Complex solutions for complex problems

Temasek Defence Systems InstituteTemasek Defence Systems Institute

Complex solutions for complexproblems

Dr Joseph E. Kasser, DSc, CEng, FIET, CM, CMALT

Visiting Associate Professor, TDSI

National University of Singapore, Block E1, #05-05

1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576

Email [email protected]

Handphone +65 9776 7464, Skype: Prof_G3ZCZ

Web page http://www.therightrequirement.com

The Third International Symposium on EngineeringSystems

June 18-20 2012Delft, The Netherlands

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Topics• Problems and problem solving

• Classification of problems

• Problem classification matrix

• Solving non-complex problems

• Solving complex problems

• Systems approach

• Questions and discussion

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Problems and problem solving

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ConvertsUndesirable situation

ToDesirable situation


Classification of problems• Level of difficulty of the problem

• Research and intervention problems

• Structure of the problem

• Complexity of the problem

• Others

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Levels of difficulty• Easy - can be solved in a short time with very little thought.

• Medium - can be solved after some thought, may take a fewmore steps to solve than an easy problem and can probably besolved without too much difficulty, perhaps after somepractice.

• Ugly - will take a while to solve. Solving them involves a lotof thought, many steps and may require the use of severaldifferent concepts.

• Hard - usually involve dealing with one or more unknowns.Solving them involves a lot of thought and some research andmay also require iteration through the problem solving processas learning takes place 5


Research problems• The undesirable situation is the inability to explain

observations of phenomena or the need for someparticular knowledge. In this situation:– the solution is the knowledge often in the form of the

supported hypothesis,

– the problem is how to gain the needed knowledge, and

– the problem solving process is commonly known asthe scientific method, and works forwards

• from the current situation towards a future changed situation inwhich the knowledge has been acquired.

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Intervention problems• The undesirable situation is when something needs to be

changed over a period of time into a feasible conceptualfuture desired situation (FCFDS). In this situation:– the solution is the FCFDS,

– the problem is how to realize a smooth and timely transition from the currentsituation to the FCFDS, and

– the problem solving process first uses the research problem solving processworking forwards, selects the best one, and then works backwards to thecurrent problematic situation to document:

• the FCFDS, and

• the realization plans documented as a forward process starting from thecurrent situation and ending with the deployment of the FCFDS.

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Structure of the problem• Well-structured

– the existing undesired situation and the desired futuresituation are clearly identified.

– may have a single solution or sometimes more than onecorrect solution.

• Ill-structured– either or both the existing undesired situation and the

desired future situation are unclear

• Wicked– extremely ill-structured problems

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Complexity of the problem• Number of issues, functions, or variables

involved in the problem;

• Degree of connectivity among thosevariables;

• Type of functional relationships amongthose properties;

• Stability among the properties of theproblem over time

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Problem classification matrix

Wicked Here be dragons

(there are no solutions)Ill-structuredWell-

structured Simple ComplicatedNon-complex

Easy Medium Ugly Hard

Level of difficulty

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Solving non-complex problems• Easy well-structured problems

– Simple problems requiring little if any research before creating thesolution.

• Medium well-structured problems– Less simple requiring some research before creating the solution.

• Ugly well-structured problems– Complicated yet require little if any research before creating the

solution.

• Hard well-structured non-complex problems– Complicated and require research before creating the solution.

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Solving complex problems-1• Well-structured complex problems

– consist of a set of interconnected well-structured non-complexproblems

– the remedy to one may affect another, these problems cannot besolved in one pass thorough the problem solving process.

– must remedied by evolving a solution using multiple passes of theproblem solving process where each iteration produces a better(less undesirable) situation.

– one party’s remedy may be another party’s undesirable situationand foster further change.

• Makes it more complicated

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Solving complex problems-2• Ill-structured complex problems.

– These problems cannot be solved.

– They need to be converted to well-structured problemsbefore attempting to provide solutions.

– Different people convert ill-structured problems intodifferent and sometimes contradictory well-structuredproblems and which would generate different andsometimes contradictory solutions.

• Wicked Problems.– The fundamental paradox with respect to Wicked

Problems is that there are no such problems. 13


Systems approach to dealing withproblems

Observeand think

Formulatehypothesis

Testhypothesis

Research

RefutedSupported

8 Descriptive STPs*

Scientific STP*

* Kasser and Mackley, 200814


Remedying complex problems1. Convert the ill-structured complex problem to a well-

structured problem.

2. Convert the well-structured complex problem to a set ofwell-structured non-complex problems that provide partialsolutions to the complex problem.

3. Realize a partial solution to the complex problem byremedying one or more of the non-complex problems.

4. Reexamine the undesirability of the changed situation.

5. Go back to step 1.

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Summary• Problems and problem solving

• Classification of problems

• Problem classification matrix

• Solving non-complex problems

• Solving complex problems

• Systems approach

• Questions and discussion

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Questionsor

comments

Questionsor

comments

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Documents

Complex solutions for complex problems