Strategies for Creative Problem-Solving [Paperback]

H. Scott Fogler (Author), Steven E. LeBlanc (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0131793187 | ISBN-13: 978-0131793187

Designed to help problem solvers improve their street smarts, this hands-on guide examines the components of problem solving, and presents a series of graduated exercises — drawn from a variety of industrial applications — to familiarize, reinforce, challenge, and stretch readers creatively in the problem solving process. Leads readers step-by-step through a complete problem-solving process — from encountering an ill-defined problem to identifying the real problem, effectively exploring constraints, planning a robust approach, carrying it through to a viable solution, and then evaluating what has been accomplished. MARKETS: For students, new professionals, and practitioners.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Designed to help problem solvers improve their street smarts, this hands-on guide examines the components of problem solving, and presents a series of graduated exercises--drawn from a variety of industrial applications--to familiarize, reinforce, challenge, and stretch readers creatively in the problem solving process. Leads readers step-by-step through a complete problem-solving process-- from encountering an ill-defined problem to identifying the real problem, effectively exploring constraints, planning a robust approach, carrying it through to a viable solution, and then evaluating what has been accomplished.

From the Back Cover

Designed to help problem solvers improve their street smarts, this hands-on guide examines the components of problem solving, and presents a series of graduated exercises — drawn from a variety of industrial applications — to familiarize, reinforce, challenge, and stretch readers creatively in the problem solving process. Leads readers step-by-step through a complete problem-solving process — from encountering an ill-defined problem to identifying the real problem, effectively exploring constraints, planning a robust approach, carrying it through to a viable solution, and then evaluating what has been accomplished. MARKETS: For students, new professionals, and practitioners.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0131793187
• ISBN-13: 978-0131793187
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,450,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well organized, and entertaining intro to problem solving, August 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Strategies for Creative Problem-Solving (Paperback)

This is a systematic and well organized introduction. I used it with managers and students not just engineers. What was important was not just to follow an algorithmic approach but to imbue a way of thinking. It simply is not true that everyone has formed the discipline to use their mind following these or similar heuristics. We may stumble on them naturally, I agree. But for many people this is a useful revelation. In addition to the book, they have produced software to engage you in learning the problem strategies. Compared to many other books on the subject, this book has enough real world examples and strategies that it is not just pop psychology or wishful thinking or one more brainstrom with web-like diagrams.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Step 1: Think About Your Problem. Step 2: ????? Step 3: Profit., May 20, 2009

By 

B. P. Cleary (long beach, ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Strategies for Creative Problem Solving (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is absolutely not for engineers.

This review is for the first edition, but too much is wrong for the second edition to correct.

This book talks about taking risks and looking for paradigm shifts and synergizing your lateral-thinking hoobahooba MBA jargon nonsense. Its example of problem solving heuristic is

Define the Problem
Generate Solutions
Decide the Course of Action
Implement the Solution
Evaluate the Solution

Then it gives no concrete guidance on doing any of them. It actually suggests looking for wise employees ("Go talk to George" the cartoon owl) whose experience will include an existing solution. By that logic, it should explain how to hire people to just solve all our problems for us.

It is well organized; like a fourth grader's math book -- complete with pointless cartoon airplanes in the margins. The examples (as many business/marketing as engineering) have zero analysis, but instead jump non-sequitur to conclusions that, of course, support whatever vaporous jargon is on that page. It basically reads like a self-help seminar.

Amid ridiculous single-page introductions to flowcharts and fishbone diagrams, the only technique I found novel was the Duncker Diagram -- and I had to go to Google to get any details. In the end, some version of these tips might be useful to children, but this is not a guide to systematic problem solving. If you want a book on marketing-type creativity, I suggest How to Get Ideas. If you want structured problem solving techniques, I'm still looking for something better than Wikipedia.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, January 29, 2011

By 

michael - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Strategies for Creative Problem Solving (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

I purchased this text book and it is great book for the class that I am takeing. The book does a great job at breaking down the thought process behind solving problems. Explaining how we miss the solution to a problem by looking at the wrong part of the issue. Many times we over analyze things so much that we cant see the most simple things.