The goal and context

The goal of this project is to create an algorithm that could be used to identify and resolve problems properly, this algorithm will consist of different algorithms or advices, this algorithm will help people to identify and resolve problems in a more systematic way than just improvising, and obviously providing more accurate and compatible solutions.

Global context: Inquiry into Globalization and Sustainability

The impact of decision-making on humankind and the environment

I have chosen he impact of decision-making on humankind and the environment as the context for my project, because my system will propose the best solutions for the humanity but also for the environment

Previous knowledge

My teacher once told me that engineers are people that resolve problems, and I want to become an engineer, so I took his words into the account, and when I was told to do this project I decided to do something that would be related to my future job, so I decided to do it about resolving problems using an algorithm. And obviously I needed information to be able to create a proper algorithm. When I asked my mom, she told me that Einstein once said:

“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it”

So I understood the importance of the identification of the problem.

Then I checked an article of Harvard Business Review where I obtained new information about the topic, they offered their own algorithm that I resumed:

Step 1 Identify the need for the solution

Goal: Formulate the problem as easily as possible.

Before looking for solutions, we must understand what we really want to do.

Decide what is the result we want to obtain.

Find out who benefits from resolving this issue, and investigate why it wasn't resolved sooner.

Step 2 Justify the need

Goal: Explain why our organization must solve the problem.

It is necessary to understand if the problem is related to the activity of the organization.

What does the organization want to achieve and how will it be measured?

It is also important that someone takes responsibility for the project, and you have to start thinking about the resources that will be needed.

Step 3 Contextualize the problem

Goal: find out what they have tried before.

It is necessary to know what the organization itself tried before and understand why it did not work.

It is also necessary to explore what was attempted in other countries.

It is necessary to understand the limitations that exist to solve the problem.

Step 4 Write the statement of the problem.

Goal: describe the problem in detail and define the criteria for evaluating the result.

Divide the problem into several elements.

Understand what the solution has to comply with.

See what specialists from outside we can attract.

The formulation of the problem has to be concrete but avoid very technical things and indicate what was tried before.

What do outside solvers have to teach, you have to define it.

You also have to motivate them with money.

Fixed criteria must be defined for the evaluation of the solution.

After that I began to understand how my algorithm should approximately look like. But I still needed more sources of information so I found the Design Thinking Process that I also resumed into:

Stage 1 Empathize

You have to make a user-centric research in order to understand what they need and what problems they have

Stage 2 Define

You have to define the problem after analyzing the information that you obtained previously, the problem statement must be done in human-centered manner

Stage 3 Ideate

You have to generate ideas that can be solutions for your problem. Start to look at the problems from different perspectives and ideate innovative solutions to your problem statement

Stage 4 Prototype

We have to produce inexpensive versions of the product to investigate key solutions. The aim of this stage is to identify the best solution for each problem that we found earlier. After this stage we will understand our limitations.

Stage 5 Test

It is important to test the complete product and allow people try it out, so we get immediate feedback

It is non-linear process, that means that the stages can be repeated, or be done simultaneously, or after the test you will understand that you have to change something so you will have to go back to brainstorming (stage 3)