how does reading improve problem solving skills

Reading these problematic passages aloud can often help circumvent that block and help you to form a visual of what the text is trying to convey.

Tip 3: Re-read (or Skim) Previous Sections of the Text

For the most part, reading is a personal activity that happens entirely in your head. So don't feel you have to read just like anyone else if "typical" methods don't work for you. Sometimes it can make the most sense to read (or re-read) a text out of order.

It is often helpful to glance backwards through a piece of text (or even re-read large sections) to remind yourself of any information you need and have forgotten—what happened previously, what a particular word means, who a person was...the list is endless.

Previous sentences, sections, or even whole chapters can provide helpful context clues. Re-reading these passages will help to refresh your memory so that you can better understand and interpret later sections of the text.

Tip 4: Skim or Read Upcoming Sections of the Text

Just like with the previous step, don't feel that the only way to read and understand a text is to work through it completely linearly. Allow yourself the freedom to take apart the text and put it back together again in whichever way makes the most sense to you.

Sometimes a current confusion in a work will be explained later on in the text, and it can help you to know that explanations are upcoming or even just to read them ahead of time.

So skip forward or backwards, re-read or read ahead as you need to, take the piece in whatever order you need to in order to make sense of the text. Not everyone thinks linearly, and not everyone best understands texts linearly either.

Tip 5: Discuss the Text With a Friend (Even an Imaginary Friend)

Sometimes discussing what you know so far about a text can help clear up any confusion. If you have a friend who hasn't read the text in question, then explain it to them in your own words, and discuss where you feel your comprehension is lacking. You'll find that you've probably understood more than you think once you've been forced to explain it to someone who's completely unfamiliar with the piece.

Even if no one else is in the room, trying to teach or discuss what a passage says or means with "someone else" can be extremely beneficial. In fact, software engineers call this technique "rubber duck debugging," wherein they explain a coding problem to a rubber duck. This forces them to work through a problem aloud, which has proven time and time again to help people solve problems. So if a piece of text has your head spinning from trying to work through it by yourself, start chatting with your nearest friend/pet/rubber duck. You'll be surprised with how much easier it is to understand a text once you've talked it through with someone.

Even if that someone is a duck.

The Take-Aways

Improving reading comprehension takes time and effort, but it can be done. Be patient with yourself, work through your reading comprehension steps, and try not to get frustrated with yourself if you feel your progress is slow or if you feel you're "falling behind." You will utilize your reading skills throughout your life, so go at a pace that works for you, and take care to maintain that balance between reading for pure pleasure and reading for dedicated improvement.

As you begin to incorporate more and more reading into your daily life, you'll find that comprehension will become easier, and reading will become more fun. In every piece of text, there are worlds of meaning to explore, and learning how to uncover them can be the ultimate rewarding journey.

What's Next?

Can't get enough reading? Whether as part of your reading practice or just for fun, check out our picks for the 31 best books to read in high school.

Problems with procrastination? Whether you're studying for the SAT's or studying your reading comprehension vocabulary check out how to beat procrastination and get your studies back on track.

Want to earn better grades? Our guide will help you get that 4.0 you're striving for .

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.

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Wednesday-May-29-2024

Why Read? The importance of instilling a love of reading early.

Definitionally, literacy is the ability to “read, write, spell, listen, and speak.”

Carol Anne St. George, EdD, an associate professor and literacy expert at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education, wants kids to fall in love with reading .

“It helps grow their vocabulary and their understanding about the world,” she says. “The closeness of snuggling up with a favorite book leads to an increase in self-confidence and imagination, and helps children gain a wealth of knowledge from the books you share. And it only takes 15 minutes a day of reading together to nurture this growth.”

Reading is necessary for learning, so instilling a love of reading at an early age is the key that unlocks the door to lifelong learning. Reading aloud presents books as sources of pleasant, entertaining, and exciting formative experiences for children to remember. Children who value books are more motivated to read on their own and will likely continue to hold that value for the rest of their lives.

Instilling a love of reading early gives a child a head start on expanding their vocabulary and building independence and self-confidence. It helps children learn to make sense not only of the world around them but also people, building social-emotional skills and of course, imagination.

“Reading exposes us to other styles, other voices, other forms, and other genres of writing. Importantly, it exposes us to writing that’s better than our own and helps us to improve,” says author and writing teacher, Roz Morris. “Reading—the good and the bad—inspires you.”

Not only that, but reading is a critical foundation for developing logic and problem-solving skills. Cognitive development is “the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood” (HealthofChildren.com).

Why Focus on Summer?

Summer vacation makes up about one-quarter of the calendar year. This is a time when students face different opportunities based on the social and economic status of their families. An analysis of summer learning (Cooper, Nye, et al., 1996) found that “all students lost mathematics and reading knowledge over the summer…This evidence also indicated that losses were larger for low-income students, particularly in reading.” Summer reading has emerged as a key component of state legislation aimed at promoting student literacy.

The Horizons at Warner program is committed to maintaining and improving student literacy with our kids every summer they return. Nationwide, each affiliate of Horizons National administers reading assessments to students during the first and last weeks of program. Pre-assessment allows our teachers to customize the learning experience on a student-need basis, and post-assessment reinforces this by not only revealing student progress in each area, but by giving insight into how we can improve program design in the future.

Research demonstrates that if a child is not reading at grade level by third grade, their ability to meet future academic success and graduate on time is diminished. Teachers know that up to third grade children are learning to read. After third grade, students are reading to learn. According to St. George, it is impossible to be successful in science, social studies, and even mathematics without a strong foundation in reading and literacy.

On average, we see an improvement by 1 to 3 reading levels in our students here at Horizons at Warner. Keeping true to our mission, these levels will account for all and more of the percentage of summer learning loss that we know our students would face without this kind of academic intervention, and leave our students five to six months ahead of where they would have been without Horizons.

Reading TO children

According to Jim Trelease, author of the best-seller, The Read-Aloud Handbook: “Every time we read to a child, we’re sending a ‘pleasure’ message to the child’s brain… You could even call it a commercial, conditioning the child to associate books and print with pleasure” (ReadAloud.org)

Developing a connection between “pleasure” and reading is crucial. Learning is the minimum requirement for success in every field of life.

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Connections between Reading Comprehension and Word-Problem Solving via Oral Language Comprehension: Implications for Comorbid Learning Disabilities

The Vanderbilt Learning Disabilities Innovation Hub, funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, addresses a vulnerable, understudied, and underserved subgroup of the learning disabilities population: students with comorbid difficulty in two critical areas, reading comprehension and math word-problem solving. This form of learning disability occurs frequently ( Landerl & Moll, 2010 ; Mann Koepke & Miller, 2013 ), and as Koponen et al. (2018) observed, half of children with poor performance in one domain also have difficulty in the other domain.

Moreover, students with such comorbidity experience worse outcomes in each area than do peers with difficulty in only one of these domains ( Cirino, Fuchs, Elias, Powell, & Schumacher, 2015 ; Willcutt, Petrill, et al., 2013 ), and comorbidity is associated with inadequate response to generally effective intervention ( Fuchs, Fuchs, & Prentice, 2004 ). Nonetheless, the problem of co-occurring reading and math difficulty is understudied: The literature is small; most studies are descriptive; and most investigations focused on reading and math difficulty define comorbidity in terms of lower-order skill: calculations and word reading. In this article, we refer to difficulty across reading comprehension and word-problem solving as higher-order comorbidity .

Students with higher-order comorbidity also represent an especially vulnerable learning disability subtype for two reasons. First, reading comprehension is a strong predictor of quality of life, financial security, and life expectancy (Batty, Kivimaki, & Deary, 2010; Meneghetti, Carretti, & De Beni, 2006 ; Ritchie & Bates, 2013 ; Taraban, Rynearson, & Kerr, 2000 ). Limited reading comprehension decreases access to content knowledge and undermines learning during and after formal schooling. Second, word-problem solving is the best school-age predictor of adult employment and wages ( Every Child a Chance Trust, 2009 ; Murnane, Willett, Braatz, & Duhaldeborde, 2001 ), and it represents a major emphasis in almost every strand of the math curriculum from kindergarten through high school. So word-problem solving difficulty limits school as well as occupational success. It is therefore highly problematic that schools struggle to provide students with intervention in more than one domain. Typically, reading intervention takes priority over math intervention, which leaves students with comorbid reading and math learning disability without the math intervention they require to succeed.

In this article, we discuss the Vanderbilt Hub’s approach to studying students with higher-order comorbidity. In the first segment of this article, we describe a framework that connects reading comprehension and word-problem solving development via oral language comprehension, and we establish connections between oral language comprehension and reading comprehension (Catts, Hogan, & Adolf, 2005; Gough & Tunmer, 1986 ; Peng et al., in press ) and between language comprehension and word-problem solving ( Bernardo, 1999 ; Fuchs, Geary, Compton, Fuchs, Hamlett, Seethaler, & Bryant, 2010a , 2008 ; Van der Schoot, Bakker Arkema, Horsley, & Van Lieshout, 2009 ). This first segment provides the basis for the article’s second segment, focused on the Vanderbilt Hub’s innovative approach for investigating connections between reading comprehension and word-problem solving via language comprehension. This study tests a theoretically-coordinated framework for scaffolding performance in both high-priority domains of academic development, while exploring disaggregated effects for boys versus girls and for native and non-native English speakers.

Reading comprehension and word-problem solving differ in some transparent ways. For example, most reading passages, because they are more extended than the typical word problem, make stronger demands on inferencing and background knowledge than occurs with word problems. On the other hand, in word problems, representing the text is not the final goal. Instead, students answer the word problem’s question, which requires representing the text with a number sentence that includes a missing quantity, deriving the mathematical result, evaluating whether the answer is computationally reasonable and correct, and communicating the solution ( Jiménez & Verschaffe, 2014 ).

Even so, based on theories of reading comprehension, discourse processing, and word-problem solving ( Perfetti, Yang, & Schmalhofer, 2008 ; Rapp, van den Broek, McMaster, Kendeou, & Espin, 2007 ; Verschaffel & De Corte, 1997 ), representations of texts, including reading passages and word-problem statements, necessarily have three components. The first involves constructing a coherent microstructure and deriving a hierarchical macrostructure to capture the text’s essential ideas. The second component is the situation model, which requires supplementing the text with inferences based on the reader’s prior knowledge. With the third component, the reader derives a problem model or schema to match the passage’s or word-problem statement’s content.

Kintsch and Greeno (1985) posited that although the comprehension strategies, the nature of required knowledge structures, and the form of resulting structures, inferences, and problem models differ by task, the general features of this process apply across stories, informational passages, and word problems. Reading passages and word-problem statements alike require individuals to build the propositional text structure, inference, and identify schema, and this processing makes strong demands on reasoning and working memory. In reading passages or word-problem statements, the child processes the propositional text base to sequentially fill the slots of a model that evolve over the passage. This involves coding relevant objects, actors, and actions (as well as quantities for word problems), across segments of text, while re-sorting information as new ideas alter hypotheses about the situation and the schema.

Because the processes by which stories and informational text are understood more thoroughly (e.g., Perfetti, Yang, & Schmalhofer, 2008 ; Rapp, van den Broek, McMaster, Kendeou, & Espin, 2007 ) than is the case for word-problem solving, we illustrate text comprehension processes in the context of word problems. Note, however, that the Vanderbilt Hub and its Project study address text comprehension and word-problem solving in equal measure and in parallel ways.

Consider the text processing required for a combine word problem (Part 1 plus Part 2 equals Total or P1 + P2 = T): Joe has 3 marbles. Tom has 5 marbles. Tom also has 2 balls. How many marbles do the boys have in all? A low-risk child processes sentence 1’s propositional text base to identify that object = marbles; quantity = 3; actor = Joe; but Joe’s role = to be determined (TBD). This is placed in short-term memory. In sentence 2, propositions are similarly coded and held in memory. In sentence 3, balls fails to match the object code in sentences 1 and 2, signaling the number 2 as perhaps irrelevant; this is added to memory. In sentence 4, the question, the quantitative proposition how many marbles and the phrase in all cues the child to identify the combine schema; assign the role of superset (Total) to the question; assign subset roles (Parts 1 and 2) to the TBDs in memory; and reject 2 balls. Filling in these slots of the schema triggers a set of problem-solving strategies.

With typical school instruction, children gradually construct the combine schema on their own, just as they devise their own strategies for handling the demands on reasoning and working memory that this text processing, problem-solving sequence involves. Errors are viewed as failures (a) to produce the intended mental representations with respect to the three components in preceding paragraph or (b) to manage demands on reasoning and working memory. Such demands are well documented for reading comprehension (e.g., Berninger et al., 2010 ; Eason, Goldberg, Young, Geist, & Cutting, 2012 ; Swanson, & Jerman, 2007 ) and word-problem solving (e.g., Fuchs et al., 2010a , 2010b ).

Unfortunately, children with reading comprehension or word-problem solving difficulty fail to discover schemas on their own, and demands often exceed their reasoning and working memory capacity. Direct skills intervention (in reading comprehension or word-problem solving) for students with reading comprehension or word-problem solving difficulty explicitly teaches step-by-step strategies to help children derive the intended mental representation and formulate connections among the propositional text base, the situation model, and the schema (or model) in ways that reduce reasoning and working memory demands.

For example, schema-based word-problem solving tutoring ( Fuchs et al., 2009 , 2014 ) explicitly teaches at-risk children step-by-step strategies that begin with identifying word-problem statements as combine, compare, or change schema. Then children are taught to build the propositional text structure. Schema-based word-problem solving tutoring facilitates connections among the situation model, schema, and productive solution strategies by making these connections explicit, while reducing demands on reasoning and working memory.

More specifically, with schema-based word-problem solving tutoring, the child RUNs through the problem: R eads it, U nderlines the question in which the object code (marbles) is revealed, and N ames the explicitly taught (combine) schema. This prompts the child to write the combine meta-equation, P1 + P2 = T (Part 1 plus Part 2 equals Total). The child then re-reads the problem statement and while re-reading, writes replacements for P1 and P2 (quantities for each relevant “part”) and crosses out irrelevant objects and numbers. This reduces the burden on reasoning and working memory and provides the equation for problem solving. This in turn prompts the counting-up adding strategy (also taught in schema-based word-problem solving tutoring). Word-problem solving and reading comprehension interventions that compensate for reasoning and working memory demands with explicit skills instruction, such as schema-based word-problem solving tutoring, have proven effective in improving reading comprehension ( D. Fuchs et al., in press ; Jitendra, Hoppes, & Xin, 2000 ; Williams, Hall, & Lauer, 2004 ; Williams et al., 2014 ) or word-problem solving ( Fuchs et al., 2014 ; Fuchs et al., 2009 ).

More pertinent to Vanderbilt Hub and the present article, Kintsch and Greeno (1985) and Rapp, van den Broek, McMaster, Kendeou, and Espin (2007) further posited that competent performance in each domain also relies heavily on language comprehension processes. As per Kintsch and Greeno, in word-problem solving, children “understand important vocabulary and language constructions prior to school entry” (p. 111) and “through instruction in arithmetic and word-problem solving, learn to treat these words in a special, task-specific way, including extensions to ordinary usage for terms (e.g., all or more ) to more complicated constructions involving sets ( in all and more than) ” (p. 111). In reading comprehension, because or therefore acquires special meaning within cause-effect passages to prime readers to search for and connect consequences with trigger events.

The assumption is that students have the necessary language comprehension abilities to understand text and problem statements to derive appropriate problem models. Yet, assuming children with limitations in language comprehension will learn to treat domain-specific words in a special task-specific manner through school exposure to reading comprehension and word-problem solving tasks is tenuous, and this may be particularly so for non-native English speakers ( Mancilla-Martinez & Lesaux, 2010 ; 2011 ) and other at-risk and diverse populations.

In the case of word problems, Cummins, Kintsch, Reusser, & Weiner (1988) computationally modeled errors with two types of defects: incorrect math problem-solving processes versus language comprehension processing errors. Correct problem representation depended more on language comprehension, and changing wording in minor ways dramatically affected accuracy. To illustrate how word-problem solving taxes language comprehension, consider this combine problem: Joe has 3 cats. Tom has 5 dogs. Tom has 2 plants. How many pets do the boys have in all? Objects in this text increase demands on language comprehension for assigning roles for the propositional text structure (despite similar demand for inducing the schema), due to more sophisticated representations of vocabulary involving taxonomic relations at superordinate levels and subtle distinctions among categories (dogs + cats = pets; plants are not pets). All this suggests that instruction focused on language comprehension processes as well as the mathematical aspects of word-problem solving is required within tutoring, with an explicit focus on strengthening word-problem language for building propositional, situational, and schema representations. These ideas apply equally well in the domain of reading comprehension.

For this reason, the Hub’s innovative approach involves embedding reading comprehension-language comprehension instruction within reading comprehension direct skills instruction and embedding parallel word-problem solving-language comprehension instruction within word-problem solving direct skills intervention. Before explaining that approach, we briefly describe some recent studies examining connections between reading comprehension, word-problem solving, and oral language comprehension.

Some Recent Studies

Some prior work examining concurrent relations between reading comprehension and word-problem solving suggest an association. For example, Vilenius-Tuohimaa, Aunola, and Nurmi (2008) reported substantial shared variance across reading comprehension and word-problem solving when controlling for foundational reading skill. Swanson, Cooney, and Brock (1993) identified reading comprehension as a correlate of word-problem solving while controlling for working memory, knowledge of operations, word-problem propositions, and calculation skill. Boonen, van der Schoot, Florytvan, de Vries, and Jolles (2013) found that reading comprehension had medium to large relations with word-problem solving. Although this relation was not evident at the word-problem item-level in Boonen, van Wesel, Jolles, and van der Schoot (2014) , the authors indicated that their word-problem items did not involve the semantic complexity that warrants strong reliance on reading comprehension.

Cirino, Child, and Mcdonald (2018) extended the concurrent literature by longitudinally assessing the role of domain-specific and general predictors in kindergarten and multiple types of reading and mathematics outcomes in first grade. The correlation between first-grade reading comprehension and math problem solving was .67. After partialling all 11 predictors, the correlation decreased to .21, which corresponds to an R 2 value of .04. This suggests commonality in the underlying sources of variance contributing to reading comprehension and word-problem solving. Surprisingly, however, language was differentially predictive of math problem solving compared to reading comprehension. This may be due to the age level of the participants, because first-grade reading comprehension relies more heavily on word reading than vocabulary knowledge ( Garcia & Cain, 2014 ).

Also relying on a longitudinal design, Fuchs, Fuchs, Compton, Hamlett, and Wang (2015) assessed second graders early in the year on general language comprehension, working memory, nonlinguistic reasoning, processing speed, and foundational reading and math skill. At the end of the year, the children were assessed on word-problem specific language, reading comprehension, and word-problem solving. Path analytic mediation analysis indicated the effect of general language comprehension on reading comprehension was entirely direct, whereas the effect of general language comprehension on word-problem solving was partially mediated by word-problem specific language comprehension. Yet, across both domains, effects of working memory and reasoning operated in parallel ways. These findings are in line with Kintsch and Greeno (1985) , who suggested that operating on word problems and conventional reading passages require parallel processes that tax language comprehension, working memory, and reasoning.

More recently, Fuchs, Gilbert, Fuchs, Seethaler, and Martin (2018) extended this literature by testing effects of initial reading comprehension using a broad-based measure of reading comprehension ( Gates–MacGinitie Reading-Comprehension [ MacGinitie et al., 2002 ]), on year-end word-problem solving. We examined the specificity of effects by contrasting the contribution of the Gates to later word-problem solving against Gates’s effects on later calculations. Based on studies indicating (a) shared concurrent variance between reading comprehension and word-problem solving ( Boonen et al., 2013 , 2014 ; Swanson et al., 1993 ; Vilenius-Tuohimaa et al., 2008 ), (b) substantially similar patterns of cognitive and linguistic predictors across reading comprehension and word-problem solving ( Fuchs et al., 2015 ), and (c) shared but some distinctive predictive patterns for word-problem solving versus calculations ( Fuchs et al., 2008 ; Swanson & Beebe-Frankenberger, 2004 ), we hypothesized that the effects of Gates are stronger on word-problem solving than on pure calculations. Conversely, we expected simple, initial arithmetic skill to predict year-end, more complex calculations more strongly than either of the year-end word-problem measures.

More highly relevant to the Vanderbilt Hub’s focus, we also explored the role of start-of-year language comprehension in word-problem solving while controlling for start-of-year Gates performance. Consistent with Kintsch and Greeno (1985) and given studies documenting connections between language comprehension and reading comprehension (Catts, Hogan, & Adolf, 2005; Gough & Tunmer, 1986 ; Peng et al., in press ) and between language comprehension and word-problem solving ( Bernardo, 1999 ; Fuchs et al., 2010a , 2008 ; Van der Schoot et al., 2009 ), we expected the effects of start-of-second-grade language comprehension to be stronger on both end-of-second-grade word-problem solving outcomes than on calculations.

On one hand, we found that language comprehension strongly and uniquely predicted later word-problem solving. We also found that Gates performance was a strong predictor of later word-problem solving. On the other hand, we found that Gates was not a specific predictor of word-problem solving (i.e., it also predicted later calculations), which raises questions about what general measures of reading comprehension actually assess. (A discussion of this finding is beyond the scope of the present article. See instead Fuchs et al., 2018 .)

More pertinently, finding a stronger role for language comprehension in word-problem solving than in calculations, while controlling for effects of reading comprehension (which is expected to share variance with language comprehension and therefore compete with language comprehension as a predictor of word-problem solving), strengthens prior evidence for the importance of language comprehension within word-problem solving. Moreover, a common role for language comprehension across word-problem solving and reading comprehension represents an important connection between the two academic domains

A Theoretically-Coordinated Framework for Synergistically Improving Performance in Both High-Priority Domains of Academic Development

Finding that the cognitive, linguistic, and academic predictors of word-problem solving are separable from those involving pure calculations, while finding a stronger role for language comprehension in word-problem solving over calculations, also indicates that word-problem solving is connected to reading comprehension. At the same time, the literature convincingly demonstrates the critical role language plays in reading comprehension (e.g., Catts et al., 2005 ; Gough & Tunmer, 1986 ; Peng et al., in press ). Together, this suggests an important role for reading comprehension instruction within word-problem solving instruction as well as the need for a focus on language instruction in improving performance in both domains.

For word problems, a strong focus on language includes but is not limited to word-problem-specific vocabulary and syntactic knowledge (e.g., understanding the distinction between more than and then there were more ; that the cause and effect in change word-problem solving may be presented in either order within word-problem statements). Such an approach is consistent with recent calls ( Catts & Kamhi, 2017 ; Ukrainetz, 2017 ) to intimately connect an instructional focus on oral language to specific reading comprehension task demands, even as that instruction targets the subset of learners with language deficits for such embedded language comprehension instruction.

An integrated approach with a deliberate focus on the reading comprehension demands of word-problem solving and the language that connects reading passage and word-problem processing may also include methods to assist students in constructing explicit text-level representations, generating text-connecting inferences, retrieving general as well as math-specific background knowledge, and integrating that knowledge with information in text-level representations ( Perfetti et al., 2008 ; Rapp et al., 2007 ; Verschaffel & De Corte, 1997 ). All this is in the service of building the situation and the problem model or schema of the reading passage or word problem statement.

In this vein, the Vanderbilt Hub’s research project innovatively tests whether the effects of conceptual scaffolding designed to connect reading comprehension, word-problem solving, and language comprehension may ultimately provide direction for a theoretically coordinated approach for simultaneously improving performance across reading comprehension and word-problem solving. This includes, for example, addressing cause-effect informational text structure (a topic typically reserved for reading comprehension) in conjunction with change word problems (in which an event serves to increase or decrease a starting amount, thereby creating a new ending amount) or connecting compare-contrast informational text structure (again, a topic typically reserved for reading comprehension) in conjunction with word problems that compare quantities.

Testing effects of an approach that is designed to focus on reading comprehension and word problems in coordinated fashion would extend theoretical understanding of both domains. This line of work is potentially important for three additional reasons, as discussed at the beginning of this article. First, students with comorbid learning disorders across reading comprehension and word-problem solving represent an especially vulnerable subset of the learning disabilities population; reading comprehension is a strong predictor of quality of life, financial security, and life expectancy ( Batty et al., 2010 ; Meneghetti et al., 2006 ; Ritchie & Bates, 2013 ); and word-problem solving is the best school-age predictor of later employment and wages ( Every Child a Chance Trust, 2009 ; Murnane et al., 2001 ). Second, students with concurrent difficulty perform lower in each domain than students with difficulty in just one academic domain ( Willcutt et al., 2013 ). Third, schools experience substantial challenges in providing students with intervention on more than one academic domain. Because reading often takes priority over math in the early grades, many comorbid students receive reading intervention as they fall further behavior in math. A coordinated approach for addressing reading comprehension and word-problem solving would alleviate this logistical problem.

In the Vanderbilt Hub’s study, we randomly assign second-grade children with comorbid difficulty across reading comprehension and word-problem solving to three study conditions. The first condition focuses on conceptual scaffolding on reading comprehension with an embedded focus on language comprehension that spans reading comprehension and word-problem solving. The second condition provides conceptual scaffolding on word-problem solving with an embedded focus on language comprehension that spans word-problem solving and reading comprehension. The third condition is a business-as-usual control group (the classroom and interventions schools typically provide). This study ran its first cohort of participants during the 2017–2018 academic year. At the time of this publication, the study was still in progress.

The study’s specific aim is to test what we refer to as the higher-order comorbidity hypothesis: Language comprehension plays a critical role in reading comprehension and word-problem solving and provides direction for understanding higher-order comorbidity, thus offering a coordinated approach for improving both outcomes and lending support for the validity of reading comprehension and word-problem solving comorbidity as an LD subtyping framework.

We ask two questions. The first is whether conceptual scaffolding on one academic domain with an embedded focus on language comprehension that spans both academic domains (reading comprehension and word-problem solving (conditions 1 and 2) produces aligned and reciprocal advantages over the control group. We expect aligned effects favoring reading comprehension scaffolding over control on reading comprehension outcomes and favoring word-problem solving scaffolding over control on word-problem solving outcomes. More central to the comorbidity hypothesis, we also hypothesize reciprocal effects, with stronger performance over control for embedded language comprehension within reading comprehension on word-problem solving outcomes and with stronger performance over control for embedded language comprehension within word-problem solving on reading comprehension outcomes. Our second question is whether aligned and reciprocal effects in part occur indirectly, via improved understanding of the language of reading comprehension or the language of word-problem solving. We hypothesize indirect effects via the aligned form of domain-specific language comprehension on both outcomes.

Thus, our focus on language comprehension is the vocabulary and syntax addressed in the reading comprehension and word-problem solving scaffolding. This focus maps onto prior studies documenting relations of vocabulary and syntax with various forms of mathematics. For example, Hornburg, Schmitt, and Purpura (2018) found that preschoolers’ mathematical language was more strongly related than general expressive vocabulary to word-problem performance and other numeracy skills. Chow and Ekholm (2019) identified concurrent relations between receptive syntax and addition operations and understanding at first and second grade. Gjicali, Astuto, and Lipnevich (2019) examined longitudinal relations between language and numeracy skills in predominantly high-poverty children. Children were 1–4 years when language skills were assessed; 4–7 years when number skills were assessed. Language comprehension was indirectly related to number identification and number relations via oral counting.

Exploratory Hypotheses and Development of a Neuroimaging Paradigm

We also consider two exploratory issues to provide insight into the robustness of effects and to address issues of diversity and inclusiveness: whether aligned and reciprocal effects for comorbid students differ for boys versus girls or for non-native English speakers versus native English speakers and whether pretest English proficiency among non-native English speakers moderates intervention effects.

Across studies on the mathematics performance for girls versus boys, performance differences between males versus females appear to increase with three variables: as grade level increases, with more complex mathematics demands on visual-spatial resources, and among higher-achievers ( Stoet, Bailey, Moore, & Geary, 2016 ). On this basis, we do not expect a main effect for girls versus boys in second-grade students with comorbid learning disability. Our exploratory issue is, however, about an interaction : whether the pattern of word-problem solving scaffolding effects differs for boys versus girls. We did not locate any study disaggregating word-problem solving intervention effects for boys versus girls. Because differential effects of word-problem solving intervention for girls versus boys have been tested infrequently if at all, we examine scaffolding effect sizes for boys versus girls to explore the robustness of effects.

In reading comprehension intervention research, the issue of differential effects for girls versus boys also has received little attention. Here, we also did not locate any intervention study separating effects. In a synthesis, however, Suggate (2016) reported a correlation between percentage of boys in the studies and outcome (outcome was aggregated across reading constructs, i.e., it was not specific to reading comprehension). The correlation was −.15 at posttest; −.31 at follow up (favoring girls). As with word-problem solving, because few relevant analyses are available and none for comorbid samples, we examine effect sizes for boys versus girls to explore the robustness of effects.

The literature on differential word-problem solving or reading comprehension intervention effects for non-native English speakers versus native English speakers is similarly thin. It fails to provide the basis for hypotheses, especially for comorbid non-native English speaking samples. Yet, the school-age population of non-native English speakers is growing rapidly ( National Center for Education Statistics, 2017 ; McFarland et al., 2017 ), and databases reveal a main effect, in which non-native English speakers’ math and reading performance falls substantially below that of native English speakers ( National Center for Education Statistics, 2017 ). Moreover, in this population, studies document the relation of vocabulary and/or syntax with word-problem solving (e.g., Foster, Anthony, Zucker, & Branum-Martin, 2019 ; Méndez, Hammer, Lopez, & Blair, 2019 ) and reading comprehension ( Mancilla-Martinez & Lesaux, 2017 ; Nakamoto, Lindsey, & Manis, 2008 ; Proctor, Carlo, August, & Snow, 2005 ).

It is of theoretical and clinical importance to explore (a) whether the pattern of effect sizes differs for non-native English speakers versus native English speakers for comorbid children and (b) a pattern of moderation in which the relation between English proficiency and performance is expected to be less strong with embedded language comprehension instruction in word-problem solving scaffolding and in reading comprehension scaffolding than in control. This is because language comprehension-embedded scaffolding is designed to compensate for poor language comprehension. We note that the Hub’s Project is not powered for formally assessing these robustness and diversity questions, but our hope is that it will provide insight into whether effects for English language learners differs from effects for monolingual counterparts.

A final component of the Hub’s work is development of a neuroimaging paradigm to capture the brain mechanisms that underlie connections among reading comprehension, word-problem solving, and language comprehension. Development of a paradigm may provide the foundation for future studies focused on how the brain mechanisms associated with language comprehension serve as a potential link between reading comprehension and word-problem solving.

The overall hope is that the Vanderbilt Hub’s Project will impact science by (a) deepening understanding about language comprehension as a process involved in higher-order comorbidity; (b) providing theoretically-guided and empirical bases for the link between reading comprehension and word-problem solving; (c) strengthening support for the validity of this form of comorbidity as a learning disabilities subtyping framework; and (d) providing insight into the robustness of this approach (by gender and English proficiency status). Also, our focus on scaffolding language comprehension within reading comprehension and word-problem solving tutoring provides a platform for transdisciplinary work across learning sciences, second language learning, learning disabilities, and developmental psychology. This is critical because evidence is growing that language comprehension difficulty contributes to poor responsiveness to reading comprehension or word-problem solving intervention among students with developmental learning disabilities (e.g., Catts et al., 2008 ; D. Fuchs et al., in press ).

In sum, the Vanderbilt Hub’s science is innovative in four important ways. First, we focus on an especially vulnerable subset of the learning disabilities population, which is understudied, may suffer from disproportionately poor reading comprehension and word-problem solving outcomes and may have a distinctive set of cognitive deficits: students with comorbid difficulty with reading comprehension and word-problem solving. Second, with this understudied population, we adopt an innovative approach: conceptual scaffolding across language comprehension and one academic domain, with parallel structure what is required in the second academic domain. If this approach reveals improved performance in both academic domains, it would offer an innovative direction for treating this understudied, vulnerable population. Third, the Hub’s study provides the most stringent test to date on the connection among language comprehension, reading comprehension, and word-problem solving. Fourth, our exploratory issues address the robustness of effects as well as diversity and inclusiveness. The long-term goal of this proof-of-concept science is to impact clinical practice by offering an innovative direction aimed at improving learning for this understudied, vulnerable population.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by 2 P20 HD075443 and Core Grant HD15052 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development to Vanderbilt University. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.

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OPINION Voices from the Idaho EdNews Community

Reading literature helps develop critical-thinking skills

When’s the last time you read a book? The chances you didn’t read one during the last year have radically increased.

For adults it’s roughly one in four — 24 percent according to the Pew Research Center. For my peers, youth, it’s about the same — 22 percent of 13-year-olds and 27 percent of 17-year-olds versus 8 percent and 9 percent, respectively, three decades ago according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

That’s especially unfortunate considering literature can help young adults develop important critical-thinking skills. For instance, U.S. News & World Report recently listed book clubs among five useful tools for developing critical-thinking skills before college.

“Students who read for understanding find it far easier to think critically than those who rush to finish,” writes the story’s author, Meghan Moll, a professional science, math, and ACT tutor with Varsity Tutors. “Analyzing a book requires you to delve deeper and ponder complex questions.”

My own experience with literature bears this out. In his best-selling novels “Jurassic Park” and “The Lost World,” Michael Crichton didn’t just take me on an entertaining roller-coaster ride. My favorite author reignited my childhood passion for prehistoric animals, sparked my intense interest in science, and continually fuels my own creativity.

His novels underscore the importance of critical thinking. “Jurassic Park” gave me a perspective on how humans interact with the biological world and what we can do to alter things — especially with genetic engineering. While the story line shows how people can use science to do beautiful things and change situations for the better, it also demonstrates how we can make devastating mistakes.

It’s probably no surprise that when my English teacher, Mrs. Hodgin, asked her classes at Moscow High School to participate in the Letters About Literature contest last year I wrote about the tangible, positive impact Dr. Crichton’s works have had on me. Sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, Letters About Literature encourages students in grades 4-12 to write a letter to an author — living or dead — whose book affected them personally.

I was the State of Idaho’s winner for Level 3 (grades 9-12) last year. The $100 gift card I won funded a hobby that’s kind of turning into a career — raising and researching ants. Thus, Dr. Crichton hasn’t just fueled my interest in the natural world — in a way he’s also helping fund my exploration of it.

The 2015-2016 Letters About Literature contest begins soon, and I encourage teachers and parents throughout Idaho to get their students involved. It’s an excellent project for classes and individual students.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress begins accepting entries Nov. 2. They must be postmarked by Dec. 4 for Level 3 (grades 9-12) or Jan. 11 for Level 2 (grades 7-8) and Level 1 (grades 4-6).

After the first two rounds of judging at the Library of Congress, the letters go through the next rounds back in their writers’ home states. The Idaho Commission for Libraries coordinates our local judging. Learn more about it online at http://libraries.idaho.gov/lal .

Meanwhile, if you, your child, or your students haven’t found a book that’s personally affected them, I urge you to resolve that. The benefits of literature are legion. Reading improves vocabulary, organizational skills, and the ability to read, comprehend, and analyze text. Plus, it can provide people with important historical perspective, encourage sympathy for other human beings, and promote appreciation for diversity and understanding of other cultures.

Moreover, literature can help students develop the critical-thinking skills many employers think are lacking in today’s college graduates before they even get to college.

Senior Miles Maxcer is the student council president at Moscow High School. He is currently reading a lot of nonfiction about leadership and different leaders while still conducting an independent study on ants. Read Miles’ winning letter at: http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/Level3WinnerMaxcer.pdf

Miles Maxcer

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One of the most effective ways to teach problem-solving skills in the classroom is through reading, language, and classroom discussion. And Clifford is the perfect pup to help—students love the Big Red Dog! 

With Halloween fast approaching,  Clifford’s First Halloween  and  Clifford’s Halloween  are two timely reads to help students understand just what it takes to solve problems and overcome any challenges they may face, especially if it’s a problem related to their Halloween costume. In the following lesson, students learn not only language and literacy skills from Clifford, but also key critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will benefit them for years to come. 

Here’s how you and Clifford can teach problem-solving with reading, language, and classroom discussion:

Too Small, Too Big! With Clifford This Halloween

In  Clifford’s First Halloween , Clifford is such a small puppy that he’s too small to fit into any Halloween costumes. But, like all pups, he grows big, so big that he can’t fit into any costumes either—the saga of which is recounted in  Clifford’s Halloween . So, what’s a pup to do?

• Start by reading  Clifford’s First Halloween  aloud to your class.
• When reading the story, remember to turn the pages slowly and speak with distinct inflections in your voice to really bring life to the text.
• Now, have students identify what Clifford did to solve his problem. 
• Next, read  Clifford’s Halloween  aloud and instruct students to discuss what Clifford did to overcome this challenge. What did he do to solve his problem this time?
• During class discussion, help children recall story details, compare the two stories, and lend creative suggestions about how they might have helped Clifford with his size challenge. Your students are sure to have some wise and entertaining solutions for their favorite pup!

Additionally, to delve a bit deeper with students and help them learn about growth and change, consider creating a classroom display where they can compare how they’ve grown since their own “puppy days.” 

For this activity:

• Start by reminding them that as we grow, we change, we learn, and we become the best we can be. 
• Ask children to bring a baby picture from home.
• Next, make two displays: one with baby pictures and one with current school year pictures. Place a picture of Clifford as a puppy atop the baby display and Clifford grown up atop the current picture display.
• Encourage children to express how everyone has changed throughout the years. Don't forget to add your picture in there for children to see how you were once a "pup" yourself!

Being able to overcome adversity and helping others do the same will be key to your students’ success inside and outside the classroom. Throughout the remaining school year, students can reflect upon what they’ve learned from Clifford—and from their own experiences—to solve the problems and challenges they may face. 

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How to Encourage Critical Thinking Skills While Reading: Effective Strategies

Encouraging critical thinking skills while reading is essential to children’s cognitive development. Critical thinking enables them to engage deeply with a topic or a book, fostering a better understanding of the material. It is a skill that does not develop overnight but can be nurtured through various strategies and experiences.

One effective way to cultivate critical thinking in children is by sharing quality books with them and participating in discussions that facilitate an exchange of ideas and opinions. Through these conversations, children can draw on their existing knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and experiences to expand their understanding of a subject.

Parents and teachers help kids think more deeply about things. They can do this by answering questions that help kids compare different ideas, look at things from different angles, guess what might happen, and develop new solutions.

Importance of Critical Thinking Skills in Reading

Critical thinking helps us understand what we read better. It helps us ask questions and think more deeply about the text. Critical thinking skills can help us analyze, evaluate, and understand what we read.

By incorporating critical thinking, readers can differentiate between facts and opinions, forming their views based on logical reasoning and evidence. This ability is particularly crucial in today’s information abundance, where readers are often exposed to biased or unreliable content. According to Critical Thinking Secrets , using critical thinking in reading allows learners to exercise their judgment in assessing the credibility of the information.

Furthermore, critical thinking promotes creativity and problem-solving skills. Practicing critical thinking allows learners to devise new and innovative ideas to address various challenges. This skill improves academic performance and prepares young minds for future professional endeavors.

Engaging with quality books and participating in thought-provoking discussions can nurture critical thinking abilities in children. Reading Rockets emphasizes the importance of exposing children to texts that challenge their thinking and encourage them to ask questions, fostering the development of critical thinking skills over time.

Teachers also play a significant role in promoting critical thinking in the classroom. Employing various instructional strategies, such as problem-based learning, asking open-ended questions, and providing opportunities for group discussions, can help students cultivate critical thinking habits.

Developing a Reading Environment That Fosters Critical Thinking

Creating a reading environment that promotes critical thinking enables students to engage with texts more deeply and develop essential analytical skills. The following sub-sections outline strategies for choosing thought-provoking materials and encouraging open discussions.

Choosing Thought-Provoking Materials

Selecting suitable reading materials is critical to stimulating critical thinking among students. Teachers should look for texts that:

• Are relevant and relatable to students’ lives and interests
• Present various perspectives and diverse characters
• Pose challenging questions and open-ended problems

By incorporating such texts into the classroom, students can be exposed to new ideas and viewpoints, promoting critical thinking and engagement with the material. For instance, in Eight Instructional Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking , teachers are advised to choose compelling topics and maintain relevance to foster critical thinking

Encouraging Open Discussions

Fostering an environment where open discussions occur is essential to promoting critical thinking skills while reading. Teachers should:

• Create a culture of inquiry by posing open-ended questions and encouraging students to form opinions and debates
• Facilitate discussions by asking students to explain their thinking processes and share their interpretations of the text
• Respect all opinions and viewpoints, emphasizing that the goal is to learn from each other rather than reach a “correct” answer

Students who feel comfortable participating in discussions are more likely to develop critical thinking skills. The Reading Rockets emphasizes the importance of reading together and engaging in conversations to nurture critical thinking in children.

Active Reading Strategies

Active reading is an essential skill for encouraging critical thinking skills while reading. This involves consciously engaging with the material and connecting with what you know or have read before. This section discusses key strategies that can help you become an active reader.

Annotating and Note-Taking

Annotating the text and taking notes as you read allows you to engage with the material on a deeper level. This process of actively engaging with the text helps you to analyze and retain information more effectively. As you read, it is important to make marginal notes or comments to highlight key points and draw connections between different sections of the material.

Asking Questions While Reading

One important aspect of critical reading is questioning the material. This means not taking everything you read at face value and considering the author’s interpretation and opinion . As you read, develop the habit of asking questions throughout the process, such as:

• What is the author’s main argument?
• What evidence supports this argument?
• How is the information presented in a logical manner?
• What are the possible opposing viewpoints?

By asking questions, you can better understand the author’s viewpoint and the evidence presented, which helps to develop your critical thinking skills.

Summarizing and Paraphrasing

Summarizing and paraphrasing are essential skills for critical reading. Summarizing the material allows you to condense key points and process the information more easily. Paraphrasing, or rephrasing the ideas in your own words, not only helps you better understand the material, but also ensures that you’re accurately interpreting the author’s ideas.

Both summarizing and paraphrasing can enhance your critical thinking skills by compelling you to analyze the text and identify the main ideas and supporting evidence. This way, you can make informed judgments about the content, making your reading more purposeful and engaging.

Developing critical thinking skills while reading literature involves a comprehensive understanding of various literary devices. This section highlights three primary aspects of literary analysis: Recognizing Themes and Patterns, Analyzing Characters and Their Motivations, and Evaluating the Author’s Intent and Perspective.

Recognizing Themes and Patterns

One way to foster critical thinking is through recognizing themes and patterns in the text. Encourage students to identify recurring themes, symbols, and motifs as they read. Additionally, examining the relationships between different elements in the story can help create connections and analyze the overall meaning.

For example, in a story about the struggles of growing up, students might notice patterns in the protagonist’s journey, such as recurring conflicts or milestones. By contemplating these patterns, learners can engage in deeper analysis and interpretation of the text.

Analyzing Characters and Their Motivations

Character analysis is an essential aspect of literary analysis, as understanding characters’ motivations can lead to a thorough comprehension of the narrative. Encourage students to analyze the motives behind each character’s actions, focusing on the factors that drive their decisions.

For instance, in a novel where two characters have differing goals, have students consider why these goals differ and how the characters’ motivations impact the story’s outcome. This exploration can lead to thought-provoking discussions about human behavior, facilitating the development of critical thinking skills.

Evaluating the Author’s Intent and Perspective

Critical thinking is essential to evaluating the author’s intent and perspective. This process involves deciphering the underlying message or purpose of the text and analyzing how the author’s experiences or beliefs may have influenced their writing.

One strategy for accomplishing this is to examine the historical or cultural context in which the work was written. By considering the author’s background, students can better understand the ideas or arguments presented in the text.

For example, if reading a novel set during a significant historical period, like the Civil Rights Movement, understanding the author’s experience can help students analyze narrative elements, enhancing their critical thinking abilities.

Methods to Encourage Critical Thinking Beyond Reading

While reading is essential to developing critical thinking skills, it can be further enhanced by incorporating certain activities in daily routines that promote critical thinking.

Debates and Group Discussions

Debates and group discussions are excellent methods for encouraging critical thinking. By participating in debates or discussions, learners exchange diverse ideas, challenge each other’s reasoning, and evaluate the strength of their arguments. These activities require participants to think and respond quickly, synthesize information, and analyze multiple perspectives.

Teachers and parents can facilitate debates and group discussions by selecting topics that are relevant and related to the subject matter. Promoting respectful dialogue and modeling effective listening skills are also important aspects of setting up successful debates or discussions.

Exploring Other Media Formats

In addition to reading, exploring other media formats like documentaries, podcasts, and videos can help stimulate critical thinking in learners. Different mediums present information in unique ways, providing learners with various perspectives and fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Using diverse media formats, individuals can compare and contrast information, question what they know, and further develop their analytical skills. It is essential that educators and parents encourage learners to explore these formats critically, assessing the credibility of the sources and ensuring accuracy in the information consumed.

Assessing Progress and Providing Feedback

Developing critical thinking skills while reading requires continuous assessment and feedback. Monitoring students’ progress in this area and providing constructive feedback can help ensure development and success.

Setting Measurable Goals

Establishing clear, measurable goals for critical thinking is vital for both students and educators. These goals should be specific, achievable, and time-bound. To effectively assess progress, consider using a variety of assessments, such as:

• Classroom discussions
• Reflective writing assignments
• Group projects
• Individual presentations

These different assessment methods can help determine if students are reaching their critical thinking goals and guide educators in adjusting their instruction as needed.

Providing Constructive Feedback

Constructive feedback is essential for students to improve their critical thinking skills. When providing feedback, consider the following guidelines:

• Be specific and focused on the critical thinking aspects of students’ work
• Link feedback directly to the established goals and criteria
• Encourage self-assessment and reflection
• Highlight strengths and areas for improvement
• Offer realistic suggestions for improvement

By implementing these strategies, educators can ensure that students receive the necessary support and guidance to develop their critical thinking skills while reading.

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How to improve your problem solving skills and build effective problem solving strategies

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Effective problem solving is all about using the right process and following a plan tailored to the issue at hand. Recognizing your team or organization has an issue isn’t enough to come up with effective problem solving strategies. 

To truly understand a problem and develop appropriate solutions, you will want to follow a solid process, follow the necessary problem solving steps, and bring all of your problem solving skills to the table.  

We’ll first guide you through the seven step problem solving process you and your team can use to effectively solve complex business challenges. We’ll also look at what problem solving strategies you can employ with your team when looking for a way to approach the process. We’ll then discuss the problem solving skills you need to be more effective at solving problems, complete with an activity from the SessionLab library you can use to develop that skill in your team.

Let’s get to it! 

What is a problem solving process?

• What are the problem solving steps I need to follow?

Problem solving strategies

What skills do i need to be an effective problem solver, how can i improve my problem solving skills.

Solving problems is like baking a cake. You can go straight into the kitchen without a recipe or the right ingredients and do your best, but the end result is unlikely to be very tasty!

Using a process to bake a cake allows you to use the best ingredients without waste, collect the right tools, account for allergies, decide whether it is a birthday or wedding cake, and then bake efficiently and on time. The result is a better cake that is fit for purpose, tastes better and has created less mess in the kitchen. Also, it should have chocolate sprinkles. Having a step by step process to solve organizational problems allows you to go through each stage methodically and ensure you are trying to solve the right problems and select the most appropriate, effective solutions.

What are the problem solving steps I need to follow? 

All problem solving processes go through a number of steps in order to move from identifying a problem to resolving it.

Depending on your problem solving model and who you ask, there can be anything between four and nine problem solving steps you should follow in order to find the right solution. Whatever framework you and your group use, there are some key items that should be addressed in order to have an effective process.

We’ve looked at problem solving processes from sources such as the American Society for Quality and their four step approach , and Mediate ‘s six step process. By reflecting on those and our own problem solving processes, we’ve come up with a sequence of seven problem solving steps we feel best covers everything you need in order to effectively solve problems.

1. Problem identification 

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem or problems you might want to solve. Effective problem solving strategies always begin by allowing a group scope to articulate what they believe the problem to be and then coming to some consensus over which problem they approach first. Problem solving activities used at this stage often have a focus on creating frank, open discussion so that potential problems can be brought to the surface.

2. Problem analysis 

Though this step is not a million miles from problem identification, problem analysis deserves to be considered separately. It can often be an overlooked part of the process and is instrumental when it comes to developing effective solutions.

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is the right problem . As part of this stage, you may look deeper and try to find the root cause of a specific problem at a team or organizational level.

Remember that problem solving strategies should not only be focused on putting out fires in the short term but developing long term solutions that deal with the root cause of organizational challenges. 

Whatever your approach, analyzing a problem is crucial in being able to select an appropriate solution and the problem solving skills deployed in this stage are beneficial for the rest of the process and ensuring the solutions you create are fit for purpose.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or problem solving activities designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions. 

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold. 

4. Solution development

No solution is likely to be perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically. 

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your frontrunning solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose. 

5. Decision making 

Nearly there! Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution that applies to the problem at hand you have some decisions to make. You will want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

The decision making stage is a part of the problem solving process that can get missed or taken as for granted. Fail to properly allocate roles and plan out how a solution will actually be implemented and it less likely to be successful in solving the problem.

Have clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group. 

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved. 

6. Solution implementation 

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving strategies have the end goal of implementing a solution and solving a problem in mind. 

Remember that in order for any solution to be successful, you need to help your group through all of the previous problem solving steps thoughtfully. Only then can you ensure that you are solving the right problem but also that you have developed the correct solution and can then successfully implement and measure the impact of that solution.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way.

7. Solution evaluation 

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling its been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback. You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives. 

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization. 

It’s worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time. Data and insight is invaluable at every stage of the problem solving process and this one is no different.

Problem solving workshops made easy

Problem solving strategies are methods of approaching and facilitating the process of problem-solving with a set of techniques , actions, and processes. Different strategies are more effective if you are trying to solve broad problems such as achieving higher growth versus more focused problems like, how do we improve our customer onboarding process?

Broadly, the problem solving steps outlined above should be included in any problem solving strategy though choosing where to focus your time and what approaches should be taken is where they begin to differ. You might find that some strategies ask for the problem identification to be done prior to the session or that everything happens in the course of a one day workshop.

The key similarity is that all good problem solving strategies are structured and designed. Four hours of open discussion is never going to be as productive as a four-hour workshop designed to lead a group through a problem solving process.

Good problem solving strategies are tailored to the team, organization and problem you will be attempting to solve. Here are some example problem solving strategies you can learn from or use to get started.

Use a workshop to lead a team through a group process

Often, the first step to solving problems or organizational challenges is bringing a group together effectively. Most teams have the tools, knowledge, and expertise necessary to solve their challenges – they just need some guidance in how to use leverage those skills and a structure and format that allows people to focus their energies.

Facilitated workshops are one of the most effective ways of solving problems of any scale. By designing and planning your workshop carefully, you can tailor the approach and scope to best fit the needs of your team and organization. 

Problem solving workshop

• Creating a bespoke, tailored process
• Tackling problems of any size
• Building in-house workshop ability and encouraging their use

Workshops are an effective strategy for solving problems. By using tried and test facilitation techniques and methods, you can design and deliver a workshop that is perfectly suited to the unique variables of your organization. You may only have the capacity for a half-day workshop and so need a problem solving process to match. 

By using our session planner tool and importing methods from our library of 700+ facilitation techniques, you can create the right problem solving workshop for your team. It might be that you want to encourage creative thinking or look at things from a new angle to unblock your groups approach to problem solving. By tailoring your workshop design to the purpose, you can help ensure great results.

One of the main benefits of a workshop is the structured approach to problem solving. Not only does this mean that the workshop itself will be successful, but many of the methods and techniques will help your team improve their working processes outside of the workshop. 

We believe that workshops are one of the best tools you can use to improve the way your team works together. Start with a problem solving workshop and then see what team building, culture or design workshops can do for your organization!

Run a design sprint

Great for: 

• aligning large, multi-discipline teams
• quickly designing and testing solutions
• tackling large, complex organizational challenges and breaking them down into smaller tasks

By using design thinking principles and methods, a design sprint is a great way of identifying, prioritizing and prototyping solutions to long term challenges that can help solve major organizational problems with quick action and measurable results.

Some familiarity with design thinking is useful, though not integral, and this strategy can really help a team align if there is some discussion around which problems should be approached first. 

The stage-based structure of the design sprint is also very useful for teams new to design thinking.  The inspiration phase, where you look to competitors that have solved your problem, and the rapid prototyping and testing phases are great for introducing new concepts that will benefit a team in all their future work. 

It can be common for teams to look inward for solutions and so looking to the market for solutions you can iterate on can be very productive. Instilling an agile prototyping and testing mindset can also be great when helping teams move forwards – generating and testing solutions quickly can help save time in the long run and is also pretty exciting!

Break problems down into smaller issues

Organizational challenges and problems are often complicated and large scale in nature. Sometimes, trying to resolve such an issue in one swoop is simply unachievable or overwhelming. Try breaking down such problems into smaller issues that you can work on step by step. You may not be able to solve the problem of churning customers off the bat, but you can work with your team to identify smaller effort but high impact elements and work on those first.

This problem solving strategy can help a team generate momentum, prioritize and get some easy wins. It’s also a great strategy to employ with teams who are just beginning to learn how to approach the problem solving process. If you want some insight into a way to employ this strategy, we recommend looking at our design sprint template below!

Use guiding frameworks or try new methodologies

Some problems are best solved by introducing a major shift in perspective or by using new methodologies that encourage your team to think differently.

Props and tools such as Methodkit , which uses a card-based toolkit for facilitation, or Lego Serious Play can be great ways to engage your team and find an inclusive, democratic problem solving strategy. Remember that play and creativity are great tools for achieving change and whatever the challenge, engaging your participants can be very effective where other strategies may have failed.

LEGO Serious Play

• Improving core problem solving skills
• Thinking outside of the box
• Encouraging creative solutions

LEGO Serious Play is a problem solving methodology designed to get participants thinking differently by using 3D models and kinesthetic learning styles. By physically building LEGO models based on questions and exercises, participants are encouraged to think outside of the box and create their own responses. 

Collaborate LEGO Serious Play exercises are also used to encourage communication and build problem solving skills in a group. By using this problem solving process, you can often help different kinds of learners and personality types contribute and unblock organizational problems with creative thinking. 

Problem solving strategies like LEGO Serious Play are super effective at helping a team solve more skills-based problems such as communication between teams or a lack of creative thinking. Some problems are not suited to LEGO Serious Play and require a different problem solving strategy.

Card Decks and Method Kits

• New facilitators or non-facilitators 
• Approaching difficult subjects with a simple, creative framework
• Engaging those with varied learning styles

Card decks and method kids are great tools for those new to facilitation or for whom facilitation is not the primary role. Card decks such as the emotional culture deck can be used for complete workshops and in many cases, can be used right out of the box. Methodkit has a variety of kits designed for scenarios ranging from personal development through to personas and global challenges so you can find the right deck for your particular needs.

Having an easy to use framework that encourages creativity or a new approach can take some of the friction or planning difficulties out of the workshop process and energize a team in any setting. Simplicity is the key with these methods. By ensuring everyone on your team can get involved and engage with the process as quickly as possible can really contribute to the success of your problem solving strategy.

Source external advice

Looking to peers, experts and external facilitators can be a great way of approaching the problem solving process. Your team may not have the necessary expertise, insights of experience to tackle some issues, or you might simply benefit from a fresh perspective. Some problems may require bringing together an entire team, and coaching managers or team members individually might be the right approach. Remember that not all problems are best resolved in the same manner.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, peer groups, coaches and mentors can also be invaluable at not only solving specific business problems, but in providing a support network for resolving future challenges. One great approach is to join a Mastermind Group and link up with like-minded individuals and all grow together. Remember that however you approach the sourcing of external advice, do so thoughtfully, respectfully and honestly. Reciprocate where you can and prepare to be surprised by just how kind and helpful your peers can be!

Mastermind Group

• Solo entrepreneurs or small teams with low capacity
• Peer learning and gaining outside expertise
• Getting multiple external points of view quickly

Problem solving in large organizations with lots of skilled team members is one thing, but how about if you work for yourself or in a very small team without the capacity to get the most from a design sprint or LEGO Serious Play session? 

A mastermind group – sometimes known as a peer advisory board – is where a group of people come together to support one another in their own goals, challenges, and businesses. Each participant comes to the group with their own purpose and the other members of the group will help them create solutions, brainstorm ideas, and support one another. 

Mastermind groups are very effective in creating an energized, supportive atmosphere that can deliver meaningful results. Learning from peers from outside of your organization or industry can really help unlock new ways of thinking and drive growth. Access to the experience and skills of your peers can be invaluable in helping fill the gaps in your own ability, particularly in young companies.

A mastermind group is a great solution for solo entrepreneurs, small teams, or for organizations that feel that external expertise or fresh perspectives will be beneficial for them. It is worth noting that Mastermind groups are often only as good as the participants and what they can bring to the group. Participants need to be committed, engaged and understand how to work in this context. 

Coaching and mentoring

• Focused learning and development
• Filling skills gaps
• Working on a range of challenges over time

Receiving advice from a business coach or building a mentor/mentee relationship can be an effective way of resolving certain challenges. The one-to-one format of most coaching and mentor relationships can really help solve the challenges those individuals are having and benefit the organization as a result.

A great mentor can be invaluable when it comes to spotting potential problems before they arise and coming to understand a mentee very well has a host of other business benefits. You might run an internal mentorship program to help develop your team’s problem solving skills and strategies or as part of a large learning and development program. External coaches can also be an important part of your problem solving strategy, filling skills gaps for your management team or helping with specific business issues. 

Now we’ve explored the problem solving process and the steps you will want to go through in order to have an effective session, let’s look at the skills you and your team need to be more effective problem solvers.

Problem solving skills are highly sought after, whatever industry or team you work in. Organizations are keen to employ people who are able to approach problems thoughtfully and find strong, realistic solutions. Whether you are a facilitator , a team leader or a developer, being an effective problem solver is a skill you’ll want to develop.

Problem solving skills form a whole suite of techniques and approaches that an individual uses to not only identify problems but to discuss them productively before then developing appropriate solutions.

Here are some of the most important problem solving skills everyone from executives to junior staff members should learn. We’ve also included an activity or exercise from the SessionLab library that can help you and your team develop that skill. 

If you’re running a workshop or training session to try and improve problem solving skills in your team, try using these methods to supercharge your process!

Active listening

Active listening is one of the most important skills anyone who works with people can possess. In short, active listening is a technique used to not only better understand what is being said by an individual, but also to be more aware of the underlying message the speaker is trying to convey. When it comes to problem solving, active listening is integral for understanding the position of every participant and to clarify the challenges, ideas and solutions they bring to the table.

Some active listening skills include:

• Paying complete attention to the speaker.
• Removing distractions.
• Avoid interruption.
• Taking the time to fully understand before preparing a rebuttal.
• Responding respectfully and appropriately.
• Demonstrate attentiveness and positivity with an open posture, making eye contact with the speaker, smiling and nodding if appropriate. Show that you are listening and encourage them to continue.
• Be aware of and respectful of feelings. Judge the situation and respond appropriately. You can disagree without being disrespectful.   
• Observe body language. 
• Paraphrase what was said in your own words, either mentally or verbally.
• Remain neutral. 
• Reflect and take a moment before responding.
• Ask deeper questions based on what is said and clarify points where necessary.   

Active Listening   #hyperisland   #skills   #active listening   #remote-friendly   This activity supports participants to reflect on a question and generate their own solutions using simple principles of active listening and peer coaching. It’s an excellent introduction to active listening but can also be used with groups that are already familiar with it. Participants work in groups of three and take turns being: “the subject”, the listener, and the observer.

Analytical skills

All problem solving models require strong analytical skills, particularly during the beginning of the process and when it comes to analyzing how solutions have performed.

Analytical skills are primarily focused on performing an effective analysis by collecting, studying and parsing data related to a problem or opportunity. 

It often involves spotting patterns, being able to see things from different perspectives and using observable facts and data to make suggestions or produce insight. 

Analytical skills are also important at every stage of the problem solving process and by having these skills, you can ensure that any ideas or solutions you create or backed up analytically and have been sufficiently thought out.

Nine Whys   #innovation   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   With breathtaking simplicity, you can rapidly clarify for individuals and a group what is essentially important in their work. You can quickly reveal when a compelling purpose is missing in a gathering and avoid moving forward without clarity. When a group discovers an unambiguous shared purpose, more freedom and more responsibility are unleashed. You have laid the foundation for spreading and scaling innovations with fidelity.

Collaboration

Trying to solve problems on your own is difficult. Being able to collaborate effectively, with a free exchange of ideas, to delegate and be a productive member of a team is hugely important to all problem solving strategies.

Remember that whatever your role, collaboration is integral, and in a problem solving process, you are all working together to find the best solution for everyone. 

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing   #teamwork   #team   #leadership   #collaboration   In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Communication  

Being an effective communicator means being empathetic, clear and succinct, asking the right questions, and demonstrating active listening skills throughout any discussion or meeting. 

In a problem solving setting, you need to communicate well in order to progress through each stage of the process effectively. As a team leader, it may also fall to you to facilitate communication between parties who may not see eye to eye. Effective communication also means helping others to express themselves and be heard in a group.

Bus Trip   #feedback   #communication   #appreciation   #closing   #thiagi   #team   This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

Creative problem solving skills can be some of the best tools in your arsenal. Thinking creatively, being able to generate lots of ideas and come up with out of the box solutions is useful at every step of the process. 

The kinds of problems you will likely discuss in a problem solving workshop are often difficult to solve, and by approaching things in a fresh, creative manner, you can often create more innovative solutions.

Having practical creative skills is also a boon when it comes to problem solving. If you can help create quality design sketches and prototypes in record time, it can help bring a team to alignment more quickly or provide a base for further iteration.

The paper clip method   #sharing   #creativity   #warm up   #idea generation   #brainstorming   The power of brainstorming. A training for project leaders, creativity training, and to catalyse getting new solutions.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is one of the fundamental problem solving skills you’ll want to develop when working on developing solutions. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, rationalize and evaluate while being aware of personal bias, outlying factors and remaining open-minded.

Defining and analyzing problems without deploying critical thinking skills can mean you and your team go down the wrong path. Developing solutions to complex issues requires critical thinking too – ensuring your team considers all possibilities and rationally evaluating them. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Data analysis 

Though it shares lots of space with general analytical skills, data analysis skills are something you want to cultivate in their own right in order to be an effective problem solver.

Being good at data analysis doesn’t just mean being able to find insights from data, but also selecting the appropriate data for a given issue, interpreting it effectively and knowing how to model and present that data. Depending on the problem at hand, it might also include a working knowledge of specific data analysis tools and procedures. 

Having a solid grasp of data analysis techniques is useful if you’re leading a problem solving workshop but if you’re not an expert, don’t worry. Bring people into the group who has this skill set and help your team be more effective as a result.

Decision making

All problems need a solution and all solutions require that someone make the decision to implement them. Without strong decision making skills, teams can become bogged down in discussion and less effective as a result. 

Making decisions is a key part of the problem solving process. It’s important to remember that decision making is not restricted to the leadership team. Every staff member makes decisions every day and developing these skills ensures that your team is able to solve problems at any scale. Remember that making decisions does not mean leaping to the first solution but weighing up the options and coming to an informed, well thought out solution to any given problem that works for the whole team.

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

Dependability

Most complex organizational problems require multiple people to be involved in delivering the solution. Ensuring that the team and organization can depend on you to take the necessary actions and communicate where necessary is key to ensuring problems are solved effectively.

Being dependable also means working to deadlines and to brief. It is often a matter of creating trust in a team so that everyone can depend on one another to complete the agreed actions in the agreed time frame so that the team can move forward together. Being undependable can create problems of friction and can limit the effectiveness of your solutions so be sure to bear this in mind throughout a project. 

Team Purpose & Culture   #team   #hyperisland   #culture   #remote-friendly   This is an essential process designed to help teams define their purpose (why they exist) and their culture (how they work together to achieve that purpose). Defining these two things will help any team to be more focused and aligned. With support of tangible examples from other companies, the team members work as individuals and a group to codify the way they work together. The goal is a visual manifestation of both the purpose and culture that can be put up in the team’s work space.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is an important skill for any successful team member, whether communicating internally or with clients or users. In the problem solving process, emotional intelligence means being attuned to how people are feeling and thinking, communicating effectively and being self-aware of what you bring to a room. 

There are often differences of opinion when working through problem solving processes, and it can be easy to let things become impassioned or combative. Developing your emotional intelligence means being empathetic to your colleagues and managing your own emotions throughout the problem and solution process. Be kind, be thoughtful and put your points across care and attention. 

Being emotionally intelligent is a skill for life and by deploying it at work, you can not only work efficiently but empathetically. Check out the emotional culture workshop template for more!

Facilitation

As we’ve clarified in our facilitation skills post, facilitation is the art of leading people through processes towards agreed-upon objectives in a manner that encourages participation, ownership, and creativity by all those involved. While facilitation is a set of interrelated skills in itself, the broad definition of facilitation can be invaluable when it comes to problem solving. Leading a team through a problem solving process is made more effective if you improve and utilize facilitation skills – whether you’re a manager, team leader or external stakeholder.

The Six Thinking Hats   #creative thinking   #meeting facilitation   #problem solving   #issue resolution   #idea generation   #conflict resolution   The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Flexibility 

Being flexible is a vital skill when it comes to problem solving. This does not mean immediately bowing to pressure or changing your opinion quickly: instead, being flexible is all about seeing things from new perspectives, receiving new information and factoring it into your thought process.

Flexibility is also important when it comes to rolling out solutions. It might be that other organizational projects have greater priority or require the same resources as your chosen solution. Being flexible means understanding needs and challenges across the team and being open to shifting or arranging your own schedule as necessary. Again, this does not mean immediately making way for other projects. It’s about articulating your own needs, understanding the needs of others and being able to come to a meaningful compromise.

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Working in any group can lead to unconscious elements of groupthink or situations in which you may not wish to be entirely honest. Disagreeing with the opinions of the executive team or wishing to save the feelings of a coworker can be tricky to navigate, but being honest is absolutely vital when to comes to developing effective solutions and ensuring your voice is heard. 

Remember that being honest does not mean being brutally candid. You can deliver your honest feedback and opinions thoughtfully and without creating friction by using other skills such as emotional intelligence. 

Explore your Values   #hyperisland   #skills   #values   #remote-friendly   Your Values is an exercise for participants to explore what their most important values are. It’s done in an intuitive and rapid way to encourage participants to follow their intuitive feeling rather than over-thinking and finding the “correct” values. It is a good exercise to use to initiate reflection and dialogue around personal values.

Initiative 

The problem solving process is multi-faceted and requires different approaches at certain points of the process. Taking initiative to bring problems to the attention of the team, collect data or lead the solution creating process is always valuable. You might even roadtest your own small scale solutions or brainstorm before a session. Taking initiative is particularly effective if you have good deal of knowledge in that area or have ownership of a particular project and want to get things kickstarted.

That said, be sure to remember to honor the process and work in service of the team. If you are asked to own one part of the problem solving process and you don’t complete that task because your initiative leads you to work on something else, that’s not an effective method of solving business challenges.

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Impartiality

A particularly useful problem solving skill for product owners or managers is the ability to remain impartial throughout much of the process. In practice, this means treating all points of view and ideas brought forward in a meeting equally and ensuring that your own areas of interest or ownership are not favored over others. 

There may be a stage in the process where a decision maker has to weigh the cost and ROI of possible solutions against the company roadmap though even then, ensuring that the decision made is based on merit and not personal opinion. 

Empathy map   #frame insights   #create   #design   #issue analysis   An empathy map is a tool to help a design team to empathize with the people they are designing for. You can make an empathy map for a group of people or for a persona. To be used after doing personas when more insights are needed.

Being a good leader means getting a team aligned, energized and focused around a common goal. In the problem solving process, strong leadership helps ensure that the process is efficient, that any conflicts are resolved and that a team is managed in the direction of success.

It’s common for managers or executives to assume this role in a problem solving workshop, though it’s important that the leader maintains impartiality and does not bulldoze the group in a particular direction. Remember that good leadership means working in service of the purpose and team and ensuring the workshop is a safe space for employees of any level to contribute. Take a look at our leadership games and activities post for more exercises and methods to help improve leadership in your organization.

Leadership Pizza   #leadership   #team   #remote-friendly   This leadership development activity offers a self-assessment framework for people to first identify what skills, attributes and attitudes they find important for effective leadership, and then assess their own development and initiate goal setting.

In the context of problem solving, mediation is important in keeping a team engaged, happy and free of conflict. When leading or facilitating a problem solving workshop, you are likely to run into differences of opinion. Depending on the nature of the problem, certain issues may be brought up that are emotive in nature. 

Being an effective mediator means helping those people on either side of such a divide are heard, listen to one another and encouraged to find common ground and a resolution. Mediating skills are useful for leaders and managers in many situations and the problem solving process is no different.

Conflict Responses   #hyperisland   #team   #issue resolution   A workshop for a team to reflect on past conflicts, and use them to generate guidelines for effective conflict handling. The workshop uses the Thomas-Killman model of conflict responses to frame a reflective discussion. Use it to open up a discussion around conflict with a team.

Planning 

Solving organizational problems is much more effective when following a process or problem solving model. Planning skills are vital in order to structure, deliver and follow-through on a problem solving workshop and ensure your solutions are intelligently deployed.

Planning skills include the ability to organize tasks and a team, plan and design the process and take into account any potential challenges. Taking the time to plan carefully can save time and frustration later in the process and is valuable for ensuring a team is positioned for success.

3 Action Steps   #hyperisland   #action   #remote-friendly   This is a small-scale strategic planning session that helps groups and individuals to take action toward a desired change. It is often used at the end of a workshop or programme. The group discusses and agrees on a vision, then creates some action steps that will lead them towards that vision. The scope of the challenge is also defined, through discussion of the helpful and harmful factors influencing the group.

Prioritization

As organisations grow, the scale and variation of problems they face multiplies. Your team or is likely to face numerous challenges in different areas and so having the skills to analyze and prioritize becomes very important, particularly for those in leadership roles.

A thorough problem solving process is likely to deliver multiple solutions and you may have several different problems you wish to solve simultaneously. Prioritization is the ability to measure the importance, value, and effectiveness of those possible solutions and choose which to enact and in what order. The process of prioritization is integral in ensuring the biggest challenges are addressed with the most impactful solutions.

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

Project management

Some problem solving skills are utilized in a workshop or ideation phases, while others come in useful when it comes to decision making. Overseeing an entire problem solving process and ensuring its success requires strong project management skills. 

While project management incorporates many of the other skills listed here, it is important to note the distinction of considering all of the factors of a project and managing them successfully. Being able to negotiate with stakeholders, manage tasks, time and people, consider costs and ROI, and tie everything together is massively helpful when going through the problem solving process. 

Record keeping

Working out meaningful solutions to organizational challenges is only one part of the process.  Thoughtfully documenting and keeping records of each problem solving step for future consultation is important in ensuring efficiency and meaningful change. 

For example, some problems may be lower priority than others but can be revisited in the future. If the team has ideated on solutions and found some are not up to the task, record those so you can rule them out and avoiding repeating work. Keeping records of the process also helps you improve and refine your problem solving model next time around!

Personal Kanban   #gamestorming   #action   #agile   #project planning   Personal Kanban is a tool for organizing your work to be more efficient and productive. It is based on agile methods and principles.

Research skills

Conducting research to support both the identification of problems and the development of appropriate solutions is important for an effective process. Knowing where to go to collect research, how to conduct research efficiently, and identifying pieces of research are relevant are all things a good researcher can do well. 

In larger groups, not everyone has to demonstrate this ability in order for a problem solving workshop to be effective. That said, having people with research skills involved in the process, particularly if they have existing area knowledge, can help ensure the solutions that are developed with data that supports their intention. Remember that being able to deliver the results of research efficiently and in a way the team can easily understand is also important. The best data in the world is only as effective as how it is delivered and interpreted.

Customer experience map   #ideation   #concepts   #research   #design   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   Customer experience mapping is a method of documenting and visualizing the experience a customer has as they use the product or service. It also maps out their responses to their experiences. To be used when there is a solution (even in a conceptual stage) that can be analyzed.

Risk management

Managing risk is an often overlooked part of the problem solving process. Solutions are often developed with the intention of reducing exposure to risk or solving issues that create risk but sometimes, great solutions are more experimental in nature and as such, deploying them needs to be carefully considered. 

Managing risk means acknowledging that there may be risks associated with more out of the box solutions or trying new things, but that this must be measured against the possible benefits and other organizational factors. 

Be informed, get the right data and stakeholders in the room and you can appropriately factor risk into your decision making process. 

Decisions, Decisions…   #communication   #decision making   #thiagi   #action   #issue analysis   When it comes to decision-making, why are some of us more prone to take risks while others are risk-averse? One explanation might be the way the decision and options were presented.  This exercise, based on Kahneman and Tversky’s classic study , illustrates how the framing effect influences our judgement and our ability to make decisions . The participants are divided into two groups. Both groups are presented with the same problem and two alternative programs for solving them. The two programs both have the same consequences but are presented differently. The debriefing discussion examines how the framing of the program impacted the participant’s decision.

Team-building 

No single person is as good at problem solving as a team. Building an effective team and helping them come together around a common purpose is one of the most important problem solving skills, doubly so for leaders. By bringing a team together and helping them work efficiently, you pave the way for team ownership of a problem and the development of effective solutions. 

In a problem solving workshop, it can be tempting to jump right into the deep end, though taking the time to break the ice, energize the team and align them with a game or exercise will pay off over the course of the day.

Remember that you will likely go through the problem solving process multiple times over an organization’s lifespan and building a strong team culture will make future problem solving more effective. It’s also great to work with people you know, trust and have fun with. Working on team building in and out of the problem solving process is a hallmark of successful teams that can work together to solve business problems.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity   #ice breaker   #teambuilding   #team   #remote-friendly   9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. There are 2 variations of this icebreaker. The first version is for teams who want to get to know each other better. The second version is for teams who want to explore how they are working together as a team.

Time management 

The problem solving process is designed to lead a team from identifying a problem through to delivering a solution and evaluating its effectiveness. Without effective time management skills or timeboxing of tasks, it can be easy for a team to get bogged down or be inefficient.

By using a problem solving model and carefully designing your workshop, you can allocate time efficiently and trust that the process will deliver the results you need in a good timeframe.

Time management also comes into play when it comes to rolling out solutions, particularly those that are experimental in nature. Having a clear timeframe for implementing and evaluating solutions is vital for ensuring their success and being able to pivot if necessary.

Improving your skills at problem solving is often a career-long pursuit though there are methods you can use to make the learning process more efficient and to supercharge your problem solving skillset.

Remember that the skills you need to be a great problem solver have a large overlap with those skills you need to be effective in any role. Investing time and effort to develop your active listening or critical thinking skills is valuable in any context. Here are 7 ways to improve your problem solving skills.

Share best practices

Remember that your team is an excellent source of skills, wisdom, and techniques and that you should all take advantage of one another where possible. Best practices that one team has for solving problems, conducting research or making decisions should be shared across the organization. If you have in-house staff that have done active listening training or are data analysis pros, have them lead a training session. 

Your team is one of your best resources. Create space and internal processes for the sharing of skills so that you can all grow together. 

Ask for help and attend training

Once you’ve figured out you have a skills gap, the next step is to take action to fill that skills gap. That might be by asking your superior for training or coaching, or liaising with team members with that skill set. You might even attend specialized training for certain skills – active listening or critical thinking, for example, are business-critical skills that are regularly offered as part of a training scheme.

Whatever method you choose, remember that taking action of some description is necessary for growth. Whether that means practicing, getting help, attending training or doing some background reading, taking active steps to improve your skills is the way to go.

Learn a process 

Problem solving can be complicated, particularly when attempting to solve large problems for the first time. Using a problem solving process helps give structure to your problem solving efforts and focus on creating outcomes, rather than worrying about the format. 

Tools such as the seven-step problem solving process above are effective because not only do they feature steps that will help a team solve problems, they also develop skills along the way. Each step asks for people to engage with the process using different skills and in doing so, helps the team learn and grow together. Group processes of varying complexity and purpose can also be found in the SessionLab library of facilitation techniques . Using a tried and tested process and really help ease the learning curve for both those leading such a process, as well as those undergoing the purpose.

Effective teams make decisions about where they should and shouldn’t expend additional effort. By using a problem solving process, you can focus on the things that matter, rather than stumbling towards a solution haphazardly. 

Create a feedback loop

Some skills gaps are more obvious than others. It’s possible that your perception of your active listening skills differs from those of your colleagues. 

It’s valuable to create a system where team members can provide feedback in an ordered and friendly manner so they can all learn from one another. Only by identifying areas of improvement can you then work to improve them. 

Remember that feedback systems require oversight and consideration so that they don’t turn into a place to complain about colleagues. Design the system intelligently so that you encourage the creation of learning opportunities, rather than encouraging people to list their pet peeves.

While practice might not make perfect, it does make the problem solving process easier. If you are having trouble with critical thinking, don’t shy away from doing it. Get involved where you can and stretch those muscles as regularly as possible. 

Problem solving skills come more naturally to some than to others and that’s okay. Take opportunities to get involved and see where you can practice your skills in situations outside of a workshop context. Try collaborating in other circumstances at work or conduct data analysis on your own projects. You can often develop those skills you need for problem solving simply by doing them. Get involved!

Use expert exercises and methods

Learn from the best. Our library of 700+ facilitation techniques is full of activities and methods that help develop the skills you need to be an effective problem solver. Check out our templates to see how to approach problem solving and other organizational challenges in a structured and intelligent manner.

There is no single approach to improving problem solving skills, but by using the techniques employed by others you can learn from their example and develop processes that have seen proven results. 

Try new ways of thinking and change your mindset

Using tried and tested exercises that you know well can help deliver results, but you do run the risk of missing out on the learning opportunities offered by new approaches. As with the problem solving process, changing your mindset can remove blockages and be used to develop your problem solving skills.

Most teams have members with mixed skill sets and specialties. Mix people from different teams and share skills and different points of view. Teach your customer support team how to use design thinking methods or help your developers with conflict resolution techniques. Try switching perspectives with facilitation techniques like Flip It! or by using new problem solving methodologies or models. Give design thinking, liberating structures or lego serious play a try if you want to try a new approach. You will find that framing problems in new ways and using existing skills in new contexts can be hugely useful for personal development and improving your skillset. It’s also a lot of fun to try new things. Give it a go!

Encountering business challenges and needing to find appropriate solutions is not unique to your organization. Lots of very smart people have developed methods, theories and approaches to help develop problem solving skills and create effective solutions. Learn from them!

Books like The Art of Thinking Clearly , Think Smarter, or Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow are great places to start, though it’s also worth looking at blogs related to organizations facing similar problems to yours, or browsing for success stories. Seeing how Dropbox massively increased growth and working backward can help you see the skills or approach you might be lacking to solve that same problem. Learning from others by reading their stories or approaches can be time-consuming but ultimately rewarding.

A tired, distracted mind is not in the best position to learn new skills. It can be tempted to burn the candle at both ends and develop problem solving skills outside of work. Absolutely use your time effectively and take opportunities for self-improvement, though remember that rest is hugely important and that without letting your brain rest, you cannot be at your most effective. 

Creating distance between yourself and the problem you might be facing can also be useful. By letting an idea sit, you can find that a better one presents itself or you can develop it further. Take regular breaks when working and create a space for downtime. Remember that working smarter is preferable to working harder and that self-care is important for any effective learning or improvement process.

Want to design better group processes?

Over to you

Now we’ve explored some of the key problem solving skills and the problem solving steps necessary for an effective process, you’re ready to begin developing more effective solutions and leading problem solving workshops.

Need more inspiration? Check out our post on problem solving activities you can use when guiding a group towards a great solution in your next workshop or meeting. Have questions? Did you have a great problem solving technique you use with your team? Get in touch in the comments below. We’d love to chat!

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7 Surprising Ways Puzzles Are Good for Your Brain

Besides being fun, working on puzzles gives you a real mental workout..

(Ray Morgan / Shutterstock.com)

Puzzles are a great family activity or solo pastime. Whether your puzzle of choice is a 1,000-piece jigsaw, the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, a wood brain teaser, or a 3D mechanical puzzle, doesn't really matter because all puzzles share one key element, they power your brain.

The popularity of puzzles today in the digital age is part of a very long history.

Puzzles have existed in various forms since the time of the ancient world. Riddles are mentioned in the Bible, puzzle jugs date to the 1700 BCE in Cyprus, and magic squares were introduced in China around 700 BCE.

In modern times, jigsaw puzzles were invented by John Spilsbury in 1767, crossword puzzles were first published in newspapers in 1913, and the Rubik's Cube was created in 1974.

The types and varieties of puzzles are almost endless.

We all know that puzzles are incredibly beneficial for children because of the physical and cognitive brain skills they foster but did you know that adult brains can benefit from puzzles too?

There are seven specific ways that puzzles are good for your brain. So, clear off your coffee table, sharpen your pencils and get ready to boost your mind.

1. Puzzles Exercise Both Sides of Your Brain

The two hemispheres of your brain control different functions. The left side of your brain controls analytic and logical thinking and the right-side controls creativity. When you are working on puzzles, you are engaging both sides and giving your brain a real mental workout.

(Andrey_Popov / Shutterstock.com)

2.  They Improve Your Memory

Working on puzzles reinforce the connections between our brain cells  – and form new ones – so they are a great way to improve short-term memory . We use memory in the process of completing a jigsaw puzzle when we remember shapes, sizes, and pieces and visualize where they fit in. Studies have shown that the growth of new brain connections that are formed to help reduce the amount of brain damage in Alzheimer's patients.

(Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com)

3. They Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

The ability to solve problems and think critically is useful in almost any life situation and puzzles help us develop these skills. Since puzzles require us to take different approaches to solve them, we learn how to work by trial and error, formulate and test theories, and how to change tracks if not successful according to USA Today .

(Su_Gus / Shutterstock.com)

4. They Improve Visual and Spatial Reasoning

You need to be able to look at individual parts of a jigsaw puzzle, or available spaces in a crossword puzzle and figure out how to fit the pieces or words into their space. If done regularly, according to USA Today, this will improve your visual and spatial reasoning skills and that translates into being a better driver and can make you a Tetris-like packer (especially when loading your car to take a college-age child to school).

(Phovoir / Shutterstock.com)

5. They Enhance Your Mood

One of the brain benefits of puzzles is that they increase the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, memory, and concentration. Dopamine is released with every success as we solve the puzzle. No wonder puzzles are so much fun!

(Yekatseryna Netuk / Shutterstock.com)

6. They Lower Your Stress Levels

Puzzles invigorate our brains, but they are also very relaxing. While we are concentrating on how to solve the puzzle, our minds are only on one task and that encourages our brains to go into a meditative state. This leads to a better mindset and better stress coping skills.

(Jack Frog / Shutterstock.com)

7. They can Improve Your IQ Score

Since puzzles can improve our memory, concentration, vocabulary, and reasoning skills it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they also raise our IQs. A study at the University of Michigan showed that doing puzzles for at least 25 minutes a day can boost your IQ by 4 points.

(chrisdorney / Shutterstock.com)

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7 Ways To Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

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