Notes on the science of problem solving.
Problem solving occurs when an agent does not know how to proceed from a given state to a desired goal state.
It is part of the “larger problem process” that also includes problem finding and problem shaping.
From wikipedia: Based on work by Dietrich Dörner Joachim Funke, difficult problems have typical characteristics:
The resolution of difficult problems requires a direct attack on each of these characteristics that are encountered.
A number of these characteristics are temporal (e.g. “dynamic unpredictability”). But these temporal features are rarely considered - unless the problem is intrinsically temporal - and almost never taught. This leads to people thinking that a problem is static and, once solved, will not recur.
Problem-solving often requires “freezing” the problem, or has an implicit assumption that the problem is static.
One often reads that design involves choosing/identifying the “best” design. But “best” is a relative term, which should be defined with respect to:
Problem-solving often ignores these post-solution effects.
Once the “best” design is implemented, it will influence the real-world situation (context) in which it exists.
Problem-solving often ignores these post-solution effects.
Note: requirements are models of real-world situations, and as such are always imperfect.
Related Terms
To Do TBD
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