Entry

Problem solving: Method: Means-ends analysis: What is the 'Means-ends analysis' method?

May 2nd, 2008 07:21
Knud van Eeden, Sakir Ali,

----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Knud van Eeden --- 09 October 2020 - 01:38 am --------------------
---
Problem solving: Method: Means-ends analysis: What is the 'Means-ends 
analysis' method?
---
Here 'Means'-'End' means:
'Means' = the different 'means' you can possibly
          use to solve that problem
'Ends' = the 'end' goals of that problem
---
Herbert Simon model of problem solving:
 Characteristics of problems:
 1. PROBLEM SPACE (all possible configurations)
 2. PROBLEM STATE (the particular configuration)
 3. Key to solving a problem is to choose the right OPERATORS
    (processes applied to change the configuration)
 4. Problem solving is a search process:
    Each action takes us from one part of the problem space to another
---
Means-ends analysis: Steps:
 1. Note the difference between the current state
    and the goal state
 2. Create an achievable intermediate state (subgoal)
    that will reduce this difference
 3. Select and apply a suitable operator to move
    to the intermediate state
---
In means-ends analysis, the problem solver compares the present
situation with the goal, detects a difference between them, and then
searches memory for actions that are likely to reduce the difference.
---
So means-ends analysis is combination of forward and backward
strategies.
Compare your current state with the goal and choose an action to bring
you closer to the goal.
Generally break a problem down into smaller sub
goals.
Continuously set new subgoals to shorten the distance between the
current state and the final goal.
---
Ask yourself:
1. 'what is the difference between current state and end state?'
2. 'what can I do to reduce this difference'?
   1. Make a list of means for reducing this difference
---
For example:
If the difference is a fifty-mile distance from the goal, the problem
solver will retrieve from memory knowledge about autos, carts,
bicycles, and other means of transport; walking and flying will
probably be discarded as inappropriate for that distance.
---
---
For example:
Problem: How do you get to computer shop on the 3th floor, in 10th
street in New York if you do not know your way around the area?
Answer: You start by asking directions to 10th street, then you go to
the 3rd floor, then you ask where the computer shop is.
---
---
Note:
This method may not work if sub goals can not be defined.
---
---
Internet: see also:
---
Problem solving:
http://www.unc.edu/~jmccabe/Ch10notes.html
---
Problem solving: Herbert Simon
http://dieoff.org/page163.htm
---
Problem solving: Method: What is the 'possible cause elimination' 
problem solving method?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25258/fid/1242
---
Problem solving: Method: 'Comparison working system' problem solving 
method
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/25401/fid/1242]
---
Problem solving:
http://www.computing.surrey.ac.uk/courses/csm10/7_problem_solving.pdf
---
Problem solving:
http://psych.colorado.edu/~nole/Lecture23.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------