Introduction to Problem Solving

【Topic 1: Problem Solving.  Subtopic 1.1: Introduction to Problem Solving】

I studied operations research (OR) at MIT 45 years ago.  What is OR?  In simplified Chinese, it is called运筹学; in traditional Chinese, 作业研究.  To me, OR means research work to understand what a business problem is, why the problem arises, and how to solve it.  So, OR is about WHAT-WHY-HOW (WWH) of problem solving.  In fact, to solve problems, OR people are not the only ones, mathematicians, computer scientists, business managers, engineers, AI experts, or almost anybody has that experience.  However, to solve hard problems, there are knowledge and rules to follow.

The purpose of this introduction is to find out how artificial intelligence (AI) is able to computerize OR theories and practices, and in the near future, how quantum computer can help this computerization.  Specifically, we want to investigate how to make an artificial intelligence virtual machine (AIVM) for problem solving.  The concept of AIVM is not easily comprehensible, because of (a) the involved OR problem-solving theories / practices and (b) AIVM foundation using quantum concept.  Therefore, I hope the following subtopics can guide you from the easiest to the hardest concepts.  (1) I will start with Stephen Covey’s book “The 8th Habit” (2004) and borrow a few of his videos on the Youtube, so that you can better understand WHAT problem-solving is: an individual raises his or her own “VOICE” and an organization raises one merged “VOICE”, where VOICE is an idea to solve problem.  Since most of Covey books are best sellers in millions, it should be a good comprehensible start.  (2) I will guide you through McWhinney’s book “Path of Change” (1997) to understand WHY business problems arise: because of CHANGE or CHANGEABILITY of different stakeholder ideas (VOICEs) to be merged. (3) I will tell you HOW some methodologies are used to solve problems.  In particular, the purposeful systems developed by a great OR thinker Russell Ackoff in his book “On Purposeful Systems”.  This book is published in 1972.  Sounds old, but the book formulates problem-solving in mathematics.  So, it is a good start to computerize problem solving in a very basic sense.  (4) I also introduce another Ackoff’s book “The Art of Problem Solving” (1978) where he talks about good business practices to solve problems with cultural and social aspects.  (5) Peter Senge et al write an easy-to-read book “The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook” (1994), an upgrade of Jay Forrester’s theory of system dynamics for business management. (6) Another scholar Peter Checkland invents a soft systems methodology (SSM) in his book “Soft Systems Methodology in Action” (1999).  Here, he clarifies Ackoff’s method and establishes a process of inquiry when an observer sees complexity and confusion of a problem and tries to organize an exploration of it as a learning system. (7) Finally, John Holland’s “Signals and Boundaries” is a 2012 book illustrating his theory of Complex Adaptive System (CAS).  A difficult-to-comprehend book, but a painstaking work of the life-long research of a great thinker.