National Science Foundation Grant

 $350,000 Grant to Research Problem Solving.

 Teams of Undergraduate and Graduate
Students interacted with Industry.
 Summers visiting Industries around the US:
Dow, DuPont, Dow Corning, Amaco, Shell,
General Mills, Eli Lilly, Procter and Gamble
Monsanto, Chevron, etc.
 To learn how they went about solving problems
and what was the greatest hurtle they faced in
Problem Solving

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 1

 What’s the Problem?

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 2

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 3
 The Annoying Wait

Shortly after the upper floors of a hotel got

renovated, guests started to complain that the
elevators were too slow.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 4

 The Annoying Wait

The manager’s instructions to solve the perceived problem:

“Find a way to speed up the elevators.”

Next, the manager’s directions were:

“Find a location and design a shaft to install another elevator.”
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 5
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 6
 Find a Better Solvent

A few years ago a major oil company was

developing a process for the Department of Energy
to produce liquid petroleum products from coal in
order to reduce the U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 7

 Find a Better Solvent

In this process, solid coal particles were ground

up, mixed with solvent and hydrogen, then passed
through a furnace heater to a reactor that would
convert the coal to gasoline.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 8

 The Better Solvent
Sometime after installation excessive amounts of a
tar-like material were being deposited on the pipes
in the furnace, causing fouling and plugging.
Management told its engineers
“Find a better solvent”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 9

 The Better Solvent

• Why is the Deposit Forming?

• Brainstorm and List all the Possible Causes.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 10

 Improving Oil Recovery

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Find ways to improve oil recovery”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 11

 Improving Oil Recovery

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Find ways to improve oil recovery”

Real Problem Statement

“Learn why the well is not producing as
expected”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 12

 New Bills

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Find a Better Printing Ink”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 13

 New Bills

• Better Problem Statement.

• Brainstorm and List all the things
that could cause the ink to smear.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 14

 Darfur Cookstoves
http://cookstoves.lbl.gov/darfur.php
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 15
 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn
garbage into biofuel pellets ”

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 16

 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn
garbage into biofuel pellets ”

Not sufficient solid waste to meet the demands.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 17

 Real vs. Perceived Problem: Darfur

Perceived Problem Statement:

“Design a screw press for Darfurians to turn
garbage into biofuel pellets ”

Real Problem Statement:

“Redesign the cooking stove to obtain higher
temperatures and make it more fuel efficient.”
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 18
 Murray River Dams

Right Problem Definition

BUT
Wrong Solution

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 19

 Dam the Torpedo or Torpedo the Dam?

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 20

 Dam the Torpedo or Torpedo the Dam?
The Australian government wanted to increase
agricultural production by finding ways to grow
crops on wastelands. It was decided to cultivate
land in the New South Wales region of
southeastern Australia, which is very arid.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 21

 Dam the Torpedo or Torpedo the Dam?

The following solution was chosen by the

Australian government:
“Design and build a dam to divert the river water
inland to irrigate the land.”

Unfortunately, no new vegetation grew.

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 22

 KT Potential Problem Analysis

Unfortunately they did not apply

The Kepner-Tregoe Strategy
Potential Problem Analysis
to learn what could go wrong

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 23

 London Underground

Right Problem Definition

BUT
Wrong Solution

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 25
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 26
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 27
 Jubilee trains didn’t fit track

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 28

 A Heuristic
Find Out Where the Problem Came From
Explore the Problem
Define PS/DS-Duncker Diagram
Statement-
Restatement
Blockbusting
Osborn’s Checklist
Generate Random Stimulation/Other People’s Views
Analogy

Situation (Timing, Trend, Impact)

K.T. Problem (Is/Is Not)
Decide Analyses Decision
(Musts/Wants)
Potential Problem

Gantt Chart
Plan Deployment Chart
Implement Carry Through Critical Path

Experimental Design

Satisfy Objectives
Evaluate Ethical Considerations
Safety Considerations
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 29
 The Five Steps of the Heuristic

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 30

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 03/20/23 31
 What´s the disease?

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