Always have a plan
Think strategically, plan and scan the problem, try to find easy wins — the lowest hanging fruit(s). Planning means not implementing anything! This will help with positive reinforcements, establishing comfort, and getting confidence going (much needed for freeing the mind + creative thinking).
Restate the problem
Formally state the problem in a different way. Here’s more info on that.
Divide the problem
Is the problem hiding in unrelated sub-problems, which when combined, give a solution to the original problem? These may be your hypotheses, so state them in the form of a question.
Start with what you know
Partial working solutions may spark ideas about the rest of the problem.
Reduce the problem
If it’s unsolvable, reduce scope by either adding or removing constraints. This is super powerful! Doing so means reducing the time and complexity it takes to resolve the issue.
Originally published on Medium.com.