guidance and direction for the problem his solver. Heuristics may involve developing
parallels between the present problem and previous similar ones.3 Apply heuristics. Once developed, the plans are then applied to the given situation.
4 Determine whether heuristics have been fruitful. The individual then decides
whether the heuristics have been successful in the attempt to solve the given problem.
If they are considered unsuccessful, the individual may need to develop a new
approach to the problem.
5 Determine whether an acceptable solution has been obtained.
6 Finish and verify the solution. The end-point of the problem-solving process
involves the individual deciding that an acceptable solution to the problem has been
reached and that this solution provides a suitable outcome.
According to Newell and Simon’s model of problem solving, hypotheses about the causes
and solutions to the problem are developed very early on in the process. They regarded
this process as dynamic and ever-changing and suggested that at each stage of the
process the individual applies a ‘means end analysis’, whereby they assess the value of
the hypothesis, which is either accepted or rejected according to the evidence. This type
of model involves information processing whereby the individual develops hypotheses
to convert an open problem, which may be unmanageable with no obvious end-point, to
one which can be closed and tested by a series of hypotheses.
Fig. 4-2 A simplified model of problem solvingDOCTOR–PATIENT COMMUNICATION 87