How to solve a problem?

Step back, deconstruct and build something better

This is a concept I am really passionate about and want to explore as well as eventually master it. It is probably because I found it to be very effective and simple while still being so hard and distant. We all have skills and abilities, and we all approach tasks differently. This leads to many different solutions to a certain problem – for example, there is no one way to run a business. The intertwined features of every task are simple when alone but very complex when combined, and that complexity is what makes it difficult to see patterns that are best to follow. By being able to step back from the problem, deconstruct it to its smallest parts and finally build a better solution for it is, in my opinion, a skill of the highest value. Funnily enough, it is often the case that we are better at doing that with things we are less familiar with and where we don’t need it as much. There are a number of reasons why this concept is so hard to master and even bigger number of benefits it can yield. I plan to discuss my experience with the concept, argue about its value and propose a simple model that can help me (or you) master this approach.

Why is it so hard?

When we have a certain goal, it is often the case that the goal is everything we see. This prevents us from clearly seeing the steps to reach that goal. For example, when I was writing my dissertation I had a clear view of how it should look like in the end. I also knew what the steps to get there were but here is where the problem appeared. I was unable to keep track of my ideas throughout the dissertation, therefore, points I was trying to make were very vague and disconnected. If the piece I had written up at the time was somebody else’s, it would be very easy for me to pinpoint the mistakes and ask questions that would make the author improve the written piece. However, I wasn’t able to fully do that due to my personal involvement in the project. Therefore, I used the help of my advisor who very quickly and easily asked the right questions (sometimes even without looking at my work). Of course, he is an expert in the field and has a lot of experience which enables him to know what undergraduate students tend to forget. Likewise, another reason why I was unable to do that is that there is a lot of things to think about while writing up the dissertation which sometimes leads people to forget the basic steps.

Why is it so valuable?

However, if you are the master of this technique this is what you can get out of it. You are able to lead your project based on a skeleton built from the most basic questions and ideas. In this way, you always know where the start is and that there is only one way to go from there (hint: that way is UP). Also, you can always go back to that start and review what you have created so far. Moreover, it allows you to speak about your project or an idea comfortably as all the steps required are covered. Having the project broken up into steps and pieces gives you the sense of security which allows you to use each one of those pieces to its fullest potential. But, most important of all, in today’s world almost every concept is readily available and free to learn from. The internet allows us both to shadow others and learn from their content. For example, through business’s social media presence you can easily see how somebody is marketing their products or services. Also, by reading a book from a life coach or a company CEO you can see how they approached problems you might be facing now. However, there is a catch. Nowadays, there is so much information on our hands that is hard to discern useful information from useless information. One can get caught up with something and only realise the initial concept was flawed when it’s already too late.

What to do?

My first step for you (and me) would be to ask Google. Why Google? Well, all the information you may need is most likely there. Also, the first view you get from Google is quite broad and the features of the problem are explained in the way that almost everybody can understand. Furthermore, Google will allow you to dig deeper by following paths you found on it. For example, if you want to do some market research Google might show you some good articles about market research or it may lead you to experts in that field. You can even get to the core of your problem if somebody has dissected it for you. Therefore, after these two steps, you can jump on to the third one which is shadowing. You have found one person or a business that does it just the way you would (or very similar to what you want) and then all you need to do is understand how they act in the market. And the final step is building up. Now, when you went from a very general position to something fairly specific and basic, you can start to build on. Building on can consist of steps other people have already used before or from your own innovations. So, these are the four steps I would like to have followed on numerous occasions: 1. Google it (or an equivalent to your problem) 2. Dig deeper and follow paths to the core of the problem 3. Shadow success stories 4. Build up from scratch

Overall, these are the four main steps how to successfully step back from a problem, dissect it and build up from scratch. The approach may seem fairly broad but, the reality is that you need to start from a big picture, reach the core of it and then paint your own. These four steps will by your ‘dirty work’ before going into the follow-up phase. Maybe some of you already have an idea what that might be if not, this is what I would suggest you (and me) do. You review through testing. Testing can take multiple forms like handing in your dissertation for marking, doing market research of your idea, trying out new ways how to train for the match and so on. I am comfortable with the big picture and know the importance of having it clearly in your mind, but I am still in search of the way which will help me reach the core of every problem I might be facing, being that a University project or some business idea.

#problemsolving #research #projects