Full of tools, tricks, and tips for solving problems in the real world, this book serves as an ideal training manual for those who are new to or intimidated by quantitative analysis and acts as an excellent refresher for those who have more experience but want to improve the quality of their data, the clarity of their graphics, and the cogency of their arguments. In addition to containing numerous updates to the contents—references, URLs, and reading lists—this second edition includes a new foreword, revised chapters, and an epilogue. Mastering the art of problem solving takes more than proficiency with basic calculations; it requires understanding how people use information, recognizing the importance of ideology, learning the art of storytelling, and acknowledging the important distinction between facts and values. Intended for executives, professors, and students, this guide addresses these and other essential skills.
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"There is nothing else like this book out there. Nobody who deals with problems where numbers matter — and everybody in today’s world really needs to — should be without it." —John P. Holdren, past president, American Association for the Advancement of Science, from the Foreword
"A lively, well-written, attractively packaged book on the art of critical thinking." —Skeptical Inquirer
"Dr. Koomey's book deserves to be widely read and shared, especially by those who take seriously the fragile yet critical role of an informed citizenry in increasingly complex democratic societies." —Professor Michael Maniates, Allegheny College
From the Author
This book grew out of my experience in training analysts whom I've hired in the past decade. It is written for beginning problem solvers in business, government, consulting, and research professions, and for students of business and public policy. It is also intended for supervisors of such analysts, professors, and entrepreneurs (who may not consider themselves analysts but who need to create analyses to justify their business plans to potential investors). Finally, it covers many topics that journalists who focus on scientific or business topics will find useful.
I’ve included cartoons and other amusing graphics, as well as quotes and examples galore. The chapters are short and to the point, with plenty of further reading in the back for readers who want to explore further. I hope that any person who takes an intelligent interest in the world will enjoy it and find it useful. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
115 of 118 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I was expecting a book about quantitative methods and advanced problem solving techniques. What I got, instead, was a book that didn't even discuss numbers until page 111 of a 221 page book, and it was lite on problem solving techniques. Although it was not what I expected it turned out to be one of those rare books that deeply influences and provides fresh perspectives. The book led me on a journey that broke the process of critical thinking into manageable steps. Among the things I learned were:
* Examine key factors, such as information, attention and action within the context of a cycle of actions that begins with goals, and moves through execution, how events in the external world influence the meeting of those goals, an evaluation and refinement of goals. Then the process starts anew.
* Structured methods for getting organized. The techniques given are simple, yet powerful.How to collect and critically analyze data and information, common fallacies and how to spot them. Two of my favorite parts that reinforce these are then single-page chart titled "What Scientists Say, and What They Mean", and Chapter 20 (Uncertainty Principle and the Mass Media).
* The straightforward process of numerical analysis, using relatively simple math techniques to make sense of numbers and turn them into knowledge, is priceless. What makes this part of the book valuable is that the author integrates the preceding chapters that lead you to a critical thinking mindset with common sense and techniques that are within the grasp of high school students. It looks easy, but is testimony to the author's exceptional ability to communicate and inspire.
Overall this book is one of my personal favorites and one that I recommend to colleagues. Another book that complements this one nicely is Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity by Jamshid Gharajedaghi.
86 of 88 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In his role as leader of the End-Use Forecasting Group in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Jonathan Koomey is professionally concerned with using numbers from many different sources to gain knowledge about where markets for energy-efficient technologies may be headed. It's an approach called quantitative problem solving.
"Although the technical aspects of this process are taught at many universities, the art of problem solving is rarely discussed and even more rarely written down," Koomey notes in the preface. His goal is to amend that lack, helping the reader "to become a first-rate analyst in your chosen field."
"Your chosen field" covers a lot of ground, and while the book delivers on Koomey's promise, much of the pleasure of reading it comes from his eccentric definition of both his topic and his audience. Not a textbook -- or not just a textbook -- "Turning Numbers into Knowledge" is aimed at students and professors alike; at problem solvers in business, government, and research; at middle managers and potential investors; and even at journalists.
Beginning with a chapter titled "Beginner's Mind" and including others titled "Question Authority" and "Reflect," one might think Koomey's book could have been named "Zen and the Art of Statistical Analysis." But it's also full of technical advice, in chapters like "Let Tables and Graphs Do the Work," "Use the Internet," and many more.
In fact Koomey has organized his topics thoughtfully, beginning with considerations of why anyone, professional or amateur, would undertake quantitative analysis. Koomey's bottom-line answer is that it helps us manage a runaway information explosion, which otherwise can lead to paralysis through overload or the opposite, a refusal to learn anything new. He then moves on to the mental preparation needed for problem solving, consideration of common pitfalls, critical thinking, and finally to nitty-gritty techniques.
In the first chapter, "Beginner's Mind," Koomey reminds the reader that "experience is a two-edged sword. It eliminates unnecessary detail," but it can also "lead you astray when a new problem is sufficiently outside your experience." What's needed, he says, is a combination of curiosity -- the nonjudgmental observation of the beginner -- with the experience of a senior analyst.
He makes his point with Bruce Lee's amusing parable of the Zen master and the Western university professor who came to inquire about Zen but never stopped talking about what he already knew. During a pause in the monologue, the master suggested tea. He poured his visitor's cup full and kept on pouring and pouring until finally the professor protested: "No more will go in!" Noting that professor's mind was like his tea cup, the master asked "How can I show you Zen unless you empty your cup?"
Later, in the chapter "Question Authority," Koomey allows that sometimes following authority is essential -- in military maneuvers, for example -- but that most life situations aren't like that. Appeals to anonymous authority are immediately suspect; so are expert pronouncements by experts in an unrelated field, or those with a vested interest in the outcome. Koomey cites the "expert" testimony of researchers funded by tobacco companies who found no evidence that smoking had adverse health effects. He warns that while information on the internet is particularly susceptible to a lack of institutional validity, "any source can propagate nonsense."
In an exercise from a subsequent chapter, "How guesses become facts," Koomey suggests that the reader "Find an official statistic that sounds plausible and explore its origins. Do you still find it plausible after you've investigated?" It's an exercise Koomey himself has undertaken more than once, notably with the 1998 claim that the internet was consuming eight percent of total U.S. electricity production and was well on its way to consuming half. Koomey discovered that the numbers were based on bad measurements, bad assumptions, and outright guesses -- none of which prevented them from becoming enshrined as fact before Koomey's team did their best to set things straight.
In summing up, Koomey lists a dozen lessons to remember, among them "Don't be intimidated," "Get organized," "Document, document, document," and "Remember that others don't care as much about your work as you do" -- an invitation to know and persuade one's audience. It's sound advice, cheerfully and colorfully delivered by a man who knows what he's talking about, and of value to all sorts of readers -- whether or not they intend to ever crunch a single number.
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The subtitle of this book is slightly misleading. This isn't so much about problem solving as about information literacy, learning to do your research and think about the credibility of your sources. The book is presented in an enjoyable format, with very short chapters (2-4 pages) on each subject consisting of an anecdote or two, a few quotes, and perhaps a comic. It also cites a wide variety of references for readers who want to learn about the topics in greater depth.
But aside from a few enjoyable stories, this book didn't teach me anything that I hadn't already picked up by the end of college. There is a great deal of commonsensical advice, like "Next time you find yourself resisting a new idea, take a deep breath and try to see the other point of view," plus outright fluff, like "After deciding what to do, you must follow through with action" and "Science and technology are a critical part of modern life." This might be an excellent primer for high schoolers, but based on the blurbs I was expecting something more advanced.
But aside from a few enjoyable stories, this book didn't teach me anything that I hadn't already picked up by the end of college. There is a great deal of commonsensical advice, like "Next time you find yourself resisting a new idea, take a deep breath and try to see the other point of view," plus outright fluff, like "After deciding what to do, you must follow through with action" and "Science and technology are a critical part of modern life." This might be an excellent primer for high schoolers, but based on the blurbs I was expecting something more advanced.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
think and learn better
I learned a lot and enjoyed reading Jonathan Koomey's book as I also did from David Perkin's Outsmarting IQ. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ali Moharr
Basic info about numbers
There were a few good concepts described in the book, but overall there wasn't much that I haven't heard elsewhere.
Published 15 months ago by James Dunn
Lucid&Usesful
This is a wonderful book. It is lucid, readable, and gives really good adivce. Some of this I had already discovered on my own. Other bits were new to me. Read more
Published 16 months ago by David H
For Advancement of Essential Analytical Skills and Standards in All...
How to separate the fluff from the real stuff.
How to develop better everyday as well as serious career and research oriented analytical skills. Read more
How to develop better everyday as well as serious career and research oriented analytical skills. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Edmon Begoli
Outstanding!
Outstanding-- I read this book twice: an inspectional (superficial) read to gain an understanding of the concepts, then analytically. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Annalisa Adams-Qualtiere
Useless
easy book...and useless! Full of platitudes. A strange mix of Theory and Practice that do not provide you any value added. The content does not meet the expectations.
Published 21 months ago by Milko Volanti
Highly overrated.
There is extremely little in this book that (a) pertains to the title and (b) is not plain commonsense. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Book Lover
Smallest subtance, nicely packaged
I was very surprised by the gap between my expectations, based on the smart title and the well organized table of contents, and the lack of relevant content of this book. Read more
Published on March 9, 2010 by Federico Longo
Just kicking open doors
This book deserves some merit as a summary of important ideas. Nevertheless it is not worth the investment of money and time because the ideas of the author are as obvious and... Read more
Published on December 21, 2009 by Sven Vermeulen
Good primer to problem solving
Professor Koomey's little book on problem solving is well done. The book is organized as if he were answering a question from a novice, "how" and Koomey takes the reader through... Read more
Published on November 23, 2009 by J. Scott Shipman
Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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assess their analysis, refinery acquisition cost, tax collection data, dig into the numbers, imported crude oil Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cycle of Action, World Wide Web, Census Bureau, New Mexico, Statistical Abstract, South Carolina, Jonathan Koomey, Microsoft Excel, Energy Information Administration, Jan Dec, All Rights Reserved, Google Base, Beginner's Mind, Critical Thinking, The New York Times, Show Me the Numbers, San Francisco, Lower Mississippi, The Design of Everyday Things, Mutual Fun, Edward Tufte Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
assess their analysis, refinery acquisition cost, tax collection data, dig into the numbers, imported crude oil Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Cycle of Action, World Wide Web, Census Bureau, New Mexico, Statistical Abstract, South Carolina, Jonathan Koomey, Microsoft Excel, Energy Information Administration, Jan Dec, All Rights Reserved, Google Base, Beginner's Mind, Critical Thinking, The New York Times, Show Me the Numbers, San Francisco, Lower Mississippi, The Design of Everyday Things, Mutual Fun, Edward Tufte Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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