#problemsolving – Ellery's Essays

Why We Need to Define the Bigger Problem*

When Apollo 13 astronauts reported an explosion on their space module, NASA’s Houston Mission Control contemplated on continuing the mission and land on the moon. It was only when NASA realized that the problems were life-threatening that it was decided to abort the mission and to have the astronauts return to Earth safely. We tendContinue reading “Why We Need to Define the Bigger Problem*”

The Feasibility Study Ends with a Plan, Not A Solution

The feasibility study consists of the following steps: It starts with defining the problem. It ends with a plan. A lot of people make the mistake of ending a feasibility study with a solution. After they have the answer, many of them neglect to ask “what’s next?” They rely on the stakeholders to figure thatContinue reading “The Feasibility Study Ends with a Plan, Not A Solution”

Admitting Not Knowing What to Do Is The First Step to Problem-Solving

At the height of the Second World War, Great Britain was on the brink of defeat. The Nazis had conquered the European mainland. German U-boat submarines were sinking merchant ships from America, constricting critical supplies to the United Kingdom. The German Air Force, the Luftwaffe, was bombing London and other British cities at will, inflictingContinue reading “Admitting Not Knowing What to Do Is The First Step to Problem-Solving”