Understand the Problem
This
is the single greatest insight can you have about
problem solving. Too often in our quests for an
answer, we come up empty handed or with the wrong
solution in hand because we failed to fully
understand the problem.
Left AND Right Brain Together
The
most effective problem solving uses both sides of
the brain in a partnership. The "left brain", with
its logical toolbox, can structure a large problem
into solvable components or at least isolate the
issues. When properly channeled, the creativity of
the "right brain" can then be most productively put
to work. Once a creative insight has been made, the
left brain can go back to work developing it or
confirming it. (Of course, brain lateralization is
much more subtle and complex, but the popular
terminology serves a useful purpose for thinking
about problem solving.)
Rationalization
Humans
have an amazing ability to rationalize. You need to
recognize and resist this with all your might. If
there is a conflict between two ideas or two sets
of data, there's often something worth
investigating. A great example of this is told
in
The Cuckoo's
Egg
where an accounting discrepancy of less than a
dollar in Berkeley resulted in the capture of spies
in Germany.