Six Steps to Solving Problems

  1. Accept a challenge and undertake systematic efforts to respond to it.
  2. Gather data, impressions, feelings, observations; examine the situation from many different viewpoints; identify the most important information.
  3. Choose a working problem statement
  4. Search for at least two different possibilities to solve the problem
  5. Determine the most important criteria for reviewing and evaluating potential solutions. Use the criteria to evaluate, strengthen, and refine potential solutions.
  6. Implement the most promising solution.

Powell, S. G., & Baker, K. R. (2009). Management Science: The Art of Modeling with Spreadsheets. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.