools and checklists for quality control.

Some tools like a mind map or a concept map can provide structure and clarify the components and elements of a problem.

Flowcharts and diagrams can be handy too. In addition, you can use the design thinking approach for professional solutions.

Our memories are weak and transient. We forget details naturally. However, sometimes a tiny piece may play a critical role in the quality of our work. Therefore, using a checklist for quality control is beneficial. Even experts need to use checklists.

For example, in the airline industry, experts use multiple checklists at numerous levels to maintain the safety of passengers. In writing and self-editing, I use checklists like the one I share for other writers to use and benefit from.

9 — Embrace criticism, keep an open mind with realistic optimism, and remain hopeful for solutions.

The psychological aspect of problem-solving is critical. Thus, mindset, hope, and optimism in problem-solving are essential psychological constructs.

Keeping an open mind with realistic optimism can encourage you to explore different options for solving the problem. It allows you to consider different solutions, even those that might initially seem unlikely or difficult.

If you face a challenge in developing a new product, keeping an open mind with realistic optimism might involve exploring different design options, even if some initially seem unlikely to work.

For example, as an inventor, the most challenging and non-obvious solution options that others couldn't see usually provided the best solutions for filing patents.

When you have hope and optimism, you can approach the problem with growth and a positive mindset. The question of how we can turn this situation into a better outcome can yield good results.

You need to believe that you can solve the problem with your capability and collaboration with others. This belief and optimism can enhance your mental capabilities and allow you to solve problems better.

By focusing on multiple possibilities, acknowledging challenges, encouraging creativity, staying open to feedback (positive or negative), and persisting through setbacks, you can maintain your success and distinguish yourself from your peers.

From my experience, negative criticism significantly contributed to my problem-solving, as I explained in an article titled How I Embrace Negative Criticism and What You Can Learn from My Decades of Experience.

Conclusions and Takeaways

A problem is an unpleasant or harmful situation that requires addressing timely. We call this process problem-solving. There are various types of problems. Understanding the origin and context of the problem is critical.

Problem-solving is addressing an unpleasant or destructive situation. It is a systematic approach using thinking, creativity, intuition, techniques, and tools. Problem-solving is not just troubleshooting, even though it requires this skill too.

Creating an invention or a design requires a problem-solving approach. The end product of an invention is solving a problem for its user.

The main difference between usual problem solving and inventive problem solving is the uniqueness and novelty aspects of the solution in the inventive one. Designs may require multiple integrated solutions.

Problem-solving starts with identifying and defining a problem, then drafting a plan to solve the problem.

There might be multiple revisions to execute the plan leading to solution alternatives. Once you produce several alternative solutions, you can assess and choose the best solution to address the problem.

You need the right mindset and structure to solve a problem effectively, ask questions, and patiently practice the solution process.

There are several sub-skills of problem-solving. So, you need some fundamental skills to solve problems such as:

1 — Creative, systematic, and beyond-the-box thinking

2 — Research and investigation

3 — Analysis with multiple perspectives

4 — Effective communication and collaboration

5 — Risk assessment and mitigation

6 — Focus on the outcome and integration.

Gaining these fundamental sub-skills for problem-solving and using a structured approach can make you an effective problem-solvers.

I want to emphasize that intuition and emotional intelligence are also crucial in solving complex problems, as proven by famous scientists and inventors in history.

When you plan and produce a solution to your problem, the next step is to implement it. Therefore, actions are needed to close off issues in personal and professional life.

In addition to problem-solving skills, If I Had Another Chance to Live in the Modern World, I’d Reinvest in These Five Skills.

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