What of problem solving time should typically be spent on defining the problem itself?

Problem Solving the Einstein Way!

13th February 2018

‘It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer’ – Albert Einstein

Einstein said that if he’d one hour to save the world – he’d spend 55 minutes defining the problem and just 5 minutes finding a solution.

Problem solving is at the core of human evolution. It is the methods we use to understand what is happening in our environment, identify things we want to change and then figure out the things that need to be done to create the desired outcome. It is the basis for continuous improvement, communication and learning.

However, before jumping straight into solving a problem, we should step back and invest time and effort to improve our understanding of it.

Here are some effective tips to help you see problems from many different perspectives and grasp the most important step in problem solving: clearly defining the problem in the first place!

The problem is…

The problem is to know what the problem is.

The definition of the problem will be the focal point of all your problem-solving efforts. As such, it makes sense to devote as much attention and dedication to problem definition as possible.

What most of us don’t realise – and what Einstein may have been suggesting – is that the quality of the solutions we come up with will be in direct proportion to the quality of the description of the problem we’re trying to solve.

Not only will your solutions be more plentiful and of higher quality, but they’ll be achieved much more easily. Most importantly, you’ll have the confidence to be tackling a worthwhile problem.

Rephrase the problem

When an executive asked employees to brainstorm “ways to increase their productivity”, all he got back were blank stares. Once he rephrased his request as “ways to make their jobs easier”, he couldn’t keep up with the amount of suggestions!

Words carry strong implicit meaning and, as such, play a major role in how we perceive a problem. In the end, the problem is still the same, however the feelings – and the points of view – associated with each of them are vastly different.

Play freely with the problem statement, try rewording it several times.

Expose & challenge assumptions

Every problem – no matter how apparently simple it may be – comes with a long list of assumptions attached. Many of these assumptions may be inaccurate and could make your problem statement inadequate or even misguided.

The first step to get rid of bad assumptions is to make them explicit. Write a list and expose as many assumptions as you can – especially those that may seem the most obvious and ‘untouchable’.

For example, suppose you’re about to enter the restaurant business. One of your assumptions might be ‘restaurants have a menu’. While such an assumption may seem true at first, try challenging it and maybe you’ll find some very interesting business models.

This, in itself, brings more clarity to the problem at hand.

Chunk down

If each problem is part of a greater problem, it also means that each problem is composed of many smaller problems. It turns out that deconstructing a problem in many smaller problems – each of them more specific than the original – can also provide greater insights about it.

‘Chunking the problem down’ (making it more specific) is especially useful if you find the problem overwhelming or daunting.

Some of the typical questions you can ask to make a problem more specific are:

• What are parts of this?
• What are examples of this?

Find multiple perspectives

Before rushing to solve a problem, always make sure you look at it from different perspectives. Looking at it with different eyes is a great way to have instant insight on new, overlooked directions.

Rewrite your problem statement many times, each time using a different perspective. How would your competition see this problem? Your employees? Your mother?

Make it attractive

In addition to using effective language, it’s important to come up with a problem statement that truly excites you – so you’re in the best frame of mind for creatively tackling the problem.

If the problem looks too dull for you, invest the time adding vigour to it while still keeping it genuine. Make it enticing. Your brain will thank (and reward) you later.

Reverse the problem

One trick that usually helps when you’re stuck with a problem is turning it on its head.

If you want to win, find out what would make you lose. If you are struggling finding ways to ‘increase sales’, find ways to decrease them instead. Then, all you need to do is reverse your answers.

This seemingly convoluted method may not seem intuitive at first, but turning a problem on its head can uncover rather obvious solutions to the original problem.

Gather facts

Investigate causes and circumstances of the problem. Probe details about it – such as its origins and causes. Especially if you have a problem that’s too vague; investigating facts is usually more productive than trying to solve it right away.

Ask yourself questions about the problem. What is not known about it? Can you draw a diagram of the problem? What are the problem boundaries? Be curious. Ask questions and gather facts. It’s said that a well-defined problem is halfway to being solved: you could also add that a perfectly-defined problem is not a problem anymore.

‘’We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them’ – Albert Einstein

How do you define a problem

When did Einstein say if I had an hour to solve a problem I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions?

Do you take time to define a problem before attempting to solve it?

What are the 4 problem