Problem Solving

What it does

This skill provides a collection of techniques to help analyze complex issues and generate potential solutions when facing roadblocks. It offers specific methods for breaking through stuck points, ranging from identifying the right approach when unsure where to start, to generating innovative ideas by forcing unrelated concepts together. The skill is designed to boost efficiency and improve decision-making capabilities by offering structured problem-solving approaches.

When to use it

• When you're unsure which problem-solving technique to apply initially (use "when-stuck").
• To generate breakthrough innovations by combining seemingly unrelated concepts ("collision-zone-thinking").
• To challenge existing assumptions and explore alternative solutions ("inversion-exercise").
• When recognizing similar issues across multiple domains, suggesting a universal principle at play ("meta-pattern-recognition").
• To evaluate the robustness of a solution under extreme conditions ("scale-game").
• When dealing with overly complex systems where simplification is needed ("simplification-cascades").

Key capabilities

• "When Stuck" Dispatch: A routing table to direct users to the most appropriate sub-skill based on their specific situation.
• Collision-Zone Thinking: Combining unrelated concepts to generate new insights through metaphor mixing.
• Inversion Exercise: Challenging assumptions by considering their opposites to reveal hidden constraints.
• Meta-Pattern Recognition: Identifying recurring patterns across multiple domains to find universal principles.
• Scale Game: Testing solutions at extreme scales (much larger or smaller) to identify fundamental truths and limitations.
• Simplification Cascades: Finding a single insight that eliminates the need for several components, streamlining processes.

Example prompts

• "I'm stuck on this problem; what should I do?"
• "Help me generate some innovative ideas by combining [concept A] with [concept B]."
• "What if the opposite were true about [assumption]? What would that mean?"

Tips & gotchas

• Start with the "when-stuck" sub-skill to determine the most appropriate problem-solving technique.
• The techniques often require creative thinking and a willingness to challenge conventional approaches.
• Consider using the “scale-game” when assessing solutions for production environments or large-scale applications.