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100+ global problems worth solving

Of course this list is far from being complete. It’s just a tiny start.

CONTRIBUTE And you can add to this list of “global problems worth solving” on our Google Drive . Feel free to add yourself to the contributor list. Do not spam it – please. We will update this post once in a while.

(1) Building a platform that collects problems, anybody can contribute and be curated by the community.

ENVIRONMENT

(2) Inventing new material or techniques to replace plastic (3) Inventing new techniques, and materials to replace paper (4)Inventing new techniques and products, recycling any given material (5) Inventing new materials replacing plastic bottles and cups (6) Creating new ways to package food (100’s of varieties of food) environmentally friendly (7) Finding artificial, yet environmentally friendly replacement for wood to reduce deforestation (8) Inventing new motors that neither use electricity nor fuel

(9) Finding ways to augment education in conventional schools and universities with highly relevant education (10) Creating social education programs that can run in parallel to schools, universities or jobs (11) Offering classes for undergrads, how to get successful and rich (12) Providing better base education programs on political know how (13) Providing better education programs on the general concept of economies (14) Providing better education on how wars are started and how peace is achieved and maintained today (15) Creating more tangible lifelong learning concepts (16) Creating more universally applicable career guidance mechanisms or platforms (17) Creating solutions to shift from an “all learn – all work” model to a more balance model

(18) Exploring new ways to generally reduce and safe energy (19) Providing a more transparent and plausible energy consumption prediction for the scenario that most people on earth are out of poverty, living in newly developed countries (20) New ways to harvest energy from bio thermal energy sources (21) New ways to harvest solar energy (22) New ways to harvest hydro energy (23) Finding ways to transmit energy created on the moon, down to earth (24) Identifying new ways to harvest energy from unidentified sources (25) Finding all new ways to store electric energy in bigger volume and less in size and weight (26) Smart energy re-distribution for those who produce excess energy that can be provided to others

PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGY

(27) Lower cost reliable Internet connections (28) Independent and reliable “News & Information Publishing” organization (29) Better, social media integrated search engines (30) All new and modern operating systems (31) Fully integrated business application tools (32) Meteorology technology provider not only for weather forecasts but for everything agricultural (33) Generally available intelligent traffic lights, connected to a traffic flow system, but autonomous features (34) Low cost mini satellites to explore earth and space, provide data hubs, accessibility and more (35) Omnipresent, inexpensive and easy mobile payment system (36) Building robots for all kinds of dedicated tasks such as cleaning shoes, planting crops, cleaning windows, etc. (37) The whole range of wearable products counting, watching, recording, measuring all kinds of things underway (38) Situation dependent automatically changing materials to turn a lofty t-shirt into a rain covering shirt (39) Smart materials that change their behavior based on environmental conditions i.e, taking the carbon out of carbon dioxide and returning the dioxide back to air (40) Smart Contract development for cryptocurrency agnostic blockchain like media (41) Universal low voltage power connection system that handles everything from a single wall plug to staggering distribution (42) Creating universal ultra small IOT devices that allows any product to be programmed by a smartphone including remote controls, refrigerators, heaters, air conditioner, lights – anything. One interface for any product in the future. (43) New better zipper that do not stuck, break or derail WATER & SANITATION

(44) New ways to get to clean water (45) Better ways to turn salt water into sweet water (46) New ways to manage waste water in rural areas (47) Cheaper ways to produce sanitation products i.e. toilets (48) All new toilette models alleviating paper use (49) More efficient ways for flushing toilets than using precious water (50) New product for cleaning replacing bathtubs and showers or make their use a less used luxury (51) More water consumption sensitive products such as water cranes, showers, garden watering systems

FOOD & DIET 

(52) New ways to offer unified insights into the ingredients of food in any supermarket (53) Ways to eradicate factory farming (mass animal farming) (54) More scientifically proven and generally understood advice to a healthy diet (55) New ways to provide food portions in smaller sizes to stimulate reduction of food consumption and reduction of food waste RESEARCH, DATA & INFORMATION

(56) Finding new ways to research all the facts and sources of climate change (57) Finding new ways to deal with climate change and leverage the development so far (58) Finding ways to predict climate change more precisely for the next 50 years and provide meaningful indications for the agricultural industry (59) Better ways to organize research in general, creating more unbiased data. (60) Catalog of things that could be done with AI and inspires developer (61) An AI development system that could be used by virtually anybody (62) Research for a more rational view of the evolving powers of Artificial Intelligence (63) Creating algorithms that focus on environmental dependencies of new technologies (64) Identify new ways that help certain countries to get off of the data protection hysteria (65) New suggestions for data privacy models that give more power to the individual (66) Developing ways to deal with the general risk of eradicating life through asteroids (67) Developing scenarios to evacuate earth if needed, even though we would probably take 1,000 years to find the technical possibilities. (68) New tools and platforms to interact with governments and communities (69) New apps that cover all of the problems, allow to contribute in all kinds of ways and see reports (70) 3-D printing companies, producing unique products, spare-parts, artificial organs, and more (71) Cyber security improvements to significantly reduce or even alleviate hack attacks (72) Data ownership mechanisms, rules and technology that makes sure that personal data are controllable by its owner

(73) Providing better technology for customer experience management (74) Providing a new value system for corporate balance sheets involving employee contribution (75) Providing new ways to offer equity to highly innovative employees (76) Develop new systems that can track the degree of innovation development (77) Design new systems for customer interaction with corporations (78) Design new corporate employee education systems including lifelong learning (79) Create a fortune 100,000 leader board with indexes addressing environmental, employee and other key aspects (80) Creating all new insurance business models that provide much more contract transparency and easier to deal with (81) Online grocery stores with home delivery like a few in Germany or Switzerland (82) New media business models, disrupting the user unfriendly monopolies (83) Much easier booking systems for public transportation anywhere in the world (84) Creating systems that alleviate waiting (in line, at doctors, at shops, at bus stops….)

(85) More effective ways to deal with birth control in times where we help more people to survive (86) Starting large scale research that can only be done with tens of thousands of supporters (87) Finding better ways to deal with migration, integration and return mechanisms (88) Finding ways to replace prisons with socially effective methods of societal reintegration (89) Finding new policies to deal with people ignoring the generally accepted rules of societal coexistence (90) Finding solutions to get to a broader reach of well being for all humans (91) Developing new political concepts or new varieties of democracy that is more applicable in today’s world (92) Developing new job concepts for people who work on social or macro economic solutions to be financed (93) Developing new concepts for city creation addressing the bigger problems of today’s cities (94) Developing new and holistic ways to reduce traffic congestion in larger cities (95) Developing new logistical concepts to bring the huge amount of products directly to the citizens (96) Developing new techniques to transport the remaining waste to the designated areas without the current waste disposal chain (97) Finding new methods to alleviate corruption in government and other large organizations (98) Finding new mechanisms to make governments more accountable, providing rewards and punishment solutions based on their achievements relative to their promises

(99) New ways to provide a more balanced healthcare for the various developed nations (100) New ways to provide healthcare in the first place for developing nations (101) New ways for mental health care (102) New ways to produce cheaper medicine or secure living without medicine

This list of “global problems worth solving” will sooner or later grow much bigger. We are looking forward to your inputs.

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problems need to be solved

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Problems We Want Solved

By collaborative team @collabfund.

Billions of people wake up every day trying to solve the world’s problems. It’s an amazing thing.

But the world is still filled with problems. Some are extreme (climate change, terrorism), some are just annoying (traffic, storage).

We back entrepreneurs tackling these problems. They usually come to us with a business or an idea. But it’s also on us to share what we see as problems that need solving, hoping to spur ideas.

Here’s a list of problems we’d like to see solved – and perhaps businesses we’d fund. (This list will be updated.)

1. Low-cost, reliable internet access. More than 34 million Americans don’t have access to high-speed internet. It’s not even available. And more than 25 million can’t afford high-speed internet. So 60 million Americans aren’t using high-speed internet in their homes, which is about equal to the combined populations of California and Texas. This is absurd. We’re investors in Tazca-Connects , which is running full speed at this problem. But we’d love to see it taken seriously by a greater number of companies and regulators.

2. Next-gen children’s toys. Wired Magazine once ranked the top toys of all time: Stick, box, string, cardboard tube, and dirt. This will be true 50 years from now. But if you’ve ever watched a three-year-old masterfully operate an iPad, you know how much potential kids have with technology. Parents, however, tend to limit or ban screen time out of fear of rotting their kids’ brains. That fear comes from a rational realization that most technology doesn’t foster creativity and dexterity the way a sick or string does. It’s time to change that. Kids grow up in a world dominated by technology and they should be exposed to it from the time they’re babies.

3. (Ambitious) Low-energy, low-cost, scalable, desalination. I have a feeling the person who figures this out will be one of the heroes of the 21st Century.

4. Traffic lights. Seriously, someone please make a better traffic light and convince municipalities to buy them. Few moments remind you of your life slipping away than sitting at a red light when no cars are crossing the other way.

5. Civic engagement tools to hold politicians accountable. It’s too easy to campaign one way and legislate another. We need something like Change.org, but beyond petitions. Something with teeth, that politicians sign onto and holds them accountable. Apps that cleanly show exactly how government money is being spent could also be helpful.

6. A media company devoted to helping you understand the everyday lives of people outside your socioeconomic group. This has to be done in a way that is engaging enough to get people to want to read it. It’s so vital that everyone is able to understand how people of different means – higher or lower – think and live their life.

7. A better way to sell a home. It’s insane that people still pay 4-6% real estate commissions. It made a little sense 30 years ago, when all home data was proprietary to real estate brokers. But the Internet has changed that. Stock brokers, travel agents, and insurances salesmen have all seen their margins shrink, if not disappear, due to broader access to information. But realtors are hanging on. Time to shake that up.

8. Khan Academy for adults. Visually teach me something important that I need to know to be a functioning adult. You have three minutes.

9. A cure for social media overload/addiction. I shudder to think how much productivity I’ve lost over the last decade due to checking Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. I don’t want to get rid of these products. But I need a way to check them less often while not feeling like I’m missing out.

10. Analytics that shows how much my daily habits are detracting from my goals. A lot of bad things happen too slow for people to notice until it’s too late. Poor diet can lead to cancer and heart disease, but you’d never know that from eating a single cheeseburger. Sleep deprivation takes its toll, but what’s one late night going to do? To understand what I’m doing to myself I need to see the cumulative long-term effects of my habits every time I engage in those habits.

11. More efficient home insulation. My thermos keeps my coffee warm for eight hours straight but my house requires a constant gas-burning furnace to maintain humane temperatures. One trend I’m convinced of is that we’ll realize the biggest “source” of new energy is increasing the efficiency of our energy-burning stuff.

12. A solution to food waste. Farmers, wholesalers, and consumers waste a ridiculous amount of food. About a third of food is lost or wasted by some estimates, which equates to more than $1 trillion a year. That’s some low-hanging fruit (I’m sorry). Just like energy, making better use of what we have can be more valuable than finding new ways to make new stuff.

Any ideas of your own? Email them to [email protected].

More from the blog…

Pocket-lint

50 incredibly clever solutions to modern problems.

Human beings have all sorts of problems, some are worse than others, but we're always coming up with new ideas and solutions to make our lives easier.

Human beings have all sorts of problems, some are worse than others, but we're always coming up with new ideas and solutions to make our lives easier.

Some of these solutions are simpler than others, some are for problems you didn't even know existed.

We've collected some brilliant designs from around the world that will certainly make you think.

Practice roads

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems photo 48

This is a playground in Copenhagen designed to help children learn how to interact with traffic. Particularly how to ride their bikes with road sense and to deal with various types of pedestrian crossing.

Satellites hunting ocean waste

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We all know there's a problem with microplastic waste in the ocean. Now scientists from the University of Michigan are putting NASA's satellites to work tracking the issue .

They're using multiple satellites that are usually used to track wind and speed movement over the ocean and using that data to work out where microplastics are most likely to congregate as a result.

Plastic as payment

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One major problem we have in modern society is the issue of plastic pollution. Greenpeace estimates there are 12.7 million tonnes of plastic in our oceans and we aren't doing enough to recycle our waste. There are some interesting solutions to these sorts of problems, one of the most eyebrow-raising of which actually started in China several years back.

In 2013 , an initiative began which saw the installation of special machines in the various subway stations in Beijing. These machines allowed travellers to pay with plastic. Passengers could deposit plastic bottles and receive credit towards their subway fares. A simple, yet effective way to encourage people to recycle.

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 3

Another pollution system is Seabin , which is a gadget that works as a drain by collecting any rubbish on the water's surface and stopping it from moving onwards into the sea.

Although not encouraging recycling, it's certainly a great way to help cut down on the problem and remove waste from our waterways.

Extra elevator buttons

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This lift has extra buttons that you can press with your feet if your hands are full/busy. A brilliant and convenient solution if you're carrying shopping bags, holding onto a small child or just in the middle of travelling and don't have free hands. Also good if you're averse to germs.

Indoor puddles

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We all know how much children love playing in puddles. These clever bods at a preschool in Japan have designed the building in such a way that they get indoor puddles without all the muddy mess of the outside world.

So kids can play until their hearts are content but without getting covered in mud. Though that is half the fun isn't it?

Try before you buy

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There's a Dutch Supermarket known as Jumbo that has a selection of toilet rolls on offer in its facilities.

These toilet rolls are available to buy in the store, giving you the chance to try before you buy. Not something you'll usually get the chance to do.

An indoor pooch toilet

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Another modern solution to a first-world problem, this is a dog bathroom that's located at an airport. It has spots for dogs to do their business indoors. Everyone's got to go some time.

Do not disturb shopping baskets

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If you love shopping, but hate being bothered by sales staff who are constantly trying to upsell you then this might be the perfect solution.

This shop has different baskets, one tells staff that you'd prefer not to be bothered, one says you might like help. The "need help" baskets are no doubt useful for people who want help but also don't want to be a bother. A nice concept, whatever your preference.

A touch-free bathroom door

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 26

Public washrooms are potentially awash with germs. Sure you might have washed and dried your hands, but what about the hundreds of others who have passed through that door?

If you have clean hands and touch the same handle, you might as well have not washed them in the first place. This simple design gets you to use your wrist instead - for hands-free, germ-avoiding opening.

Surprise vending machine

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 34

Ever had trouble deciding what drink you want from a vending machine? If so, then this drinks dispenser might be built just for you. There are no options other than "surprise". At just 35 cents per can, you can't really go wrong, unless you hate surprises?

A thumb drive with a capacity display

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This might be the most first-world problem solution you're going to see on this list. This is a USB storage drive that has a built-in display on it.

That display shows how much storage space there is left without needing you to plug it in. We admit, that actually sounds useful. You can pick one up from Amazon if you agree.

The coffee chart

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 6

If you're new to coffee then all the different types can be a bit intimidating.

This helpful chart from one coffee shop shows what you get for your money and makes choosing a lot easier without the hassle of having to ask someone.

Ceiling puzzles to keep you entertained at the dentist

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This dentist knows how intimidated people can feel on visiting the dentist.

This one has cleverly installed a Where's Wally (or Where's Waldo) puzzle in the ceiling so visitors can be kept distracted/entertained while they're examined. We suspect it might be a problem when going on a repeat visit though.

A pen that tells you how many pages you can write

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 8

If you enjoyed the USB drive with the capacity gauge, then you'll love this pen too.

A simple ink pen with a window on the side that lets you know how many more pages you can write before it runs out of ink.

A credit card tip jar

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 9

We really like the idea of this one - Dipjar is a credit card tip jar that lets you use your credit or debit card to leave a tip for staff when you don't have enough cash on you.

We'd love to see this sort of thing popping up in more places so people get the gratuity they deserve.

Lockers with chargers

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 10

This device is clever for several reasons. Firstly, it's a locker with various device chargers inside, so you can be sure your stuff is safe and nicely charged when you return too.

Secondly, this was located at a bar - so if you're the sort of person that's constantly losing your phone when you're out drinking, then this might be the best drinking spot for you.

Dial 68 for bedtime stories

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When one Redditor checked into their hotel room, they got a nice surprise when they discovered the room's landline had a special number he could dial for bedtime stories.

This was at a Moxy Hotel, a funky new hotel that also had a guitar and phonograph in the room and a welcome cocktail on arrival. We're not sure where it's located, but we'd like to stay there.

A customisable cash machine

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 13

This bank's ATM lets users choose which denomination they want their bills in.

Depending on how much money you're getting out you can choose what size bills you get. Brilliant if you have a particular use in mind and don't want huge bills that shops will have trouble changing.

Bathroom privacy tunes

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 15

To save users' modesty, this smart toilet in Japan has a privacy music system that can be used to play music so no one can hear what's happening.

It's an intelligent dignity saver and a brilliant modern solution to an age-old problem.

Petrol pump problems

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 16

In Seoul, South Korea, they have a brilliant solution to petrol pump problems. The pumps hang from above where you park your car, so you don't need to worry about which side your petrol cap is on, you can simply park, grab and get pumping without a fuss. Simple genius.

Rental car reflections

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 17

This smart driving solution comes in the form of a reflection on the driver's window. A sticker on the dashboard of a rental car reminds foreign drivers what side of the road they should stick to by simply reflecting a sign into their eye line. Clever stuff.

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 18

This shop sign has two settings "open" and "nope". All the owner has to do is slide the N to the other end when they're open or closed. Brilliant and amusing too.

A biker's jacket with safety lights

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Safety first! This biker's jacket has cleverly got some lights built into it that shows when they're braking or turning.

Yes, they already have lights on their bike, but we admire the extra safety measures.

A dual-purpose water fountain

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This public park has a water fountain that's cleverly designed so the overspilling water can be drunk by man's best friend. It's a water fountain for both dogs and people. Genius.

Winter simulation room

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If you've ever bought clothing in the shop but not been sure if it's good enough to do the job, then this special room in a shop might be the solution.

It's essentially a cold room that works as a winter simulator. Don the coat or other outwear then step inside to experience freezing conditions.

Shoe tester

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 24

Another shop with a brilliant shopping solution. This is a special test ramp that allows you to test out different safety shoes and boots on offer before you buy so you know how much grip you're getting and what they'll be like to wear as you work.

Toilet button

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 25

This bathroom has a panel that you can wave your hand at to open the automatic door rather than having to touch a germ-ridden door handle. Hygienic genius.

Photocopier with a browser

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This photocopier has a built-in browser so you can surf the web while waiting for your photocopying or printing to finish. Of course, that's probably not what you're meant to use it for, but come on, who wouldn't?

A hockey button

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This Canadian TV remote control has a dedicated hockey button so sports fans can get right to the action

Tyre wear indicators

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This tyre has a special (yet simple) wear indicator built into it that gives you an idea of how much legal tread is left. A great way to see at a glance when tyres need replacing.

Self-esteem support picture

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Feeling a bit low? Suffering from terrible self-esteem? Maybe this bathroom picture will help. Instead of a mirror, this bathroom has an encouraging message for you instead.

Short story printer

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This is a nifty little machine discovered at an airport that allowed travellers to print out free short stories to keep them entertained while they wait for their flights.

Redditors imagined the hilarity that might ensue if at another airport they had a machine that let you write stories to pass the time (then they printed at the other end).

Noise guide

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This school library has a warning system that lets people know when there's too much noise being made in the library. Easier than having a librarian shushing people constantly.

Water bottle map

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This is a nifty little water bottle that has a map of the college it's distributed at as well as small water symbols to let users know where it can be refilled around the campus. Hydration is important.

An elevator capacity gauge

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 35

You know those signs in elevators that say things like "the maximum capacity of this elevator is 20 people" and you wonder how 20 people could even fit in there? Well, this is a more useful gauge of how many people is too many.

Shower beers

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 36

Hotel room mini bars are so old hat. This modern hotel room has a shower beer fridge dedicated to drinking and showering, because what's more relaxing?

Pavement traffic lights

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 37

A modern solution to a phone-obsessed society. This pavement has traffic lights built into it to let pedestrians know when they can cross the road without having to look up from their phones. We suspect it's more of a safety idea than a convenience one and one that really shouldn't exist, but it's still neat.

Fire rating

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 38

In Australia, brush fires are a serious problem. They have a system to let people know when there's danger or particular risk in order to help avoid fire-based disasters.

Parking lines

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems image 39

Ever opened your window or door to check to see if you've parked properly in a parking space? We're fairly sure everyone has. This car park has made life easier for everyone by continuing the lines onto the nearby wall so drivers can see where the spaces start and end with ease.

Blood bank gauges

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There's a spot where you can go and donate blood. At one blood bank, they have clever digital gauges where you can see how much blood of each type the bank has. This is a great way to get people donating.

Socially distanced escalator

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In an effort to keep people socially distanced at the mall, this place has painted spacing between each step to give a decent gap and keep people safe.

A clever solution for a Covid world.

Saddle protection

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At this bike park, users get the bonus of having a little rooftop cover for their seats. If it rains you'll come back to a drier seat and a much nicer ride home. Assuming it isn't still raining when you leave of course.

Solar powered paddles

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This clever bod obviously finds paddling too much effort. To make life easier they've constructed solar-powered paddles to paddle automatically. Genius.

Shirt with built in spectacle cloth

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This Redditor discovered their shirt had a built-in spectacle cloth sewn into it.

For a glasses wearer, this is simple and genius. Now you can keep your glasses clean with ease while also not worrying about scratching the lenses.

Skateboard storage rack

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This University has plenty of people attending who travel by skateboard. Rather than having them scattered about the place, they've installed a storage rack. Locks mean users also can be sure their boards will be safe while they're busy learning too.

Kids go free

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This is a public restroom where people are expected to pay to use the facilities. But there's no charge for young children, so if they can fit they can go in.

This business card

Incredibly Clever Solutions To Modern Problems photo 49

This imaginative business card gives the recipient info on various different important bits of information about the owner. Including their website, email address, Twitter handle and, of course, their name.

Safety before music

Safety first seat belt

This person's car wouldn't let them play music until the seatbelt was buckled. Since most people like to listen to music while they drive it's a pretty clever solution to encouraging safety on the road.

Anti-paparazzi clothing

Trousers

For public figures, this clothing is an excellent solution for privacy while out and about. These trousers essentially glow when photographed rendering paparazzi-style photography useless. Not for everyone, but if you suddenly find yourself famous then you might want to snag some.

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Overview of the Problem-Solving Mental Process

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

problems need to be solved

Rachel Goldman, PhD FTOS, is a licensed psychologist, clinical assistant professor, speaker, wellness expert specializing in eating behaviors, stress management, and health behavior change.

problems need to be solved

  • Identify the Problem
  • Define the Problem
  • Form a Strategy
  • Organize Information
  • Allocate Resources
  • Monitor Progress
  • Evaluate the Results

Frequently Asked Questions

Problem-solving is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing, and solving problems. The ultimate goal of problem-solving is to overcome obstacles and find a solution that best resolves the issue.

The best strategy for solving a problem depends largely on the unique situation. In some cases, people are better off learning everything they can about the issue and then using factual knowledge to come up with a solution. In other instances, creativity and insight are the best options.

It is not necessary to follow problem-solving steps sequentially, It is common to skip steps or even go back through steps multiple times until the desired solution is reached.

In order to correctly solve a problem, it is often important to follow a series of steps. Researchers sometimes refer to this as the problem-solving cycle. While this cycle is portrayed sequentially, people rarely follow a rigid series of steps to find a solution.

The following steps include developing strategies and organizing knowledge.

1. Identifying the Problem

While it may seem like an obvious step, identifying the problem is not always as simple as it sounds. In some cases, people might mistakenly identify the wrong source of a problem, which will make attempts to solve it inefficient or even useless.

Some strategies that you might use to figure out the source of a problem include :

  • Asking questions about the problem
  • Breaking the problem down into smaller pieces
  • Looking at the problem from different perspectives
  • Conducting research to figure out what relationships exist between different variables

2. Defining the Problem

After the problem has been identified, it is important to fully define the problem so that it can be solved. You can define a problem by operationally defining each aspect of the problem and setting goals for what aspects of the problem you will address

At this point, you should focus on figuring out which aspects of the problems are facts and which are opinions. State the problem clearly and identify the scope of the solution.

3. Forming a Strategy

After the problem has been identified, it is time to start brainstorming potential solutions. This step usually involves generating as many ideas as possible without judging their quality. Once several possibilities have been generated, they can be evaluated and narrowed down.

The next step is to develop a strategy to solve the problem. The approach used will vary depending upon the situation and the individual's unique preferences. Common problem-solving strategies include heuristics and algorithms.

  • Heuristics are mental shortcuts that are often based on solutions that have worked in the past. They can work well if the problem is similar to something you have encountered before and are often the best choice if you need a fast solution.
  • Algorithms are step-by-step strategies that are guaranteed to produce a correct result. While this approach is great for accuracy, it can also consume time and resources.

Heuristics are often best used when time is of the essence, while algorithms are a better choice when a decision needs to be as accurate as possible.

4. Organizing Information

Before coming up with a solution, you need to first organize the available information. What do you know about the problem? What do you not know? The more information that is available the better prepared you will be to come up with an accurate solution.

When approaching a problem, it is important to make sure that you have all the data you need. Making a decision without adequate information can lead to biased or inaccurate results.

5. Allocating Resources

Of course, we don't always have unlimited money, time, and other resources to solve a problem. Before you begin to solve a problem, you need to determine how high priority it is.

If it is an important problem, it is probably worth allocating more resources to solving it. If, however, it is a fairly unimportant problem, then you do not want to spend too much of your available resources on coming up with a solution.

At this stage, it is important to consider all of the factors that might affect the problem at hand. This includes looking at the available resources, deadlines that need to be met, and any possible risks involved in each solution. After careful evaluation, a decision can be made about which solution to pursue.

6. Monitoring Progress

After selecting a problem-solving strategy, it is time to put the plan into action and see if it works. This step might involve trying out different solutions to see which one is the most effective.

It is also important to monitor the situation after implementing a solution to ensure that the problem has been solved and that no new problems have arisen as a result of the proposed solution.

Effective problem-solvers tend to monitor their progress as they work towards a solution. If they are not making good progress toward reaching their goal, they will reevaluate their approach or look for new strategies .

7. Evaluating the Results

After a solution has been reached, it is important to evaluate the results to determine if it is the best possible solution to the problem. This evaluation might be immediate, such as checking the results of a math problem to ensure the answer is correct, or it can be delayed, such as evaluating the success of a therapy program after several months of treatment.

Once a problem has been solved, it is important to take some time to reflect on the process that was used and evaluate the results. This will help you to improve your problem-solving skills and become more efficient at solving future problems.

A Word From Verywell​

It is important to remember that there are many different problem-solving processes with different steps, and this is just one example. Problem-solving in real-world situations requires a great deal of resourcefulness, flexibility, resilience, and continuous interaction with the environment.

Get Advice From The Verywell Mind Podcast

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how you can stop dwelling in a negative mindset.

Follow Now : Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts

You can become a better problem solving by:

  • Practicing brainstorming and coming up with multiple potential solutions to problems
  • Being open-minded and considering all possible options before making a decision
  • Breaking down problems into smaller, more manageable pieces
  • Asking for help when needed
  • Researching different problem-solving techniques and trying out new ones
  • Learning from mistakes and using them as opportunities to grow

It's important to communicate openly and honestly with your partner about what's going on. Try to see things from their perspective as well as your own. Work together to find a resolution that works for both of you. Be willing to compromise and accept that there may not be a perfect solution.

Take breaks if things are getting too heated, and come back to the problem when you feel calm and collected. Don't try to fix every problem on your own—consider asking a therapist or counselor for help and insight.

If you've tried everything and there doesn't seem to be a way to fix the problem, you may have to learn to accept it. This can be difficult, but try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and remember that every situation is temporary. Don't dwell on what's going wrong—instead, think about what's going right. Find support by talking to friends or family. Seek professional help if you're having trouble coping.

Davidson JE, Sternberg RJ, editors.  The Psychology of Problem Solving .  Cambridge University Press; 2003. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511615771

Sarathy V. Real world problem-solving .  Front Hum Neurosci . 2018;12:261. Published 2018 Jun 26. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00261

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

35 problem-solving techniques and methods for solving complex problems

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All teams and organizations encounter challenges as they grow. There are problems that might occur for teams when it comes to miscommunication or resolving business-critical issues . You may face challenges around growth , design , user engagement, and even team culture and happiness. In short, problem-solving techniques should be part of every team’s skillset.

Problem-solving methods are primarily designed to help a group or team through a process of first identifying problems and challenges , ideating possible solutions , and then evaluating the most suitable .

Finding effective solutions to complex problems isn’t easy, but by using the right process and techniques, you can help your team be more efficient in the process.

So how do you develop strategies that are engaging, and empower your team to solve problems effectively?

In this blog post, we share a series of problem-solving tools you can use in your next workshop or team meeting. You’ll also find some tips for facilitating the process and how to enable others to solve complex problems.

Let’s get started! 

How do you identify problems?

How do you identify the right solution.

  • Tips for more effective problem-solving

Complete problem-solving methods

  • Problem-solving techniques to identify and analyze problems
  • Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions

Problem-solving warm-up activities

Closing activities for a problem-solving process.

Before you can move towards finding the right solution for a given problem, you first need to identify and define the problem you wish to solve. 

Here, you want to clearly articulate what the problem is and allow your group to do the same. Remember that everyone in a group is likely to have differing perspectives and alignment is necessary in order to help the group move forward. 

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner. It can be scary for people to stand up and contribute, especially if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Be sure to try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions.

Remember that problem analysis and further discussion are also important. Not taking the time to fully analyze and discuss a challenge can result in the development of solutions that are not fit for purpose or do not address the underlying issue.

Successfully identifying and then analyzing a problem means facilitating a group through activities designed to help them clearly and honestly articulate their thoughts and produce usable insight.

With this data, you might then produce a problem statement that clearly describes the problem you wish to be addressed and also state the goal of any process you undertake to tackle this issue.  

Finding solutions is the end goal of any process. Complex organizational challenges can only be solved with an appropriate solution but discovering them requires using the right problem-solving tool.

After you’ve explored a problem and discussed ideas, you need to help a team discuss and choose the right solution. Consensus tools and methods such as those below help a group explore possible solutions before then voting for the best. They’re a great way to tap into the collective intelligence of the group for great results!

Remember that the process is often iterative. Great problem solvers often roadtest a viable solution in a measured way to see what works too. While you might not get the right solution on your first try, the methods below help teams land on the most likely to succeed solution while also holding space for improvement.

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . A well-structured workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

In SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

problems need to be solved

Tips for more effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

  • Six Thinking Hats
  • Lightning Decision Jam
  • Problem Definition Process
  • Discovery & Action Dialogue
Design Sprint 2.0
  • Open Space Technology

1. Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

2. Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

3. Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

4. The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

5. World Cafe

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

6. Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

7. Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

8. Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

  • The Creativity Dice
  • Fishbone Analysis
  • Problem Tree
  • SWOT Analysis
  • Agreement-Certainty Matrix
  • The Journalistic Six
  • LEGO Challenge
  • What, So What, Now What?
  • Journalists

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

10. The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

11. Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

12. Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

13. SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

14. Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

16. Speed Boat

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

17. The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

18. LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

19. What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

20. Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to narrow down to the correct solution.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team find consensus, compare possible solutions, and move towards taking action on a particular problem.

  • Improved Solutions
  • Four-Step Sketch
  • 15% Solutions
  • How-Now-Wow matrix
  • Impact Effort Matrix

21. Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

22. Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

23. Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

24. 15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

25. How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

26. Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

27. Dotmocracy

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

  • Check-in/Check-out
  • Doodling Together
  • Show and Tell
  • Constellations
  • Draw a Tree

28. Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process.

Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

29. Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

30. Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

31. Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

32. Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

  • One Breath Feedback
  • Who What When Matrix
  • Response Cards

How do I conclude a problem-solving process?

All good things must come to an end. With the bulk of the work done, it can be tempting to conclude your workshop swiftly and without a moment to debrief and align. This can be problematic in that it doesn’t allow your team to fully process the results or reflect on the process.

At the end of an effective session, your team will have gone through a process that, while productive, can be exhausting. It’s important to give your group a moment to take a breath, ensure that they are clear on future actions, and provide short feedback before leaving the space. 

The primary purpose of any problem-solving method is to generate solutions and then implement them. Be sure to take the opportunity to ensure everyone is aligned and ready to effectively implement the solutions you produced in the workshop.

Remember that every process can be improved and by giving a short moment to collect feedback in the session, you can further refine your problem-solving methods and see further success in the future too.

33. One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

34. Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

35. Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Save time and effort discovering the right solutions

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

problems need to be solved

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of creative exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

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What Is Problem Solving?

By the Mind Tools Content Team

problems need to be solved

We all spend a lot of our time solving problems, both at work and in our personal lives.

Some problems are small, and we can quickly sort them out ourselves. But others are complex challenges that take collaboration, creativity, and a considerable amount of effort to solve.

At work, the types of problems we face depend largely on the organizations we're in and the jobs we do. A manager in a cleaning company, for example, might spend their day untangling staffing issues, resolving client complaints, and sorting out problems with equipment and supplies. An aircraft designer, on the other hand, might be grappling with a problem about aerodynamics, or trying to work out why a new safety feature isn't working. Meanwhile, a politician might be exploring solutions to racial injustice or climate change.

But whatever issues we face, there are some common ways to tackle them effectively. And we can all boost our confidence and ability to succeed by building a strong set of problem-solving skills.

Mind Tools offers a large collection of resources to help you do just that!

How Well Do You Solve Problems?

Start by taking an honest look at your existing skills. What's your current approach to solving problems, and how well is it working? Our quiz, How Good Is Your Problem Solving? lets you analyze your abilities, and signposts ways to address any areas of weakness.

Define Every Problem

The first step in solving a problem is understanding what that problem actually is. You need to be sure that you're dealing with the real problem – not its symptoms. For example, if performance in your department is substandard, you might think that the problem lies with the individuals submitting work. However, if you look a bit deeper, the real issue might be a general lack of training, or an unreasonable workload across the team.

Tools like 5 Whys , Appreciation and Root Cause Analysis get you asking the right questions, and help you to work through the layers of a problem to uncover what's really going on.

However, defining a problem doesn't mean deciding how to solve it straightaway. It's important to look at the issue from a variety of perspectives. If you commit yourself too early, you can end up with a short-sighted solution. The CATWOE checklist provides a powerful reminder to look at many elements that may contribute to the problem, keeping you open to a variety of possible solutions.

Understanding Complexity

As you define your problem, you'll often discover just how complicated it is. There are likely several interrelated issues involved. That's why it's important to have ways to visualize, simplify and make sense of this tangled mess!

Affinity Diagrams are great for organizing many different pieces of information into common themes, and for understanding the relationships between them.

Another popular tool is the Cause-and-Effect Diagram . To generate viable solutions, you need a solid understanding of what's causing the problem.

When your problem occurs within a business process, creating a Flow Chart , Swim Lane Diagram or a Systems Diagram will help you to see how various activities and inputs fit together. This may well highlight a missing element or bottleneck that's causing your problem.

Quite often, what seems to be a single problem turns out to be a whole series of problems. The Drill Down technique prompts you to split your problem into smaller, more manageable parts.

General Problem-Solving Tools

When you understand the problem in front of you, you’re ready to start solving it. With your definition to guide you, you can generate several possible solutions, choose the best one, then put it into action. That's the four-step approach at the heart of good problem solving.

There are various problem-solving styles to use. For example:

  • Constructive Controversy is a way of widening perspectives and energizing discussions.
  • Inductive Reasoning makes the most of people’s experiences and know-how, and can speed up solution finding.
  • Means-End Analysis can bring extra clarity to your thinking, and kick-start the process of implementing solutions.

Specific Problem-Solving Systems

Some particularly complicated or important problems call for a more comprehensive process. Again, Mind Tools has a range of approaches to try, including:

  • Simplex , which involves an eight-stage process: problem finding, fact finding, defining the problem, idea finding, selecting and evaluating, planning, selling the idea, and acting. These steps build upon the basic, four-step process described above, and they create a cycle of problem finding and solving that will continually improve your organization.
  • Appreciative Inquiry , which is a uniquely positive way of solving problems by examining what's working well in the areas surrounding them.
  • Soft Systems Methodology , which takes you through four stages to uncover more details about what's creating your problem, and then define actions that will improve the situation.

Further Problem-Solving Strategies

Good problem solving requires a number of other skills – all of which are covered by Mind Tools.

For example, we have a large section of resources to improve your Creativity , so that you come up with a range of possible solutions.

By strengthening your Decision Making , you'll be better at evaluating the options, selecting the best ones, then choosing how to implement them.

And our Project Management collection has valuable advice for strengthening the whole problem-solving process. The resources there will help you to make effective changes – and then keep them working long term.

Problems are an inescapable part of life, both in and out of work. So we can all benefit from having strong problem-solving skills.

It's important to understand your current approach to problem solving, and to know where and how to improve.

Define every problem you encounter – and understand its complexity, rather than trying to solve it too soon.

There's a range of general problem-solving approaches, helping you to generate possible answers, choose the best ones, and then implement your solution.

Some complicated or serious problems require more specific problem-solving systems, especially when they relate to business processes.

By boosting your creativity, decision-making and project-management skills, you’ll become even better at solving all the problems you face.

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The 4 Types of Innovation and the Problems They Solve

  • Greg Satell

problems need to be solved

Disruption isn’t the only approach.

Innovation is, at its core, about solving problems — and there are as many ways to innovate as there are different types of problems to solve. Just like we wouldn’t rely on a single marketing tactic for the life of an organization, or a single source of financing, we need to build up a portfolio of innovation strategies designed for specific tasks. Leaders identify the right type of strategy to solve the right type of problem, just by asking two questions: How well we can define the problem and how well we can define the skill domain(s) needed to solve it. Well-defined problems that benefit from well-defined skills fall into the category of “sustaining innovation.” Most innovation happens here, because most of the time we’re trying to get better at something we’re already doing. “Breakthrough innovation” is needed when we run into a well-defined problem that’s just devilishly hard to solve. In cases like these, we need to explore unconventional skill domains. When the reverse is true — skills are well-defined, but the problem is not — we can tap into “disruptive innovation” strategies. And when nothing is well-defined, well, then we’re in the exploratory, pioneering realm of basic research. There are always new problems to solve; learn to apply the solution that best fits your current problem.

One of the best innovation stories I’ve ever heard came to me from a senior executive at a leading tech firm. Apparently, his company had won a million-dollar contract to design a sensor that could detect pollutants at very small concentrations underwater. It was an unusually complex problem, so the firm set up a team of crack microchip designers, and they started putting their heads together.

problems need to be solved

  • Greg Satell is Co-Founder of  ChangeOS , a transformation & change advisory, an international keynote speaker, and bestselling author of  Cascades: How to Create a Movement that Drives Transformational Change . His previous effort,  Mapping Innovation , was selected as one of the best business books of 2017. You can learn more about Greg on his website, GregSatell.com  and follow him on Twitter @DigitalTonto  and on LinkedIn .  

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The World’s Biggest Problems Are Interconnected. Here’s How We Can Solve Them This Decade

problems need to be solved

T wo decades ago, people around the world rang in the new millennium with a growing sense of optimism. The threat posed by the Cold War was fading slowly in the rearview mirror. Leading thinkers like Francis Fukuyama touted the benefits of globalization , saying it would bring democracy and prosperity to the developing world. The nascent Internet economy promised to bring us closer together.

The following 20 years took some of the air out of the assumption of steady progress, but when future historians assess the 21st century, the year 2020 is likely to serve as the point at which the optimism bubble burst. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a complex web of interlocking problems that have morphed into full-blown crises. The coronavirus laid bare the dangers of endemic poverty not only in the developing world but also in rich countries like the U.S., where millions lack health care and are one paycheck away from living on the street. Around the world, racial and ethnic minorities have demanded justice after centuries of structural discrimination. Woven through it all, the earth’s climate is increasingly unstable, posing an existential threat to human society as we know it. In the next decade, societies will be forced to either confront this snarl of challenges, or be overwhelmed by them. Our response will define the future for decades to come.

The recognition that these challenges are fundamentally linked isn’t new. Activists and academics have for many years pointed to the cascading effects of various social ills. Whether it’s the way racism contributes to poor health outcomes or gender discrimination harms economic growth , the examples are seemingly endless. But this understanding has made its way into the conversation about solutions too.

Notably, for the past five years, the U.N. has touted 17 interrelated sustainable development goals, objectives for building a more viable world, and called for a push to achieve them by 2030. The goals, which cover environmental, social and economic progress, are nonbinding but have become key benchmarks for commitments at a national and corporate level. Countries from China to the Maldives, as well as companies like Amazon , Microsoft and PwC, have committed to rolling out policies over the next decade that will set them on a path to eliminate their carbon footprints.

The understanding that these problems require holistic solutions has only grown amid the pandemic and its fallout. President Joe Biden has referred to four urgent crises—the pandemic, the economic crisis, racial injustice and climate change—and promised a push to tackle them all together. The European Union’s program to propel the bloc out of the COVID-19 crisis targets climate change, while incorporating equity concerns. As stock markets soared last year, institutions with trillions of dollars in assets demanded that their investments deliver not only a good return for their wallets but also a good return for society.

All these developments and many more have created new opportunities for bold ideas . These new ways of thinking will come from government leaders, to be sure, but also from activists, entrepreneurs and academics. Here, our eight inaugural members of the 2030 committee offer their own specific solutions—and in them, perhaps, the seeds of 21st century optimism.

This appears in the February 1, 2021 issue of TIME.

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Identifying and Structuring Problems

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This page continues from Problem Solving an Introduction that introduces problem solving as a concept and outlines the stages used to successfully solve problems.

This page covers the first two stages in the problem solving process: Identifying the Problem and Structuring the Problem .

Stage One: Identifying the Problem

Before being able to confront a problem its existence needs to be identified. This might seem an obvious statement but, quite often, problems will have an impact for some time before they are recognised or brought to the attention of someone who can do anything about them.

In many organisations it is possible to set up formal systems of communication so that problems are reported early on, but inevitably these systems do not always work. Once a problem has been identified, its exact nature needs to be determined: what are the goal and barrier components of the problem?  Some of the main elements of the problem can be outlined, and a first attempt at defining the problem should be made.  This definition should be clear enough for you to be able to easily explain the nature of the problem to others.

Looking at the problem in terms of goals and barriers can offer an effective way of defining many problems and splitting bigger problems into more manageable sub-problems.

Sometimes it will become apparent that what seems to be a single problem, is more accurately a series of sub-problems.  For example, in the problem:

“I have been offered a job that I want, but I don't have the transport to get there and I don't have enough money to buy a car.”

“ I want to take a job ” (main problem)

“ But I don't have transport to get there ” (sub-problem 1)

“ And I don't have enough money to buy a car ” (sub-problem 2)

Useful ways of describing more complex problems are shown in the section, ' Structuring the Problem' , below.

During this first stage of problem solving, it is important to get an initial working definition of the problem.  Although it may need to be adapted at a later stage, a good working definition makes it possible to describe the problem to others who may become involved in the problem solving process.  For example:

Stage Two: Structuring the Problem

The second stage of the problem solving process involves gaining a deeper understanding of the problem. Firstly, facts need to be checked.

The questions have to be asked, is the stated goal the real goal?  Are the barriers actual barriers and what other barriers are there?  In this example, the problem at first seems to be:

This is also a good opportunity to look at the relationships between the key elements of the problem .  For example, in the 'Job-Transport-Money' problem, there are strong connections between all the elements.

By looking at all the relationships between the key elements, it appears that the problem is more about how to achieve any one of three things, i.e. job, transport or money, because solving one of these sub-problems will, in turn, solve the others.

This example shows how useful it is to have a representation of a problem.

Problems can be represented in the following ways:

  • Visually: using pictures, models or diagrams.
  • Verbally: describing the problem in words.

Visual and verbal representations include:

  • Chain diagrams
  • Flow charts
  • Tree diagrams

Chain Diagrams

Chain diagrams are powerful and simple ways of representing problems using a combination of diagrams and words.   The elements of the problem are set out in words, usually placed in boxes, and positioned in different places on a sheet of paper, using lines to represent the relationship between them.

Chain Diagrams are the simplest type, where all the elements are presented in an ordered list, each element being connected only with the elements immediately before and after it.  Chain diagrams usually represent a sequence of events needed for a solution.  A simple example of a chain diagram illustrates the job-transport-money example as as follows:

Flow Charts

Flow charts allow for inclusion of branches, folds, loops, decision points and many other relationships between the elements.  In practice, flow charts can be quite complicated and there are many conventions as to how they are drawn but, generally, simple diagrams are easier to understand and aid in 'seeing' the problem more readily.

Tree Diagrams

Tree diagrams and their close relative, the Decision Tree , are ways of representing situations where there are a number of choices or different possible events to be considered.  These types of diagram are particularly useful for considering all the possible consequences of solutions.

Remember that the aim of a visualisation is to make the problem clearer.  Over-complicated diagrams will just confuse and make the problem harder to understand.

Listing the elements of a problem can also help to represent priorities, order and sequences in the problem.  Goals can be listed in order of importance and barriers in order of difficulty.  Separate lists could be made of related goals or barriers.  The barriers could be listed in the order in which they need to be solved, or elements of the problem classified in a number of different ways.  There are many possibilities, but the aim is to provide a clearer picture of the problem.

A visual representation and a working definition together makes it far easier to describe a problem to others. Many problems will be far more complex than the example used here.

Continue to: Investigating Ideas and Possible Solutions

See also: Social Problem Solving Project Management Risk Management

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problems need to be solved

10 Experts on the Biggest Problems Tech Needs to Solve

“What is one problem you would use technology to fix?” With technology playing a key role in advancing our world today, here are 10 experts’ responses on the biggest problems tech needs to solve.

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By Milan Shetti, CEO Rocket Software

In the past year, we have experienced a global pandemic, social justice trials, political reforms and much more. As business leaders, we are usually concerned with finding solutions to answer our companies’ specific problems. We often don’t take a minute to look at the bigger picture of how we can aid today’s biggest global challenges through digital technology. At Rocket Software, we are led by our core values of empathy, humanity, trust, and love. These values guide us in trying to make the world a better place through technology.

On our podcast, Digital: Disrupted , we host a wide range of tech professionals every week. A question we like to ask each guest is, “What is one problem you would use technology to fix?” With technology playing a key role in advancing our world today, here are 10 experts’ responses on the biggest problems tech needs to solve.

Andrew Winston, Winston Eco-Strategies

Problem: Misinformation

Andrew is the co-author of Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take and the founder of Winston Eco-Strategies where he advises companies on managing today’s mega-trends. Winston says a problem he wishes tech could solve is the misinformation caused by technology.

“Misinformation is making all of today’s problems worse and we are at a time in history where we need to come together like never before.”

Bob Friday, Mist

Problem: Connectivity

Bob is an entrepreneur focused on developing wireless technologies and is currently the VP and CTO of Mist, a Juniper Company. Friday says a problem he wishes tech could change is connectivity.

“The more people that know about each other, the better off they are.”

Shirish Nadkarni, Serial Entrepreneur and Author

Problem: Climate change

Shirish started his career at Microsoft where he engineered the acquisition of Hotmail and launched MSN.com and has since created and sold multiple consumer businesses that have scaled to tens of millions of users worldwide. Most recently, he wrote the book, Startup to Exit – An Insider’s Guide to Launching and Scaling Your Tech Business . Nadkarni says a problem he wishes tech could solve is climate change.

“I did not think that climate change would happen in my lifetime, but it already is, and I believe with technology we can make advancements before it’s too late.”

Gary Chan, Alfizo

Problem: Healthcare

Gary runs Alfizo, a consultancy company helping businesses build and transform their information security programs. Chan says a problem he wishes tech could solve is healthcare. “I wish technology would be able to scan someone to find and fix their problem. I think that would be pretty cool.”

Dr. David  A. Bishop, Agile Worx

Problem: Hunger

David is a technology consultant and researcher who has worked with companies such as AT&T, Delta Airlines and Toshiba. He is also an author and the creator of agile vortex theory, the subject of his book Metagility: Managing Agile Development for Competitive Advantage . Bishop says a problem he wishes tech could solve is hunger.

“Hunger, while it seems like a very simple thing off the cuff…it has such a great impact long-term on communities.” 

Ed Skoudis, SANS Technology

Problem: Feelings of depression, loneliness, and isolation

Ed is the founder of Counter Hack, an information security consulting firm, and the president of the SANS Technology Institute where he developed their penetration testing curriculum. Skoudis says a problem he wishes tech could solve is the feelings of depression, loneliness, and isolation.

“I would love digital technology to be leveraged to limit the depression people are facing and turn it around.”

Josh Linkner, University of Michigan

Problem: Racial Injustice

Josh has founded and sold five tech companies and authored four bestselling books including his most recent, Big Little Breakthroughs . Linkner says a problem he wishes tech could solve is aiding in help of restoring the environment.

“I’d love to use technology to help solve issues like racial injustice and hunger. We have a long way to go, but I am an optimist and think that while technology will not solve all of these issues in one swoop, technology will certainly be able to aid in the solving of the most difficult and pesky problems.”

Camille Eddy, Open Tech Pledge

Problem: Misunderstanding of other cultures

Camille is the senior product engineer at the startup Sector and the co-founder of the Open Tech Pledge. Eddy says a problem she wishes tech could solve is misunderstanding other cultures.

“Not understanding other people gets in the way of innovation. I think if we could use technology to find a way to understand each other a little bit faster and easier that would be great.”

Tom Sweet, GM Financial

Problem: Privacy

Tom is the VP of Cloud Services at GM Financial, where he inspires colleagues to start a career in IT based on his own career journey. Sweet says a problem he wishes tech could solve is the lack of privacy.

“I think we are losing our privacy in a lot of different areas, and it is always at the top of my mind.”

Bill Miller, Beelinebill Enterprises

Problem: Cancer

Bill is an executive advisor and consultant, speaker, author, mentor, and coach who helps small and medium company CEOs and leaders who need a partner to guide them through overwhelming times and issues and get desired outcomes. Miller says an issue he wishes technology could fix is cancer.

“In the year of a pandemic and vaccines, I would love to see technology create a vaccine that cures cancer.”

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Top 10 world problems and their solutions

Top 10 world problems and their solutions

The last decade has been marked by significant progress in various fields such as science, medicine, and technology but, at the same time, the number of problems in today’s society has steadily grown. In 2020 and 2021, undoubtedly some of the most uncertain and difficult years of the last decade, the biggest problems in the world were the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty. However, the years that followed continued to be somewhat complex and certainly no less easy.

In 2022 – 2023, the war in Ukraine, the Israel – Hamas conflict , the energy crisis and hyperinflation caused multiple economic shocks and stagnation across the continents.

As a platform to address global issues that cannot be resolved by any single country, the United Nations organization is spearheading humanity’s struggle to survive. Its most visible efforts concern resolving conflicts and undertaking peacekeeping activities. Below is a list of the world’s greatest according to the UN.

Climate Change

There is no economy or individual that is unaffected by climate change. By 2050, this problem could force 216 million people to relocate within their own nations. The changes in weather may worsen water stress and reduce crop output, particularly in the most food-insecure areas of the world.

One of the major problems on our planet is linked to global temperatures that are continually rising. By 2100, studies show that there is a 50% likelihood of facing global warming that is higher than 3.5 degrees Celsius and a 10% probability of witnessing warming higher than 4.7 degrees Celsius relative to temperatures registered between 1850 and 1900. This would result in more severe shifts in weather patterns, food and resource shortages, and the more rapid spread of diseases.

At COP28 in Dubai, held at the end of 2023, the World Bank unveiled ambitious plans to boost climate funding, improve initiatives for carbon markets, and much more.

Possible solutions:

A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and increased awareness of the necessity to turn green are among the solutions that can make a significant difference. In addition, strategies to cut carbon emissions and opting for replanting are among the effective ways to address climate change.

Wars and military conflicts

Maintaining peace and security is crucial to preventing poverty and high numbers of refugees and asylum seekers. With an increasing number of territories becoming conflict zones, the number of poor and displaced women and children is on rise, causing the spread of diseases and a halt to economic progress.

Preventative diplomacy and demilitarization are the two key tactics for avoiding conflicts. Preventive diplomacy is defined as those actions undertaken to avoid conflicts from forming or worsening. It can also help to limit the spread of existing hostilities. Mediation, conciliation, or negotiation are all options to tackle this world issue.

Today, among the greatest world issues, wars and conflicts are at the top of the list. 2022 and 2023 were marked by a number of conflicts that led to many casualties and displaced people. The conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine in particular have led to a massive number of people fleeing or attempting to flee their countries in search of shelter.

Individuals with disabilities and the elderly are the most vulnerable because they may not be able to escape high-risk regions.

As of May 2023, there were around 5.1 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine and the number of documented refugees from Ukraine was over 6.2 million worldwide. Around 90% of those escaping the crisis were women and children.

In Gaza, there are approximately 1.4 million internally displaced people with around 690,000 being housed in 150 shelters run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees.

Refugee statistics:

  • In mid-2023, according to the UN , there were 110 million forcibly displaced people in the world
  • 43.3 million (around 40%) of these were children
  • 1.9 million children were born as refugees
  • 36.4 million (over 30%) of all displaced people were refugees
  • 6.1 million were asylum-seekers
  • 4.4 million stateless people reside in 97 countries although it has been estimated that the true figure is much higher
  • Over 50% of refugees come from just three countries: the Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

Water contamination

There is no life without water – apparently a simple truth but one that people seem to overlook. Poor management and irrational use forces communities to migrate in search of drinking water. Industries are polluting underground water and this issue is growing massively.

  • Due to pollution, poverty, and inadequate resource management, around 2.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water
  • Agriculture is responsible for 70% of global water loss
  • Annually, 297,000 children under the age of five die from diarrheal infections caused by poor sanitation, hygiene, or contaminated drinking water
  • 80% of wastewater is discharged into the environment without being processed or reused

Possible solutions to the water pollution issue:

The most efficient technique to reduce water pollution is to treat water (filtration, disinfection, etc.) before it reaches the waterway system. Clearing wastewater of pollutants can be performed via biological, physical, and chemical operations.

Human rights violation

Human rights are universal, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or any other status but what if this only happens on paper?

Indeed, the problems in today’s society are linked with the constant violation of human rights – gender inequality, human trafficking, the lack of freedom of speech – all of these can be witnessed in the 21st century in every country, even in developed nations.

Gender Equality

50% of the world’s population are women and girls. Gender equality is not only a crucial human right , it is also necessary for a peaceful society, the full development of human potential, and long-term evolution.

Possible solutions to gender inequality:

  • Speak up for what you believe in
  • Pay attention to what others have to say
  • Defend yourself from discrimination
  • Raise public awareness of a problem
  • Get the media to talk about it
  • Demonstrate to those in positions of power that they are being watched

Global health issues

There is no comprehensive list of the top global health challenges because this field is dynamic and ever-evolving. In addition, new threats and hazards related to global health are constantly emerging as seen by the monkeypox outbreak that occurred in 2023. On the other hand, certain global health problems are long-term and may be on the list forever including cancer, air pollution, and tuberculosis.

Major health problems in the world include:

  • Communicable diseases

Influenza outbreaks and COVID-19 are examples of pandemics that highlight our susceptibility to widespread infections, many of which begin in animals. Anxiety and fear are common reactions to pandemics. Other worrisome infectious diseases worth attention are HIV/AIDS, malaria, and Ebola which have remained deadly for decades.

  • Environmental factors

Air pollution and climate change have a serious impact on our health. Hurricanes, floods and droughts make disease transmission easier among large populations of people.

  • Inequalities and poor healthcare access

Poor access to healthcare, increased infant mortality rates, mainly in low-income nations, and income inequality around the world make it virtually impossible for many families to afford healthcare.

  • Political aspects

People become increasingly exposed to diseases as wars within or between countries damage essential infrastructure. As a result, they look for ways to escape the harmful situations that jeopardize their safety but diseases can spread swiftly when people migrate.

  • Mental health

A major contributor to disability is depression, and among those aged 15 to 29, suicide caused by depression is the main cause of mortality. Individuals suffering from serious mental health issues frequently encounter stigma, discrimination, and infringements of their human rights which can lead to earlier death. In less severe cases, mental health conditions can impact participation in social activities, close interpersonal connections, and academic or professional performance.

  • Noncommunicable diseases (NDCs)

Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are just a few examples of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The risk factors for NCDs include the use of tobacco products and alcohol, obesity, a poor or unbalanced diet, and lack of exercise. Although these global health concerns are present everywhere and are responsible for almost 3 out of every 4 deaths worldwide, low- and middle-income nations make up 77% of NCD deaths .

Possible solutions to global health issues:

  • Empower marginalized populations
  • Encourage physicians to work in rural regions
  • Implement policies that eliminate obstacles and improve access to healthcare
  • Promote health breakthroughs (improve research, increase funding)
  • Education can help people recognize and improve lifestyle variables such as poor diets, obesity, cigarette use, and alcohol intake which can lead to NCDs.
  • Veterinary medicine can enhance global health since diseases originating from livestock play an important role in the spreading of diseases.

Global poverty

Although there has been a decline in extreme poverty in middle-income nations, poverty in the world’s poorest nations and those impacted by instability, wars, or violence remains higher than it was before COVID-19.

Currently, about 700 million people worldwide face extreme poverty, meaning that their daily income is less than the $2.15 poverty-line established by the World Bank . The majority of these individuals reside in sub-Saharan Africa. All in all, the places where it is most difficult to tackle extreme poverty are rural areas and regions impacted by conflicts. It’s worth mentioning that 50% of the people who live in extreme poverty are children.

Possible solutions to poverty:

  • End marginalization by ensuring equality and representation for all
  • Provide preventative education and treatment assistance during an epidemic
  • Offer recovery interventions during climate disasters
  • Help refugees and internally displaced people in terms of health, nutrition, and shelter
  • Improve education
  • Increase the level of food security and clean water access
  • Put an end to conflicts

See also: Absolute poverty vs relative poverty, what is the difference?

Children’s poor access to healthcare, education and safety

Every child must benefit from the right to proper healthcare, access to education, and grow in safety, and every society benefits from increasing children’s life prospects. Despite this, millions of children worldwide face serious challenges linked with their birthplace, gender, or circumstances.

Over 72 million children around the world who are old enough to attend elementary school are not enrolled. Marginalization and poverty are two major social issues.

Possible solutions to protect children’s rights:

  • Encourage education for both children and adults in less developed countries
  • Provide clean water
  • Ensure basic healthcare
  • Tackle gender inequality
  • Improve childhood nutrition

Access to food and hunger

By 2030, it is less likely that the world will achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, according to international agencies and media. The situation in countries that have faced food insecurity and where populations suffer from hunger has worsened further as a result of the health and socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our planet houses over 8 billion people, and there is enough food to feed them all. Sadly, 828 million face hunger on a daily basis despite the quantity of available food.

According to the World Food Program , more than 40% of these people face severe hunger. At the same time, around 2.3 billion people lack proper access to food. Statistics also show that around 9 million people die each year from hunger-related factors – most of them being children aged 5 or younger.

  • In regions impacted by conflict, humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding initiatives should be rolled out quickly
  • The resilience of those who are more prone to economic hardship should be increased
  • To reduce the cost of nutritious foods, governments should intervene at various points in the food supply chain
  • Deal with poverty by focusing on interventions that help those suffering
  • Food environments should be reinforced. In addition, it is important to influence consumer behavior to encourage eating habits that are good for both people and the environment.
  • Experts believe that the immediate solution to the food crisis linked to the conflict in Ukraine could be monetary, mainly because of the rising food prices. If governments and donors are able to help people to pay for food, fewer will go hungry.

Massive migration movements impact all UN Member States , necessitating greater collaboration and responsibility-sharing.

The United Nations Member States endorsed the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (A/RES/71/1) wherein they acknowledged that there is a need for a comprehensive strategy for migration. The New York Declaration recognizes the beneficial contributions of migrants to inclusive and sustainable development and pledges to defend their dignity, human rights, and basic freedoms, irrespective of their migration status.

Weapons accessibility

Multilateral disarmament and armaments restriction are the aims that have been important to the United Nations’ attempts to keep international peace since its inception.

The United Nations has placed a high priority on decreasing and ultimately eliminating nuclear weapons, abolishing chemical weapons, and reinforcing the ban on biological weapons, all of which pose the greatest dangers to humanity.

  • A number of multilateral treaties and procedures have been developed as a result of worldwide efforts to regulate, limit, or eliminate specific weapons, including:
  • Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – one of its goals is to stop nuclear weapons and weapons technology from spreading
  • Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty – its goal is to prohibit nuclear weapons trial explosions, as well as any other nuclear explosions
  • Biological and Chemical Weapons Convention – forbids biological and toxin weapon manufacturing, procurement, transmission, storage, and use
  • Arms Trade Treaty – controls the international conventional armaments trade.

Although the top 10 global issues certainly help to establish what governments and ordinary people around the world should focus on, there are many other problems that everyone should be aware of, including the aging of the population, AIDS, and law and justice. Tackling at least some of these is possible but requires a lot of effort, patience and understanding.

Daniil Filipenco

  • Making the case for biofortification to fight malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa 22 February 2024
  • Immediate actions needed to cool down the planet as 1.5°C limit exceeded 21 February 2024
  • Latest data on aid shows in-country spending by donors is rising 20 February 2024
  • World’s top gold-producing countries and industry insights 20 February 2024
  • Wildfires intensify the alarming deterioration of U.S. air quality 19 February 2024

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14 Major Tech Issues — and the Innovations That Will Resolve Them

problems need to be solved

The past year has seen unprecedented challenges to public-health systems and the global economy. Many facets of daily life and work have moved into the digital realm, and the shift has highlighted some underlying business technology issues that are getting in the way of productivity, communication and security.

As successful business leaders, the members of the  Young Entrepreneur Council understand how important it is to have functional, up-to-date technology. That ’ s why we asked a panel of them to share what they view as the biggest business tech problem of the past year. Here are the issues they ’ re concerned about and the innovations they believe will help solve them.

Current Major Technology Issues

  • Need For Strong Digital Conference Platforms
  • Remote Internet Speed and Connections
  • Phishing and Data Privacy Issues
  • Deepfake Content
  • Too Much Focus on Automation
  • Data Mixups Due to AI Implementation
  • Poor User Experience

1. Employee Productivity Measurement

As most companies switched to 100 percent remote almost overnight, many realized that they lacked an efficient way to measure employee productivity. Technology with “ user productivity reports ”  has become invaluable. Without being able to “ see ”  an employee in the workplace, companies must find technology that helps them to track and report how productive employees are at home. — Bill Mulholland , ARC Relocation

2. Digital Industry Conference Platforms

Nothing beats in-person communication when it comes to business development. In the past, industry conferences were king. Today, though, the move to remote conferences really leaves a lot to be desired and transforms the largely intangible value derived from attending into something that is purely informational. A new form or platform for industry conferences is sorely needed. — Nick Reese , Elder Guide

3. Remote Internet Speed and Equipment

With a sudden shift to most employees working remotely, corporations need to boost at-home internet speed and capacity for employees that didn ’ t previously have the requirements to produce work adequately. Companies need to invest in new technologies like 5G and ensure they are supported at home. — Matthew Podolsky , Florida Law Advisers, P.A.

4. Too Much Focus on Automation

Yes, automation and multi-platform management might be ideal for big-name brands and companies, but for small site owners and businesses, it ’ s just overkill. Way too many people are overcomplicating things. Stick to your business model and what works without trying to overload the process. — Zac Johnson , Blogger

5. Phishing Sites

There are many examples of phishing site victims. Last year, I realized the importance of good pop-up blockers for your laptop and mobile devices. It is so scary to be directed to a website that you don ’ t know or to even pay to get to sites that actually don ’t  exist. Come up with better pop-up blockers if possible. — Daisy Jing , Banish

6. Data Privacy

I think data privacy is still one of the biggest business tech issues around. Blockchain technology can solve this problem. We need more and more businesses to understand that blockchains don’t just serve digital currencies, they also protect people’s privacy. We also need Amazon, Facebook, Google, etc. to understand that personal data belongs in the hands of the individual. — Amine Rahal , IronMonk Solutions

7. Mobile Security

Mobile security is a big issue because we rely so much on mobile internet access today. We need to be more aware of how these networks can be compromised and how to protect them. Whether it ’ s the IoT devices helping deliver data wirelessly to companies or people using apps on their smartphones, we need to become more aware of our mobile cybersecurity and how to protect our data. — Josh Kohlbach , Wholesale Suite

8. Deepfake Content

More and more people are embracing deepfake content, which is content created to look real but isn ’ t. Using AI, people can edit videos to look like someone did something they didn ’ t do and vice versa, which hurts authenticity and makes people question what ’ s real. Lawmakers need to take this issue seriously and create ways to stop people from doing this. — Jared Atchison , WPForms

9. Poor User Experience

I ’ ve noticed some brands struggling with building a seamless user experience. There are so many themes, plugins and changes people can make to their site that it can be overwhelming. As a result, the business owner eventually builds something they like, but sacrifices UX in the process. I suspect that we will see more businesses using customer feedback to make design changes. — John Brackett , Smash Balloon LLC

10. Cybersecurity Threats

Cybersecurity threats are more prevalent than ever before with increased digital activities. This has drawn many hackers, who are becoming more sophisticated and are targeting many more businesses. Vital Information, such as trade secrets, price-sensitive information, HR records, and many others are more vulnerable. Strengthening cybersecurity laws can maintain equilibrium. — Vikas Agrawal , Infobrandz

11. Data Backup and Recovery

As a company, you ’ ll store and keep lots of data crucial to keeping business moving forward. A huge tech issue that businesses face is their backup recovery process when their system goes down. If anything happens, you need access to your information. Backing up your data is crucial to ensure your brand isn ’ t at a standstill. Your IT department should have a backup plan in case anything happens. — Stephanie Wells , Formidable Forms

12. Multiple Ad and Marketing Platforms

A major issue that marketers are dealing with is having to use multiple advertising and marketing platforms, with each one handling a different activity. It can overload a website and is quite expensive. We ’ re already seeing AdTech and MarTech coming together as MAdTech. Businesses need to keep an eye on this convergence of technologies and adopt new platforms that support it. — Syed Balkhi , WPBeginner

13. Location-Based Innovation

The concentration of tech companies in places like Seattle and San Francisco has led to a quick rise in living costs in these cities. Income isn ’ t catching up, and there ’ s stress on public infrastructure. Poor internet services in rural areas also exacerbate this issue. Innovation should be decentralized. — Samuel Thimothy , OneIMS

14. Artificial Intelligence Implementation

Businesses, especially those in the tech industry, are having trouble implementing AI. If you ’ ve used and improved upon your AI over the years, you ’ re likely having an easier time adjusting. But new online businesses test multiple AI programs at once and it ’ s causing communication and data mix-ups. As businesses settle with specific programs and learn what works for them, we will see improvements. — Chris Christoff , MonsterInsights

Built In’s expert contributor network publishes thoughtful, solutions-oriented stories written by innovative tech professionals. It is the tech industry’s definitive destination for sharing compelling, first-person accounts of problem-solving on the road to innovation.

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The Most Important Scientific Problems Have Yet to Be Solved

If certain areas of science appear to be quite mature, others are in the process of development, and yet others remain to be born

  • By Santiago Ramón y Cajal  on  January 6, 2020

The Most Important Scientific Problems Have Yet to Be Solved

Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) was a neuroscientist and pathologist, and Spain’s first Nobel laureate. This excerpt from his book Advice for a Young Investigator was first posted on the MIT Press Reader on January 6, 2020. An essay on his remarkable scientific drawings appeared in Scientific American in 2015.

Here is a false concept often heard from the lips of the newly graduated: “Everything of major importance in the various areas of science has already been clarified. What difference does it make if I add some minor detail or gather up what is left in some field where more diligent observers have already collected the abundant, ripe grain. Science won’t change its perspective because of my work, and my name will never emerge from obscurity.”

This is often indolence masquerading as modesty. However, it is also expressed by worthy young men reflecting on the first pangs of dismay experienced when undertaking some major project. This superficial concept of science must be eradicated by the young investigator who does not wish to fail, hopelessly overcome by the struggle developing in his mind between the utilitarian suggestions that are part and parcel of his ethical environment (which may soon convert him to an ordinary and financially successful general practitioner), and those nobler impulses of duty and loyalty urging him on to achievement and honor.

Wanting to earn the trust placed in him by his mentors, the inexperienced observer hopes to discover a new lode at the earth’s surface, where easy exploration will build his reputation quickly. Unfortunately, with his first excursions into the literature hardly begun, he is shocked to find that the metal lies deep within the ground—surface deposits have been virtually exhausted by observers fortunate enough to arrive earlier and exercise their simple right of eminent domain.

It is nevertheless true that if we arrived on the scene too late for certain problems, we were also born too early to help solve others. Within a century we shall come, by the natural course of events, to monopolize science, plunder its major assets, and harvest its vast fields of data.

Yet we must recognize that there are times when, on the heels of a chance discovery or the development of an important new technique, magnificent scientific discoveries occur one after another as if by spontaneous generation. This happened during the Renaissance when Descartes, Pascal, Galileo, Bacon, Boyle, Newton, our own Sanchez, and others revealed clearly the errors of the ancients and spread the belief that the Greeks, far from exhausting the field of science, had scarcely taken the first steps in understanding the universe. It is a wonderful and fortunate thing for a scientist to be born during one of these great decisive moments in the history of ideas, when much of what has been done in the past is invalidated. Under these circumstances, it could not be easier to choose a fertile area of investigation.

However, let us not exaggerate the importance of such events. Instead, bear in mind that even in our own time science is often built on the ruins of theories once thought to be indestructible. It is important to realize that if certain areas of science appear to be quite mature, others are in the process of development, and yet others remain to be born. Especially in biology, where immense amounts of work have been carried out during the last century, the most essential problems remain unsolved—the origin of life, the problems of heredity and development, the structure and chemical composition of the cell, and so on.

It is fair to say that, in general, no problems have been exhausted; instead, men have been exhausted by the problems. Soil that appears impoverished to one researcher reveals its fertility to another. Fresh talent approaching the analysis of a problem without prejudice will always see new possibilities—some aspect not considered by those who believe that a subject is fully understood. Our knowledge is so fragmentary that unexpected findings appear in even the most fully explored topics. Who, a few short years ago, would have suspected that light and heat still held scientific secrets in reserve? Nevertheless, we now have  argon  in the atmosphere, the  x-rays  of Roentgen, and the  radium  of the Curies, all of which illustrate the inadequacy of our former methods, and the prematurity of our former syntheses.

The best application of the following beautiful dictum of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire is in biology: “The infinite is always before us.” And the same applies to Carnoy’s no less graphic thought: “Science is a perpetual creative process.” Not everyone is destined to venture into the forest and by sheer determination carve out a serviceable road. However, even the most humble among us can take advantage of the path opened by genius and by traveling along it extract one or another secret from the unknown.

If the beginner is willing to accept the role of gathering details that escaped the wise discoverer, he can be assured that those searching for minutiae eventually acquire an analytical sense so discriminating, and powers of observation so keen, that they are able to solve important problems successfully.

So many apparently trivial observations have led investigators with a thorough knowledge of methods to great scientific conquests! Furthermore, we must bear in mind that because science relentlessly differentiates, the minutiae of today often become important principles tomorrow.

It is also essential to remember that our appreciation of what is important and what is minor, what is great and what is small, is based on false wisdom, on a true anthropomorphic error. Superior and inferior do not exist in nature, nor do primary and secondary relationships. The hierarchies that our minds take pleasure in assigning to natural phenomena arise from the fact that instead of considering things individually, and how they are interrelated, we view them strictly from the perspective of their usefulness or the pleasure they give us. In the chain of life all links are equally valuable because all prove equally necessary.

Things that we see from a distance or do not know how to evaluate are considered small. Even assuming the perspective of human egotism, think how many issues of profound importance to humanity lie within the protoplasm of the simplest microbe! Nothing seems more important in bacteriology than a knowledge of infectious bacteria, and nothing more secondary than the inoffensive microbes that grow abundantly in decomposing organic material. Nevertheless, if these humble fungi—whose mission is to return to the general circulation of matter those substances incorporated by the higher plants and animals—were to disappear, humans could not inhabit the planet.

The far-reaching importance of attention to detail in technical methodology is perhaps demonstrated more clearly in biology than in any other sphere. To cite but one example, recall that Koch, the great German bacteriologist, thought of adding a little alkali to a basic aniline dye, and this allowed him to stain and thus discover the tubercle bacillus—revealing the etiology of a disease that had until then remained uncontrolled by the wisdom of the most illustrious pathologists.

Even the most prominent of the great geniuses have demonstrated a lack of intellectual perspective in the appraisal of scientific insights. Today, we can find many seeds of great discoveries that were mentioned as curiosities of little importance in the writings of the ancients, and even in those of the wise men of the Renaissance. Lost in the pages of a confused theological treatise ( Christianismi restitutio ) are three apparently disdainful lines written by Servetus referring to the pulmonary circulation, which now constitute his major claim to fame. The Aragonese philosopher would be surprised indeed if he were to rise from the dead today. He would find his laborious metaphysical disquisitions totally forgotten, whereas the observation he used simply to argue for the residence of the soul in the blood is widely praised! Or again, it has been inferred from a passage of Seneca’s that the ancients knew the magnifying powers of a crystal sphere filled with water. Who would have suspected that in this phenomenon of magnification, disregarded for centuries, slumbered the embryo of two powerful analytical instruments, the microscope and telescope—and two equally great sciences, biology and astronomy!

In summary, there are no small problems. Problems that appear small are large problems that are not understood. Instead of tiny details unworthy of the intellectual, we have men whose tiny intellects cannot rise to penetrate the infinitesimal. Nature is a harmonious mechanism where all parts, including those appearing to play a secondary role, cooperate in the functional whole. In contemplating this mechanism, shallow men arbitrarily divide its parts into essential and secondary, whereas the insightful thinker is content with classifying them as understood and poorly understood, ignoring for the moment their size and immediately useful properties. No one can predict their importance in the future.

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

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Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) was a neuroscientist and pathologist, and Spain's first Nobel laureate.

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Ten big global challenges technology could solve

None is easy, but all are incredibly important.

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problems need to be solved

Carbon sequestration Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions alone won’t be enough to prevent sharp increases in global temperatures. We’ll also need to remove vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which not only would be incredibly expensive but would present us with the thorny problem of what to do with all that CO 2 . A growing number of startups are exploring ways of recycling carbon dioxide into products, including synthetic fuels, polymers, carbon fiber, and concrete. That’s promising, but what we’ll really need is a cheap way to permanently store the billions of tons of carbon dioxide that we might have to pull out of the atmosphere.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Grid-scale energy storage Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are becoming cheap and more widely deployed, but they don’t generate electricity when the sun’s not shining or wind isn’t blowing. That limits how much power these sources can supply, and how quickly we can move away from steady sources like coal and natural gas. The cost of building enough batteries to back up entire grids for the days when renewable generation flags would be astronomical. Various scientists and startups are working to develop cheaper forms of grid-scale storage that can last for longer periods, including flow batteries or tanks of molten salt. Either way, we desperately need a cheaper and more efficient way to store vast amounts of electricity.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Universal flu vaccine Pandemic flu is rare but deadly. At least 50 million people died in the 1918 pandemic of H1N1 flu. More recently, about a million people died in the 1957-’58 and 1968 pandemics, while something like half a million died in a 2009 recurrence of H1N1. The recent death tolls are lower in part because the viruses were milder strains. We might not be so lucky next time—a particularly potent strain of the virus could replicate too quickly for any tailor-made vaccine to effectively fight it. A universal flu vaccine that protected not only against the relatively less harmful variants but also against a catastrophic once-in-a-century outbreak is a crucial public health challenge.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Dementia treatment More than one in 10 Americans over the age of 65 has Alzheimer’s; a third of those over 85 do. As people’s life spans lengthen, the number of people living with the disease—in the US and around the world—is likely to skyrocket. Alzheimer’s remains poorly understood: conclusive diagnoses are possible only after death, and even then, doctors debate the distinction between Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. However, advances in neuroscience and genetics are beginning to shed more light. That understanding is providing clues to how it might be possible to slow or even shut down the devastating effects of the condition.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Ocean clean-up Billions of tiny pieces of plastic—so-called “microplastics”—are now floating throughout the world’s oceans. Much of this waste comes from bags or straws that have been broken up over time. It’s poisoning birds, fish, and humans. Researchers fear that the effects on both human health and the environment will be profound, and it may take centuries to clean up the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic that have accumulated over the decades. Because the pollution is so diffuse, it’s difficult to clean up, and while there are prototype methods for tackling the massive oceanic garbage patches, there is no solution for coasts, seas, and waterways.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Energy-efficient desalination There is about 50 times as much salt water on earth as there is fresh water. As the world’s population grows and climate change intensifies droughts, the need for fresh water is going to grow more acute. Israel has built the world’s biggest reverse-osmosis desalination facilities and now gets most of its household water from the sea, but that method is too energy intensive to be practical worldwide. New types of membranes might help; electrochemical techniques may also help to make brackish water useful for irrigation. As far as climate-change adaptation technologies go, creating drinking water from the ocean ought to be a top priority.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Safe driverless car Autonomous vehicles have been tested for millions of miles on public roads. Pilot programs for delivery and taxi services are under way in places like the suburbs of Phoenix. But driverless cars still aren’t ready to take over roads in general. They have trouble handling chaotic traffic, and difficulty with weather conditions like snow and fog. If they can be made reliably safe, they might allow a wholesale reimagining of transportation. Traffic jams might be eliminated, and cities could be transformed as parking lots give way to new developments. Above all, self-driving cars, if widely deployed, are expected to eliminate most of the 1.25 million deaths a year caused by traffic accidents.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Embodied AI Last fall a video of Atlas, designed by Boston Dynamics, swept the internet. It showed the robot jumping up steps like a commando. This came only two years after AlphaGo beat the world’s best Go player. Atlas can’t play Go (it is embodied, but not intelligent), and AlphaGo can’t run (it’s intelligent, in its own way, but lacks a body). So what happens if you put AlphaGo’s mind in Atlas’s body? Many researchers say true general artificial intelligence might depend on an ability to relate internal computational processes to real things in the physical world, and that an AI would acquire that ability by learning to interact with the physical world as people and animals do.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

We can predict hurricanes days and sometimes weeks in advance, but earthquakes still come as a surprise. Predicting them with confidence could save millions of lives.

Earthquake prediction Over 100,000 people died in the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami—triggered by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded—killed nearly a quarter of a million people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and elsewhere. We can predict hurricanes days and sometimes weeks in advance, but earthquakes still come as a surprise. Predicting earthquakes with some confidence over the medium term would allow planners to figure out durable solutions. At least giving a few hours’ warning would allow people to evacuate unsafe areas, and could save millions of lives.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

Brain decoding Our brains remain a deep mystery to neuroscientists. Everything we think and remember, and all our movements, must somehow be coded in the billions of neurons in our heads. But what is that code? There are still many unknowns and puzzles in understanding the way our brains store and communicate our thoughts. Cracking that code could lead to breakthroughs in how we treat mental disorders like schizophrenia and autism. It might allow us to improve direct interfaces that communicate directly from our brains to computers, or even to other people—a life-changing development for people who are paralyzed by injury or degenerative disease.

Conceptual illustration of grand challenge

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Finding a problem that needs to be solved

In Chapters 3-5, we will go through the journey from having an idea to creating a sustainable scalable business ready to have a global impact. We don’t mean that this is a recipe for guaranteed success. Every startup is unique and the right things to do are different. However, based on learnings from previously successful entrepreneurs, the presented ways of working and thinking can increase your chance of success.

A startup is a group of experiments – an iterative process trying to find a solution to a problem and a way to create a sustainable business around it. Here the process is described in chronological order, but in reality the phases often overlap and you can go back and forth.

Few successful startup stories are textbook examples. However, to find the best way of working for each unique situation, you need to understand the textbook examples first. That is what we want to provide here: the fundamental basics so that you can take them and be creative.

When you set out to create something new, you have to consider many different questions, such as who is your customer, how will you reach them, and how can you stand out from the competition. However the most fundamental question you should start with is this: what problem am I solving?

To build a sustainable business, you have to solve a repeatable problem that many people or businesses have – and that they are willing to pay for a solution for this problem.

Even though it’s possible to create hype and get people interested in a product that’s just a “cool thing”, if it doesn’t actually solve a real problem people will eventually stop using it. The same rule applies for intrapreneurs building a new product or venture inside a larger organization. An initiative is much more likely to succeed when it’s built around solving a problem.

Where to get started

But how can you find a real problem that someone has and validate that you have a problem worth solving?

One good way is to start with your own everyday life. You probably encounter problems or simply things that annoy you on any given day, whether at work, home, or school. For example, in a typical Nordic country this could be something like:

you have to wait a long time to get your food at lunch

taxis are expensive and never available when you need one

email is a slow and inefficient way to communicate at work

people are eating a lot of red meat even though it’s bad for the planet

you want to buy or sell an apartment, but real estate agent fees are high

In fact, some problems are so ingrained you probably don’t even think of them as problems any more. People might think this is just how things have to work.

There are also many problems that are not everyday things but can have a huge negative effect on someone’s life, like illnesses caused by rare diseases. Looking at the UN Sustainable Development Goals can also give a ready-made list of bigger problems in this world crying out for a solution. Things like:

Helping to educate people

Ensuring access to clean water

Making energy cleaner

Providing working sanitation

Cleaning up plastic waste from oceans

What are UN SDGs?

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals adopted by all United Nations Member States as a “universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.”

There are three key things you should keep in mind when trying to find a problem that needs solving:

1) Is it an important problem?

When you’re building a startup or a new product, it’s important that the business is built around a problem that you think is important . That’s why making money or becoming famous and respected shouldn’t be primarily motivators for an entrepreneur to start building a new business. Instead, you should spend time thinking about what gets you motivated and how you can build that around activities that you enjoy – regardless of financial success. Then at least you’ll be getting to work with something you like while (hopefully) also growing your business.

2) Is this something you like doing on a daily basis?

Another important point is to choose something that you enjoy doing on a daily basis. This is not to say that you will always get to do things that you like. On the contrary, while building a startup you will certainly face tasks that aren’t fun. But if the root problem you chose is important enough to you, it will help keep you motivated.

3) Do you have an understanding of the problem?

Most successful entrepreneurs have solved a problem that they encountered in their own life. When you have a personal relationship with the problem, it’s often easier for you to understand it, and you’re probably more motivated to solve it. How you are involved with the problem can of course vary and you don’t necessarily have to have in-depth experience. Having a personal relationship with the problem can also mean that a friend or family member has experienced it.

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Insights from an Entrepreneur – Value Based Entrepreneurship

Johan Brand is a creative technology entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder of Kahoot!, one of the world’s fastest-growing learning brands with over 70 million unique monthly active users in 200+ countries. Johan shares us the story of Kahoot & how he sees entrepreneurship.

How did you become an entrepreneur?

I began studying in a business school, but quit after three months. It felt like I wasn’t learning practical skills, just theory. This took me to art school studying photography to learn more creative skills, how to ask questions from the world and originate my own ideas.

At art school, I learned to deal with uncertainty and understanding things that have no given answers. This was also where I could vocalize my own taste and values. Critiques force you to defend your choices and can also answer your own questions of why. This is a skill I am so fortunate to have learned and find so much more relevant. At the time, I didn’t know I would become an entrepreneur but discovered my interest & talent in starting new things.

Story of Kahoot

When working in London, I got more and more interested in play as human behavior. I see it as our first language. It is what we do with animals or with other humans if we don’t have a common language. This is the entry into developing relationships.

At the time, I was introduced to the other founders of Kahoot. They were working on other projects, but we were all in a similar field. We connected through aligned views of the world. Our drive was coming together and seeing problems that needed to be solved. We brainstormed, challenged each other and fell in love with different ideas. In the end, we chose the best bits and pieces that fit our collective vision.

However, none of our ideas were so exciting that we would be willing to give up our careers. We started to think, for what are we ready to sacrifice everything – and then we realized that the problem with education needs to be solved.

The problem & solution

We wanted to make learning awesome and as fun as hanging out with your friends after school. To do this, there needs to be engagement, play, and social interaction.

We started to think about what does it mean: how can we make people engage more? Technology plays a big part in how both students and adults connect outside of work or the classroom. Now we just had to find a way how technology can enable learning to be cool. In school classrooms, we saw students using clunky, dated clickers to give answers. Why couldn’t we turn everyone’s smartphone into a personal gaming controller you always have with you? Our vision emerged to turn the outdated, boring classrooms into a game show with everyone’s phone being the controller.

The first step was to help the teachers get behind our idea. They needed to be the ones to introduce the game as something cool and then have their students log on to the platform. It’s no fun to be a teacher in your 40s with technology native students trying to do something with technology and fail.

We invented the pin code engage model. This means when the participants sign up, they will see their names on a big screen. Everyone wants to see their name on a big screen and get their 2 minutes of fame. This was our first innovation, creating a fun way to connect to the game which is actually a game itself.

Our research led us to quizzes as very engaging types of games that also work pedagogically. This entry point is the hook to have people to engage with the platform.

Customers and users

I think it’s important to understand that your customer might not be the user: you might create value for someone using the product, but someone else is actually paying.

At first, we defined our two users as students and teachers. Both need to have equal value, but both have different objectives. Teachers need to be able to facilitate the game and gain learning value while the students need to be able to participate in the game and gain social value. Our goal was to take both user needs into account, but have them somehow meet in the middle.

Turning the product into a business

It was clear we needed teachers to use the product. If their students love it, the teachers would use it again. This we coined, product-led growth. Once we created a product that the teacher would adopt and students would use, we gave it out for free to the end-users. If both the users adapted well, we used that leverage to sell the school administration on the value of this becoming a paid service.

However, it was very clear from day one that schools were just a laboratory for business. This product works on a basic, humanistic level for all. We opened our target groups to workplaces or social gatherings and now have found commercial growth as well.

Value-based-entrepreneurship

At Kahoot, our goal is to ensure the product is always free for students and extract the value from businesses. I call it value-based entrepreneurship: you create solutions that add value before you extract value for yourself. Of course, I want people to have commercial success, but only as a consequence of having a positive impact. By giving, you also tend to get back – this is a fundamental attitude of a good entrepreneur.

A while ago I also founded a company called The EntrepreneurShipOne. I identified that the Ocean and its potential for a sustainable future was not part of the public agenda, neither at school or political level. I wanted to take action in solving that problem. We facilitate voyages and expeditions with entrepreneurs, politicians, and corporations to physically expose them to the problem and the solutions within technology and entrepreneurship that can provide solutions for the betterment of the world. At the moment, this is not a commercial business, but a community built on creating positive, societal impact. There could be a commercial element to draw from this venture at some point, but first, we should have a positive impact.

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As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.

To its initial goals of safeguarding peace, protecting human rights, establishing the framework for international justice and promoting economic and social progress, in the seven decades since its creation the United Nations has added on new challenges, such as AIDS, big data and climate change.

While conflict resolution and peacekeeping continue to be among its most visible efforts, the UN, along with its specialized agencies, is also engaged in a wide array of activities to improve people’s lives around the world – from disaster relief, through education and advancement of women, to peaceful uses of atomic energy.

This section offers an overview of some of these issues, and links to other resources, where you can get additional information.

 A female staff member working in a laboratory in Côte d’Ivoire.

The UN system plays a crucial role in coordinating assistance of all kinds — to help Africa help itself.  From promoting the development of democratic institutions, to the establishment of peace between warring nations, the UN is present on the ground supporting economic and social development and the promotion and protection of human rights.

Older people exercising in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The world’s population is ageing: virtually every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older persons in their population. The number of older persons, those aged 60 years or over, has increased substantially in recent years in most countries and regions, and that growth is projected to accelerate in the coming decades.

A sex worker stands in a doorway at Shipha House, a Brothel near the main bus terminal in the town of Phayao in northern Thailand.

HIV infections have been reduced by 59% since the peak in 1995, (by 58% among children since 2010) and AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 69% since the peak in 2004 and by 51% since 2010. Globally 46% of all new HIV infections were among women and girls in 2022. The UN family has been in the vanguard of this progress.

COVID-19 testing being conducted by IAEA donated equipment in Malaysia.

Atomic Energy

More than 30 countries worldwide are operating 413 nuclear reactors for electricity generation and 58 new nuclear plants are under construction. By the end of 2022, 12 countries relied on nuclear energy to supply at least one-quarter of their total electricity.

Kenyan pastoralists with cell phones using mobile app to beat the drought.

Big Data for Sustainable Development

The volume of data in the world is increasing exponentially. New sources of data, new technologies, and new analytical approaches, if applied responsibly, can allow to better monitor progress toward achievement of the SDGs in a way that is both inclusive and fair.

Group of adolescent girls seated on steps look at mobile phone screen.

Child and Youth Safety Online

Rising Internet connectivity has the potential to transform children and young people’s lives for the better, but also makes them vulnerable to sexual abuse, cyberbullying, and other risks. The UN is actively working to protect children and youth online through various programmes and initiatives.

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Every child has the right to health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s opportunities in life. Yet, around the world, millions of children are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the country, gender or circumstances into which they are born.

A view of the high Norwegian Arctic.

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. 

Two children in Tokelau

  • Decolonization

The wave of decolonization, which changed the face of the planet, was born with the UN and represents the world body’s first great success. As a result of decolonization many countries became independent and joined the UN.

A man voting at a polling station in Mali in 2013.

Democracy is a universally recognized ideal and is one of the core values and principles of the United Nations. Democracy provides an environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights.

pile of guns on fire

Disarmament

Since the birth of the United Nations, the goals of multilateral disarmament and arms limitation have been central to the Organization’s efforts to maintain international peace and security.

Children play outside a metal polishing work-shop in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Ending Poverty

At current rates of progress, the world is unlikely to meet the global goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030, with estimates suggesting that nearly 600 million people will still be living in extreme poverty.

A World Food Programme staff member handing food to a woman in El Salvador.

The world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger by 2030. The food security and nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is likely to deteriorate further due to the health and socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three girls wearing orange walk among a crowd of people wearing orange.

Gender Equality

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

A young girl waits to be vaccinated in Mogadishu, Somalia.

The United Nations, since its inception, has been actively involved in promoting and protecting good health worldwide. Leading that effort within the UN system is the World Health Organization (WHO), whose constitution came into force on 7 April 1948.

Two photographs combined, showing a woman at left and a man at right working to produce goods in Mali.

Promoting respect for human rights is a core purpose of the United Nations and defines its identity as an organization for people around the world. Member States have mandated the Secretary-General and the UN System to help them achieve the standards set out in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .

A child amid the ruins of war with two children in the background.

International Law and Justice

The UN continues to promote justice and international law across its three pillars of work: international peace and security, economic and social progress and development, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

A group of people traversing through a train station.

International migration

Since the earliest times, humanity has been on the move. Today, more people than ever before live in a country other than the one in which they were born.

A fisherman at dusk stands above the water

Oceans and the Law of the Sea

Life itself arose from the oceans. The ocean is vast, some 72 per cent of the earth's surface. Not only has the oceans always been a prime source of nourishment for the life it helped generate, but from earliest recorded history it has served for trade and commerce, adventure and discovery.

Two female Swedish Marines walk down a street in Mali in 2018 with children in the background.

Saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war was the main motivation for creating the United Nations, whose founders lived through the devastation of two world wars.

 A midwife takes a woman's blood pressure at a family health house in rural Afghanistan.

In 1950, five years after the founding of the United Nations, world population was estimated at around 2.6 billion people. It reached 5 billion in 1987 and 6 in 1999. In October 2011, the global population was estimated to be 7 billion.

Kamal cradles his daughter who is holding a piece of bread, while a boy fondly looks at them.

There were 89.3 million people forcibly displaced world-wide at the end of 2021. Among those were 27.1 million refugees, half under the age of 18 (21.3 million refugees under  UNHCR 's mandate, and 5.8 million Palestine refugees under  UNRWA 's mandate). 

woman at water tap

Fresh water sustains human life and is vital for human health. There is enough fresh water for everyone on Earth. However, due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, millions of people (most of them children) die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.

Greta Thunberg and climate activists

As youth are increasingly demanding more just, equitable and progressive opportunities and solutions in their societies, the need to address the multifaceted challenges faced by young people (such as access to education, health, employment and gender equality) have become more pressing than ever.

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Departments / Offices

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Issues / Campaigns

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  • UN75: 2020 and Beyond
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  • Stop the Red Sea Catastrophe
  • Black Sea Grain Initiative Joint Coordination Centre
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problems need to be solved

When it comes to everyday problems in your life, some are easier to fix than you might think, like not having enough lighting in your kitchen or losing items in your purse. Amazon is a handy site when looking for solutions, as they have tons of products to help solve those pesky common issues.

In this list, you’ll find a bunch of simple life solutions , at home and on the go. In the kitchen, you can improve your dish-drying setup with this silicone drying mat that’s easy to clean. Make it easier to add sugar to your coffee or tea with this glass container that dispenses from the bottom.

Forgetting where to be and when? Keep your appointments and events more organized with this magnetic whiteboard calendar that’s perfect for attaching to your fridge. Is your closet becoming an issue? You can better organize your shoes with this bamboo shoe rack that looks great wherever it’s placed.

Whether your problems are in the kitchen, the closet, or your own purse, you’ll find plenty of solutions that make your life just a little bit easier in this list.

Problem: You Can’t Reach The Candle Wick

RONXS Candle Electric Lighter

After you’ve burned a candle for a while, it can be tricky to light without burning your hand. This electric lighter has a long, bendable neck, so you can adjust it based on the size and depth of your candle. Since it’s electric, the lighter is rechargeable using a USB charging port and doesn’t use lighter fluid.

Problem: Your Half-Eaten Bag Of Chips Went Stale

Shendian Mini Chip Bag Sealer

Keep your snacks fresh with this mini bag sealer . The device uses heat to reseal the packaging of chips, cookies, and other snacks, so they don’t go stale. It heats up in just a few seconds and seals almost instantly. It’s also lightweight, so you can take it to work or while traveling.

Problem: Necklaces Are Getting Tangled

Susmii Layered Necklace Clasp (2-Pieces)

A layered necklace look is always chic — unless, of course, your necklaces get tangled. This clasp allows you to clip three necklaces onto little rings that keep the chains separated. It clasps together with a magnet, so it’s easy to take on and off. It’s also great for bracelets and comes in silver and gold.

Problem: Inside Your Bag Is A Mess

ZTUJO Purse Organizer Insert

Having an organized purse is a rare skill that most of us don’t possess — it doesn’t help that many bags (looking at you totes!) don’t even have any inner pockets or storage. This purse organizer insert has 10 pockets, including a zippered one, so you can keep your wallet, makeup, gum, and other items in their own pockets. The organizer is made from a sturdy felt material and comes in 19 colors and designs, including snakeskin and polka dot.

Problem: Burning Your Fingers & Forearms

POPCO Professional Silicone Oven Mitts

When it comes to kitchen tools, oven mitts are not somewhere you want to skimp, since they protect you from burning yourself. These silicone oven mitts have an extra thick padded lining, so they keep your hands and arms safe, but they also have a silicone layer on the outside which makes them heat resistant up to 450 degrees. Aside from the brilliant red shade featured, you can also buy them in aqua, gray, and black.

Problem: Charging Cables Everywhere

Poweroni 3-in-1 Wireless Charger Station

Keep all your devices at 100% with this 3-in-1 charging station. With a spot for your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds, this charging station is perfect for keeping in your home or office. It uses wireless charging, so it also means you won’t have a huge mess of cords. It’s compatible with most smart devices, including Apple, Android, and Samsung.

Problem: Poorly Lit Cabinets & Closets

Brilliant Evolution Under Cabinet Lights (2-Pack)

Add more light to your closets, cabinets — or anywhere that needs a little extra light — without having to install a whole light fixture. These under the cabinet lights come with adhesive tape, so they’re easy to install. A remote is included, so the brightness can be easily adjusted.

Problem: Bugs Getting In The House

Flux Phenom Magnetic Screen Door

When the weather’s nice out, it’s the perfect time to leave your door open to let the warm breeze in. Of course, the open air comes with bugs — unless you have one of these magnetic screen doors . Made from a fine mesh, the screen lets air in but keeps bugs and debris out. It also has a magnetic closure so you can enter and exit even if your hands are full.

Problem: Running Out Of Paper Towels

Swedish Wholesale Swedish Dish Cloths (10-Pack)

Paper towels are handy, but they eventually run out. These Swedish dishcloths , on the other hand, are machine washable and reusable up to 100 times. Plus they come in a pack of 10, so they can take the place of several paper towel rolls. The cloths are stiff when dry but become soft and pliable when wet.

Problem: Overbooking Your Schedule

Home & Me Magnetic Dry Erase Whiteboard and Calendar

If you have a hard time keeping track of your schedule, then this magnetic whiteboard calendar will come in handy. The calendar is ideal for attaching to the fridge, or any other magnetic surface. It can be filled in and erased each month to keep track of appointments and events. You can use it immediately, as it comes with six dry erase markers.

Problem: Having Noisy Housemates

MAXTID Door Draft Stopper

Keep your room quiet with this door draft stopper that blocks out noise and insulates. This stopper has a velcro strip that makes it more adjustable. It also helps keep cold air out and keep heat in. For those with noisy roommates, this can offer a bit more peace at a low price.

Problem: Losing Your Luggage

Highwind Luggage Initial Bag Tag

It can be hard to keep track of your luggage when so many suitcases look alike. Set yours apart with this luggage tag that has a big colorful letter on it to match your initial on your first or last name. The tag is made of rubber, so it won’t be easily damaged, and includes a card for writing down your contact information in the chance your luggage gets misplaced.

Problem: Not Being Able To Properly Clean Your Reusable Straws (Or Not Having Them At All)

Flathead Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws (10-Pack)

Reusable straws are great for reducing single-use plastic, but they can be a pain to clean. These silicone straws come with their own cleaning brush that gets into the narrow cavity of the straws. They can be used for hot and cold drinks and are safe to throw in the dishwasher. They also come in a 2-pack, with 20 straws total.

Problem: Breaking Dishes Because You Don’t Have A Proper Place To Dry Them

HOTPOP Sturdy Silicone Dish Drying Mat

If you’re playing Jenga with your dishes when you’re setting them on your counter to dry then chances are you’ve broken more than a few. But that is where this silicone dish drying mat comes in: It’s soft but non-slip so you can set your wet dishes on it without them slipping around, cracking, and shattering. It is easy to clean, so it won’t build up dirt and grime like a cloth drying mat. It’s dishwasher safe and heat-resistant, so you can also use it to support hot plates.

Problem: Getting Syrup Or Honey All Over Your Hands

Hunnibi Glass Honey & Syrup Container Dispenser

When it gets on your hands, syrup seems to multiply — making everything you touch sticky for the rest of the day. But with this syrup/honey dispenser , you can keep your hands clean. The dispenser has a lever you can pull that releases syrup from the bottom of the bottle. Dispensing from the bottom also means you’ll be able to get every last drop of the sticky sweet liquid sugar without having to shake the bottle or awkwardly balance it on its head while it slowly drips towards the opening at the top. This dispenser comes with a stand with a reservoir to catch any syrup drips.

Problem: Running Out Of Aluminum Foil

Bee's Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps (3-Pack)

Never worry about running out of foil or plastic wrap again with this reusable food wrap made from beeswax. These wraps are moldable to your needs, so they can cover a large bowl of salad or wrap around a leftover piece of fruit. They’re washable and reusable, plus biodegradable, so they’re better for the environment.

Problem: Your Rugs Are Sliding Around

iPrimio Non Slip Area Rug Pad

Keep your rugs from slipping around the floor with this rug pad that can be cut to fit any size you need. The pad is made from a non-slip foam that can be used on wood floors, tile, and other materials. It automatically sticks to the rug and the floor, so there’s no special installation required.

Problem: There’s Not Enough Storage Space In The Living Room

Greenco Faux Leather Ottoman Stool

Use this storage ottoman to hold blankets, books, pillows, and other items that don’t necessarily have a good home in your living room. The ottoman has a faux leather cushioned top, which is perfect for resting your feet on. The lid is removable with a collapsible base.

Problem: Figuring Out Where To Put Your Phone During Workouts

SATINA High-Waisted Leggings

Workout clothes don’t always have pockets for holding your phone the way a pair of jeans does. Luckily, these high-waisted leggings have pockets on the thigh, so your phone will be safe and secure while you’re going on a walk or run. They’re made from a soft, stretchy fabric made from a spandex and polyester blend for maximum comfort.

  • Available sizes: One Size and One Size Plus
  • Available colors: 51

Problem: It’s Too Bright To Nap

Estilo Black Window Shades (6-Pack)

Darken your room without the hassle of professionally installing shades. This set of six window shades comes with sticky adhesive for easy installation. They can also be cut to size, so you can fit them exactly to your window. They also come with clips to help you easily adjust the height.

Problem: You’re Not Able To Find Your Keys After Dropping Them

RAK Magnetic Pickup Tool with 3 LED Lights

Dropping your keys in the dark can be a huge pain, but this magnetic pickup tool will help save the day. The tool has a long arm, bright flashlight, and magnetic surface to pick up whatever you dropped. Use it to safely collect anything metal, or magnetically attach it to a metal surface, like the hood of your car, for better vision.

Problem: There’s No Way To Store Canned Pet Food

DYBEN Pet Can Covers (5-Pack)

I recently started feeding my dog canned wet food, and having can covers makes it so much easier. This set of five covers is made from food-safe silicone and fits three different sizes of cans. They’re dishwasher safe and come in an array of colors. They also have a cute paw tab that makes removal a breeze.

Problem: You Slept In And It’s Too Late To Get Coffee

Bean Envy Milk Frother

We can’t all get up early to make it to the coffee shop before work. Make your own fancy latte at home with this milk frother . The lightweight device is easy to use and turns milk into foam in just a few seconds. It’s portable, so you can even take it with you to work or on vacation. It also comes with its own metal stand.

Problem: There’s Nowhere To Put Your Essentials When Going For A Walk

OlimpiaFit Water Resistant Fanny Pack

Sometimes you want to go on a walk or hike, but don’t want to drag around a heavy backpack. Did you know that fanny packs are back in style? This fanny pack is the perfect option for holding your phone, wallet, keys, and other essentials. The fanny pack is made from durable nylon that is water-resistant. It has six zippered pockets, so your things will be safe and sound.

Problem: Breaking Eggs When Storing Them In The Fridge

Greenco Stackable Egg Trays (2-Pack)

Cardboard egg cartons are flimsy — stack them in your fridge and chances are you’re probably going to end up breaking an egg or two — which is why these plastic egg cartons are so genius. They’re sturdy and stackable, so you can organize your fridge and protect your eggs. The trays come in a pack of two and hold 12 eggs each.

Problem: You’re Dropping Nails & Screws While Working

RAK Magnetic Wristband

If you like to spend time working on DIY projects or doing repairs, then this magnetic wristband will come in handy. The wristband attaches with velcro and is handy for holding screws, nails, or other tools you’re using while working. The wristband is equipped with 10 strong magnets, but it’s still lightweight.

Problem: You’re Spending Too Much On Cold Brew

Willow & Everett Cold Brew Coffee Maker

Save yourself time in the morning and ditch the coffee shop. This cold brew maker has a stainless steel filter and holds up to 12 cups, so you can make cold brew for the whole week. Just put your favorite coffee grounds in the filter, add water, and put it in the fridge to steep. It can also be used for making iced tea. It comes in two sizes — two liters and a gallon.

Problem: You Always Drop Your Soap In The Shower

BBTO Soap Saver Bag (5 Piece)

A bar of soap can be hard to hold onto in the shower, but these soap saver bags are easier to grip. The five-bag set is made from natural sisal plants, which help the soap lather and produce foam. The bags are also ideal for when the bar of soap gets too small, but you’re not ready to throw it out just yet.

Problem: There’s Nowhere To Store Leftover Food

FineDine Glass Food Storage Containers Set (24-Piece)

A good set of food containers serve as one of the most useful tools in any kitchen. These glass storage containers come in a set of 24, with a range of sizes to fit everything from leftover salmon to half a lemon. The containers have an airtight seal that is leakproof, so it’s perfect for storing leftovers to take for lunch.

Problem: The Sheets Keep Coming Off The Bed

Raytour Bed Sheet Holder Straps

It’s a pain when your fitted sheets don’t stay fitted. These sheet holder straps clip onto the corner of your sheets, holding them in place so they don’t slip off. The straps have metal clips and elastic bands, which are easy to install. They’re basically like little suspenders for your sheets.

Problem: You Can’t Find Your Shoes

FILWH Bamboo Stackable Shoe Shelf

If you have a habit of misplacing your shoes around the house, then this shoe shelf will help keep them organized. Made from sturdy bamboo, the shelf holds three or four pairs of shoes on each tier and is perfect for keeping in the entryway or bedroom. If you need three or more tiers, Amazon offers those options as well.

Problem: Misplacing Your Keys

Tile Mate Bluetooth Tracker

Attach this Tile Bluetooth tracker to your keyring and you won’t have to dig through all your purses to find your keys. The small, lightweight tracker connects to the Tile app on your phone, so it can help you find your keys in your home, or if you left them in your bag somewhere while out and about. It’s incredible how much time you’ll save (and how many appointments you’ll be on time for.)

Problem: Uneven Winged Eyeliner

Flick Stick Winged Eyeliner Stamp

Unless you’re a professional makeup artist, getting the perfect winged eyeliner can be tricky. This eyeliner stamp makes it so much easier by literally stamping the shape of the wing on the corner of your eye. Each liner has two ends, one for the stamp and one with a fine point for refining the edges. It’s also waterproof and smudge-proof.

Problem: Forgetting A Good Pillow While Traveling

Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Pillow

One of the worst feelings in the world is needing a pillow, but not having a pillow. Luckily, you can prep ahead of time by storing this compressible memory foam pillow in the trunk of your car. It doesn’t take up a lot of room but will offer a ton of comfort in a pinch. It’s also machine washable.

Problem: Getting Sauce On The Counter

Silicone Utensil Rest with Drip Pad

The problem with most spoon rests is that they only hold one spoon. This silicone utensil rest has four slots, which is perfect if you’re the kind of cook (like me) who cooks with a spatula and two spoons at the same time. The utensil rest has a large drip pad to catch any sauce or liquid that drips off. The best part is that you can easily throw it in the dishwasher to clean.

Problem: Avocados Going Bad Too Quickly

Evriholder Saver Avocado Holder (2-Pack)

Avocados are an odd shape, so they don’t always fit in a typical storage container. This avocado saver is designed to preserve the fruit with an indent designed to fit around the pit (leaving the pit in helps it from going brown) The container also has an adjustable strap to keep the avocado in place, like a little seatbelt.

Problem: Having Too Much Produce You Didn’t Finish

Food Huggers Reusable Silicone Food Savers (5-Pack)

These silicone food huggers are a versatile kitchen accessory and can be used to preserve half an apple, a partially used onion, or as a replacement lid on a jar. They come in a set of five of varying sizes, and are a great solution for replacing plastic wrap or foil, and help reduce single-use plastic in your home.

Problem: You Can’t Get All The Toothpaste Out

LOVEINUSA Toothpaste Tube Squeezer (4-Pack)

Get the most out of your toothpaste with these tube squeezers . Just like the name implies, these handy tools squeeze out every last drop from the tube, and can also be used for makeup, lotion, or anything else that comes in a tube. They come in a pack of four, so you’ll have plenty at hand.

Problem: You Can’t Find Your Earrings

BB Brotrade Hanging Jewelry Organizer

Make it easier to find the pair of earrings or that necklace you want to wear with this jewelry organizer . With 80 clear vinyl pockets, this organizer makes it easy to find the piece you’re looking for while also keeping them from getting tangled with each other. The organizer also has a hook at the top, making it easy to hang.

Problem: The Duvet Getting Scrunched Up In Its Cover

PinionPins Clear Magnetic Duvet Clips with Key

Keeping your duvet in place inside a duvet cover is no easy feat. Luckily, these magnetic duvet clips are an easy solution. The clips secure your duvet with a magnetic pin, and each pin can secure up to 10 pounds. They come in a set of eight, so you can secure the whole edge.

Problem: Accidentally Shrinking Cotton Clothes

Amazon Basics Folding Laundry Rack

Not all fabrics are suitable for a dryer. This Amazon Basics laundry rack is perfect for hanging shrinkable fabrics like cotton, delicate undergarments, or other items that you want to air-dry. The steel rack can support up to 32 pounds and is collapsible, so you can store it away when not in use.

Problem: Leaving The Lights On

Sengled Smart Light Bulbs (4-Pack)

Once you leave the house, there’s no way to know whether or not you left any lights on. That is, unless you use these smart lightbulbs that you can control from your phone. These bulbs connect to an app (and can even connect to Alexa and Google Home) where you can turn them on and off, adjust the brightness, and even change the color of the light.

Problem: Losing Jewelry While Traveling

SANQIANWAN Small Jewelry Travel Organizer Box

If you take your favorite jewelry with you on a trip, then you’re gonna want a safe place to store it. This travel jewelry organizer has compartments to hold rings, necklaces, and other assorted jewelry. It has a zipper closure and is compact enough to fit in a purse. Plus, it comes in 17 colors.

Problem: Pants That Are Too Long

Fearless Tape Double Sided Tape for Clothing (50-Pack)

Adjust the length of your pants without going to a tailor using this double-sided clothing tape . It’s safe to use on both your skin and clothing without damaging either. It can also be used to keep clothing in place, like a dress strap or a low-cut blouse. Each pack comes with 50 pieces of tape.

Problem: Wrinkly Clothing

The Laundress Crease Release Wrinkle Spray

It can be a whole ordeal to pull out the iron just to remove a few wrinkles. This crease release spray works without an iron. Just spray it on the fabric and smooth your hand over it to remove the wrinkles. Plus, it has a clean, fresh laundry scent.

problems need to be solved

3 big societal problems to fix in 2019

Subscribe to the sustainable development bulletin, john w. mcarthur john w. mcarthur director - center for sustainable development , senior fellow - global economy and development @mcarthur.

December 10, 2018

This piece was originally published by the World Economic Forum .

2018 will go down in the record books as one of seemingly incessant geopolitical acrimony. For many policymakers, the imminent turn of the calendar offers brief respite—a moment to clear one’s head and take stock of the most salient challenges on the horizon. 

What core problems need to be solved amid fast-shifting strategic alliances and the cacophony of public debates? Ultimately, most societies are grappling with a common triple task, even if local manifestations differ.

The first big task confronting many countries is to re-couple overall economic progress with gains in living standards . Twenty years ago, it was a basic tenet that if the economy was growing then most people’s life outcomes were improving. Ongoing economic progress remains crucial for most societies, and is certainly helping to expand the  global middle class .

But today there is declining faith, especially in advanced economies, that higher gross domestic product (GDP) translates to better lives for regular families. Many citizens feel economic gains are too concentrated among elites—whether the top 10 percent or even 0.01 percent of any society. Ongoing shifts in automation technology only amplify workers’ insecurities.

As just one stark illustration of the need to recouple economic and social progress, even in the traditionally high-income economies, the U.S. has recently seen its  average life expectancy decline  two years in a row, while average incomes continued to grow, however modestly.

There is now evidence of similar problems emerging in the  U.K.  and in  British Columbia, Canada . In Canada overall, even after accounting for a boost in public transfers,  median after-tax incomes  have been growing by less than 0.6 percent a year since the 2008 global financial crisis. Many societies need rewiring to ensure overall advances in the economy connect more directly to improvements in regular people’s lives.

The second big task is to de-couple economic progress from environmental degradation . In short, every new unit of economic gain is still cranking out a corresponding unit of environmental pain. Climate change presents the starkest form of the problem.

Billions of people around the world justly aspire to higher incomes but improvements in prosperity need to be accompanied by reductions in carbon intensity. Within 30 years, the world needs to achieve roughly a 90 percent decrease in the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP. Every country needs to show that its economic trajectory can climb upward while its emissions trend falls quickly downward.

Other environmental priorities need urgent decoupling efforts too. For instance,  more than 90 percent of humanity  lives amid unsafe outdoor air pollution, which kills more than 4 million people every year. Fertilizer and manure runoff—driven by growing populations with increasingly complex diets—have contributed to 500  oxygen-free “dead zones”  in oceans around the world.

Expanding fish-catch technologies are depleting fisheries from the deepest and most remote parts of the high seas, contributing to  risks of mass extinction .  A small number of rivers , mostly in fast-growing economies, are  dumping more than a million tonnes of plastic waste  into the ocean every year. Our planet simply cannot sustain the current model of progress much longer.

The third major task is to end marginalization so that absolutely no one gets left behind. I have started to call this we-coupling—we all need to feel part of society’s forward movement together.

In every community, groups are tired of feeling marginalized due to some aspect of their identity—whether gender, race, ethnicity, indigenous status, class, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, language, geography, age, or something else. All human beings need to be actively included in progress. It is no longer good enough for societies to succeed on average; they need to succeed for everyone.

Of course, this triple frame only describes what problems need to be solved, leaving arguments open on how best to solve them. That is exactly the point. In a time of seemingly infinite distractions, a simple “Re-De-We” test can help frame public debates and offer a ballast against excessive narrowing of the issues.

Individual leaders across society need to hold themselves to a similar standard too. Anyone trying to stand on a one or two-legged stool of ideas will inevitably succumb to the forces of imbalance. In 2019 and beyond, the triple task will be fundamental to every society’s long-term stability and success.

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Elyse Painter, Emily Gustafsson-Wright

January 5, 2024

Human Rights Careers

Top 20 Current Global Issues We Must Address

What are the most pressing issues in the world today? What will demand the most attention in the next 5, 10, and 20+ years? In this article, which frequently refers to the World Economic Forum’s 17th Edition of the Global Risks Report, we’ll highlight 20 current global issues we must address, including issues related to climate change, COVID-19, social rights, and more. While it’s hardly a comprehensive discussion, it’s a solid introduction to the kinds of concerns facing our world today.

#1. Poverty

In fall 2022, the World Bank will update the International Poverty Line from $1.90 to $2.15. This means anyone living on less than $2.15 is in “extreme poverty.” Why the change? Increases in the costs of food, clothing, and shelter between 2011-2017 make the “real value of $2.15 in 2017 prices equal to $1.90 in 2011 prices. As for the World Bank’s goal to reduce extreme poverty to 3% or less by 2030, the pandemic has made it even harder. Extreme poverty isn’t the only poverty we have to contend with. 62% of the global population lives on less than $10/day. While there’s been progress over the years, the end of poverty is still far off.

Learn more about tackling poverty with an online course: Poverty & Population: How Demographics Shape Policy (Columbia University)

#2. Climate change

The IPCC released its sixth report in 2022. In its summary for policy-makers, the report’s authors outlined a series of near-term, mid-term, and long-term risks. If global warming reaches 1.5°C in the near term (2021-2040), it would cause “unavoidable increases in multiple climate hazards,” as well as “multiple risks to ecosystems and humans.” In the long term, climate change will present major health issues, premature deaths, risks to cities and settlements , and other dangers. Mitigation is desperately needed – and fast. Because of climate change ’s connection to other issues on this list, it’s one of the most serious challenges facing humanity.

Learn more about climate change with an online course: Science and Engineering of Climate Change (EDHEC Business School)

#3. Food insecurity

According to the 2022 Global Report on Food Crises , which is produced by the Global Network against Food Crises, the number of people in crisis or worse is the highest it’s been in the six years since the report has existed. Close to 193 million people were experiencing acute food insecurity in 2021, which is an increase of almost 40 million since 2020. This represents a staggering 80% increase since 2016. Causes include “economic shocks,” like an increase in global food prices. Domestic food price inflation in low-income countries also rose a lot. “Weather-related disasters” are also a big driver. For 15.7 million people in 15 countries, it was the primary driver of acute food insecurity.

Learn more about food insecurity with an online course: Feeding the World (University of Pennsylvania)

#4. Refugee rights

According to UNHCR, the war in Ukraine sparked the fastest-growing refugee crisis since WWII. Almost 6 million (as of May 10, 2022) people have fled. The UNCHR’s Refugee Brief , which compiles the week’s biggest refugee stories, has recently described situations in places like Somalia, where thousands of people were displaced due to severe drought. Between January and mid-April, more than 36,000 refugees from Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso arrived in Niger. These are only a few examples of the refugee crises, which endangers already marginalized groups – like women and children – and puts them at an increased risk of trafficking , violence, and death.

Learn more about refugee rights with an online course: Refugees in the 21st Century (University of London)

#5. COVID-19

The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2022. It will continue to be a major issue for the world. The WEF’s Global Risks Report 2022 discusses COVID’s effects at length , including major economic recovery disparities and social erosion. According to a January 2022 article from NPR , there are also issues with vaccinations as many countries continue to have trouble getting doses. Distribution, vaccine hesitancy, healthcare systems, and other problems also factor into low vaccination rates. While we may never know the exact impact, the WHO estimates that between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021, there were around 14.9 million excess deaths linked to COVID-19.

Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 with an online course: Life After COVID-19: Get Ready for our Post-Pandemic Future (Institute for the Future)

#6. Future pandemic preparation and response

COVID-19 taught the world the importance of prepardeness. In a Harvard blog , Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, outlined the lessons the world should take to heart. The first: science has to guide policy. The politicization of the pandemic led to a lot of unnecessary damage. Another lesson is that science must pair with equity or it can actually make inequalities worse. This is obvious when looking at how low-income countries struggled to get the vaccines while wealthier countries stocked up. More resilient healthcare systems are also a must, as well as more coherent, global plans on how to respond. The world must also invest in research on contagious diseases, zoonotic diseases, the effectiveness of outbreak responses, and more.

Learn more about future pandemic response with an online course: Pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response (Politecnico di Milano)

#7. Healthcare

The healthcare industry has experienced major shifts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Economic Forum, there’s been new investments and innovations, especially from the technology and telehealth sectors. In 2021, $44 billion was spent on health innovation. The world will be seeing the effects of these innovations for years to come, though equity will no doubt be a major issue. In places like the United States, the pandemic also reaffirmed how broken healthcare systems can be. In an MIT News blog , Andrea Campbell, a professor of political science, says the pandemic revealed a “dire need” for investments in public-health infrastructure, as well as a need to expand healthcare access and insurance coverage.

Learn more about health inequity issues with an online course: Addressing Racial Health Inequity in Healthcare (University of Michigan)

#8. Mental health

Globally, almost 1 billion people have some form of mental disorder. The pandemic made the world’s mental health worse. According to a scientific brief from the WHO , there’s been a 25% increase in anxiety and depression worldwide. Causes include social isolation, fear of sickness, grief, and financial anxieties. Health workers were also severely impacted, as well as young women and girls. The brief also highlights how the pandemic disrupted many mental health services, including services for substance abuse. Countries need to ensure access to mental health services as part of their COVID-19 recovery plans and beyond. It’s an economic decision, as well. The Lancet states that anxiety and depression alone cost the global economy around $1 trillion a year.

Learn more about mental health with an online course: The Science of Well-Being (Yale University)

#9. Disability rights

According to the WHO , over 1 billion people have some form of disability. Half can’t afford healthcare. They’re also more likely to live in poverty than those without a disability, have poorer health outcomes, and have less access to work and education opportunities. Human Rights Watch lists other discriminations disabled people face, such as an increased risk of violence. There’s been progress regarding disability rights, but many countries lack strong protections. The world still has a long way to go to ensure equality for those with disabilities.

Learn more about disability rights with an online courses: Disability Awareness and Support (University of Pittsburgh)

#10. LGBTQ+ rights

Members of the LGBTQ+ community face discrimination in many forms. According to Amnesty International , discrimination can target sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics. Even in more progressive countries like the United States, people face violence and discrimination. According to the Human Rights Campaign, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were proposed in 2022. At least a dozen states are considering legislation that forbids schools from discussing or using a curriculum that covers sexual orientation and gender identity. Considering the United States’ influence in the world, this attack on LGBTQ+ rights will likely have consequences that need to be addressed.

Learn more about LGBTQ+ issues with an online courses .

#11. Reproductive justice

Reproductive justice – which encompasses more than just abortion rights – is threatened by legislation, lack of funding, lack of education, and restricted healthcare access. In most places, wealth is a big determinant of whether a person can access reproductive services. It’s better in some places than others, but as we’ve seen with other issues on this list, even “progressive” countries like the United States are experiencing major shifts. In June 2022, the Supreme Court is expected to overrule Roe v. Wade , a milestone court case that protected a pregnant woman’s right to abortion. The impact would be immediate and will likely influence other countries.

Learn more about reproductive justice and women’s rights: International Women’s Health and Human Rights (Stanford University)

#12. Children’s rights

Children are a very vulnerable group. In 2019, around 5.2 million children under five from mostly preventable and treatable causes. 2.4 million were newborns under 28 days old. Leading causes include preterm birth complications, pneumonia, and malaria. According to UNICEF, the climate crisis also represents a severe threat to kids. Around 1 billion kids live in “extremely high-risk countries” that are hit by the worst effects of climate change. 920 kids have trouble accessing clean water and 600 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases like malaria. Child labor also remains an issue. At the beginning of 2020, around 160 million were forced into labor while COVID-19 put 9 million more kids at risk. That’s almost 1 in 10 children globally. Almost half are in dangerous environments. As is often the case, the other issues on this list – climate change, poverty, COVID, gender equality, etc – factor into children’s rights.

Learn more about children’s rights: Children’s Human Rights – An Interdisciplinary Introduction (University of Geneva)

#13. Gender equality

Global gender equality has gradually improved over the years, but data from the 2021 Global Gender Report shows that the end of the global gender gap is still 135 years away. The pandemic played a huge role in reversing positive trends as women were hit harder financially. According to Oxfam , women experienced a 5% job loss while men experienced 3.9%. That means women lost about $800 million in 2020. This is a low estimate since it doesn’t count the informal economy, which includes millions of women. Women are also more likely to live in poverty, more affected by gender-based violence, and more affected by climate change.

Learn more about gender equality: Gender Analytics: Gender Equity through Inclusive Design (University of Toronto)

#14. Cybersecurity

The WEF’s Global Risks Report 2022 (page 9) listed cybersecurity vulnerabilities as a concern. The reason is rapid digitalization, which was triggered in part by COVID-19. Many “advanced economies” are now at a higher risk for cyberattacks. GRPS respondents identified cybersecurity failure as a critical short-term risk. In 2020, malware and ransomware attacks went up by 358% and 435%. There are a few reasons for this, including better (and easier) attack methods and poor governance. Cyberattacks have a swath of serious consequences and erode public trust. As countries become more dependent on digitalization, their cybersecurity needs to keep up.

Learn more about cybersecurity: IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate (IBM)

#15. Disinformation

Rapid digitalization comes with many issues, including the lightning-fast spread of disinformation. The WEF report describes deepfakes, an accessible AI technology, and its potential to sway elections and other political outcomes. Disinformation doesn’t need to be sophisticated to be successful, however. Through social media posts and videos, twelve anti-vax activists were responsible for almost ⅔ of all anti-vaccine content on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Their content flooded the internet with the type of harmful, fear-mongering disinformation that played a significant role in vaccine hesitancy and political radicalization. Because disinformation travels faster online than the truth, it’s a global issue that should be addressed.

Learn more about tackling disinformation: Communicating Trustworthy Information in the Digital World (University of Rotterdam)

#16. Freedom of the press

According to the Varieties of Democracy Institute (as reported in The Economist ), about 85% of people live in a country where press freedom has gone down in the past 5 years. After peaking at .65 in the early 2000s and 2011, the global average dropped to .49 in 2021. Major countries like China, India, Russia, Brazil, and Turkey saw significant declines. Journalists and news organizations face threats like violence, imprisonment, lack of funding, and coordinated online attacks and harassment. A free press is essential to a functioning democracy. Without press freedom, all human rights are at risk.

Learn more about freedom of expression: Human Rights for Open Societies (Utrecht University)

#17. Debt crises

In the WEF Global Risks Report (page 7), respondents named debt crises as one of the most pressing issues over the next decade, though respondents believe they will become most serious in just 3-5 years. COVID-19 is a big reason why. Government stimulus was necessary, but many countries are now left with debt burdens. For corporate and public finances in large economies, debt burdens can lead to defaults, bankruptcies, insolvency, and more. This is a far-reaching issue as it affects budgets for areas like healthcare and green energy.

Learn more about the debt: Finance for everyone – Debt (McMaster University)

#18. Corruption

Corruption encompasses a host of actions such as bribery, election manipulation, fraud, and state capture. The World Bank Group names corruption as a barrier to ending extreme poverty and “boosting shared prosperity” for the poorest populations. When it comes to addressing poverty, climate change, healthcare, gender equality, and more, corruption gets in the way. Because corruption is a global problem, global solutions are necessary. Reform, better accountability systems, and open processes will all help.

Learn more about tackling corruption: What is Corruption: Anti-Corruption and Compliance (University of Pennsylvania)

#19. Authoritarianism

According to Freedom House, global democracy is eroding. That includes countries with long-established democracies. In their 2022 report, the organization reveals that global freedom has been declining for the past 16 years. 60 countries faced declines in the last year. Only 25 saw improvements. Only 20% of the global population lives in Free countries. China, Russia, and other authoritarian countries have gained more power in the international system, while countries with established democracies – like the United States – are losing their freedoms. What can be done? Freedom House says success “requires a bold, sustained response that establishes support for democracy and countering authoritarianism.” Governments and citizens engage and stand for democracy.

Learn more about tackling authoritarianism: Citizenship and the Rule of Law (University of London)

#20. Global cooperation

Addressing the issues in this article is not an easy task. True progress is only possible through global cooperation, a fact which is woven through the WEF report. Everything from addressing cybersecurity threats to humanitarian emergencies to protecting democracy depends on strong cooperation between countries. As the report says in its preface: “Restoring trust and fostering cooperation within and between countries will be crucial to addressing these challenges and preventing the world from drifting further apart.” The challenges threatening global cooperation are just as clear as the need, however, which makes it one of the most serious issues of the day.

Learn more about global cooperation: Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World

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About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

MUO

8 Common EV Charging Problems That Need To Be Solved

  • EV charging station availability is a major issue, with 20.8% of US EV owners encountering out-of-order public chargers, but Tesla's Supercharger network is more reliable.
  • Compatibility issues between charging standards (CCS and Tesla's NACS) pose a challenge, but the market is leaning towards adopting Tesla's standard by 2025.
  • Short charging cables and slow charging speeds are common issues. Different charging port locations and weather conditions can affect the charging experience.

Electric vehicle adoption is expected to gain momentum over the next decade as the world focuses more on moving away from fossil fuels. However, one of the biggest challenges holding back electric vehicle adoption is developing a reliable charging infrastructure.

Hopefully, we can get to the point where charging your EV will be as seamless as refueling a gasoline vehicle. But for that to happen, several problems with EV charging stations need to be solved.

1. Charging Station Availability

If you’ve driven an electric car long enough, there is a high chance you’ve encountered public charging stations that are out of order or that just won't work. In most cases, the chargers are out of service due to software issues, broken parts, bad weather, vandalism, a lack of maintenance, or a combination of these factors.

How common is the problem? According to a survey done by J.D. Power , 20.8% of US EV owners encounter public chargers that are out of order.

However, the Tesla Supercharger network is more reliable, with very few reported cases of chargers that are out of service. This is one of the reasons why automakers such as Ford, Rivian, Polestar, Volvo, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, and General Motors have partnered with Tesla to access its Supercharger network.

2. Compatibility Issues

There are two popular types of EV charging standards in North America : CCS and Tesla’s NACS. This means if you have a non-Tesla EV, you won’t be able to fast-charge it at most Tesla Supercharger locations without an adapter. Similarly, if you own a Tesla, you won’t have the option to fast-charge it at most locations outside the Tesla Supercharger network without an adapter.

This may take some getting used to, but even if you don’t mind using an adapter, sometimes it may take a few tries of plugging the charger in before it works.

The problem will be solved if legislators pass a law to implement a universal charging standard, like it has been done in Europe, where the vast majority of EVs use the CCS charging standard . However, market will likely decide in North America, considering most automakers will adopt Tesla's NACS standard by 2025.

3. Short Charging Cables

If you don’t own a Tesla, you may find that the charging cables are too short at a Tesla Supercharger network. This is because Tesla’s NACS charging cables are specifically designed for Tesla vehicles, all of which have the charging port on the left rear tail light; non-Tesla EVs have the charging port in different locations, and this can cause problems.

Of course, you can always park your non-Tesla EV closer to the charging plug at a Tesla DC fast-charging station to solve that problem. However, if there are other Tesla EVs at the charging station, you may be blocking their charging spots unless your EV happens to have its charging port on the back left or back right.

4. Slow Charging Speed

In some cases, the charging speed at public stations could be slower than usual. This is common due to faulty charging connectors, limited power availability, or software issues.

Besides that, you could experience slower charging speeds if you’re using an adapter. For instance, if you’re charging an EV with an 800-volt architecture at a Tesla’s NACS plug using an adapter, it won’t max the charging speed.

However, sometimes the slow charging speed of your EV has nothing to do with the charging connector. If you're charging your EV in hot weather or freezing conditions, it could be slower than expected to prevent damage and accelerated battery degradation.

It's always worth noting that no matter how fast a charger may be, the maximum charging speed of your EV is what limits the rate of charge. For example, if you own a Chevy Bolt, it won't exceed its maximum DC charging speed of 55 kW, even if you connect it to a 350 kW DC fast charger.

5. Charging Station Queuing and Etiquette

Most public EV charging stations are integrated into parking lots along major routes, with no written rule on who should charge first. Most public stations are not set up for queuing, and EV drivers have no option but to wait at a random spot, hoping somebody else won’t take their place. Because of that, there are often disputes on which EV should charge next after a charging spot is left vacant, and in some heated moments, they escalate into fights.

Believe it or not, the best solution that has come so far to solve the queuing problem is designing EV charging stations that are almost similar to gas stations with a drive-through lane that makes it easier to queue. Electrify America and Tesla have designed EV charging stations similar to gas stations at a few locations to solve the "who was here first" arguments. Alternatively, you could check in to an EV charging station finder app to record that you’re next in line, but there could still be disputes since not everybody uses apps to check in.

Beyond that, there are often conflicts due to the unwritten rules of charging station etiquette. For instance, people unplugging your EV to charge theirs, blocking other charging spots, or staying at a Level 3 charger longer than necessary while other people are waiting can cause disputes at charging stations.

6. Complicated Charging Process

Most charging stations require drivers to use specific apps before charging their EVs. This means that you need to sign up for a different app every time you use a different charging station provider—that’s if you don’t have an account. This may not be a big deal if you’ve been driving EVs for a while, but it’s a complicated process for those who are not versed in charging their EVs at public stations.

If that’s not enough, the charging station software could be clunky, unintuitive, and prone to crashing and showing errors. However, the Tesla Supercharger network makes it seamless to charge your electric car using its plug-and-charge feature.

7. Location and Accessibility

There are more public chargers than ever due to the growing number of electric vehicles on the road. You can easily plan a long-distance EV road trip across the country while relying on public chargers along major highways. However, you may find it hard to locate reliable DC fast chargers if you’re driving off the interstate roads in a few states, especially in rural areas.

According to a survey done by J.D. Power , a significant number of EV owners would also prefer if most Level 2 chargers were located next to restaurants, convenience stores, or entertainment joints. Unfortunately, if you’re driving to remote locations, most hotels and retail stores don’t have Level 2 destination chargers.

Until the EV charging infrastructure expands to match up with gas stations, your best option is to use EV route planning apps if you’re on a long-distance road trip.

8. Charging Cost and Payment

You can charge your EV for free at many public stations. But if you're using a level 3 charger, the prices may vary depending on the service provider, time, and location.

The pricing is also calculated based on kilowatts per hour, or how many minutes you’ve charged your EV. This means if you don’t know what to expect, you may be surprised if the prices fluctuate significantly at different charging stations. For instance, you may find it cheaper to charge your EV if you’re billed per minute compared to when the cost is calculated per kWh.

Besides that, most EV charging stations have different modes of payment on their apps, with no cash or credit card option. This means that if you’re stranded without a smartphone but have cash, it will be challenging to charge your EV at most public stations.

Mass EV Adoption Depends on Charging Problems Being Solved

There are plenty of electric vehicles on sale right now that offer better technology and convenience than most gasoline vehicles. However, the common charging problems need to be solved for mass EV adoption to be successful. On the bright side, the situation is likely to improve over the next decade, but it will take a few tries and errors.

8 Common EV Charging Problems That Need To Be Solved

Wearing your favorite hat a little too much? Here's how to wash hats.

Baseball caps are as American as the Fourth of July. These ubiquitous hats are as good for recreation as they are for sports, but they do collect their fair share of dirt and sweat. While that may be a badge of honor on the mound, that grimy peak may not look as good in the bleachers. So, how do you get a baseball cap clean?

Due to its delicate materials and unique construction, cleaning a baseball hat is an art - one misstep can lead to disaster. While hat cages offer a tempting shortcut, as you can theoretically toss your cap in the dishwasher or washing machine, they can also potentially ruin your cherished headgear. But fear not! With a few simple yet effective cleaning techniques, you can restore your beloved hats to their original glory without compromising the shape, color or fabric.

Here’s all you need to know about how to easily clean baseball hats without ruining them. 

Watch the video above to learn how to easily clean hats without ruining them.

How to easily clean a hat without ruining it

  • Always hand wash your hats. This cleaning method helps prevent potential damage that could be caused by machine washing, preserving the shape and materials of the hat.
  • Fill a large container or bucket with water. Make sure it has enough space for the hat to be fully submerged.
  • Check the hat’s tag to confirm what materials the hat is made from. Different materials require different care methods.
  • To avoid damaging the hat’s materials, test detergents on a small, hidden area inside the hat before washing. 
  • Most modern hats can be soaked in water and hand-cleaned. 
  • Add a dash of mild detergent to a bucket of water and stir.
  • If you have tough stains on the hat, use a stain remover and a toothbrush to pre-treat.
  • Soak hats for 15 to 20 minutes in the water/detergent solution to clean. Soak for up to an hour for a deeper clean.
  • Rinse the hat under cool water to remove any soap residue.
  • Place the hat over a bowl to dry and shape. You can also stuff it with a towel to dry and help keep its shape.
  • Hat cages also come in handy for drying and storing.

Reviewed-approved laundry recommendations

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Reviewed helps you find the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of home experts are always testing new washing machines , irons and more so you can shop for the best of the best. 

  • Editor's Choice dryer balls: Smart Sheep Wool Dryer Balls  
  • The best stain-removing detergent: PersilProClean  
  • A supersized laundry backpack: Azhido 115L Extra Large Laundry Backpack  
  • Lingerie bags for all your delicates: Bagail Mesh Bag Set  
  • A sweater-saving fabric shaver: Conair Fabric Shaver and Lint Remover  

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