Assignment 1: Anatomy of a Problem

After examining a problem, creating a hypothesis is the next step. As you gather information relevant to the problem, you may consider the causation and correlation of particular facts. You begin to interpret the problem and plan a course of action; thus, a practical solution is formed. In addition to the information that you gather, your intuition may play a role in your interpretation of the problem and your plan of action.

Read the 9/11 Commission Report in this week’s Learning Resources. Revisit the Causation vs. Correlation webpage, and download the Week 2 Assignment Handout: Problem Scenarios.

For this Assignment, you take the role of a problem-solving consultant giving feedback to a client. The client has provided you with information and stated his or her view of the problem.

The Week 2 Assignment Handout: Problem Scenarios contains three client scenarios; select one to address for this Assignment.

Assuming that the information provided in the scenario you selected is accurate, identify what information is relevant to the problem described in the scenario and what further information is needed to analyze the problem fully.

Based on your analysis of the information presented in the scenario, determine whether any information shows causation (cause and effect) and whether any information shows correlation (co-relation).

You may want to rearrange the information using a visual tool to help you analyze the information more effectively. You may refer to your course text, Visual Tools for Transforming Information Into Knowledgefor visual tool ideas.

Note to Students: Keep in mind your major or field of interest when selecting one of the three scenarios in the handout. For some of you, your selection could connect to the Final Project where you are asked to identify a social change issue or a social problem related to your major or field of interest.

By Day 7

Submit a 2- to 3-page paper in which you do the following:

• Create a problem statement that explains your client’s problem.
• Evaluate the information by identifying any information in the scenario that correlates to the problem. Then, state based on your analysis if this supporting information shows causation [cause and effect] or correlation [co-relation]. Justify your rationale.
• Include two different perspectives of the problem that would influence the information needed and the approach taken in solving the problem. One approach should be your approach as the consultant. The other perspective could be another individual or party identified in the scenario or another party that would likely have a perspective on the problem.
• Create a hypothesis that might assist you in solving the problem.
• Analyze how intuition may play a role for someone involved in solving this problem.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

Click the Week 2 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the

Grading Criteria

for the Assignment.

Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 2 Assignment 1 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 2 Assignment 1 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:
Week 2 Assignment 1
Assignment 2: Required Summary Blog Post

To prepare for this blog post:

In one paragraph, summarize how the resources in Week 2 extend your understanding of problem solving.

By Day 5

Post this paragraph in your blog.

By Day 7

Read your colleagues’ blogs and consider what resonates with you. Contribute to at least one colleague’s blog.

Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria