PATTERNS OF PROBLEM SOLVING

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PATTERNS OF PROBLEM SOLVING

• Presented by LEE Sung Hwan
• Due Date 2003/10/09

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Introduction

• Book Name Patterns of Problem Solving (Second
  Edition, 1995)
• Authors
• Moshe F. Rubinstein - Professor, School of
  Engineering and Applied Science, UCLA. Formerly
  Chairman, Engineering Systems Department and
  Program Director, Modern Engineering for
  Executives, UCLA. Professor Rubinstein has
  lectured by invitation all over the world and his
  books have been translated to foreign languages.
  Professor Rubinstein served on the IBM Academic
  Review Board. B.S., MS, and PH.D., UCLA. Listed
  in Who's Who in America.
• Iris R. Firstenberg - Dr. Firstenberg is an
  Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology
  at the University of California, Los Angeles,
  where she teaches courses on problem solving and
  decision making. She has collaborated with
  Professor Moshe F. Rubinstein for the last ten
  years, teaching seminars and co-authoring books.
• Ref http//www.csep.org/rubinstein.html http/
  /www.anderson.ucla.edu/community/headstart/faculty
  .htmlfirstenberg

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Definition (1/2)

• A question for which there is at the moment no
  answer is a problem.
• The behavior which brings about the change is
  called problem solving and the response it
  promotes, a solution.
• There are two approaches to research in human
  problem solving
• Behaviorist deals with the stimulus (input) and
  response (output) aspects of problem solving
  without speculating about the intervening
  process.
• The information-processing approach deals with
  the process that intervenes between input
  output and leads to a desired goal from an
  initial state.
• Even though they are different, they complement
  each other for better understanding of human
  problem solving and advance in artificial intelli.

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Definition (2/2)

• Models of the problem solving process
• Stage 1, Preparation search for the
  relationship between the elements of the problem.
• Stage 2, Incubation sleep over the problem.
  Difficulties occur.
• Stage 3, Inspiration a solution suddenly
  appears.
• Stage 4, Verification check the solution
  against the desired goal.
• There are two basic kinds of problems in problem
  solving
• Synthesis a statement of an initial state and a
  desired goal and requires a process to lead to
  the goal from the initial state.
• Analysis an initial state that requires the
  application of a known transformation to achieve
  a goal.

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Difficulties in Problem Solving

• Failure to use known information because of
  processing limitations and ineffective
  strategies. The solver should know how to use the
  information that he has.
• Example 1-1, The age of the husband and wife (p9)
• Association Constraints due to a previously
  learned association about facts and elements.
• Example, how to make 4 triangles with 6 pencils?
  Etc. (p10-11)
• Function Constraints due to a previously learned
  experience about the function of an element.
• Example, The problem of two strings (p11-12)
• World View Constraint people are used to solve
  the problem in their standard of living. (work,
  research)
• Example, The mathematics professor (p13)

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General precepts as guides to Problem Solving

• See the total picture of the problem avoid
  getting lost in detail.
• Use models to simplify the statement a model is
  a simpler representation of the real world
  problem.
• Ask the right questions use the appropriate word
  to the appropriate question.
• Have a will to doubt this is an important
  attitude to have in problem solving. It provides
  the flexibility for imagination and innovation.

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Paths to a solution

• Successful problem solvers avoid getting stuck in
  any prescribed direction. They explore many
  routes, maintain an open mind, and a flexibility
  to abandon and return to various routes.
• Working backwards
• Generalize or specialize
• Analogies and metaphors
• Emotional signs of the right path
• During a Problem Solving sequence, solver might
  get stuck into it. Discussing about that problem
  to someone might be helpful.
• Talk about it
• Listen to the ideas of others
• Conversation

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Summary

• Two basic schools of thought behaviorist and
  information processing.
• Two basic kinds of problems synthesis problem
  and analysis problem.
• Difficulties occur in problem solving
• Difficulty 1 Failure to use known information
  because of processing limitations and ineffective
  strategies.
• Difficulty 2 Unnecessary constraints
  association, function, and world view.
• General precepts get the total picture, use
  models, ask about the right questions, have a
  will to doubt.
• Paths to generating a solution work backwards,
  generalize or specialize, use analogies and
  metaphors, be guided by emotional signs of
  success.
• Having trouble? Talk about it, listen
  constructively to the ideas of others, have a
  conversation.

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Conclusion

• The Problem Solving method is similar to the
  system engineering in a way that both have their
  goals to optimize the total system definition and
  design.
• Problem Solving is indispensable for System
  Engineering its method or approach to an element
  is also imperative to System Engineering.
• Both are very practical studies it applies
  directly to human, for human.

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END OF PRESENTATION