Professionalism

1
Professionalism Personal Skills

• Facilitation Tools
• Problem Solving Analogies

2
Problem Solving Using Analogies

• An analogy can often provide a key to solving a
  problem
• What is an analogy?
• In an analogy, two different objects (or events)
  are shown to have similar properties and hence it
  is argued that characteristics of one can be
  applied to the other.

3
Examples of Analogies

• Life is like a grapefruit (because you just start
  to enjoy it and it squirts you in the eye)
• Trying to organise students is like trying to
  herd cats.
• Can you think of others?

4
Examples of Analogies

• You can find some more analogies on the
  brainstorming site referred to in Session 3.

http//www.brainstorming.co.uk/tutorials/analogytu
torial.html
5
Using Analogies

• Using analogies is potentially a very effective
  way of explaining or illustrating a problem or
  finding a solution. Just as pictures and drawing
  can bring added meaning and organisation to a
  problem or issue analogies can add insight.

6
Limitations of Analogies

• We will be using analogies as a means of
  assisting the problem solving process in a
  creative way, however, care needs to be taken
  with analogies when used in a more formal way in
  an attempt to draw conclusions or in support of
  arguments.
• Because one event or object has properties A, B
  and C, then if a second event or object has
  properties A and B, it also has C.
• Stated in this way, its absurdity as a method of
  argument is obvious, for it can be used to
  conclude things which are patently false.
• For our creative, problem solving purpose this
  need not concern us.

7
Problem Solving Analogies

• A classic example
• Step 1
• State problem (What is the situation)
• A new missile has been developed, but it fits so
  closely into its silo that it cant be pushed
  in. How to get it in?

8
Problem Solving Analogies

• Step 2
• Create analogies (What else is like this
  situation?)
• Generate as many possibilities as you can, then
  choose one to work with e.g.
• Trying to get a horse into a stall
• Trying to get toothpaste back into its tube
• Trying to get a bookcase into a sports car

9
Problem Solving Analogies

• Step 3
• Solve the analogy
• to get a horse into its stall you need to lead it
  in
• Step 4
• Transfer the solution from the analogy to the
  original problem
• lead the missile into the silo by pulling it in
  with a cable

10
Problem Solving Using Analogies

• Activity 7b.1