Approaches to Problem-Solving

Stuck on a problem at work?

When you're stuck, take a break and adjust your mindset. Grab a glass of water, go for a short walk, relax — then think about whether there's something you might have overlooked or if there's another solution.

How should I solve this problem?

1. Learn to search

   • Keywords

   • Multiple keywords

   • Include a date

   • Include a specific community

   • Use the site: operator

2. Advanced search methods

   • Search in English (Bing, Google — many English documents and articles have very clear and well-structured content)
   • Video platforms (http://www.youtube.com/ (opens new window), http://egghead.io (opens new window))
   • Cloud drive search
   • Specify file extension

3. Seek help

   • Ask classmates

   • Ask colleagues

   • Ask friends

   • Ask the community (opens new window)

4. Think outside the box — divergent problem-solving

   • Ask the original author?
   • Send an email/tweet/Facebook message?
   • Ask your boss for resources?
   • Join a public community for discussion?
   • ...