Three States in Problem Solving - No Fluff Just Stuff

Three States in Problem Solving

Posted by: Esther Derby on March 3, 2010

“Nothing is more dangerous than an idea, when it’s the only one you have.”

Emile-Auguste Chartier

There are three states in problem solving.

  • Not enough ideas
  • Too many ideas
  • Just the right number of ideas

In the first case (stuck) the task is to generate ideas.

In the second case (stuck in churn) the task is to prune the number of ideas.

In the third, to test and refine the ideas, then implement and refine.

Stuck in Neutral

Fixing the Quick Fix

Post to Twitter

Esther Derby

About Esther Derby

I draw on four decades of experience leading, observing, and living organizational change. I work with a broad array of organizations. My clients include both start ups and Fortune 500 companies.

Based on experience and research, my approach blends attention to humans and deep knowledge of complex adaptive systems.

I have been called one of the most influential voices within the agile communities when it comes to developing organizations, coaching teams, and transforming management. My work over many years has influenced coaches and leaders across many companies.

Background
I started my career as a programmer. However, over the years I’ve worn many hats, including business owner, internal consultant and manager. From all these perspectives, one thing was clear: individual, team, and even organizational success depends greatly on the work environment and organizational dynamics. As a result, I have spent the last twenty-five years helping companies shape their environment for optimum success.

My formal education includes an MA in Organizational Leadership and a certificate in Human Systems Dynamics.

Follow me on Twitter @estherderby

Why Attend the NFJS Tour?

  • » Cutting-Edge Technologies
  • » Agile Practices
  • » Peer Exchange

Current Topics:

  • Languages on the JVM: Scala, Groovy, Clojure
  • Enterprise Java
  • Core Java, Java 8
  • Agility
  • Testing: Geb, Spock, Easyb
  • REST
  • NoSQL: MongoDB, Cassandra
  • Hadoop
  • Spring 4
  • Cloud
  • Automation Tools: Gradle, Git, Jenkins, Sonar
  • HTML5, CSS3, AngularJS, jQuery, Usability
  • Mobile Apps - iPhone and Android
  • More...
Learn More »