OUR PROBLEM-SOLVING CURRICULUM

Our curriculum features 13 modules that focus on building the relevant skills and knowledge for effective problem solving. We cover a wide variety of areas including problem identification, assumption reduction, and solution development.

Intro to

Problem Solving

Intro to problem-solving strategies, thought-provoking case studies, and problem-solving in history

Module 1

Projects

Research and

Surveying

How to perform relevant research, collect data, and survey. Various forms of bias in data.

Module 5

Projects

Communication

Teamwork

The value of diversity in thought and perspective. Learn methods of communication and conflict de-escalation. Building effective-problem-solving environments.

Module 9

Projects

Evaluation &

Ethics

General guides for evaluating solutions. Learn to perform ethical evaluations (four virtues, ethics checklist, five P’s)

Module 13

Projects

Problem ID

Strategies

Overview of "What's the real problem?", Statement Restatement Techniques, Duncker Diagrams, and more

Module 2

Projects

Assumption

Reduction

Determining all the assumptions both within the problem and within the solution. Performing assumption reduction based on limited resources

Module 6

Projects

Scaling, Testing,

Risk Reduction

Perform risk reduction testing by identifying weak points in assumptions. How scaling affects assumptions and how to make meaningful reflection on data.

Module 10

Projects

Mental Blocks,

Creative Thinking

Metacognitive approach to understanding and overcoming mental blocks. Strategies for promoting creativity.

Module 3

Projects

Solution

Implementation

Persuasion, planning, resource management, coordination, deployment. Systems thinking strategies for deployment.

Module 7

Projects

Problem

Reframing

Problem reframing strategies to explore in and outside of problem-space. Solving a different problem to achieve the same desired outcome.

Module 11

Projects

Solution

Development

Convergent-Divergent thinking, vertical and lateral thinking, futuring, cross-ferterilization, TRIZ

Module 4

Projects

Troubleshooting

Strategies

Troubleshooting process and heuristics using KT Analysis. SYL Problem ID Matrix.

Module 8

Projects

Unintended

Consequences

Solution in the intended operating environment and systems thinking strategies. Developing high leverage point solutions via causal loops.

Module 12

Projects