What do you do if problem solving skills are crucial in Product R&D roles?

Curiosity is the driving force behind effective problem-solving in product R&D. By asking questions and seeking to understand the 'why' behind each challenge, you position yourself to uncover innovative solutions.

Curiosity is the way to inventions. So, be always curious to learn. Don't try to solve the ultimate goal, split your problem in a multi steps 🪜 and solve it stepwise. Try to solve each step of the problem in many ways. Always ask yourself how to improve the current solution. Try to think outside the box. Avoid conventional solutions and think of new ways to solve them. Even if your creative way seems worse than the conventional one, prefer your creative one and try to improve it with time. This will help you to develop a creative and innovative attitude.

Curiousity-driven initiative for me is contextualized. If a person is acting upon his curiousity for personal satisfaction, the psychological benefit is different than if it was motivated by a work-driven initiative, which is usually about making a process more effective or efficient and is linked to a beneficial output.

Research cannot be conducted in one shot. You will experience failure many times. The important thing is to learn from your failures. Every failure will give you some learning, especially what not to do or how to do something in a different way. Many times you face failure because you are applying the wrong method to solve the wrong problem. So after each failure, think hard of alternatives, both in the direction to find new methods to solve current problems and what kind of problems the current method can solve.

en mi situación; cuando me vi enfrentado a buscar proyectos de ahorro, se iniciaba analizando 1 alternativa "ganadora" la cual no contaba con riesgo de implementación, (ejemplo; reducción de 5 micrones en laminados BOPP), pero al realizar el análisis costo/beneficio, cuando daba negativo, se optaba por busar una alternativa "B". Realizando el mismo ejercicio y aun así sin resultado, ya se solicitaba reunion con proveedor para ver que se podía hacer y conseguir nuevas alternativas o ya tras analizarlo por ambas partes, se descartaba el proyecto. (donde en varias ocasiones el problema más grande era el volumen negociado). y descubrí que la mejor forma de poder realizar este ejercicio, es dejando una planilla excel con los calculos fijos.

Research cannot sustain without good collaborations. You can't solve everything. You are always going to be limited by resources, expertise and tools. It is a good idea to focus on solving the problem. If you think the problem needs some new tools and techniques which you don't have, then try to find and reach the right people who have complementary skills and techniques to solve it. Many researchers try to limit the solution to their own tools but this will never create a bigger impact 😕.

Systems thinking is like viewing a puzzle as a whole instead of focusing on individual pieces. In product R&D, it involves considering how different aspects of a product and its surroundings interact. This method unveils hidden issues and fosters solutions that are both sustainable and comprehensive. By grasping the system's entirety, one can foresee challenges and tackle them preemptively. It's a strategy that sees beyond the surface to create enduring solutions.

Regular reflection is key to refining problem-solving skills. Assess your approach to challenges, noting what worked and areas for improvement. This self-awareness fosters continuous growth, enhancing your effectiveness. Documenting reflections provides insights for future problem-solving.

1. Employ people with problem solving skills. 2. If that doesn’t work out, then (only) if the problem area is not Core Intellectual Property (extremely important), you have the option of using consultants (aka “selling your soul to the Devil“). 3. If the problem area is deemed to be Core IP then go back to step 1 and increase the budget.