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Problem Solving 101 Summary

Emir Zecovic | Posted on May 23, 2019 |

11 min read ⌚ 

Quick Summary : “Problem Solving 101,” in essence, is a decision-making book; however, it is not (like other books on the subject) a theoretical examination of our decision-making biases, but a simple and highly practical step-by-step guide to use when you need to make a decision or tackle an everyday challenge: the problem-solving primer of your dreams.

Who Should Read “Problem Solving 101”? And Why?

Everyone has problems; and everyone wants to solve them.

Consequently, everyone needs to learn techniques to solve his/her problems; especially if these are proven to work and are as neatly described and explained as in Ken Watanabe’s Problem Solving 101 .

A great book for both kids and adults, realists and dreamers, students and business owners, followers and leaders.

We all have to make decisions.

And that is true regardless of who you are: a kid, a student, a businessman or the President of the United States.

The only thing that varies is the type of the problem.

For some, it is how to pass a math class, for others a decision on where to live, and for yet a third person devising a plan on how to improve his/her company’s bottom line; or, maybe, simply you want to lose some weight or get better at golf.

Now, whether the issue is big or small, says Ken Watanabe in Problem Solving 101 , “there’s a fundamental approach to solving these real-life problems, one that can consistently lead you to effective and satisfying solutions.”

If you need that sentence rephrased, here it is: problem-solving is a skill, and just like riding a bike – can be learned.

And that’s exactly what this book is all about.

Originally written for Japanese schoolchildren, Problem Solving 101 quickly gained popularity far beyond its target group, becoming not only Japan’s number one business best-seller in 2007 but also an international hit.

Hence, the English edition and its subtitle: “a simple book for smart people.”

The Case Studies

Problem Solving 101 not only introduces its readers to the basics of the problem-solving approach, but it also offers “a full toolbox of proven problem-solving techniques, the same techniques used by successful problem-solving people and companies all over the world.”

To illustrate how the steps work in practice, Watanabe uses three case studies:

• The Mushroom Lovers, a new band trying to improve their concert attendance numbers; • John Octopus, a bright young man with aspirations of becoming a computer graphics animator who needs to buy his first computer; • Kiwi, an aspiring soccer player looking for the best training school in Brazil.

Now, we don’t have enough space in our summary to go over each of these case studies, so we genuinely advise you to buy the book as soon as possible and read them in their entirety. Coupled with some quirky illustrations and an abundance of graphics, Problem Solving 101 is really a joy to read, own and share.

But, back to our job.

The Four Steps of Problem Solving

In its essence, problem-solving is a process that can be broken down into four steps: (1) understand the current situation; (2) identify the root cause of the problem; (3) develop an effective action plan; and (4) execute until the problem is solved, making modifications as necessary.

“These steps come as a package,” warns Watanabe, before he goes on to clarify:

“Before you can solve anything, you first need to realize that there’s a problem. Once you do, identifying the root cause of the problem isn’t enough. You have to think through how you could fix the problem, and then actually take the actions required to fix it.”

“Problem solving is a combination of thinking and acting,” he concludes. “Just doing one or the other won’t get you anywhere.”

So, let’s have a look at each of the four steps of problem-solving in full.

Step #1: Understand the Current Situation

The first step of solving a problem is understanding it; though it sounds simple – and, in a way, it is simple – it is actually something most people do wrong (“The catch is that we often don’t do what seems simple and obvious,” writes Watanabe.)

So, let’s just say that you are a soccer player who wants to improve your soccer skills; you spend more and more time on the field to do that and, in the meantime, your math grades decline.

If you (like 99% of the people) simply say “I have to quit the soccer team, so I have more time to study math,” you haven’t really understood the situation.

As a consequence, there’s a good chance that even after this drastic action, your math grades would remain bad.

Because to understand the situation, you need to go much deeper than this.

Do other kids play soccer as well? Are their grades as bad as yours? If not – i.e., if there are at least a few kids who train with you and whose grades haven’t deteriorated – then is soccer really the problem?

Step #2: Identify the Root Cause of the Problem

Which brings us to step #2: identifying the root cause of the problem. Of course, to do that, you first need to list all the possible problems.

Let’s simplify the problem by eliminating soccer practice from the equation; or let’s just say that you don’t want to give up soccer or that your math grades have been bad from the start.

To identify the root cause of your problem, you need to break down the problem to its elementary parts. A good way to do this is by asking yourself the simple question: ““What types of math problems am I getting wrong?”

Now, it’s time to break the questions into categories – like algebra, fractions, and geometry – and compare the scores between categories.

Who knows what you’ll discover now?

It could be that your scores in fractions and algebra are flat, but it is your geometry scores that are giving the impression that math is not your cup of tea. In other words,

just looking at the average trend of the math grades as a whole won’t help you see what is really happening.

This will because you can break down the categories even further, going from geometry problems to problems with area and volume.

Do this until you reach the atomic parts of your problem.

And then move on to the next step.

Step #3: Develop an Effective Action Plan

The first two steps of the problem-solving approach will take you from “My math grades are going down, and I should quit soccer and study more math” to “My math grades are going down because I am not doing well in three topics: trapezoid area, cylinder volume, and Pythagorean theorem application.”

Needless to say, this latter formulation makes all the difference. Now, you are ready to develop an effective action plan, the result of which will be significantly different.

Because once you identify the root cause of the problem, the solution writes itself. “I need to study more math” is not an action plan; however, I need to revise the lessons about cylinder volume on Monday and solve a few Pythagorean theorem equations on Tuesday is.

As you can see, in this second-case scenario, you’ll know not only what to study, but how much time you’ll need to study it.

Suddenly, it becomes more than clear that soccer practice was never really the problem.

Step #4: Execute Until the Problem Is Solved

But the problem-solving process doesn’t end there; of course, once you devise an action plan, it’s only natural that you need to start executing it.

Would you just start waking up half an hour earlier or go to sleep half an hour later every day to practice the types of problems pointed above?

It’s up to you!

But once you start doing that, you’ll start seeing the results of your action plan as well.

And you know what?

They may not mean better grades.

This calls for modifications: maybe half an hour is not enough; or maybe you need some help from your parents, your teacher, or your friends; modify as necessary until you have something to work with.

And when you don’t have that anymore – start the process once again from Step #1.

Maybe you didn’t understand the situation well enough; even more probably, you may have not guessed the root cause of your problems. Maybe it wasn’t a string of geometry problems, but your inability to understand abstract concepts; or maybe it was your outdated or complex textbook.

But you know what?

After you’ve gone through the problem-solving process once, the second time you’re less likely to make a mistake – both with your identification and, consequently, your action plan.

Problem-Solving Tool Box

To ease your way around the problem-solving process, Ken Watanabe offers a toolbox of problem-solving methods which can help you identify the root cause of your problems and/or devise an appropriate and efficient action plan to eliminate it.

Watanabe defines a logic tree as “a visual tool that helps when you are trying to identify all the potential root causes of a problem and generate a wide variety of solutions.”

And it is exactly what you think it is: a branched-out tree which helps you visualize the subclasses – all of them – of your main problem.

Why should you do that?

Because, as Ludwig Wittgenstein noticed a century ago , language is not precise enough; also, it prevents you from seeing the whole image.

You already know how a logic tree looks like, but just to remind you: the trunk of math is branched into algebra, fractions, and geometry, the branch of geometry further into the branches of area and volume, and the branch of volume into cylinder volume, etc. etc.

Now, go make one for your problem!

Yes/No Tree

A yes/no tree is basically a specific kind of a logic tree.

“A yes/no tree,” writes Watanabe, “groups people or objects into buckets based on the answers to yes/no questions. By assigning everyone and everything involved to a bucket, you can more clearly see what the core issue is.”

By creating a yes/no tree, you structure the problem into all of its possible outcomes and generate a complete overview.

And that makes things a lot easier.

Problem-Solving Design Plan

The logic tree and the yes/no tree should help you a lot to understand your situation and identify all of the probable causes for your problems.

However, in order to identify your root cause and devise an action plan, you need to use the third device in Ken Watanabe’s magical toolbox: problem-solving design plan.

It is basically a table with five columns.

In the first you list all of the possible issues; in the second one, your hypothesis as to why these issues exist; in the third column insert a rationale for each issue; the fourth column is reserved for analysis/activities; the fifth one is optional: here you can put an information source (like a survey or an interview).

With a problem-solving design plan, you’ll spend less time guessing , and more time doing things.

Hypothesis Pyramid

“The hypothesis pyramid is a great tool for structuring your argument,” writes Watanabe.

“Using it to clarify your conclusion and rationale before diving into data collection and analysis will improve your productivity dramatically. It’s also useful for communicating your hypothesis to others.”

 The basic structure of a hypothesis pyramid is simple.

It places the conclusion/main message at the top and lists all the supporting rationales below, like the supporting bricks of a pyramid.

It’s basically each of the rows in a problem-design solving plan broken down further.

Pros and Cons

There are two tools that are very helpful when you need to evaluate multiple options and select the best one.

The first one is the one Ross uses to choose between Julie and Rachel : the pros and cons list.

To make one, you just need to follow these four simple steps:

#1. List all the options. #2. List the pros and cons of each of the options. #3. Weight each of the positive and negative points you listed. (Put, say, three pluses if it is a very attractive pro, and three minuses if it is very unattractive; and distribute the pros and cons between these two extremes; you can use a five-star rating as well, or a grading system from 0 to 5). #4. Select the most attractive option.

Criteria and Evaluation

You can use the criteria and emulation tool “to clarify which criteria, or qualifications, you should use to evaluate your options, decide the importance of each set of criteria, and effectively evaluate your options.”

The steps are:

#1. List all the options. #2. List the evaluation criteria. (For example, if you’re a soccer player choosing a school: a) quality of education; b) strength of the soccer team; c) distance to school; d) friends, etc.) #3. Decide the degree of importance of each criterion. (Use three levels: from low to high). #4. Evaluate each option based on the weighted criteria. (See #3 above.) #5. Select the most attractive option.

Key Lessons from “Problem Solving 101”

1.      Problem Solving Is a Skill – and It Can Be Learned 2.      Problem Solving Is a 4-Step Process 3.      Use These Instruments from Watanabe’s Problem-Solving Tool Box!

Problem Solving Is a Skill – and It Can Be Learned

“Problem solving isn’t a talent limited to the lucky few,” writes Ken Watanabe at the beginning of the book’s first chapter. “It’s actually a skill and a habit that you can learn.”

If your question is “then why don’t we learn this skill at school” – well, congratulations: you’ve just discovered the reason why Watanabe wrote this book in the first place.

“Although Japanese business leaders, educators, and politicians have long talked about the need for Japan to shift from ‘memorization-focused education’ to ‘problem-solving-focused education,’ no one had figured out a concrete and effective way to make this happen.”

Problem Solving 101 is Watanabe’s attempt.

And based on the reaction (of both Japan and the world) – it works.

Problem Solving Is a 4-Step Process

To master problem-solving, you just need to master these four steps:

#1. Understand the current situation; #2. Identify the root cause of the problem; #3. Develop an effective action plan; and #4. Execute until the problem is solved, making modifications as necessary.

Use These Instruments from Watanabe’s Problem-Solving Tool Box!

And to master the four steps of Watanabe’s problem-solving approach, you need no more than these six problem-solving instruments:

#1. Logic tree; #2. Yes/No tree; #3. Problem-solving design plan; #4. Hypothesis pyramid; #5. Pros and cons list; #6. Criteria and evaluation table.

Use them, and any decision will seem easier in the future.

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Problem Solving 101 Quotes

Final Notes

For reasons stated in the introduction, Problem Solving 101 is written in a way that makes it easy for a child to understand it; and it’s only 100 pages long – illustrations included.

But make no mistake: this is exactly why it is such a gem of a book! It is our feeling that you’ll live a much happier life if, whenever you’re faced with a problem or a big decision, you use the knowledge packed in this book.

“This book made me angry,” wrote Seth Godin in his review of Watanabe’s book. “It made me angry because there are so many people in this country who need to read it, who should read it, who will benefit enormously from reading it . . . and won’t. They’ll watch a reality show on TV instead. If everyone made decisions like Ken Watanabe, the world would be a better place.”

Well, it’s your turn now: buy this book, use its techniques, and make the world a better place.

Emir is the Head of Marketing  at 12min . In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.

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Problem Solving 101

• The super simple first step to solving any problem, no matter how big
• Why you need a “yes/no tree”
• How to achieve even your biggest dream

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Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe, a Review

Want to understand problem solving problem solving 101 is here to the rescue, problem solving 101: a simple book for smart people problem solving is an excellent and practical skill to have. you solve problems every day, some more complex than others. where to live which university to attend how to get senior managers to notice me and my work how to improve the company’s bottom line complex solving is also one of the 10 skills the world economic forum says you need to thrive in 2025..

What I liked most about this problem solving book is the author’s practical approach. Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People by Ken Watanabe has many examples that you can relate to. It’s worth the read. He includes images and diagrams to bring the information to life. It’s a pricier e-book but it’s worth every penny. The good news is that it’s now $5 cheaper that when I bought it a couple of years ago.

Have you read?

Summary: The MacGyver Secret by Lee David Zlotoff

Why Ken Watanabe Wrote Problem Solving 101

A former consultant for McKinsey & Company, Ken Watanabe used tools to solve his clients’ problem. In many countries, in schools, the focus is on memorization techniques, but how effective is that? Do students understand what they are learning? Are they able to apply the new concepts in other situations?

Ken Watanabe wanted to do his part in the shift from “memorization-focused education” to “problem-solving-focused education” in Japan. He wrote this book to help kids become better problem solvers. Additionally, he wanted Japanese kids to think like problem solvers. And he also wanted children to take a proactive approach in their education. In Problem Solving 101, Ken Watanabe included the tools he used while working at McKinsey.

Exploring Problem Solving and Other Key Skills

The author, Ken Watanabe, says something in the beginning of the book that caught my attention. He wanted kids to think like problem solvers. That may not sound like something profound, but hear me out, because it really is. Every subject has a certain structure with foundational ideas. If you want to master a subject, you must start with the foundational ideas on which the subject is built. People who successfully master the subject think in a way that the subject demands.

So, if you want to master writing, think like a writer. If you want to master negotiation, think like a negotiator. And if you want to master problem solving, think like a problem solver. This is a secret I learned when I read How to Study & Learn a Discipline. I don’t think this is easy to do. Invest the time learning the structure of the skills you need. That’s what I’m doing.

It’s not just me who thinks this way. In a short video I recently watched, Bill Gates talks about reading and learning. He remembers most of what he learns from books. How does he do it? Essentially, in the video, Gates is saying you cannot read in a vacuum. Work with a broader framework to put the information you’re learning.

The light bulb suddenly went on for me. To make sure that I learn and truly master the 10 skills needed for future jobs, I need to understand how a subject works. And how knowledge works. Learning how to learn is a critical skill you need today to succeed at work and in life.

Master how to learn and know how knowledge works. I read Learning How to Learn , which is based on the popular MOOC course of the same name. Next I devoured How We Learn , which is based on brain science. I plan to read What Is the History of Knowledge by Peter Burke and A History of Knowledge: Past, Present, and Future by Charles Van Doren. And I re-read How to Study & Learn a Discipline, with a fresh set of lenses.

What is Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe About?

Many books on problem solving present a model. This is the case with Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe. The models tend to be similar and related. Think about the last problem that you solved, how did you go about it? You probably tried to understand what caused the problem; gathered information; analyzed the information and find solutions; then tested the solutions. If none of the solutions worked, you would start the process again.

One of the business leaders I interviewed for my first book Tales of People Who Get It emphasized the importance of finding a balance between thinking and acting. And he felt that he spent too much time thinking about things. Watanabe mentioned finding the right balance between thinking and acting.

Problem Solving 101 4-Step Model

• Understand the current situation (What is going on?).
• Identify the root cause of the problem (What is causing the problem?).
• Develop an effective action plan (How can I fix this problem?).
• Execute until the problem is solved. Make changes as necessary.

Ken Watanabe expands on his problem solving model, so the reader knows what to do. He recommends that when you face problems, take a step back, so you can discover the root cause and how to resolve it. One of the ways to do that is to do research. Collect information to find the root cause of the problem. Watanabe uses an analogy that most people can relate to. The symptom is a headache, the root cause is a fever, and the prescription – the solution – is to take cold medicine.

When you understand the symptoms and identify the root cause, you’re able to generate better solutions.

Step 1: Diagnose the Situation and Identify the Root Cause of the Problem

• List all the possible root causes of the problem.
• Develop a hypothesis for the likely root cause.
• Determine the analyses and information required to test the hypothesis.
• Analyze and identify the root cause.  

Step 2: Develop the Solution

• Develop a wide variety of solutions to solve the problem.
• Prioritize actions.
• Develop an implementation plan.

In the book, the author mentions that you can use a yes/no tree to figure out a problem's root cause or decide how to solve a problem. If you do not know how to use a yes/no tree he walks you through the process.

If the problem you have is how to achieve a certain goal, he offers steps that you can follow.

Steps to Achieve an Important Goal

•  Set a clear goal.
• Determine the gap between the goal and the current situation.
• List as many options and ideas as possible.
• Select the best ideas as the hypothesis.
• Analyze and develop action plan.

Criteria to Test Solution and Evaluate It

• List all the options
• List evaluation criteria
• Decide on the importance of each criteria
• Evaluate each based on the weighted criteria
• Select most attractive option

Final Thoughts: Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe

The most accomplished people use books as problem solving tools. They carve out the time in their schedule to find solutions in the pages of a book. Let me help you to solve your own problems. Additionally, this program helps you to learn valuable career skills. Click the link MoreReads Individual Leadership Development Program to buy.

About the Author  Avil Beckford

Hello there! I am Avil Beckford, the founder of The Invisible Mentor. I am also a published author, writer, expert interviewer host of The One Problem Podcast and MoreReads Success Blueprint, a movement to help participants learn in-demand skills for future jobs. Sign-up for MoreReads: Blueprint to Change the World today! In the meantime, Please support me by buying my e-books Visit My Shop , and thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter and Pinterest !

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Problem Solving 101 Summary

1-Sentence-Summary:   Problem Solving 101  is a universal, four-step template for overcoming challenges in life, based on a traditional method Japanese school children learn early on.

Favorite quote from the author:

Audio Summary

Listen to the audio of this summary with a free reading.fm account*:

I recently co-authored a piece gathering 303 life lessons we all eventually learn, but often forget. The list reminded me of all the important subjects we never study in school: human behavior, work habits, creativity, relationships, communication, love, and personal finance, for example. The skill Ken Watanabe explains in this book ranks highly on that list: problem solving.

Having a methodical approach to how you deal with problems, as opposed to just going by gut and feelings, can make a big difference in how successful you are in overcoming your obstacles. What’s interesting is where Watanabe found this approach: in school.

The Japanese education system has long had a leg up on its Western counterpart , and they also have a much better concept of retirement, called “ ikigai .” When it comes to problem-solving, Japanese children learn a very basic, universal template in their first years of school. Those are some smart schools !

After growing up in Japan, then studying in the US, it is exactly this template that Ken Watanabe decided to share in  Problem Solving 101 . Here are the 3 underlying activities you need to use it:

• Instead jumping straight from finding a problem to attempting to solve it, break it down first.
• Gather data to analyze all potential root causes and solutions.
• Formulate hypotheses and methodically test them to find what works.

If you often find yourself jumping head first into solutions that don’t really fix your problems, this one’s for you! Welcome to Problem Solving 101!

If you want to save this summary for later, download the free PDF and read it whenever you want.

Lesson 1: The first step of properly tackling any problem is to break it down.

Let’s say you and your partner want to move in together and start a family. You’ve both entered the working world a couple years ago and are now looking to buy a home. However, once you look at your salaries and expenses, you realize you can’t afford the kind of home you want your future kids to grow up in. What could you do?

In this situation, most people would either resign to waiting for their next promotion or force themselves to randomly cut back on a big spending point. However, the trick to solving such a seemingly complex problem elegantly is to not jump at the above question in the first place. Instead, break down the problem into various aspects . In this example, “not enough money to pay mortgage for desired house” can be divided into “too little income,” “too high expenses,” and “expectations of future house.”

Once you have categories, it’s very easy to continue digging. Watanabe recommends decision trees . For example, you could now list causes for the “too little income” category, like “my company pays less than the industry average,” or “I didn’t get the promotion.” When going along these sub branches, you can mark each one with yes or no, to determine whether it’s actually part of the problem.

With a proper breakdown in hand, it’s much easier to analyze the causes and potential solutions of your problem.

Lesson 2: Make sure you analyze all potential root problems and solutions by gathering data and reflecting.

Of course it’s impossible to be 100% objective when judging what lead to your problem, but that’s where analysis comes in. For each root cause that you marked with a yes in your decision tree, ask what data you need to verify your answer. For example, to see if your salary is below industry average, you can use Google to compare it to several statistics. And to figure out why you didn’t get promoted, ask coworkers when they were last promoted and come up with your own, company-internal data.

The point of analysis is to never accept statements at face value, including your own . It gets you to pause and reflect before moving on, which is what makes it so valuable.

That’s why it also applies to all potential solutions you subsequently brainstorm. If you want to confront your boss with the below average salary claim, you better bring lots of data from good sources to back it up. At the same time, if you find it’s easier to collect data for other solutions, like cutting your expenses on monthly subscriptions, because you still have all your receipts, analysis also helps you determine which solutions have the best cost-to-benefit ratio .

Lesson 3: When trying to find a solution, formulate multiple hypotheses, then test them one by one.

Analysis helps you separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the sources of your problem, as well as your options to get rid of it. However, the pool of choices you’re left with is still just a set of ideas. There are no guarantees that you’ve identified the correct causes or that executing a chosen solution will actually bring relief.

That’s why you should think of your selection as hypotheses. A hypothesis is defined as a currently accepted statement that could be proven wrong later . What’s great about approaching your plans this way is that you’ll stay flexible. Maybe confronting your boss won’t work. If it doesn’t, what matters is that you can quickly switch to a different path of action, rather than circling back to your initial hopelessness.

Whenever you feel lost or don’t know what to do, take an intermediary step of analysis. Get more data, reflect on new information, then change course. With an approach like this, you’ll never really get stuck. Even if problems won’t disappear over night, you’ll always have some sense of what to do next.

Problem Solving 101 Review

Breakdown, analysis, hypothesis, execution . What Watanabe has described here is the scientific method , except he did it in a way everyone can understand. Teaching children this from a young age helps them think on their feet decades later. When they enter the working world, they’ll find real-world problems less complex and confusing. If I ever do come up with a school of life, there’ll definitely be a class called Problem Solving 101 .

Who would I recommend the Problem Solving 101 summary to?

The 9 year old third grader, who has a chance to learn proper problem solving right from the start, the 30 year old young professional, who could use a reset on how she tackles problems after college, and anyone who tends to jump to conclusions.

Last Updated on August 15, 2022

Niklas Göke

Niklas Göke is an author and writer whose work has attracted tens of millions of readers to date. He is also the founder and CEO of Four Minute Books, a collection of over 1,000 free book summaries teaching readers 3 valuable lessons in just 4 minutes each. Born and raised in Germany, Nik also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Engineering from KIT Karlsruhe and a Master’s Degree in Management & Technology from the Technical University of Munich. He lives in Munich and enjoys a great slice of salami pizza almost as much as reading — or writing — the next book — or book summary, of course!

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Bulletproof Problem-Solving (Book Summary)

August 30, 2020 Jeremey Donovan

Bulletproof Problem-Solving by Charles Conn and Robert McLean

• Define the Problem
• Disaggregate the Issues
• Prioritize the Issues, Prune the Tree
• Build a Workplan and Timetable
• Conduct Critical Analyses
• Synthesize Findings from the Analysis
• Prepare a Powerful Communication

Introduction Problem-solving for the Challenges of the Twenty-First Century

• a drive to be working on the right problems
• addressing root causes
• engaging teams around short duration work plans
• allocating responsibilities and timelines with accountability.
• The World Economic Forum in its Future of Jobs Report placed complex problem-solving at #1 in its top 10 skills for jobs in 2020.
• We see few problems that can ever be solved without disaggregation into component parts.
• Sometimes no amount of regression analysis is a substitute for a well-designed, real-world experiment that allows variables to be controlled and a valid counterfactual examined.

Chapter One Learn the Bulletproof Problem-solving Approach

• Problem-solving means the process of making better decisions on the complicated challenges of personal life, our workplaces, and the policy sphere.
• We encourage you to think of problem-solving as an iterative process rather than a linear one. This cycle can be completed over any timeframe with the information at hand. Once you reach a preliminary end point, you can repeat the process to draw out more insight for deeper understanding.
• We often use the expression, “What’s the one-day answer?” This means we ask our team to have a coherent summary of our best understanding of the problem and a solution path at any point in the project, not just at the end.
• We use logic or issue trees to visualize and disaggregate problems. We employ several types, including hypothesis trees and decision trees.
• Use a hypothesis to bring forth the arguments to either disprove it or support it.

Chapter Two Define the Problem

• Getting problem definition right, including boundaries, is essential to good problem-solving and can be an essential competitive advantage.
• Outcomes focused: A clear statement of the problem to be solved, expressed in outcomes, not activities or intermediate outputs.
• Specific and measurable wherever possible.
• Clearly time bound.
• Designed to explicitly address decision-maker values and boundaries, including the accuracy needed and the scale of aspirations.
• Structured to allow sufficient scope for creativity and unexpected results — too narrowly scoped problems can artificially constrain solutions.
• Solved at the highest level possible, meaning for the organization as a whole, not just optimized for a part or a partial solution.

• Constant iteration allows the team to hone its understanding and therefore to sharpen its strategies to achieve the desired outcome — at the same time keeping all the stakeholders onside as the process runs through time.
• When we worked for McKinsey, we often saw problems that benefited from redefinition to a higher level.
• When possible, it is advantageous to allow flexibility in the scope or width of your problem-solving project.
• Wherever you can, target your problem-solving efforts at the highest level at which you can work, rather than solving for the interests only of smaller units.

Chapter Three Problem Disaggregation and Prioritization

• Any problem of real consequence is too complicated to solve without breaking it down into logical parts that help us understand the drivers or causes of the situation.
• Types of logic trees:

• Trees should have branches that are MECE which stands for “mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive.”
• Inductive trees show probabilistic relationships, not causal ones.
• Good prioritization in problem-solving makes solutions come faster and with less effort.
• We don’t want to retain elements of the disaggregation that have only a small influence on the problem, or that are difficult or impossible to affect.
• Prioritize problems where both potential scale of impact your ability to influence are high
• Use of constructive challenging and “what you’d have to believe” questions can help get the process out of ruts and foster more creativity in solution paths.

Chapter Four Build a Great Workplan and Team Processes

• The workplan is the place to get specific about your initial hypotheses, clarify what outputs you want from analysis, and assign the parts so that everyone knows what they are doing and by when.
• We don’t do any analyses that aren’t guided by very clear and testable hypotheses.  We never go off and build a model without a very good idea about what question it answers. There is no vague “I’ll look into X or Y.”
• We sharpen our thinking even more by requiring that we can visualize what form the output might take (we call this dummying the chart), so we know if we would want it if we had it.
• We are very careful about the order in which we do analyses. Do knock-out analyses first.
• We are very specific about who is doing what by when.  No confusion about responsibilities for deadlines.
• We have workplans to go out only 2-3 weeks, and longer-term study plans to rough out later periods.
• Model workplan:

• Focus your work on the 20 % of the problem that yields 80 % of the benefit.
• Our approach is to do short, but highly specific, workplans that focus on the most important initial analyses, perhaps stretching out two to three weeks, and constantly revise them as new insights come from the team’s work. We couple these with rougher project plans, usually in Gantt chart format, that cover the fixed milestone dates and to ensure the overall project stays on track from a time perspective.
• A short description of the situation that prevails at the outset of problem-solving. This is the state of affairs that sets up the problem.
• A set of observations or complications around the situation that creates the tension or dynamic that captures the problem. This is typically what changed, or what went wrong that created the problem.
• The best idea of the implication or resolution of the problem that you have right now. At the beginning this will be rough and speculative. Later it will be a more and more refined idea that answers the question, “What should we do?”
• They are hypothesis driven and end-product oriented.
• They porpoise frequently between the hypothesis and data. They are flexible in the face of new data.
• They look for breakthrough thinking rather than incremental improvements.
• Confirmation bias: Confirmation bias is falling in love with your one-day answer.
• Anchoring bias: Anchoring bias is the mistaken mental attachment to an initial data range or data pattern that colors your subsequent understanding of the problem.
• Loss aversion: Loss aversion, and its relatives, the sunk cost fallacy, book loss fear, and the endowment effect, are a failure to ignore costs already spent (sunk) or any asymmetric valuing of losses and gains.
• Availability bias: Availability bias is use of an existing mental map because it is readily at hand, rather than developing a new model for a new problem, or just being influenced by more recent facts or events.
• Over-optimism: Over-optimism comes in several forms including overconfidence, illusion of control or simply failure to contemplate disaster outcomes.
• Diversity in team members
• Always try multiple trees / cleaves:
• Try adding question marks to your hypotheses.
• Obligation to dissent
• Role playing – Try acting out your interim solutions from the perspective of clients, suppliers, other family members, citizens … whoever isn’t you.
• Dialectic standard – every idea or hypothesis must be met with its antithesis and challenged, before joining the learning together in synthesis.
• Perspective taking – Perspective taking is the act of modeling another team member’s assertion or belief (especially if you don’t agree) to the point that you can describe it as compellingly as the other.
• Constructive confrontation – To disagree without being disagreeable. One of the great tools we both used in McKinsey is “What would you have to believe? “to accept a particular thesis or viewpoint.
• Team distributed voting – One approach we have used is to assign each team member 10 votes; the most senior person votes last
• Solicit outside views (but be careful with experts). The normal thing is to interview experts — but the risk is that they just reinforce the dominant or mainstream view and therefore smother creativity. Try talking to customers, suppliers, or better yet players in a different but related industry or space.
• Explicit Downside Scenario Modeling and Pre-Mortem Analysis.
• Broaden your data sources: The best problem solvers that reflects an active openness to new ideas and data, and a suspicion of standard or conventional answers

Chapter Five Conduct Analyses

• Don’t jump right into building giant models until they have a clear understanding of whether and where complex tools are required.
• Smart analysis starts with heuristics and summary statistics to assess the magnitude and direction of the key problem levers.

• We see many common errors that relate to the distribution of outcomes. These include placing too much emphasis on the mean outcome, typically called the base case, and insufficient weight on outcomes that are one or even two standard deviations from the mean in a normal distribution.
• The Sherlock Holmes approach of painting a picture of the problem by asking who, what, where, when, how, and why is a powerful root-cause tool to quickly focus problem-solving. Ask “Why? five times.

Chapter Six Big Guns of Analysis

• Bayesian statistics, regression analysis, Monte Carlo simulation, randomized controlled experiments, machine learning, game theory, or crowd-sourced solutions
• First-cut data analysis often points to direction of causality and size of impact, which are critical to evaluating the results of complex models later.
• Data-fishing expeditions or unfocused analysis that “boil the ocean” are likely to result in inefficient problem-solving.
• Our preferred sequence, not surprisingly, is to start with clearly defining the problem and forming initial hypotheses. Then get to know your data by looking at the mean, median, and mode, as well as other summary statistics.
• One answer is the natural experiment, also called a quasi-experiment: If you can’t run an experiment yourself, look to see if the world has already run it — or something like it — for you.

Chapter Seven Synthesize Results and Tell a Great Story

• Done right, your conclusions are an engaging story, supported with facts, analyses, and arguments that convince your audience of the merits of your recommended path.
• Our recommended process is iterative at each stage and driven by the interaction of the strong hypotheses of your one-day answers with the analyses of your workplan.
• Where possible, the most powerful visualization is to show each graphic as branches on your revised tree structure.
• What problem are we trying to solve? How has this evolved?
• What are the key criteria for success that our decision maker (which may be yourself) set out in advance? It is important to reflect these explicitly in your story.
• Did you honor the boundaries of the problem set by the decision maker? If not — which may be for good reasons around creativity or deciding to relax a constraint to open up new possibilities — you need to make the case here.
• Sometimes it is best to carefully lead the audience from situation to observation to resolution, which are your recommended actions. But our bias in most circumstances is to lead by answering the question “What Should I Do?” and then summarize the situation and key observations that support action.
• it was not one that the local management team wanted to hear. In circumstances like this, it can make sense to use a revealed approach to your arguments,

Chapter Eight Problem-solving with Long Time Frames and High Uncertainty

Chapter Nine Wicked Problems

• These problems typically involve multiple causes, major values disagreements among stakeholders, unintended consequences, or substantial behavior change in order for the problem to be solved. Terrorism, environmental degradation, and poverty are often proffered as examples of wicked problems.

Chapter Ten Becoming a Great Problem Solver

• good questions that become sharp hypotheses
• a logical approach to framing and disaggregating issues
• strict prioritization to save time
• solid team processes to foster creativity and fight bias
• smart analytics that start with heuristics and move to the right big guns
• a commitment to synthesize findings and turn them into a story that galvanizes action.
• Take the time up front to really understand your problem.
• Get started with nothing more than a problem statement.
• Try several cuts at the tree.
• Use a team wherever you can.
• Make the right investment in a good work-plan.
• Start your analysis with summary statistics, heuristics, and rules of thumb to get a feel for the data and the solution space.
• Don’t be afraid to employ big analytic guns when required.
• Treat the seven-steps process like an accordion.
• Don’t be intimidated by any problem you face.

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Book Summary: Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe

Problem Solving 101 is a comprehensive guide to mastering the art of problem solving. Written by renowned author and problem-solving expert Ken Watanabe, this book provides readers with a step-by-step approach to identifying, analyzing, and solving problems in all areas of life. Whether you’re facing a personal challenge or a professional obstacle, this book will equip you with the tools and techniques you need to overcome any hurdle.

Chapter 1: The Importance of Problem Solving

In the first chapter, Watanabe introduces the concept of problem solving and its importance in our daily lives. He explains that problem solving is not just a skill that can be used in the workplace, but a necessary tool for navigating life’s challenges. Watanabe also emphasizes the importance of developing a problem-solving mindset, which involves approaching problems with curiosity, creativity, and persistence.

Chapter 2: The Problem Solving Process

In this chapter, Watanabe outlines the steps involved in the problem-solving process. He explains that problem solving involves several stages, including identifying the problem, gathering information, analyzing the data, generating solutions, evaluating the options, and implementing the best solution. Watanabe also provides readers with practical tips for each stage of the process, including how to gather information effectively, how to evaluate potential solutions, and how to implement the best option.

Chapter 3: Common Problem Solving Techniques

In this chapter, Watanabe introduces several common problem-solving techniques, including brainstorming, decision trees, and root cause analysis. He explains how each technique can be used to solve different types of problems and provides readers with step-by-step instructions for implementing each technique. Watanabe also emphasizes the importance of selecting the right technique for the problem at hand and provides guidance on how to choose the best approach.

Chapter 4: Overcoming Obstacles to Problem Solving

In this chapter, Watanabe addresses some of the common obstacles to effective problem solving. He explains that many people struggle with problem solving because they lack the necessary skills, knowledge, or motivation. Watanabe provides readers with strategies for overcoming these obstacles, including how to develop problem-solving skills, how to gather information effectively, and how to stay motivated throughout the process.

Chapter 5: Applying Problem Solving to Real-Life Situations

In this chapter, Watanabe provides readers with real-life examples of how problem solving can be applied to a variety of situations. He explains how problem solving can be used to solve personal problems, such as managing time or overcoming procrastination, as well as professional problems, such as managing projects or resolving conflicts with colleagues. Watanabe also provides readers with tips for applying problem-solving techniques to their own lives and situations.

Overall, Problem Solving 101 is a comprehensive and practical guide to mastering the art of problem solving. Watanabe’s step-by-step approach, practical tips, and real-life examples make this book an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their problem-solving skills. Whether you’re facing a personal challenge or a professional obstacle, this book will provide you with the tools and techniques you need to overcome any hurdle.

Interested in reading the whole book?

Buy the book “Problem Solving 101” on Amazon

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