"Imagine Jo is tasked with planning a virtual seminar for 300 people. She feels momentarily flustered at the scale, but then she considers how she'd plan a seminar for three people. She realizes the ingredients for success are mostly the same in both scenarios. We all learn the skill of visualizing smaller problems when we're learning math. To understand how math works, we need to first think of simpler scenarios."
"2. Recognize Transferable Thinking Patterns We can pick up problem-solving strategies from all around us. Here are some examples of how this works: You notice how a mechanic identifies a problem by the noise. You realize there are parallels with recognizing when you're running roughshod. The way a museum arranges exhibits to control walking flow inspires how you structure documents or meetings."
Jo exemplifies an intuitive problem solver who built a large toolkit to handle challenges calmly. Developing similar instincts requires breaking large problems into smaller, familiar versions to reveal core mechanics and translating problems into numbers for clearer intuition. Problem-solving improves by transferring thinking patterns across fields, such as noticing diagnostic cues or environmental design and applying them to other contexts. Information without immediate use should be valued because it may become essential later. Repeated practice of these habits builds mental models and transferable strategies that make complex problems more manageable.
Read at Psychology Today
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