Sneak Peek

Learn to solve problems systematically in any situation, at work, home or in your social life.

This course will help you understand how to approach problems with greater confidence, and take decisions and actions that are better considered and minimise risk.

When you are better prepared to work through problems in one type of situation, you are then better prepared to deal with problems in any situation.

What's inside the 'How to Solve Problems?' Course?

LESSON 1 WHAT IS PROBLEM SOLVING?

• Introduction
• Consider Timing and Resources
• Why are Problem Solving Skills Important?
• Problem Solving Skills at Work, In Education and Elsewhere
• Problem Solving Skills
• Problems or Opportunities?
• Other Problem-Solving Methods
• Programmed or Non-programmed Decisions
• Creative Problem Solving (CPS)
• Finding Solutions – the Seven Step Plan
• Problem Solving and Employability
• The Art of Delegation
• Lesson 1 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 2 DEFINING THE PROBLEM

• What Do We Want to Accomplish?
• Problems or Opportunities
• Aim: Describe how to define problems.
• Are We Defining the Right Problem?
• Root Cause Analysis
• Data Collection – having suitable information for problem solving
• Discovering the Causes of a Problem
• Lesson 2 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 3 CLARIFYING THE PROBLEM

• Aim: Describe how to clarify problems.
• Clarifying The Problem
• Developing a clear problem statement
• Lesson 3 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 4 RESOURCES AND TIME TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

• What Are Resources?
• Aim: Explain the resources and time involved in solving problems.
• Rationality
• Bounded Rationality
• Time
• Prioritising Problems – not being able to solve everything
• Lesson 4 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 5 INFORMATION, RELEVANT FACTS, BIAS AND PREJUDICE IN PROBLEM SOLVING

• Aim: Describe factors that can affect problem solving, such as information, factors, bias, and prejudice. 39
• Where Can Information Be Located?
• Risk
• The Impact of Bias in Problem Solving
• Imagine this situation.
• Lesson 5 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 6 ETHICS AND PRIORITIES

• Foundational Principles
• Aim: Apply ethical considerations to problem solving.
• Ethical Factors
• Analyse The End Result
• Analyse The Actions
• Decide
• Applying Ethics to Problem Solving
• Case Study
• Lesson 6 additional reading
• Review what you have been learning

LESSON 7 IDENTIFYING BEST SOLUTIONS AND PUTTING THEM INTO PRACTICE

• Aim: Describe how to identify the best solutions and put them into practice
• Deciding On the Best Solution
• Factors Affecting What Is the Best Solution
• The Action Plan
• Creating an Effective Action Plan
• Don’t Reinvent the Past – Become Educated for the Future
• Lesson 7 additional reading
• The Dangers of Sticking to the Obvious or Reinventing the Past
• Learn to think and problem solve: Rote learning can be problematic
• Recognise Neurodiversity
• Up to Date
• Niche and Widespread Requirements
• Lifelong Learning
• How to solve problems faster
• Review what you have been learning
  

LESSON 8 EVALUATING YOUR SOLUTION

• How Will the Solution Be Evaluated?
• Aim: Explain how to evaluate problem solving solutions
• Time Frames
• Staff or Responsible Person
• In Conclusion
• Review what you have been learning
• Final Assessment

Why Should You Learn to Solve Problems?

We all encounter problems (at work, home & play). Some of us make quick decisions. We are decisive people. A quick decision however is not always the best decision.  Other people procrastinate, and either make decisions too late or not at all.

There are tried and tested ways of solving problems that work. If you are ever indecisive or too impulsive about making decisions, this course can make a real difference.

Knowing how to better approach problems is the first step to finding better solutions.

• Control your environment. Develop an ability to solve problems helps us to identify opportunities. Be innovative and think differently. This is a skill which is appreciated by organisations but also as an individual it may open avenues which without that approach would be closed off. This in turns enables a certain level of control over what is happening within our lives, both at home and in business. 
• Take control over our future. Through problem solving it is possible to make changes which can have an impact over what we are able to achieve. Considering different possibilities, weighing up alternative solutions can provide more opportunities than taking the first option. 
• Learn to fix something that is broken, whether in our personal or business lives. Understand processes which aren’t effective, activities that aren’t positive for us, and things which just aren’t going right. Without problem solving there is a risk that these negative aspects continue without being fixed which can have big impacts on us.
• Address potential risks. Risks are things which might happen and have a negative impact on a business or a person. The ability to identify these risks is one thing, but finding ways in which they can be avoided is another. This is where problem solving skills come in. 
• Improve performance in business, or as an individual.  Relationships are complicated. The way one person acts often influences someone else. This interdependency on one another, allows more complex issues to be addressed and creates a culture of continuous improvement. Problem solving supports our ability to understand relationships and adapt to change. 
  
•  Seize opportunities. When  someone has good problem solving skills, they are much more likely to recognise opportunities and act.