Using mindmaps to tackle any problem - STEPS framework

As science and technology continue to advance, it becomes increasingly essential to possess excellent problem-solving capabilities. Developing and enhancing problem-solving skills will help in facing the challenging problems ahead.

Using an example in problem-solving, I have outlined the five steps to follow when approaching any problem.

- Problem-Solving
  - Step 1: State and visualize the problem
  - Step 2: Think and brainstorm the problem for 5 - 15 mins
  - Step 3: Establish plans and analyze the next steps
  - Step 4: Propose and review the time and the associated time cost
  - Step 5: Set a time limit and focus on the process

Step 1: It is essential to state the problem so that you have a clear goal in mind for performing great work. Something concrete and written will help you outline the next steps. This will also act as gravity, and all your efforts should be directed towards arriving at a solution.

Step 2: Once you have clear statement of the problem, start with brainstorming (5-15 minutes) on different approaches that might help you. If you are totally lost, start with quick online research. If there is a time constraint you can seek professional help. Depending on your bandwidth and experience, you might spend more time during this phase. The idea is not to jump directly to a candidate solution, but to have a structured and planned outline.

Step 3: After you have a significant outline from previous steps, you will analyze and plan the tasks strategically. The idea is to divide this step into sub-steps and concentrate on creating a sub-level outline. In short, use divide-and-conquer to create chunks and conquer them individually.

Step 4: Once you have a detailed outline as shown in the figure below, you can allot an estimate time to accomplish your target. It is critical to consider the complexity (dependency) and scope of your problem. Do not forget to evaluate the total time cost associated with solving the given problem. If the time cost is greater than the threshold (which is the time limit you set based on your current situation), you might want to drop the current problem and move on to the next one. When your situation changes, you may want to revisit the problem.

Step 5: It is paramount you set a time limit to achieve your goal. Knowing the deadline will help you focus better on the task. You do not need to worry too much about the result.

- Problem-Solving
  - Step 1: State the problem
    - To make the text on the biography and blog post section of my website justified
  - Step 2: Think and brainstorm the problem for 5 - 15 mins
    - Justify text
      - Text on a webpage is written in an HTML file type
      - Alignment and cosmetics of HTML are controlled via CSS
      - Find the HTML file for the 'biography' div block property
      - Find the CSS file responsible for setting the style property of the div block
  - Step 3: Establish plans and analyze the next steps
    - Find the HTML file for text and page/section style
    - Find the CSS file responsible for setting the style in HTML
    - Take help from Copilot or ChatGPT AI if needed
  - Step 4: Propose and review the time and the associated time cost 
    - Consider the complexity and scope of the issue
    - If time + offset > threshold, prioritize
  - Step 5: Set a time limit and focus on the process
    - Ensure the steps make sense and follow a planned approach

Finally, I have followed STEPS (State problem, Think and brainstorm, Establish plan and analyze, Propose and review time (cost), Set a time limit) framework as an example to solve the problem of text alignment on my website. You can find the details in the mindmap above. Mindmaps serve as a detailed outline of the steps proposed for problem-solving. It is important to note the process in the mindmap I followed to solve the problem and not the problem itself. When addressing your own problem, consider using the STEPS process for an efficient outcome. Obtaining the final version of a mindmap is an iterative process, and it’s likely you will need to refine it through various steps.

I hope this post will help you develop a streamlined approach to problem-solving.😄

You can cite this post using:

@misc{anshumankumar20240124,
  author = {Kumar, Anshuman},
  title = {{Using mindmaps to tackle any problem - STEPS framework}},
  howpublished = "\url{https://www.dranshuman.me/post/steps_framework/}",
  date = {2024-01-24}
}