Introduction

In this chapter I discuss the problem-solving process itself, not in terms of the mental operations of thinking about a problem but in terms of the actual actions one takes to obtain a finished product, whether that product be a design, a plan, an experiment, an invention, or a piece of software. In particular, I build here on the discussion of discovery in Chapter 2 and put discovery in the context of the practice of solving real problems and producing technical products. The discussion here is where the material in the first two chapters is put into practice as components of an overall model of practical problem solving.

The structure of a problem has a great deal to do with the best way to organize one's work. For cleaning up the house, almost any order of doing the work will be equally efficient, but for complex tasks the way work is done has a significant bearing on success and productivity. In particular, a strategic problem-solving approach becomes crucial in this context to avoid a high risk of failure or a low level of productivity. The risk of failure in complex projects is not trivial. Gibbs (1994), for example, documents very large project delays (up to twice as long as planned) and large probabilities (up to 50%) of project cancellation for large software projects (over 10000 function points).