Problem Solving

These resources explore how we can break down a problem to it’s core issues and how we can create multiple solutions to reduce the problem.

The first resource explores how to break down a problem. This activity is to help individuals understand that is normal to have problems and its normal to not know where they came from. This activity firstly consists of a discussion of what the individuals think a problem is and what they think the term problem solving is (the definitions are displayed on the activity sheet). Now that the individuals have discussed these terms, we then explain that before they begin to try and solve a problem we must think back to where the problem stems from, therefore the root of the problem will help us create a solution. Therefore, the following activity consists of the individuals being given multiple problem based scenarios and then they will try to match the correct order of what the facing problem is down to the underlining issue that first started the problem and discuss how and why they think the problem has escalated. This activity allows the individuals an insight into how problems can be broken down to the main issue and to discuss any of their own problems they wish to break down in the activity. This resource provides the template of the activity which will give a description of what the activity is about, the order in which each of the problems based situations go in and cut outs of the situations that can be printed off and displayed in the group to work together to put them in the right order.

The second resource is about making solutions for the problem. This activity is to help individuals create multiple solutions for their problems and discuss the strengths and weakness of why this solution may reduce the problem. Firstly, the activity will discuss how creating multiple solutions can be the best way to solve a problem as when the first solution does not work it is always handy to have other solutions as a backup. They will then be given the problem based scenarios spoken about in the Breaking Down of a Problem activity or they can come up with a problem they have been dealing with, and with the coloured jigsaws provided they will write in them solutions of the problem and discuss the strengths and weakness of each solution and why it may help reduce the problem. This resource provides a template of the activity which will give a description of what the activity is about, an example of how the puzzle would be used to create multiple solutions for a problem and cut outs of the example of problems that can be used (from the breakdown of problems sessions) and cut outs of different coloured jigsaw puzzles.