Problem Solving Skills: Steps, Techniques and Tools

My goal in the course "Turn your Thinking Around: New Approaches to Problem Solving" is to assist individuals in approaching the issues they encounter from different perspectives. It's common to fall into a pattern of using the same problem solving methods repeatedly, resulting in predictable outcomes. In this course, I aim to present new problem solving techniques to encourage a fresh outlook on problems and, ideally, to generate innovative solutions that comprehensively address the issues at hand.

The problem solving tools I present are categorized into four groups:

• New Thinking: Encouraging a different approach to problem analysis
• New People: Refreshing the mindsets of the individuals you collaborate with
• New Resources: Introducing new techniques for consideration
• Counter-intuition: Embracing non-conformist viewpoints to spark new ideas

Course Overview

I have authored three courses on problem solving and decision making, each covering different aspects of this intriguing field.

Problem Solving and Decision Making Creatively

In this course, I present a five-stage approach to problem solving and introduce commonly used problem solving tools such as the Problem Statement and Goal Statement, Stakeholder Analysis, Process Mapping, The Ishikawa Diagram, Data analysis, and the Ideas Grid.

Creative Accountant: Personal and Professional Problem Solving Skills

This course explores the three types of problems and the most effective tools for each type. The Critical problem denotes a crisis requiring an urgent response, the Tame Problem represents a situation where a standard problem solving approach works well, and the Wicked Problem signifies a highly complex and multi-faceted problem where a more flexible approach and new tools are necessary. The new tools introduced include the Four Frame Model, Perceptual Positions, Bright Spots Analysis, and solution-focused approaches.

Advanced Problem Solving Tools

In this course, I introduce 11 new problem solving tools tailored to enhance the thinking of any problem solving team, especially for those seeking a departure from the conventional tools.

Conclusion

I trust that you will find these courses beneficial for your problem solving and decision making endeavors.

1. Understand why problem-solving efforts sometimes fails.
2. Recognise that creative thinking is a mindset supported by clear principles.
3. Deploy the new problem-solving tools to enhance the thinking of any problem-solving team.
4. Organise an effective problem-solving team.
5. Quantify the benefits of the problem-solving and improvement work carried out.