First Blog

Impossible is a vague word. Yet, we use it all the time.  It has several meanings, and it’s best to be aware of which you are using next time you evoke the word. ·         Impossible currently? – As in a disease uncurable today but maybe not next year. Rabies, polio, tuberculosis, and measles, once impossible are now cured. ·         Impossible logically? - As in some kind of paradox that has no resolution. The barber paradox is just one example. ·         Impossible problem? – As in some problems unsolvable and no hint to solve. Many in mathematics and physics are so numerous, it would take a book to explain them. ·         Impossible situation? – As in a real-life situation that cannot occur. How about the flying elephant, unicorn, and all manner of Utopias? ·         Impossible project? – As in a wicked problem that may have multiple solutions. Just try to build a beltway around a large city and you’ll see a zillion problems with no clear starting point and multiple solutions. ·    

What Makes a Problem Difficult? by G. Donald Allen Introduction . All of us solve problems daily. At home or office, from balancing the corporate books to teaching to researching theoretical physics, and even managing family affairs, successful days are those with problems well solved. Many problems are routine or even easy, but too many arrive with a measure of difficulty. So, what’s difficult? Let’s begin by indicating that “difficult,” when applied to problem-solving, is difficult to describe. We explore several possibilities, for those of you already good at problem-solving. That is, you know the general problem-solving steps (Appendix A) and have used them to succeed previously. Certainly, experience is extremely important. Lack of experience can make almost any problem difficult as we’ve learned from history – our own included. Also, and of great importance is the ability to recognize a solution if by chance you stumble upon it. Organizations of all kinds need a “fixer,”