Solving complex problems requires both specialist and generalist skills.
If you're like most professionals I see, much of your training helped you develop specialist skills. But how did you develop your generalist skills, that is, your strategic thinking? These skills, the thinking seems to go, we can acquire on the job, by trial and error.
That's fine, but training by trial and error can be expensive. As an alternative, this site provides ideas to help you become a better strategic thinker.
1
Frame the problem
Start with framing the problem; that is, critically assess whether what we perceive to be the problem is indeed the problem we ought to solve, using these insights to formally specify what the problem is and, equally important, what it isn't.
2
Explore solutions
Next, explore potential solutions beyond whichever occurs to you intuitively. Also, explore the decision criteria—what's important to the decision stakeholders.
3
Decide on a solution
Finally, decide on your chosen solution—identify which solution has, on balance, the best tradeoffs and bring your team/boss/client onboard.
