Problem solving skill is not a type of skill that every person is born with. It is a type of skill that comes with the time and practice. Every single person in this world no matter who they are. Everyone faces a problem that needs to be solved in a pan of time. Problems are part of our daily life. Problem solving skills help us to balance our daily life as well as professional life. Learning or improving problem skills is a must for every person. When people talk about problem solving skills they are generally talking about the ability to handle and solve problems in the workspace as well as in real life.
There are so many ways available in the market from which you can easily solve your problems or you can improve your problem solving skills. These days people believe in smart work rather than hard work. To work smarter and be able to solve your problem in less time, it is better to go for visual help, like flowcharts and diagrams. You can visit maker to create flowcharts for free.
Problem solving skills are more than just solving your mathematics homework. It is a part of analytical thinking and many more things like accounting and computer programming to detective work and even creative occupations like art, acting, and writing.
While problems may vary from person to person, there are certain general approaches available in society to solve the problem. By following these approaches anyone can tackle any issue systematically and improve their problem solving skills.
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Why are Problem Solving Skills Important?
Problem is something that is sometimes hard to understand or realise or deal with. Problems can be a person, situation or a task. Process of problem solving involves methods and skills to find the best solution out of it.
Problem solving skill is a type of skill which is important for every person, because every person has to make decisions at some point and questions to answer in our lives. Amazing people like Eleanor Roosevelt, Steve Jobs, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., are all great problem solvers. Good parents, teachers, doctors and waiters all have to be good at solving different sorts of problems as well.
Define and Understand the Problem
One of the important and basic steps in problem solving is to first realise and understand what the problem is that you are facing. One of the ways to realise and understand the problem is to write down your problems on paper. It will narrow down your problems. By writing it down you may have a broader vision about your problems and you may be able to solve your problem more quickly.
Do your research
After realising about the problem that you are facing, the next step is to do some research about the problem regarding the nature and the causes of the problem you may face. This research process might involve reading books and newspapers, looking for that type of problem that has been solved in the past and their causes, asking your seniors and elders about the problem, going through interviews.
Writing down all possible solutions
After doing research on the problems you may be able to find the solutions for your problem. The next step involves writing it down all your solutions that you have come across with no matter how bad or ridiculous they look at first. It is very important for you to keep an open mind for better understanding and to boost creative thinking, which can also trigger potential solutions.
Many people believe that no idea is a bad idea and this aids creative thinking in brainstorms and other problem-solving techniques. Whatever you do, do not ridicule yourself for coming up with ‘stupid solutions’ as it’s often the crazy ideas that trigger other more viable solutions.
Make a decision
At this point you may have realised what your problem is, what it’s nature and possible causes and also you have all the solutions that can help you to solve your problem and now it’s time to make a decision.
After listing out all the solutions that you can think of, the next step is to make decisions. In this process you go through all your solutions and their consequences, this process will narrow down all solutions and come up with the best solution with the best outcomes.
Put that solution into action
After deciding the best solution the next step is to put that solution into action. This process involves implementing the chosen solution in a planned and deliberate way. At this point, many of the people rush into action without thinking of other consequences.
One important suggestion for this point is to be patient and not rush into the actions, as this will often lead to a botched solution that doesn’t achieve the desired results.
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Await for the results
You have done everything to solve a problem, now it’s time to wait for the results. A good problem solver Observes how their solution is working and on the basis of results they decide if further action needs to be taken or not. It’s best to decide on a time frame for observation before you follow up and decide whether or not to make changes to your plan.
Conclusion
Problem solving skills are the basic and important amenities that everyone should have in their lives. Problem solving skills is a type of skill that differentiate one person from the others.
Moreover, these are required to have a proper and smooth functioning life and environment, and encourages a healthier lifestyle. Try to come up with many ideas, as ideas are the potential solutions to your situation. This would help you have a balanced life, both personally and professionally.
