Problem solving with pants on
Ian Lurie Dec 14 2011
Most people are terrified of problem solving, whether they’re figuring out how to replace a flat tire or diagnose a problem on their blog. They see a problem, and run so fast their pants are literally flayed from their bodies. Why? Because:
- A failed solution = A mistake
- Solutions require time, which no one has
- Solutions require research, which few people know how to do
But good problem solving skills save time, improve projects and do all sorts of fantastic stuff for you, your career and your life. Good problem solvers are sexy!
Here’s how I usually approach problems. All in a handy-dandy cheat sheet (don’t call it an infographic):
Problem solving with your pants on
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You can also download the sheet in PDF.
Note: Print at your own risk. It’s humungous.
Ian Lurie
CEO
Ian Lurie is CEO and founder of Portent Inc. He's recorded training for Lynda.com, writes regularly for the Portent Blog and has been published on AllThingsD, Forbes.com and TechCrunch. Ian speaks at conferences around the world, including SearchLove, MozCon, SIC and ad:Tech. Follow him on Twitter at portentint. He also just published a book about strategy for services businesses: One Trick Ponies Get Shot, available on Kindle. Read More
3 Comments
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Problem solving takes guts, something many of us forget we have! ;) Great cheat sheet.
I agree, problem-solving is not something to be afraid of. Problem-solving is one the major skills we teach on our ropes course. It’s surprising how often we give up simply because we don’t have a good process for resolving obstacles we face.
Very nice, I really like the side note on research and formulating Google queries properly rather than glaze at page one and blame the search engine for being crap :-)
And that looks like my first comment here without a typo.
Hurray