| View Larger Image | Problem Solving 101: A Simple Book for Smart People | Hardcoverby Ken Watanabe (Author)
| List Price: | $22.95 | | Price: | $15.61 | | You Save: | $7.34 (32%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Hardcover | | Publisher: | Portfolio Hardcover | | Edition: | 1st Edition | | Page Count: | 128 Pages | | Publication Date: | March 05, 2009 | | Sales Rank: | 28,054th |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781591842422
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
The fun and simple problem-solving guide that took Japan by stormKen Watanabe originally wrote Problem Solving 101 for Japanese schoolchildren. His goal was to help shift the focus in Japanese education from memorization to critical thinking, by adapting some of the techniques he had learned as an elite McKinsey consultant. He was amazed to discover that adults were hungry for his fun and easy guide to problem solving and decision making. The book became a surprise Japanese bestseller, with more than 370,000 in print after six months. Now American businesspeople can also use it to master some powerful skills. Watanabe uses sample scenarios to illustrate his techniques, which include logic trees and matrixes. A rock band figures out how to drive up concert attendance. An aspiring animator budgets for a new computer purchase. Students decide which high school they will attend. Illustrated with diagrams and quirky drawings, the book is simple enough for a middleschooler to understand but sophisticated enough for business leaders to apply to their most challenging problems. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 9 reviews)
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Terrific Little Handbook to Brush Up on or Improve Problem Solving Skills by bronx book nerd (Bronx, NY USA)  5 Stars
November 02, 2009
I assume some readers may find this book overly simplified, as author Ken Watanabe uses fairly simple examples to teach problem solving skills in what is a rather short book. Don't be fooled by the relatively straight-forward nature of the problems involved; it's the core concepts of problem solving that are important, and Watanabe presents these in a clear and accessible manner. For me, the empahsis on hypothesis testing was the most important piece of information. Many of us make assumptions about the nature of our problems, or the efficacy of our proposed solutions, without ever bothering to really test them. Watanabe show us how to challenge these assupmtion by testing hypotheses and reducing the possibility of following false leads. In addition, Watanabe demonstrates the need for problem solvers to re-examine solutions that may at first appear inadequate or unrealistic; with some creative thinking these options may turn out to be quite feasible. I strongly recommend this book for high schoolers, who may identify more readily with the examples, and who would benefit greatly from learning the key skills of problem solving and decision making.
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For adults and kids - brilliant by Myron Weber (socal, usa) 5 Stars
October 02, 2009
Yes, it's written for kids, but it's perfect for adults, too. I discuss this book on episode 4 of the Real Time Decisions Webcast - a podcast available on iTunes or at [...]
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How to think by Todd Stockslager (Raleigh, NC)  4 Stars
September 15, 2009
This is the book I thought I had in hand when I read Greg Craven's What's the Worst That Could Happen?: A Rational Response to the Climate Change Debate a couple of weeks ago. But after five good chapters laying out tools and methods for rational decision making (how to think), Craven turned his book into a polemic on the specific topic of global warming (what to think).
Watanabe sticks to the topic of teaching how to solve problems and make decisions with rational thought processes, and provides multiple examples, making this the better book, and the one better suited to teaching young minds this valuable skill. Watanabee provides straight-forward thinking tools with simple graphics to illustrate how to use the tool. There's no fluff, just the important stuff.
Adults can also benefit by these reminders of clear thinking tools and methods, and the book can easily be read in an hour or so.
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A must read by Poch Reyes (Philippines) 4 Stars
September 07, 2009
This book is a must read for every professional - anyone who wants to succeed in their careers. When you flip through the pages of the book, you might be discouraged at first to read the book because the images seem to be targeting children.
The book illustrates how one can logically solve a problem. The tools presented are very easy to understand and use. I highly recommend this book
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Everyone Should Read This Book! by Omer Khan (Sammamish, WA) 5 Stars
May 24, 2009
Although this book was originally intended for school children, it should be read by every adult too. It distills problem solving down to simple and easy to understand techniques. I was already familiar with most of the techniques that Watanabe describes in the book, and have seen many McKinsey consultants using the same process and tools on various projects that I've been involved in. But for me, the 'magic' of this book was the simplicity of how Watanabe describes the problem solving process in enjoyable and memorable stories.
Highly recommended.
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