Problem solving is the most essential skill of 21st century!

Personal and professional life have got significantly changed in the last 30-40years due to urbanization, technological innovations, and globalization. All these changes have brought so many positive and some negative stuff into our lives.

In the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) which is a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), genetic engineering, quantum computing, and many more, learning is a constant endeavor. And to be relevant to the 4IR industrial revolution our students need to build problem-solving skills to a better environment and human lives.

How to build problem-solving skills?

There are multiple problem-solving courses available online/offline for different age groups. In this blog, we are focusing only 6-21years age group students who are building their foundation to live successful personal and professional lives.

Identify the problem

In your Maths textbook, you must have observed “Solve problem”. Whenever you see any specific chapter-topic problem in your maths exercise, go deeper and identify the problem. Maths is all about addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division but most of the students and adults have maths phobia because it’s required problem-solving skills to identify the problem and then apply the formulae.

Understand the problem

In real life scenario as a coder or mathematician, you need to understand the problem before giving the solution. Likewise, as a student, whenever you come across any academic or personal problem, 1st try to understand it. For example, you have to build a mobile app to track bus students so you need to do the required detailing to understand AS-IS and TO-BE processes to ensure End User expectations are met.

Explore multiple solutions for the problem

Solutioning requires lots of practice and experience. And this is the reason your teachers and parents must be asking you to do lots of maths and coding practice. You need to be a smart problem solver who gets the desired solution with minimum steps, time & effort. As a coder, you may require to write smart code which improves the overall end-user experience. You start loving Maths, Science, or Coding when your concepts are cleared for a specific chapter & topic so always emphasize understanding the concept before suggesting the solution.

Always focus on the application while solving the problem

With reference to the above mobile app example to track bus students, as a coder you need to prepare a detailed project plan to implement the solution. Follow the below steps:

  1. Prepare AS IS process
  2. Have multiple meetings with all the users who are part of AS IS & TO BE processes
  3. Understand end user pain points
  4. Prepare TO BE process
  5. Involve all the users while developing the application
  6. Explore multiple options while following the Software Development Life Cycle(SDLC)

Similarly while solving any maths problem, follow the below steps

  1. 1st understand the problem
  2. Do require detailing to break the problem in small pieces
  3. Apply correct formulae
  4. Be cautious while doing addition / subtraction / multiplication / division
  5. Review your working before making the conclusion

To be a smart technical problem solver, you need to be a good STEM student and a coding foundation will help you. Always focus to understand specific chapter-topic concepts to be a genuine coder.

Happy Coding…

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