First Blog

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,”

  Many problems seem to persist, despite our best efforts to solve them. There are several reasons. Here are a few types. ·         We don’t have the tools (yet) to solve them, intellectual, theoretical, and/or instrumental. Example. Many a problem begins this way. ·         We don’t know what the real problem is. Example. Explaining matter - from antiquity. ·         We make a solution. It catches on. It becomes the solution until it fails. Then we begin again. New failure. Begin anew, and on and on. Example. Explaining planetary motion took several tries. Fads! ·         We assume what the solution should be and persist in using it even though it fails. ·         Special types of problems, called wicked, are so rich in variables and options, there is no unique solution in almost every sense. What are contrived is a collection of answers, inadequate all, but with no consensus. ·         Politicians intervene in the process, corrupting it, and leading to incorrect solutions. Examp