Problem Solving:

4 Levels Problem Solving

4 Types of Problems

and Relevant Problem Solving Strategies

Problem Solving Strategies: 4 Levels

Creative Problem Solving: Reframing

"How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself – so always think positively." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Problem Defined

A problem is simply the difference between what you have and what you want. It may be a matter of getting something, of getting rid of something, of avoiding something, or of getting to know what you want.

Four Types of Problems

1. Known, solution requires just action. Most of the problems in life stem from one cause: we can't get ourselves to take action. It's not that we don't know what to do. The problem is getting ourselves to follow through, overcome procrastination and do it. Can be solved by self-motivation.

2. Known, solution requires additional expertise. Requires for its solution more information, or a better technique for handling information, or additional skills. Can be solved by vertical and systematic thinking.

3. Known, solution requires new approaches, reframing, and creative thinking. Requires no new information but reframing or rearrangement of information already available: an insight restructuring.¹ This type of problems requires changing perceptual positions as well as lateral and outside-the-box thinking for their solution. The best approach is turning problems into opportunities.

4. Unknown, need to be identified. The problem is to realize that there is a problem, that things can be improved and define this realization as a problem. Dealing with this type of hidden problems requires challenging assumptions, asking “Why?” and “What if?” questions, benchmarking, and cross-pollination of ideas.

Make Problem Solving Fun!