How to Identify Challenges I
Future Problem Solving Training
How Can You Become More Creative?
By Learning Skills
And Practicing Them
The First Step in FPS
In Math you are given a
Problem and asked to find a Solution.
In FPS you are given a
Situation and asked to find the Problems.
The FPS word for
Problem is Challenge. The FPS word for Situation is Scene.
Finding many Challenges
in an FPS Scene is the first step.
The First Step in FPS
You will want to read
FPS Scenes with paper and a pencil ready to catch all of your ideas.
The First Step in FPS
There are 5 more steps to FPS but I want you to get
really good at Finding Challenges before we go on.
The six-step Future Problem Solving model: 1. Identify Challenges in the Future Scene 2. Select an Underlying Problem 3. Produce Solution Ideas to the Underlying Problem 4. Generate and Select Criteria to Evaluate Solution Ideas 5. Apply Criteria to Solution Ideas 6. Develop an Action Plan http://www.fpsp.org/
(Be sure your Challenges aren’t really Solutions: #3.)
The First Step in FPS
FPS Scenes are usually pretty detailed.
To get good practice at quickly finding
challenges, let’s start with some Newspaper Headlines from Aug. 15 in USA Today
Don’t worry if you are not sure about the issues.
Just be able to justify your work according to what you think they are.
Find 5 Challenges For this Newspaper Headline
1.
NASA orders shuttle
astronauts to cut spacewalk short
2.
3. 4. 5.
Here are my 5 Challenges
1. Too little time, too much
to do
NASA orders shuttle
astronauts to cut spacewalk short
2. NASA is too bossy
3. Astronauts enjoy long
space walks
4. Shuttles are too small 5. Spacewalking is
dangerous
Find 1 Solution for each Challenge
1. Too little time, too much
to do 1.
2. NASA is too bossy 3. Astronauts enjoy long
space walks
2.
3.
4. Shuttles are too small 5. Spacewalking is
dangerous
4.
5.
Here are my Solutions
1. There is too much to do… Give them fewer tasks
2. NASA is too bossy…Arrange for better training for
NASA bosses
3. Astronauts enjoy long space walks… Make space
suits uncomfortable
4. Shuttles are too small…Make shuttles larger 5. Spacewalking is dangerous... Take space guns
along
Can you see how each answer only makes sense for the challenge it addresses?
1. There is too much to do… Give them fewer tasks 2. NASA is too bossy…Arrange for better boss training 3. Astronauts enjoy long space walks… Make space suits
uncomfortable
4. Shuttles are too small…Make shuttles larger 5. Spacewalking is dangerous... Take space guns along
Which Challenge do you think NASA would take seriously?
USA Today
You can go to this site to see what the real
problem was: USA Today Article
Find 5 Challenges for this Headline
3 pygmy whales beached in South Carolina 1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
See if you can find 3 challenges for each of these headlines.
A. Indiana State Fair
bans trans fats
A. 1. 2. 3. B 1. 2. 3. C. 1. 2. 3.
B. Tropical Storm Erin
forms in Gulf
C. Home sales off 11%
but prices show positive signs
The First Step in FPS
For more practice, pick up today’s
Times-News.
Choose an interesting Headline, perhaps
one that you know a little about.
See if you can find 5 Challenges for that
Headline.
You are on your way to Many great Ideas!