Heart of the Matter LO20704

John Gunkler (jgunkler@sprintmail.com)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 09:15:35 -0600

Replying to LO20693 --

I want to support Fred Nickols' contentions:

>Moreover, I am not a fan of the concept of cause in general nor the
>concept of "root cause" in particular. The concept of cause has
>strangled more good solutions than I care to count. What is important
>about the notions of problem, cause, solution, etc., is to view them as
>pieces of the puzzle or bases to be covered, not trotted around in a
>1-2-3 and then home basis. I'd also ask, "the probable best solution"
>according to whom?

The concept of "the one best answer" (or solution) has done more harm in
problem solving than any other concept I'm aware of. Here's a joke I
sometimes play on my clients. I ask them:

1. What is the capital of Ohio?
A1. Columbus
A2. The big letter ('O') at the beginning

2. If you put $1000 in a bank account paying 5% simple annual interest,
what do you get?
A1. $1050 at the end of the year
A2. A toaster!

-- 

"John Gunkler" <jgunkler@sprintmail.com>

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