If you are putting together a group of problem-solvers, first you need a mutual understanding of the problem. A group cannot solve a problem unless first everybody in the group understands the problem.
A group of problem solvers does not have to all agree with the same solution and you are going to have many different solutions to the same problem, but everybody in the problem solving group has to understand the problem.
Those who don't understand the problem or who pretend that don't are never going to come up with any type of solution.
Let's say you have a group of business. You have a business problem. Those in the group keep stating they don't understand the problem. If they don't understand the problem or don't recognize it as a problem or pretend they don't understand because perhaps it's not in their interest to understand--say a salary dispute--then you are not going to be able to solve the problem with this group.
Then you must ask who in the company understands the problem. These people must be recruit to work on solving that problem. The don't understands are never going to solve that problem either because they don't understand the problem, pretend they don't understand, or it's in their interest not to understand the problem.
The problem of slavery for example, many people didn't understand the problem because they truly didn't understand, whether slaves or masters, some pretended not to understand, and others it wasn't in their interest to understand.
Certainly there continues to be no agreement on the solution, because many of the problems presented by slavery, including racism and certain stereotypes and social behaviors continue with both the "slaves" and the "masters" as in any society that has a similar history and a similar social psychology.
Think tanks are often problem-solving think tanks, and many of these people are educated to understand and recognize problems and then try to come up with both practical and intellectual solutions.
Some problems are practical problems and then we have to come up with practical solutions.
Some problems are intellectual problems and people must understand on the intellectual level to understand these problems. The solutions to these problems can be both intellectual and practical.
Many problems people don't understand because, and we have stated this in other articles on problem-solving, because they are metaphysical problems, and so people have to understand on the metaphysical level before coming up with the solutions to some of these problems.
Civilizations that are engaged in problem-solving have workers on all levels solving problems, and then trying to find the most practical solution to those problems.
Many people who agree on the problems often disagree on the solutions and then they must work towards mutually agreement solutions.
Many times intellectuals and metaphysicals--"spiritual thinkers"--disagree with practical people because they understand problems on a different level.
A Pope for example might come up with a different solution to a problem than a politician than a business person, although they might all agree on the problem.
The Pope must find a spiritual solution, the politician a political solution, and the business person a business solution. However, they are all at work on problem-solving.
So if you work on problem-solving with a group of problem-solvers, first make sure that everybody understands the problem.
Then people work on the solution according to their best understanding and knowledge of problem solving.
People put forth their many solutions.
And then you must work on the best practical solution if the problem is a practical problem, the best intellectual solution if the problem is an intellectual problem, and the best spiritual solution if the problem is a spiritual and metaphysical problem.
Sometimes all types of problems have the best practical and tangible solutions.
This a true of almost all types of problem solving, including math problems in classrooms, where the teachers make sure that everybody in the class understands the math problem first.
Then all the children in the class must work out their best solution to the problem.
Of course with lower level math there is general only one solution.
With higher level theoretical math the children have many different theories. What is the best mathematical theory?
Learning the techniques and strategies of problem help in almost every endeavor.
