Complex Problem Solving

You don’t need to be Einstein to have a good idea or to find a solution to a problem. In the workplace, it is often the small ideas that have a big impact: helping offices to run more efficiently; improving a product's performance; creating effective marketing materials; or restructuring staff responsibilities.

Skills and capabilities

Skills and capabilities include:

• Reflective skills

• Independence

• Flexibility

• Initiative

• Thinking Skills (see article on Critical Thinking)

• Research skills

• Empathy

If you’ve done any of the following, you will have used complex problem solving skills

• Investigated alternative solutions to a problem

• Overcome difficulties with your work

• Put forward a suggestion which improved things for other people

• Persuaded others to try a new way of doing things. (See article on Persuasion for more information.)

• Set up a new system for handling information

• Set goals for yourself and achieved them

Problem Solving Tools

Complex problem solving tools include:

• Adaptive Reasoning

• Abductive Reasoning (or having a hunch)

• Analogy (likening the problem to something)

• Brainstorming

• Creative problem solving

• Deductive Reasoning

• Divergent Thinking

• Innovation

For more information, see Problem Shaping