Problem-Solving Skills
Course Description Overview
Problem-Solving Skills (Second Edition) focuses on eliminating corporate problems. Approaches to problem solving are defined, along with traits of good problem solvers and the company cultures that influence them. The course focuses on the three phases of problem solving and breaks each phase into steps. Strategies are provided for individual problem solvers and problem-solving teams.
In this course, you will gain adaptable, specific tools for corporate problem solving.
You will:
- Identify problem-solving principles and barriers.
- Describe the impact of corporate culture on problem solving.
- Analyze a problem to approach it effectively.
- Generate potential solutions using creative and logical processes.
- Carry out and evaluate your solution.
- Build problem-solving teams through effective leadership.
This course is intended for business professionals or managers who would like to learn problem-solving techniques for a corporate environment.
To ensure your success, we recommend you have some level of work experience in any of a variety of organizational settings. You should also have general end-user computer and Internet skills. You may wish to take one of the following United States Career Campus courses or have equivalent knowledge:
- Using Microsoft® Windows® 10
- Microsoft® Office 365® Online (with Skype® for Business)
- Microsoft® Windows® 10
- Microsoft® Office 2016
- Any PDF reader
- An Internet browser (e.g., Microsoft Edge®, Google Chrome™, Mozilla® Firefox®)
- For remote students, a free online whiteboard tool or a free graphic program, such as Microsoft® Paint.
For this course, you will need one computer for the instructor. You might need one computer for each student if you want to do the writing activities in Lessons 3, 4, and 5 electronically instead of using paper and pencil.
Each computer will need the following minimum hardware configurations:
- 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
- 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- CD-ROM drive (if installing any software from a CD-ROM)
- Keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device)
- 1,024 x 768 resolution monitor recommended
- Network cards and cabling for local network access
- Internet access (contact your local network administrator)
- Printer (optional) or an installed printer driver
- Projection system to display the instructor's computer screen
Lesson 1: Problem-Solving Basics
Topic A: Identify Problem-Solving Opportunities
Topic B: Determine a Problem-Solving Approach
Lesson 2: Corporate Problem Solving
Topic A: Develop Traits of Problem Solvers
Topic B: Utilize Problem-Solving Cultures
Topic C: Overview of the Problem-Solving Process
Lesson 3: Identifying and Analyzing Problems
Topic A: Identify the Problem
Topic B: Analyze the Problem
Lesson 4: Committing to a Solution
Topic A: Generate Solution Options
Topic B: Choose the Best Solution
Lesson 5: Solving the Problem
Topic A: Sell Your Solution
Topic B: Implement the Chosen Solution
Topic C: Evaluate the Implemented Solution
Lesson 6: Problem-Solving Teams
Topic A: Build Positive Group Dynamics
Topic B: Lead a Problem-Solving Team