Practise problem solving

At every stage of the problem solving process, we are required to make decisions, individually or as a group. To help us to do that effectively, when we encounter a problem, it’s important to think about the possible solutions that can help us to overcome it.

Depending on the complexity of the problem, we may brainstorm ideas in a group or use different types of research to find potential solutions. Once we have a range of solutions, it’s useful to assess these further, or assess the feasibility of your solutions.

Feasibility means whether something is possible and at what cost or level of difficulty. For example, you might find that some solutions might not be possible due to budget or time constraints. To assess whether a solution is feasible, you can use the questions in the table below.

Activity

Think about a problem, such as reducing litter and dirty dishes in an office. Possible solutions that can fix this problem are:

• Have more litter bins.
• Have more rubbish collections from the council.
• Make people more aware of the impact of litter and dirty dishes to discourage them.
• Set a notice near the sink to tell people to wash their dishes.
• Hire more cleaners in the office.

Using the questions in the table above, assess which solution you think is the most feasible.

Share your thoughts with other learners in the comments below.