INFO1111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Problem Solving, Scope Creep, Mind Map
10 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
INFO1111 – Week 5
• Explaining what constitutes good and bad requirements
• How to be creative when trying to solve a problem
• Representing algorithms
• P vs. NP
Problem Solving
Problem Examples
PROBLEM:
Once upon a time, several floors were added to the top of a hotel. With that expansion came
new elevators. With the new elevators came new complaints. The elevators are too slow. We
have to wait too long. I’m annoyed. The hotel management was aghast. They consulted
architects. They consulted engineers. What to do? One possibility was to install faster
elevators...at massive expense. Another possibility was to add another elevator shaft with more
elevators...at massive expense. The expense of improvements required to speed up the elevators
would essentially eliminate the benefit of having the extra floors! It was a disaster.
SOLUTION:
Someone tried an experiment. They mounted full-length mirrors next to the elevators. The
complaints stopped. Why? It would appear that the real problem was not, The elevators are too
slow. Instead, the real problem was, Guests get annoyed while waiting for the elevator.
http://www.realitycheck.focusonclarity.com/archives/1372
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Info1111 week 5: explaining what constitutes good and bad requirements, how to be creative when trying to solve a problem, representing algorithms, p vs. np. One possibility was to install faster elevatorsat massive expense. Another possibility was to add another elevator shaft with more elevatorsat massive expense. The expense of improvements required to speed up the elevators (cid:498)once upon a time, several floors were added to the top of a hotel. With the new elevators came new complaints. (cid:498)the elevators are too slow. They consulted would essentially eliminate the benefit of having the extra floors! It would appear that the real problem was not, (cid:498)the elevators are too slow. (cid:499) instead, the real problem was, (cid:498)guests get annoyed while waiting for the elevator. (cid:499) They mounted full-length mirrors next to the elevators. Understanding the problem: misrepresentation of the question, emphasizes the point that you need to understand what the problem is before you can solve it.
