ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces several paradigms for locating, pinpointing, and identifying a problem or an opportunity, including decomposition, factoring, synthesis, and generate and test. These paradigms can also be applied to problem solving. Synthesis is an evolutionary paradigm. The major concern with synthesis is correctly identifying the core problem. The technique starts at the top of a hierarchy with the main problem and continues down the hierarchy through the sub-problems, conducting tests of the appropriate criteria and constraints at each level until the bottom is reached and no more testing is necessary. Preliminary analysis suggests that solving the materials handling sub-problem will require a lengthy study of the existing materials handling procedures followed by the purchase of new materials handling equipment and several weeks of employee retraining. The generate and test paradigm can be used to pinpoint the correct subproblem to be solved, particularly for complex problems with time and budgetary constraints and additional constraints on specific sub-problems.
