The process of problem solving is a detailed one that aims to achieve a solution. In some instances its definition may be very broad, for example, it may include mathematics or systematic operations. This paper, therefore, purposefully identifies the problem given in the scenario in line with the question rubric and offers the necessary prompts on how the issues can be addressed. According to the scenario presented, the problem is that of an ethical dilemma. The parent of the child while doing research on the Internet and gathering materials realizes that the child is not headed in the right direction with handling the project (Nouh et al ., 2013). As a parent, he feels the need and urge to assist the child, but he remembers the article he once read on parenting about the importance of allowing the child to develop his or her responsibility.
It is in the context where the dilemma arises. The parent will thus depend on the six steps of the problem-solving process to address the child's issue in the paper. The first phase is on defining the problem. The parent will engage the child in identifying the problem in a broader context that is easily understood. It is this step where the child will also get to recognize his or her mistakes that were made in the previous project (Nouh et al ., 2013). The next step entails problem analysis. Problem analysis expands on what had been done in the first stage. It equally gives deeper insight to both the parent and the child on the problem. The child also comes to appreciate the challenge he or she was faced with when handling the project alone and learn of various options to solve it.
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The third stage is the generation of choices to address the problem. At this step, the selection of one solution is postponed until several alternatives are developed. Standard comparison and characteristics of the generated solutions should be considered to allow the right proposals that can fit the problem's need. The reason behind the consideration of many solutions is to enable the value of the final results to be of high quality and can be used by the child in addressing the project correctly. It is also important to consider not evaluating any of the alternatives until all are generated. Evaluation of solutions as they get proposed is usually a common problem that is made by many people who uses the problem-solving mechanism in context. After successfully completing this stage, the next stage is for evaluation and selection of options. This particular stage calls on the parent to be very selective and ensures he or she assists the child in selecting a solution that may be of importance to the child's need (Nouh et al., 2013). This stage also calls for the investigation of various factors about each of the solutions that are presented. Both the parent and the child should also note down the merits and the demerits of every solution that was suggested in the previous stage to come up with a better solution that fits the child's need.
The solutions evaluated should also be taken through a filters test to ascertain that the final one will suit their needs of the parent and the child. The first test through which the alternatives will be taken through is that of operational validity. This test will ask questions on whether an action can be taken on the idea or whether it can be talked about and whether it may achieve the possible required results if adopted as the only option. The next test is on economic validity, which addresses the relationship that the alternative solution may have with monetary power. The final test is on personal commitment (Nouh et al. , 2013). This test directly goes to the parent and the child, whether they both believe that the alternative solution can work if adopted.
The stage that follows after the previously addressed is that of making a decision on the best option for solving the problem. At the point, a close look is taken through the various influencing factors that were realized in the previous section. The decision is thus made based on those factors; some solutions may be kept while others disregarded. The possible solution gets looked at as a whole and judgment get rendered on the factors associated with it and how they may help address the problem. It is also vital to note that, consideration is supposed to be made to the extent to which the solution is likely to solve the problem without causing other unanticipated problems (Nouh et al., 2013). If a poor decision made, then those involved may get started again from the first procedure of defining the problem until the last procedure on implementation is reached. The final solution that is chosen should also get accepted unanimously by every key partner who needed the problem to be solved. For example, the parent and the child should both agree on a solution that is going to assist the child in solving both the current and future projects without necessarily coming back to seek the mechanisms of problem-solving again. The solution selected should also be directed towards giving the child independency of being able to work alone without any assistance from the parent.
This stage will then usher us to the last stage which is the explanation of how the decision made will be implemented and reflect on its effectiveness. The implementation of the six-step problem-solving techniques escalates to an implementation process that is projected. It is also imperative that before applying the solution, the whole process should get briefly analyzed. One should carefully define the problem, analyze the associated problem, collect necessary alternatives, explore the alternatives, makes the decision on the best solution and finally put the decision to effect (Nouh et al., 2013). Once the decision is effected, it is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that it works and the problem of the child is equally addressed.
In conclusion, the scenario in question identifies a problem that is of an ethical dilemma to the parent. The parent has realized that the child has not followed the right direction in handling the project and has better ideas that can give the presentation the missing aesthetic value. It is not possible for the ideas to be given out because he had recently read an article in Parenting magazine. The article mainly expounded on the importance of the child developing responsibility for his or her learning. On the other hand, he also perceives another parent at the grocery store spending over $ 30 in supplies for that parent's child science project. The magnitude of the dilemma increases but finally the six-step problem-solving technique is adopted and gives a final solution on how the parent may assist the child.
References
Noah, M., Hadhrawi, M., Sanchez, A., Alfaris, A., & 2013 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics - SMC. (October 01, 2013). Towards Cloud-Based Decision Support Platform for Group Decision Making. 50-55.
