Personal And Professional Problem Solving


by Adolf Agbormbai - Date: 2007-03-20 - Word Count: 2038 Share This!

Abstract

This article reviews some major Internet contributions to personal and professional problem solving, while elaborating on a major contribution that offers a great deal to the reader. The article is directed at a reader who has a personal or professional problem bogging her and is looking for a way out of her predicament.

Introduction

The aim of this article is to review some major Internet contributions to personal and professional problem solving, while elaborating on a recent major contribution that promises a great deal for the reader. The article is directed at a reader who may have a personal or professional problem bogging her and is looking for a way out of her predicament.

It is a common fact of life that we all have problems and that all too often we are frustrated or we tend to lash out because of our inability to find accessible and reliable information about our problems.

Whilst problem solving is a topic that has received considerable intellectual attention, as evidenced by Wikipedia's entry on this topic, most of the discussion has focused on the analytical structure and history of problem solving without really covering what the daily person needs to solve his or her problem. This absence of a pragmatic and meaningful approach to problem solving is what we try to address here.

To be of the greatest use to people a problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their personal or professional problem with merchant products that provide more detailed information. Typically, the web site will provide free information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the visitor on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the web site will also provide merchant products which discuss in detail how the visitor can go about resolving her problem. This means that the most effective, visitor-oriented problem-solving site will be an information-packed commercial site.

One problem solving site that makes a good attempt at addressing people's problems in pragmatic terms is MindTools. It is a professional development site with excellent content on self-help and professional problem solving. However, its problem solving presentation is technical and is intended for business professionals only. The site can be summed up as an elaborate self-improvement and managerial problem solving site.

The approach that we have adopted below is to review the major Internet contributions to personal and professional problem solving, while elaborating on a recent major contribution that promises a great deal for the reader.

Reader Profile

This article is intended to meet the needs of a specific type of readers, who have a personal or professional problem bogging them. It is directed at both males and females, even though it is often convenient to refer to just one sex when writing.

The reader uses search engines to research information about her personal or professional problem, with the intention of finding solutions to it. Such a reader is serious about solving her problem and is therefore willing to buy products that help her achieve her mission, provided that she can find reliable and honest information about relevant products so that she can make an informed decision about which products to acquire. This information will help her to apply her finances economically, and hence avoid wasting money.

The reader is intelligent (without necessarily being a genius), educated (without necessarily being a PhD), computer literate (without necessarily being a computer guru), and money-minded (without necessarily being a freebie hunter or an unemployed person).

The reader's problem is not life critical, so that she can afford to investigate her problem and educate herself about it before seeking help from a consultant, if necessary.

As such the reader is self-reliant and can cope on her own by reading, digesting, and applying advice about her problem until she solves it or discovers that she needs help from a professional, at which point her acquired knowledge will help her to reduce her consulting fees. As a result of the knowledge gained, the reader will be able to assess consultants in order to avoid incompetent or fraudulent ones.

Contributions to Personal and Professional Problem Solving

These are reviewed under three separate headings: general problem solving, personal problem solving, and professional problem solving.

General Problem Solving

Wikipedia has provided a brief intellectual account of the history and structure of problem solving. This is a free online encyclopaedia that has good introductory definitions and content on various academic topics. Its main weakness is that its presentation satisfies only an academic curiosity, with little pragmatic analysis of the topic. The writing style is highly technical and as such is not amenable to a wide audience. It does not teach problem solving skills, but merely describes the nature or structure of problems.

The Free Management Library adopts a pragmatic approach to problem solving and recommends good practical books on the topic. Its main weakness is that it offers limited scope, covering only managerial problem solving.

The RHL School provides Mathematics resources for teaching school Mathematics. However, that is all it does. It has limited scope, dealing only with mathematics problem solving, and for school kids only.

MindTools offers excellent tools for business problem solving. The tools are actually specific techniques or methods for business / managerial problem solving. Its weaknesses are that the content is technical and that it is intended for business professionals only.

Thoughts on Problem Solving offers a simple and practical account of problem types and problem solving. It covers a broad range of problem types, but does not address the daily needs of individuals. It also treats problem solving in a general way.

The Mathematical Association of Victoria describes a range of resources on Math problem solving, but covers only Math.

Personal Problem Solving

Web4Health is a health and psychology problem solving site. It is oriented towards personal health problems, and its weakness is that it covers only health.

Wikipedia provides some content on personal problem solving under its general problem solving entry, but again the style is highly technical and therefore is not amenable to a wide audience.

Professional Problem Solving

MindTools is an excellent professional development site with excellent content on self-help and professional problem solving. However, its problem solving component is technical and is intended for business professionals only. It is an elaborate self-improvement and managerial problem solving site.

Free Management Library offers a pragmatic approach to professional problem solving plus recommended practical books. However, it covers only managerial problem solving.

A Promising Contribution

We now look in some detail at what appears to be the most comprehensive, pragmatic, and visitor-oriented problem solving contribution on the Internet. This site seems to have followed the philosophy that to be of the greatest use to people a problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their personal and professional problems with merchant products that provide more complete information.

The site provides free information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the reader on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the site also provides merchant products which discuss in detail how the reader can go about resolving her problem.

The site addresses a multiplicity of market segments, positioning them to address the various needs of a visitor over a period of time, and such that at any given time a customer may belong to one or more of the market segments. The market segmentation follows standard practice on the Web for niche markets. Aligned with the target markets are compatible products, a set of which addresses a particular market through a separate product catalogue.

There are four general classes of products offered: ClickBank products, Google products, eBay products, and SiteSell products. Google and eBay products are presented on each page of the site. SiteSell products are applicable only to self-employment seekers. ClickBank products are grouped into product categories that match the target markets.

The market segments and their product catalogues are as follows.

General Problem Solving

This market consists of readers who want to learn the general methods of approaching their problems. In addition, the customers are grouped into those looking for personal problem solving methods, professional problem solving methods, and other problem solving methods. The product needs are grouped into:

Problem Solving. The needs of these readers are met through the Problem Solving Catalogue.

Personal Problem Solving. The needs of these readers are met through the Personal Problem Solving Catalogue.

Professional Problem Solving. The needs of these readers are met through the Professional Problem Solving Catalogue.

Educational Problem Solving

This consists of readers who have educational problems and are looking for solutions. The needs of these readers are met through the Educational Product Catalogue.

Employment Problem Solving

These readers have employment problems and want real solutions. They consist of three groups:

Career Planners. These people are seeking career advancement solutions and want to formulate a plan for their career direction. Their needs are met through the Career Development Catalogue.

Job Seekers. These people have a career plan already and are seeking jobs that fall within their plan. Their needs are met through the Job Search Catalogue.

Self-Employment Seekers. These persons don't want to work for another person, cannot work for another person for one reason or another, are entrepreneurs looking for new opportunities or for advice, or are employed persons looking to go it alone. Their needs are met through the Self-Employment Catalogue, and through SiteSell Products. SiteSell offerings consist of SiteSell's e-Commerce Philosophy, Site Build It!, Net Marketing e-Books, and SiteSell University.

Financial Problem Solving

These are typical people with financial problems or successful people who want to expand their wealth. There are six classes of them:

Debtors or Persons Crippled by Debt. These persons have a debt problem and are seeking ways to overcome it. Their needs are met through the Debt/Credit Catalogue.

Persons with Miscellaneous Financial Problems. These persons are looking for insurance, credit cards, tax advice, and grants. Their needs are met through the General Finance Catalogue.

Investors or Investment Seekers. These persons are looking to invest money. Their needs are met through the Investment / Stock Trading Catalogue.

Loan Seekers. These people are looking for loans. Their needs are met through the Loans Catalogue.

Mortgage Seekers and Home Owners. These are looking for mortgages or re-mortgages. Their needs are met through the Mortgages Catalogue.

Wealth Seekers or Accumulators. These are looking for means to amass wealth. Their needs are met through the Wealth Generation Catalogue.

Health Problem Solving

This consists of readers with health problems. They fall under the following categories:

Addicts. These are people with addiction problems. Their needs are met through the Addiction Catalogue.

Disfigured Persons. These people have appearance or beauty problems. Their needs are met through the Beauty Catalogue.

Disable Persons. They have obvious disability and are looking for solutions fitting their predicament. Their needs are met through the Disability Catalogue.

Unfit Persons. These ones want fitness programmes and advice. Their needs are met through the Fitness Catalogue.

Medically Ill Persons Looking for Alternative Solutions. They want complementary medical solutions to their problems. Their needs are met through the Alternative Medicine Catalogue.

Medically Ill Persons Looking for Conventional Solutions. They are looking for Western medical solutions to their problems. Their needs are met through the Western Medicine Catalogue 1 and the Western Medicine Catalogue 2.

Women with Health Problems. They want alternative and Western medical solutions to their problems. Their needs are met through the Women's Health Catalogue.

People with Eating Problems. They are looking for dieting solutions. Their needs are met through the Nutritional Catalogue.

Psychologically or Mentally Ill Persons. These are people with mental problems who want advice. Their needs are met through the Psychological Catalogue.

Obese Persons. These are overweight people looking to cut their weight by whatever means that gives lasting solutions. Their needs are met through the Weight Loss Catalogue.

Home-Software Problem Solving

These are people with PC software problems. They are looking to optimise their PC or to remove spyware or adware. Their needs are met through the Home Software Catalogue. Miscellaneous Problem Solving

These are people whose needs are not met elsewhere, but must be met on the site. Their needs are met through the Miscellaneous Catalogue. Self-Improvement Problem Solving

These are ambitious people looking to improve and develop themselves to become better persons. Their needs are met through the Self-Help Catalogue.

Conclusion

This article has reviewed some major Internet contributions to personal and professional problem solving, while elaborating on a comprehensive contribution that promises a great deal for the reader. The article meets the need of a reader who has a personal or professional problem bogging her and is looking for a way out of her predicament.


Related Tags: affiliate marketing, problem solving, intern, personal problem solving, professional problem solving

Financial Problem Solving - http://www.triplacc.com/finance/finance.html

Health Problem Solving - http://www.triplacc.com/health/health.html

Home-Software Problem Solving - http://www.triplacc.com/software/software.html

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