• Considers multiple points of view and analyzes motivations behind multiple sources of information.
• Recognizes problems and needs within a societal, community, or workplace context in order to develop solutions.
• Examines information broadly, analyzes data, and utilizes critical thinking.
• Develops multiple solutions using hypotheses/ trial and error to test and determine effectiveness.

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Reframing is one step you can take in using an analysis-solution mindset.

When you reframe the way you look at things, you can see other perspectives and come up with new solutions. Dr. Tina Seelig, a Professor at Stanford University, explains that changing the frame changes the range of solutions to a problem.

For example: What is the sum of 5 plus 5?

Versus: What two numbers add up to 10?

Reframing isn’t just about taking a step back to look at the context, it is sometimes about looking at the smaller parts of a bigger issue. This can help you feel less overwhelmed and stressed when you approach a big issue one part at a time

For example:
Balancing academic work with your personal life responsibilities can be complicated. How can you approach this larger issue with a series of smaller solutions that can add together to create big changes?

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Problem Solving Exercise

Copy and paste, and answer the following questions. Your answers should be brief. This is an exercise to try out reframing. (BTW, your mindmapping assignment is another tool to develop your analysis-solution mindset.)

Upload your file using the link at the very bottom of this page. You can upload a PDF or Word document.

1. What is a problem you see in your community, your workplace/internship, or in college?

2. How can you reframe the way you look at the problem? Other points of view you should consider?

3. How is this problem normally presented?

4. Do you feel this is accurate?

5. What questions are important to ask in solving this problem?

6. What are possible solutions to this problem? How could you test them out? (optional)

Sample submission. As usual there are no right or wrong answers.

1. What is a problem you see in your community, your workplace/internship, or in college?

The homeless population is increasing in Los Angeles.

2. How can you reframe the way you look at the problem? Other points of view you should consider?

Housing is expensive in Los Angeles. Traffic is horrible in Los Angeles. People want to live closer to work and are willing to pay a premium price to get out of traffic.

3. How is this problem normally presented?

There is a shortage of housing in Los Angeles, which has priced many people out of affordable housing.

4. Do you feel this is accurate?

Yes and no. Yes, supply and demand has caused housing prices to skyrocket. No, office space (buildings) is routinely developed without considering the supply of housing nearby.

5. What questions are important to ask in solving this problem?

Is public transportation available adjacent to new housing developments? Can employers offer telecommuting options for some employees?

6. What are possible solutions to this problem? How could you test them out? (optional)

Build high density housing near major public transportation hubs.