Explain the steps to derive a problem from mess, talk about well/ill and divergent/convergent structured problems. Give your own examples.

The steps in deriving a problem from a mess were already explained previously, in my post on “the six-stage problem solving process. Within this post, I will readdress a couple of important points, and try to add some of my own examples to this process.

First off is the different between divergent and convergent thinking.  I’ve already addressed this as well – divergent thinking is more akin to brainstorming, where convergent thinking is more logical, focused on quantification.  An example might be, when considering retirement from the military there are many, many issues that muddy the water.  Do you have enough money saved up to retire?  Will you need a new job?  How much money will you have to make in order to continue living in a similar lifestyle?  Have you ensured that you will receive all of your benefits? Etc.  This would be considered divergent thinking.  On the other hand, in focusing on income, you might state that you have $200,000 in savings, and will receive $2500 per month in retirement pay.  How long will your money last?  What jobs can you get that will add to your retirement pay such that you can live in a reasonable manner?

In regards to well-structured, vs. ill-structured problems, well-structured problems have clear objectives, has obvious assumptions, readily available data, and the logic behind the problem is easy to understand.  Ill-structured problems, on the other hand, do not have clear objectives, assumptions, data, and structure.