Entry

Problem solving: Method: Reduction: What is 'possible cause elimination' problem solving method?

Oct 12th, 2003 08:13
Knud van Eeden,

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--- Knud van Eeden --- 08 October 2020 - 00:03 am --------------------
Problem solving: Method: Reduction: What is 'possible cause 
elimination' problem solving method?
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The checklist elimination or 'possible cause elimination' problem
solving method:
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 1. put down a list of probable causes
 2. test every cause, deleting the very unprobable causes
    until you are left with the probable solution(s).
 3. if the tested cause gives:
    1. some change, in the state of the problem, then investigate
       further
    2. no change, in the state of the problem, then possibly leave it
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This is a special cases of the heuristic method of 'reduction':
You simplify the problem by reducing the total amount of possibilities,
here by elimination, that is you take away possibilities that seem
to have no influence.
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This 'possible cause elimination' problem solving method is a something
which you are using yourself in one or another way almost daily to
solve a variety of problems in different areas (e.g. debugging,
solving hardware problems, ...).
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e.g.
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If the Internet page can not be loaded:
Steps: Overview:
 1. -Make a list of possible causes
     (e.g.
     1. server
     2. proxy address
     3. internet down
     4. telephone or cable connection connection
     5. modem
     ...
 2. -Order it according probability
     (e.g. proxy address is the most probable, so test this first)
 3. -Test until found:
     1. -start with the first probable cause and investigate (when it
         is obviously not applicable, that is *no change* is detected,
         then eliminate this cause)
         e.g. conection from another computer on the network
              to the same proxy address has the same problem,
              so no change in the state of the problem,
              so it is probably not the proxy.
        -Analog for the second cause, third cause, ...
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Put in another way:
Problem solving method: Checklist elimination method:
Make a list of probable causes, so state some hypothesis, and accept or
reject the causes one after the other until correct cause found.
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Possible causes:
 -cause1: test and accept (if some change) or reject (if no change) as 
a
  possible cause for this problem
 -cause2: test and accept (if some change) or reject (if no change) as
  a possible cause for this problem
 ...
 -causelast: test and accept (if some change) or reject (if no change)
  as a possible cause for this problem
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Internet: see also:
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Problem solving: Method: Means-ends analysis: What is means-ends 
analysis?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25270/fid/1242
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Problem solving: Method: 'Comparison working system' problem solving 
method
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25401/fid/1242]
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