This spread takes some of the principles discussed in the problem definition posts (see related posts below), and adds a ‘solution’ card. The first triangle examines the problem closely, while the second looks at what your goals are.
So you have some information about the problem, but it is too vague to craft an effective definition from?
Your ideal goal is to craft a problem statement that contains pertinent facts, goals, the constraints you face, and a strategy to follow. (See the example of a well-defined problem in Defining the ill-defined: Part 1.)
To do this, you need to manipulate and interrogate the information that you have into a workable definition, so that you can solve the problem. You also have more information available than you think: things you have forgotten or not realized their importance, tacit knowledge (things you know without thinking about it), or assumptions (things taken for granted, but are actually significant pieces of information).
If it is a personal problem, you might also identify beliefs, prejudices, and motives that play a pivotal—but often concealed—part in the problem.
This post and the one after it will discuss techniques you can use to uncover more information to craft a useful definition.
Like idea generation, problem definition has two stages: divergent thinking, where you find as many options as possible without evaluating any of them, and convergent thinking, where you judge the usefulness of the definitions you have crafted, or modify ones that have potential. (See “Think differently” in Defining the ill-defined: Part 2.) This post is about the first of these: divergent thinking.
| Recently, you and your brother have argued more than usual, but you don’t know why. You are reluctant to talk to him about it, as this might exacerbate the problem. |
Here you have some information to work with: who (you and your brother), what (arguments), when (the last few months). Your (somewhat fuzzy) goal is not to make things worse.
How could this problem be defined? Possibilities include:
Each of these definitions accentuates a different aspect of the problem—the relationship, the arguments, communication, root causes, action, resolving the conflict. And each might send you in a different direction to search for solutions.
What if I do nothing? is an excellent question to start with. Sometimes doing nothing is the right way to tackle a problem. If not, the answers to the question will give you a goal (or goals) to strive for, and/or outcomes to prevent.
Possibilities from our example problem are:
Possible definition: “My brother and I have argued much more during the last few months than usual. How can I prevent these arguments before his wife notices and becomes upset?”
Before you define the problem, obviously you need to determine what the problem is, but also what it is not, so that you don’t waste your time with irrelevant matters.
Let’s say the boundaries of the example problem are:
Possible definition: “My brother and I have argued much more during the last few months than usual. How can I prevent these arguments? My brother already resents the fact that I treat him like the ‘baby’ brother he is.”
The 5W1H (who, what, where, why, when, and how) technique helps you identify the pertinent facts in the situation. Most of the time you will be amazed to see how much relevant facts you have that you have not yet added to the definition.
A possible definition of the example problem: How do I improve [how] my conflict-resolution skills [what] to talk to my brother [why, who] about the arguments [what] we [who] have had since his operation four months ago [when]? I don’t want him to resent me as his ‘big sister’ [what] as he usually does when we have a serious talk [when].
Why is this a problem? takes you straight to the heart of the problem.
You can use this question in two ways. The first is to compile a list of answers to Why is this a problem? and Why else? This list will help you identify core issues.
From the example problem the answers might be:
Why is this a problem: Because conflict makes me anxious.
Why else? I want to invite the family to my birthday party.
Possible definition: How can I use my communication skills to resolve the arguments with my brother before my birthday party? I want a peaceful family gathering.
The second way to use Why is to ask Why to every answer.
Why is this a problem? I don’t like arguing with my brother.
Why don’t you like arguing with your brother? I don’t like upsetting him.
Why don’t you like upsetting him? Because that would make it awkward to visit his wife, who is a good friend.
Why …? And so on.
For another example, see Why?
Is there something lurking behind the problem? Maybe the real problem is that you and your brother have never communicated well, or that you have been short—tempered lately because of stress over an unrelated issue.
How can I improve communication with my brother?
This question might give you the same answer as the previous question, but it could also uncover something else. The two questions are related, but view the problem from slightly different angles.
How can I improve my relationship with my brother, which has never been good, but never so bad as in the last four months?
It is always a good idea to make sure you are trying to solve the right problem. But you can only answer it once you know exactly what you want to achieve. This question is related to What is the real problem? and What is the essence of the problem?, but again it approaches the problem a little differently.
Maybe you are trying to solve the problem of communicating with your brother, when the real problem is that you don’t want to lose his wife’s friendship.
This question pertains to your goals, but it is a more intimate and personal way to put it. This might make it the more effective question.
Asking What do I not want? identifies the constraints, obstacles, and outcomes to avoid. For example, wanting to resolve the arguments before your birthday party puts a constraint on time; ‘not upsetting my brother’ because he has a temper, places an obstacle in the way; and ‘avoid another argument’ points to an undesirable outcome.
This question targets the obstacles in your way. Perhaps your temper is the problem:
How do I avoid arguing with my brother if I can’t control my temper?
This question focuses very strongly on what you do not want. This is a back-to-front way to identify your goals, and could be an effective question in defining a problem.
A vague problem statement takes form once you know what you want to achieve. The problem with complex problems is that often they can have various goals, some of which may contradict each other.
Looking at the example problem, your goals could be to
Wanting to avoid arguments, for example, leads to different actions than learning conflict-resolution skills or asking your brother what the problem is. Wanting to avoid arguments also seems to indicate different solutions than wanting to improve communication in the relationship.
Goals not only give structure to problem definitions, they can also indicate the strategies or procedures to follow in order to solve the problem. Your goal could indicate the need to learn, avoid, practise, research, communicate, or ask something, or go somewhere.
Questions that can help you here are What is the ideal outcome? Why do I want to solve the problem? What is the most important thing to achieve?
Backcasting is a well-known and effective technique to discover ways to reach a goal. It starts with the goal, and works backwards.
Take the answers to What do I want? or What is the ideal outcome? and work out what steps you need to take to get there.
For example, if your goal is to improve communication with your brother, one step could be to take a course or attend a workshop. To achieve this, you need to find courses or workshops, and to do that you need to go to the library … and so on until you have a step that you can take immediately.
What do you regard as the ideal outcome? This is your preferred future.
What do you think would happen anyway, or would happen if you do nothing? This is your probable future.
The possible future is an alternate outcome that is less likely than the probable future, but still feasible.
When you have the answers to these questions, it is much easier to formulate a problem definition that reflects your goals, and avoids the undesirable.
Following posts will discuss the use of analogies and metaphors to define problems, and (of course!) ways to use Tarot cards to define problems.
Defining the ill-defined: Part 1
Defining the ill-defined: Part 2
Defining the ill-defined: Part 3
Ill-defined problems are sometimes called complex, ill-structured, messy, swampy, or wicked because, frankly, they are. They are also known as ill-defined because they are … uh … badly defined.
Einstein famously said that if he had an hour to save the world, he would spend 55 minutes on defining the problem, and five on finding a solution. Einstein was talking about the ideal definition, one that sets you well on your way to solve the problem.
In the next few posts I will show you what constitutes useful definitions, and techniques that can help you create them. This post pulls together and expands on what I have already written on ill-defined problems. (See “Related articles” below.)
To define a problem is to create a frame or a statement that describes the problem. If you want to know what the capital of Brazil is, you will state the problem as “What is the capital of Brazil?” Easy.
It gets complicated, however, when the problem involves complex systems—such as market forces, the weather, politics, or people’s behaviour, motivations, and attitudes—constantly in flux, and therefore difficult to predict.
An ill-defined problem is also one that you have not encountered before, which means there are no well-tested strategies or obvious processes to follow. And a novel situation needs novel—therefore original—solutions. Even if two situations seem similar, when a problem involves dynamic forces, there will be many differences. (For example, if a couple enters therapy to resolve infidelity, would you treat them the same way as a second couple struggling with the same problem?)
When dealing with ill-defined problems, uncertainty is built in.
The most useful definitions reduce uncertainty as much as possible by structuring available information.
Ill-defined problems are called ill defined because they lack information. What there is, is vague or incomplete, and the goals (that tell you when a problem is solved) are unclear. You might even be unsure if there is a problem.
Well-defined problems, on the other hand, contain all the information necessary to solve them.
How many eggs are in the fridge? is a well-defined problem. The problem statement contains all the information you need to solve it.
Other well-defined problems include scientific or mathematical operations, puzzles, questions of fact (What is the capital of Brazil?), or the correct way to operate a piece of machinery.
Well-defined problems usually have only one, correct, answer.
Now consider these examples of ill-defined problems:
Some of these problems are vague (“dissatisfied,” “talking about leaving,” “quiet and withdrawn”).
Others give you a bit more information (you are healthy, it is a Christmas lunch). Some tell you what the goal is (to win the friend back, to change careers, to improve sales) or that there is a constraint (the problem must be solved before Christmas).
But even so, these problems are full of uncertainty. How do you define a restored friendship? Which aspects of your career do you want to change, and what do you mean by ‘change’? How would you measure sales to see if they have improved?
Sometimes you might be asking the wrong question: maybe you shouldn’t ask How to improve sales but What has changed in the market?
And then some problems might not even exist.
The information you have, will influence the way you define the problem. Your definition of the problem will influence what you consider important, and what additional information you gather.
Sally and her boyfriend are not as close as they used to be. What makes it more difficult, is that they live in different cities. Sally wonders whether all her romantic relationships are doomed to follow the same pattern.
If you ask 10 people to define the problem, you might get ten statements. Consider these possibilities:
(Okay, 11 people )
Because the situation is ambiguous (what does ‘not as close as they used to be’ mean?), the problem solvers interpret it by projecting their own values and beliefs on it. None of these definitions are necessarily wrong, but your entire approach to a problem—what information you will seek, what outcome you will strive for, and what strategies you will follow—is influenced by subjective beliefs and biases.
The different interpretations of the situation are based on different assumptions, such as:
Any or all of these assumptions may be wrong. There is just too much that we don’t know.
We don’t know what Sally wants. We don’t know how her boyfriend feels about the relationship, what his needs are, or what his hopes are for the relationship.
We don’t know what is going wrong in the relationship. How close did they used to be? What is Sally’s definition of ‘close’? And her boyfriend’s? What is the pattern that Sally thinks she sees?
An ill-defined problem should be approached by gathering all the information available, then deciding what is relevant, while remembering that the choices made here might be influenced by personality, beliefs, values, social and economic background, and education.
Have you noticed how often we define problems as what we do not want, or what is negative, painful, or needs to be fixed? Even the word “problem” is problematic: it immediately makes us think of what is imperfect.
What will happen if we focus on the positive instead?
Suppose, instead of asking …
… try
Of course we also have to focus on what is wrong, what is negative and needs to be fixed. But framing a question differently—appreciative inquiry—can help us gain a different perspective.
Appreciative Inquiry as a technique was formulated in the mid-1980s by David Cooperrider at Case Western Reserve University. He suggested that rather than focusing on the pain, we look towards increasing the pleasure. The technique is also an effective way to identify opportunities and strengths for improvement.
Appreciative Inquiry involves four Ds: Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver. First we define the problem, then we decide where we want to go, how we can get there, and how to do it.
Let’s use these elements in a Tarot spread:
Prologue:
Second row:
Asking “How can we really annoy our customers?” instead of “How can we increase customer satisfaction?” may just prod your brain into creative mode.
Reverse brainstorming and reversing the problem are fun ways to jolt the brain out of its usual ways of thinking. Sometimes a surprise shakes loose some ideas, so why not approach the problem from the opposite direction?
In reversals, you ask questions such as “How can we make the problem worse?” or “How can we cause the problem?”
Alternatively, you can reverse something in the problem definition:
“How can we increase sales of Widget X” could become “How can we stop people from buying Widget X?”
You can reverse anything in the problem statement—go backward or do the opposite. Reverse a viewpoint. Change direction. Reverse the action, or the object, or the goal of the exercise. Find an upside-down and back-to-front way of stating the problem. Then brainstorm solutions.
Reverse or negative brainstorming works well with Tarot cards, but techniques specific to Tarot would be to reverse the cards or to ask the “wrong” questions in the spread positions.
Reverse cards offer a wealth of meanings, mostly because there are various ways to read them. In The complete book of Tarot reversals (see bibliography below) Mary Greer offers twelve ways to read reversed cards. James Ricklef and Joan Bunning also describe ways to read reverse cards.
And in creative problem-solving, the more stimuli you have, the greater the chances of finding unexpected solutions.
The first part of this spread is a normal problem-solving exercise using upright cards, so write down your problem statement, shuffle the cards, and lay them out like this:
1. What is the problem?
2. What is the most important thing about this problem?
3. How can I approach this problem?
4. What or who can help?
Repeat 1: What is not part of the problem?
Repeat 2: How can I make the problem worse?
Repeat 3: What should I not do?
Repeat 4: What if I do nothing?
When you concentrate on what not to do, you surprise your brain by tackling the problem from a different angle.
Once you have generated ideas, of course, you need to reverse the “solutions” to apply to your problem.
Reversing the problem also addresses common stumbling blocks in problem-solving.
The first is working with a fuzzy definition of the problem, so that it is not clear what is or is not part of the problem. You might have defined your problem too widely (“How can we increase customer satisfaction” versus “How can we make our teenage customers happy”), or too narrowly (“How can we encourage teamwork?” versus “How can we improve staff morale?”).
You might be trying to solve the wrong problem (focusing on team spirit when the team members are unhappy about things that have nothing to do with the team).
You also do not want to spend time on a problem, only to find that the problem does not exist anymore. The urgency of the problem might have passed, or the problem might have solved itself. (Wouldn’t that be nice!)
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