Problems, Solutions and Strategies: A Contribution to the Theory and Practice of Planning

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to suggest that the nature of a problem governs both the range of possible solutions to the problem and the kind of strategies appropriate for achieving those solutions. The argument centers on the definition of four fundamental types of problem, or namely: simple problems, compound problems, complex problems, and metaproblems. Each of these problem-types is held to entail a corresponding kind of strategy. From this, it is concluded that planners face a persistent dilemma in trying to choose between a broad definition of their problem and an exact strategy for solving it. The closer they come to one objective, the further they get from the other.