What is learned in “Information I” is not limited to knowledge. The main goal is to develop the ability to use information and information technology to solve problems in our surroundings and society. In this lesson, we will study the problem-solving process and representative methods for generating and organizing ideas.
What Is a “Problem”?
In problem solving, a problem is not merely “something troublesome”; it is defined as the “gap between the ideal state (what should be) and reality.” For example, if the ideal is “I want to score 80 points on a test” but the current reality is 60 points, the 20-point difference is the problem. The advantage of this definition is that clarifying the ideal makes clear what must be solved. Problem solving generally proceeds through a series of processes: ① clarifying the problem (putting the ideal and reality into words), ② collecting and analyzing information (searching for causes), ③ developing solutions (creating and comparing multiple ideas), ④ implementation, and ⑤ evaluation and improvement. The idea of continuously repeating this cycle is also known as the PDCA cycle (Plan → Do → Check → Action).
Expanding Ideas — Brainstorming
When developing solutions, it is important to produce many ideas first. Brainstorming is a method in which a group exchanges ideas, and it has four principles. ① No criticism (do not reject other people’s ideas); ② freewheeling (welcome unusual ideas); ③ quantity over quality (produce as many ideas as possible); and ④ combination and improvement (build on other people’s ideas). Criticism is prohibited in order to prevent people from speaking less because they fear evaluation.
Organizing Ideas — The KJ Method and Others
A representative method for organizing ideas is the KJ method, developed by cultural anthropologist Jiro Kawakita. Write one idea on each card, group cards with similar content, add headings to the groups, and diagram the relationships among groups to discover the structure. To systematically search for causes, a cause-and-effect diagram (fishbone diagram) organizes causes of a result in the shape of fish bones. A mind map, which expands thought radially, is also useful. When comparing solutions, be aware of the trade-off in which gaining one thing means losing another (for example, improving quality increases cost). Deciding evaluation criteria such as cost, effectiveness, and feasibility and comparing the choices in a table enables evidence-based decision-making.
Using Data and Information Technology
Data, not intuition, improves the quality of problem solving. Causes and solutions can be evaluated objectively by tabulating surveys, consulting public statistics, and visualizing information with graphs. In recent years, information technology itself has increasingly become a problem-solving tool, such as using generative AI as a brainstorming partner. However, AI output may contain errors, so it is essential to check the evidence and leave the final decision to humans.
- A problem is the gap between the ideal and reality. First clarify the ideal.
- Problem-solving process: clarification → collection and analysis → planning → implementation → evaluation and improvement (PDCA).
- Four brainstorming principles: no criticism, freewheeling, quantity over quality, and combination and improvement.
- The KJ method structures information through making cards, grouping them, and diagramming them.
- When comparing solutions, consider trade-offs, set evaluation criteria, and compare them in a table.
- Data-based analysis and evaluation make problem solving persuasive.
Practice Questions
- State the definition of “problem” in problem solving and express the situation “I tend to be late for school in the morning” in terms of the ideal and reality.
- List the four principles of brainstorming and explain why “no criticism” is required.
- Explain the KJ method in three steps.
- Explain the trade-off in the choice between making a luxurious menu at a school-festival food stall and prioritizing speed of service, and state how the decision should be made.
Answers and Explanations
- Answer: A problem is the “gap between the ideal state (what should be) and reality.” Example: ideal = arrive in the classroom 10 minutes before the start of school; reality = arrive after the start of school about twice a week. This gap is the problem to be solved.
Explanation: The key is to state the ideal and reality concretely, preferably with numbers. Without setting an ideal, the goal of the solution cannot be determined. - Answer: The four principles are ① no criticism, ② freewheeling, ③ quantity over quality, and ④ combination and improvement. No criticism is required because criticism makes participants fear evaluation and hesitate to speak, reducing free thinking and the number of ideas.
Explanation: The purpose of brainstorming is to produce many ideas. Evaluation and selection are done later; separating these stages is the essential idea. - Answer: ① Write ideas or information on cards, one item per card. ② Gather cards with similar content, form groups, and give each group a heading. ③ Diagram the relationships among groups using lines or placement, and interpret the overall structure and essence.
Explanation: The three stages are “card creation → grouping → diagramming.” In the KJ method, grouping means finding natural connections from the card content rather than classifying according to preconceived ideas. - Answer: A luxurious menu can increase satisfaction, but it takes longer to prepare, reducing service speed and turnover and causing lost sales opportunities. Prioritizing speed allows service to more customers, but lowers the appeal and price per meal. These goals are difficult to achieve together and involve a trade-off. The decision should be made by clarifying the objective (maximizing sales or satisfaction), comparing multiple options according to criteria such as price, service time, and expected number of customers, and then selecting one.
Explanation: The main grading points are identifying concretely how one choice sacrifices the other and mentioning the procedure of setting objectives and evaluation criteria before comparing options.