Problem-Solving: Leaning on New Thinking Skills

163 Pages·2021·2.379 MB·English

by  Howard Eisner

Problem-Solving

Problem-Solving
Leaning on New Thinking Skills
Howard Eisner
First edition published 2021
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
and by CRC Press
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© 2021 Howard Eisner
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
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Library of Congress Cataloging‑in‑Publication Data
Names: Eisner, Howard, 1935- author.
Title: Problem-solving : leaning on new thinking skills / Howard Eisner.
Description: First edition. | Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, 2021. | Includes
bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “This book presents
various methods of problem-solving that can be adapted to any field. It
focuses on a set of a dozen new approaches with an ending result to
finding better solutions to problems that you may have previously found
difficult. The book discusses problem-solving based upon new thinking
skills and presents the relationship between problem-solving and
creativity. A connection between problem-solving and re-engineering is
presented as the book explores the ability to tackle new and difficult
problems in all aspects of life. Target audience is general engineers,
systems engineers, scientists, technologists, mathematicians, and
lawyers”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021004488 | ISBN 9780367749811 (hbk) |
ISBN 9780367749828 (pbk) | ISBN 9781003160618 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Problem solving. | Creative thinking.
Classification: LCC T57.95 .E43 2021 | DDC 153.4/3—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021004488
ISBN: 978-0-367-74981-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-74982-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-16061-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Times
by codeMantra
This book is dedicated to my wife, June Linowitz. She shows infinite
patience with me as I age. So do my son Oren and daughter Susan.
And those married to them – Tara and Joseph. And also my five
grandchildren – Jacob, Gabriel, Lee, Zachary and Ben.
They all have helped me with my attempts at problem solving, and
discovering new ways to approach problem solving. What could be
better than hearing – can I help you with that Grandpa?

Contents
Preface xiii
Author xv
1 The Nature of Problem-Solving 1
Five Large-Scale Problems 2
Predatory Pricing 2
Getting Through College 3
The Climate Issue 3
Cybersecurity 4
The Crisis in IT (Information Technology) 4
Problems from the Author’s Experience 5
Problems for the Systems Engineer 8
Top Department of Defense (DoD) Management Problems 9
Overall Concept of This Treatise 9
Generic Stepwise Approach to Problem-Solving 10
Solving Problems is Our Primary Focus; Thinking Supports 11
Exercises 12
References 12
2 Thinking as a Corporate Culture 13
Thinking as Necessary in Problem-Solving 14
The Learning Organization 14
Moving on to Hewlett-Packard 15
Design Thinking – Change by Design 16
Annual Reports 17
Xerox 17
Amazon 18
Microsoft 18
SAS (Institute) 19
Northrop Grumman 19
Alphabet (Google) 19
Intel 20
Lockheed Martin 21
Apple 21
General Dynamics 22
vii
viii Contents
Raytheon 22
Leidos 22
Themes 23
Exercises 23
References 24
3 The Power of the Idea 25
Innovation Revisited 25
Better Idea Stories 26
Netflix 26
IBM: Watson, Sr. and Jr. 26
Xerox 27
Apple 27
Amazon 27
Facebook 28
Google (Alphabet) 28
Oracle 28
SAS 28
FedEx 29
A Group of Generic “Problems” and “Solutions” 29
Blockbuster and Netflix 29
Industry and the DoD 29
What Business Are We In? 30
IBM and Microsoft 30
Dr. Deming and Japan and the US 31
Xerox PARC and Steve Jobs 31
Saul Steinberg and Leasco 31
Coke/Classic Coke, Old Taste 32
Good Idea, Failed Follow-Through 32
Acronym for the Individual with Potentially Better Idea 32
Exercises 33
References 33
4 Approaches to Problem-Solving 35
The “N step” Disciplines 35
Technical Decomposition/Reductionist 36
Modeling and Simulation 37
Lateral Thinking and (Lateral) Problem-Solving 38
Total Systems Intervention 39
Generalized/Systems Approach 40
Design Approach 41
Expert Systems 41
Contents ix
Definitive Mathematics and Statistics-Based Methods 42
Statistics-Based Approach 43
DoD-Suggested 43
How is That for Out-of-the-Box Thinking? 45
Decision Support Systems 45
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis 46
Exercises 47
References 47
5 Think Tanks and Problem-Solving 49
Federally Funded R&D Centers 49
Systems Engineering Research Centers 50
The MITRE Corporation 51
MITRE Awards over the Years 52
The Aerospace Corporation 52
The RAND Corporation 53
ANSER 54
IDA 55
CNA 56
Energy National Labs 57
Exercises 57
References 57
6 Specific Problems and Their Solutions 59
The Coin Weighing Problem 60
Types of Algorithms 60
The Kalman Filter 61
The Minimum Computer Step Problem 62
The Matchstick Problem 62
The Efficient Message Coding Problem 63
The River-Crossing Problem 63
Parameter Dependency Diagramming 64
The National Aviation System 64
A Radar Submodel 65
An Optimal Search 66
Laplace and Fourier Transforms 67
Lagrange Multipliers 67
Allocation of Requirements Errors 68
A Walk in the Park 68
The Bottom Line 69
Exercises 69
References 69