Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People

by Ken Watanabe

Problem solving is a process that can be broken down into four steps: (1) understand the current situation; (2) identify the root cause of the problem; (3) develop an effective action plan; and (4) execute until the problem is solved, making modifications as necessary.

All you have to do is understand the situation, identify the root cause, develop an effective plan, and execute. Even if the problem you face is big and complicated, if you learn how to break it down into smaller, manageable problems, you will be able to solve it.

The key to making a useful logic tree is to break down a problem into categories without leaving anything out, and to group similar items under the same branch.

In the design plan, you clarify the issues you are trying to solve, state your current hypotheses and rationale, and list the analyses, actions, and information required to prove or disprove those hypotheses.

The basic structure places the conclusion or main message at the top and lists the supporting rationales on the bottom, like the supporting bricks of a pyramid.

For the grouping structure, even if one of the supporting building blocks proves to be wrong, the argument still holds.

Unlike the grouping structure, with an argument structure, if one of the statements is untrue, the main conclusion is automatically false.

Impact=plan effectiveness x quality of execution

You may think she was just lucky, but this all happened because she challenged her own preconceptions, because she proactively took action, and because she not only had a talent for soccer but practiced hard over the years to develop her skills.

As Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Spend less time worrying about things and more time thinking about actions you can take to get closer to your goals, then actually take action.

Ask for advice. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

Challenge your own thinking processes and your conclusions.

Problem solving is easy when you know how to set a clear goal, figure out how to reach it, and follow through while reviewing your progress and making changes to your plan as necessary.