Problem Solving & Decision Making This is not a math class
This Week's Activities
Learning Objective
Identify and analyze the decision and problem solving processes as well as possible pitfalls.
Readings
Read the week five lecture: “Problem Solving Techniques”
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/techniques-of-problem-solving.html
Read the week five lecture: “Problem Solving and Decision Making”
Read the week five lecture: “Critical Thinking”
Assignments
Participate in the week five discussion: “Your Problem-Solving Skills”
Complete the week five assignment: “Applying the 21 Synectics Steps”
Complete the week five reflection journal: “Tough Decisions”
Follow the template
Applying the 21 Synectics Steps
The need for thinking and problem-solving skills dominates our lives. Individuals must analyze problems in the workplace, at school, as a parent, and in many other daily situations. You have an opportunity to practice your problem-solving skills through this assignment.
Assignment: Select one problem from the following list or define your own problem.
•Design a new textbook for a psychology class, science class, etc.
•Invent a new telephone.
•Design a new suitcase.
•Design new clothes for soldier/teacher/cook/student/ etc.
•Invent a new style for a video game.
•Create a short story.
•Design a new computer.
•Invent a new way to protect computers from viruses.
•Create a new type of credit card.
•Work on solving a problem of your own choosing - a problem that is related to your major field of study.
Remember that you don’t need to create anything physically. You may use images or just descriptions of your ideas. What is important for this assignment is your ability to generate ideas.
•Number your ideas 1 through 21.
•Generate 21 ideas about solving it, using the 21 Synectics steps listed below:
Note: The 21 Synectics steps were developed by SynecticsWorld, inc.
Invention Labs & Workshops | Synecticsworld. (n.d.). Synecticsworld. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://synecticsworld.com/invention-labs-workshops/
