Problem Solving – a no-cost approach

Problem SolvingProblem solving is one of the most important human activities. How can your computer help you with it? Here comes information about a powerful method.

What are the basic ideas?The method combines two basic building blocks:

• problem solving tools and• mind mapping software (we will use the software Freeplane – it's free and open source).

Problem Solving ToolsThere are many powerful tools you can use for problem solving. One example is a the so called IDEAL problem solving strategy

• Identify the problem• Define alternative goals • Explore possible strategies • Anticipate outcomes, decide and act • Look back and learn (authors: Bransford / Stein).

Other tools are things like asking questions (e.g. the well-known collection of w-questions: What? Why? Who? Where? How? When?), creativity techniques like brainstorming and looking for analogies, and so on. Using the right tools is the key to successful problem solving, and we will provide a large, powerful repository.

Mind Mapping SoftwareMind mapping software is very flexible when it comes to processing ideas: collect thoughts and arrange them in different structures, change between detail and overview, navigate through large amounts of information, combine words and images, allow jumps from one idea to another, add tables and lengthy text notes... Try all this with usual text processors or spreadsheets – mind mapping software simply does a better job.

Worried about having to master an unfamiliar kind of software? Don't – Freeplane is easy to install and much more intuitive to use than most word-processing or spreadsheet software.

Using two mind mapsWith these ingredients, you can tackle a problem by using two mind maps: one 'tool map', prepared in advance and containing a large collection of tools, and one 'work map', where you work out a solution for a given problem. While working on the problem, you can use the tool map in different ways:

• Get inspiration from the tool map.Your tool map can contain dozens and hundreds of items that support problem solving. Just by browsing through this massive repository of help, you get many new ideas.

• Drag and drop elements from the tool map to your work map.This is a crucial idea. You can use prefab tools and apply them in your work map. With one mouse movement, you can use the entire IDEAL template shown above, a catalogue of useful questions or a complex checklist.

• Ignore the tool map.In earnest: If you need no support, just go on with your work. Stifling ideas just to enforce a formal concept is obviously a bad idea.

Beside this flow of ideas from the tool map to the work map, there is the opposite direction: Whenever you face an obstacle in problem solving, you can exploit this opportunity to develop useful new tools and add them to your collection.

What the method can doProblem solving will always remain a challenge, and the method just outlined won't transform you instantly into the perfect problem solver. But it can lead to massive improvements:

• Instead of getting lost in a maze of ideas, collect and arrange your thoughts by using prefab mind map structures.

• Instead of shallow analysis (or none at all), choose from a wide range of powerful analysis tools.

• Instead of merely collecting obvious or absurd ideas, use much more effective creativity techniques.

• Instead of being limited to a fixed narrow set of problem solving tools, create and expand your own collection.

Step-by-step instructions:1. Download Freeplane mind mapping software (free and open source) from

http://freeplane.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Downloadand install it on your computer.

2. Save the tool map and the work map to your computer:Download Tool MapDownload Work MapI've chosen a setup where I can update both maps at any time. The plan is to build a large comprehensive tool map step by step, so feedback is very welcome. Write to tt@thomasteepe.de.

3. Open both maps by double-clicking on them.4. Start working on the problem.

You'll find some extra tips in the work map.5. When necessary, get inspiration from the tool map.

Again, there are lots of hints in the tool map.6. Drag and drop tools from the tool map to the work map whenever you like.

There are several ways to do this: Arrange the two Freeplane windows like tiles, or use ALT+TAB to change between the two maps – this works even while the drag and drop takes

place.7. Adapt your tool map to meet your personal needs.

This is the most important step!The tool map contains several links to tool collections on the internet.

Some observations from my personal experience• It may be a good idea to have several tool maps, for example a separate map with

specialized tools for each of your main topics of interest.• Freeplane supports one-key-formatting of mind map nodes, just by pressing the function

keys. This helps to hightlight the structure of the work maps.• A public library of tool maps seems a great idea.

If you have any ideas, write to tt@thomasteepe.de and let me know. As mentioned, I can add any improvements to the tool map and work map.

I hope it works as well for you as it does for me.

Thomas Teepe