problem solving and decision making · 2019-12-06 · problem solving & decision making • we...
Post on 07-Jul-2020
5 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
BostonNew YorkCharlotteWashington, D.C.Nicaragua
186 South Street, Suite 600Boston, Massachusetts 02111617-357-5233 | www.quoininc.com
ProblemSolving&DecisionMaking
Problem Solving & Decision Making
• We encounter ‘problems’ everyday• Selecting a technology• Deciding how to allocate effort or resources• Choosing which task to start
• Yet, we seldom examine our approach to problem solving and decision making• We can learn specific techniques that enable a better
method and more reliable outcomes
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 2
What can humans do well?
• Research in cognitive sciences show what humans do extraordinarily well• Classification – identifying an object and its attributes • Generalization – recognizing the attributes of similar objects• Specialization – recognizing the similarity of certain objects• Cause – identifying how one event triggers another• Patterns – recognizing similar aggregate objects
• These principles support more sophisticated ontologies in almost every discipline, from art to software engineering
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 3
So What?
• These basic characteristics of cognition support specific techniques for how we understand a problem• Humans are very good at:
• Making lists – creating a list of tasks• Giving examples – ‘Al’s, Susan’s or Figaro’s?’• Finding exceptions – proof reading a document• Ranking – identifying important requirements• Sequencing – determining the steps for testing• Visualization – creating a wireframe• Comparisons – finding a similar technical architecture
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 4
What Goes Wrong?
• Strengths can also lead to certain weaknesses in problem solving and decision making• Confirmation bias – weighting evidence that supports your
preconception• Anecdotal bias – weighting personal experience over broader
information• Experience bias – every solution is like previously successful
solutions• Superiority bias – a well-formed solutions is intrinsically
correct; also the Dunning-Krugar Effect that describes how competence and confidence are inversely proportional.
John Cleese on Stupidity
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 5
So How Can We Do Better?
• We can improve problem solving and decision making by learning specific techniques• These techniques can vary from informal to formal
• Lists• Concept Maps• Taxonomies• Structured Methods
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 6
Other Techniques
• Prioritization – assign each task Priority, Criticality, Complexity• SWOT Analysis – structure a problem by strengths,
weakness, opportunities, threats• Concept Diagram – formal model using objects, types,
attributes, behaviors (similar to a UML Class diagram)
And, when completely out of ideas –“Proof by Belligerent Assertion”
9/22/16 2015QuoinInc. 15
top related