Ending Unsolvable Problems: A Unique Seminar Merging Psychology and Practical Knowledge Starting February 25, 2026, a groundbreaking seminar combines psychology and real-world knowledge for effective problem-solving.

Ending Unsolvable Problems: A Unique Seminar Merging Psychology and Practical Knowledge #Japan #Tokyo #Problem_Solving #Psychology_Seminar #Human_Support

Tools of Thought: Scenario Planning Scenario Planning is, in some ways, likely to be a very old “tool of thought.” I imagine when our ancient ancestors prepared for a hunt, they would imagine what they would do and where and how and …

petersironwood.com/2026/01/15/t...
An important tool of thought is "Scenario Planning" -- make sure you don't focus solely on best case or on worst case scenarios.
#AI #UX #HCI #thinking #planning #leadership #management #problem_solving #design #tactics #strategy

Don’t Throw Out the Baby with the Bathwater! On Throwing Out the Baby with the Bathwater.  Babies are a pain. Let’s face it. Of course, they are. But they are also a joy. Not only that, they are the future of humanity. Yet, it’s true that the…

A short essay on another tool of thought: Do NOT throw out the baby with the bathwater!
#thinking #AI #thought #problem_solving #problem_formulation #decision_making #leadership #management #UX #HCI

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Tools of Thought: Symmetry Symmetry (Original, free-hand drawing by Zoe Colier). There are many varieties of symmetry. Symmetry exists rampantly in nature and symmetry is also incorporated into many human designs. In this sh…

petersironwood.com/2026/01/07/t...
#thinking #thought #problem_solving #AI #ChatGPT #sense_making #pattern

Non-Linearity Non-linearity A Chessboard Full of Rice According to myth, the Emperor’s wise adviser once did him a great favor. So grateful was the Emperor that he begged his wise advisor to take any gift she mi…

Tools of Thought: Non-Linearity. We tend to assume things are linear, but that is less often the case than you might imagine. If you don't know about or take account of non-linearity, you can be in BIG trouble. #AI #thinking #thought #problem_solving #leadership

petersironwood.com/2026/01/04/n...

Negative Space Negative Space When you look at a scene, it is natural to concentrate on the objects in the scene. So too, when one begins to design, it is natural to concentrate your attention on the things you i…

Tools of Thought: Noticing and making use of negative space.
#AI #thinking #thought #problem_solving #creativity #UX #HCI #leadership #management
petersironwood.com/2026/01/02/n...

Fraught Framing: The Presumed Being-ness of State-ness Fraught Framing: The Presumed Being-ness of State-ness As I understand it, in Spanish and Portuguese, for example, there is a linguistic distinction between current state of being and habitual stat…

An essay on "Tools of Thought" -- in this case, about realizing that assigning labels to things need not be thought of as permanent. Things change.
#AI #thinking #problem_solving #problem_framing #ChatGPT #UX #HCI #psychology
petersironwood.com/2025/12/31/f...

Fraught Framing: The Virulent “Versus” Virus Fraught Framing: The Virulent “Versus” Virus Like most of us, I spent a lot of time in grades K through 12 solving problems that others set for me. These problems were to be solved by applying pres…

Short essay on the importance of solving the "right" problem. Emphasis on the human tendency toward false dichotomy.
#AI #thinking #problem_solving #problem_framing #HCI #UX #psychology #politics

petersironwood.com/2025/12/29/f...

Tools of Thought: Imagination Imagination.  It seems odd to bother to remind people that imagination is a tool of thought. I have four kids, thirteen grandkids, five great-grandkids and they all use their imaginations. I also w…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/27/t...
A short essay on using your imagination to improve your life rather than make it worse.
#thinking #thought #problem_solving #therapy #psychology #leadership #management #UX #HCI #imagination #creativity

Tools of Thought: Metaphors We Live By & Die By Metaphors We Live By and Die By I love metaphors. I always have. I admit it. I think every youngster does, at least until they are exposed to poetry in English class. I was lucky to have an awesome…

A Happy Holiday present: Another Tool of Thought. In this case, it's a description of how metaphor can be useful or misleading in thinking. #thinking #problem_solving #AI #ChatGPT #decision_making #UX #HCI #psychology #politics #problem_formulation #creativity
petersironwood.com/2025/12/24/t...

#thinking #AI #ChatGPT #representation #problem_solving
petersironwood.com/2025/12/22/r...
Consciously and wisely choosing one or more representations of your problem will go a long way toward solving it.
#AI #thinking #thought #problem_solving #sense_making #leadership #management #UX #HCI

Representation Representation  “Choose your words carefully.” We have all heard that advice. It’s good advice and choosing a good representation is key to solving problems, but the general point extend…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/22/r...
Consciously and wisely choosing one or more representations of your problem will go a long way toward solving it.
#AI #thinking #thought #problem_solving #sense_making #leadership #management

Regression to the Mean Regression to the Mean While working full-time at IBM Research, I was also a Fellow at the Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy in Manhattan. I wrote an article in 1978 for their Journal, Rationa…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/21/r...
Another "Tool of Thought" is to understand how biased sampling can creep into an observation or a study and lead you to erroneous conclusions.
#thinking #AI #ChatGPT #problem_solving #sense_making #management #leadership #UX #HCI #democracy #USA #America

Tools of Thought: Theory of Mind Theory of Mind.  “Theory of Mind” refers to the ability of most humans to imagine, at least to a degree, what another person is likely to do based on their knowledge of what the other person knows.…

One tool of human thought is "Theory of Mind" -- realizing that another person may know, perceive, and feel things differently than we ourselves do. Can (or should?) AI be capable of "Theory of Mind"? #thinking #problem_solving #AI #ChatGPT #creativity #UX #HCI
petersironwood.com/2025/12/19/t...

Tools of Thought: Theory of Mind Theory of Mind.  “Theory of Mind” refers to the ability of most humans to imagine, at least to a degree, what another person is likely to do based on their knowledge of what the other person knows.…

#thinking #decision_making #problem_solving #sense_making #AI #ChatGPT #management #leadership #empathy
petersironwood.com/2025/12/19/t...

Meta-Cognition Meta-Cognition “Cognition” refers to thinking activities such as problem solving, learning, decision making, and imagining. “Meta-Cognition” refers to thinking about thinking. The science of psycho…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/18/m...
#thinking #problem_solving #sense_making #leadership #management #psychology

Meta-Cognition Meta-Cognition “Cognition” refers to thinking activities such as problem solving, learning, decision making, and imagining. “Meta-Cognition” refers to thinking about thinking. The science of psycho…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/18/m...
#AI #thinking #productivity #leadership #management #problem_solving #creativity
A short essay about using your knowledge of your own thinking and behavior to be more effective. (free, no ads)

Systems Thinking: Positive Feedback Loops Systems Thinking: Positive Feedback Loops One of the most important tools of thought that anyone can learn: “Systems Thinking.” I touched on this in yesterday’s post “And Then What.” I pointed out …

A short essay on one of the tools of thinking: perceiving and understanding positive feedback loops.
#thinking #AI #sense_making #problem_solving #ChatGPT #leadership #management #politics #USA #America
petersironwood.com/2025/12/17/s...

And, then what? And then what?  When it comes to increasing the drama in TV crime shows, westerns, and spy thrillers, both the brilliant, evil villain and the smart, brave, good-looking protagonist display one com…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/16/a...
#AI #ChatGPT #thinking #problem_solving

Tools of Thought Tools of Thought (Summary and Index) In December, 2018, I began writing a series of essays on “tools of thought.” I realize that many readers probably read these tools at the time they were first p…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/14/t...
An annotated index to some useful tools of thought (free, no ads)
#AI #ChatGPT #thinking #problem_solving #leadership #management

Travels with Sadie 9: Joint Problem Solving (A play in one act). Bailey: “There’s something in here! I can smell it! Peter Cottontail!” Sadie: [Stares at me] “What is Bailey on about? I don’t smell anything.&#82…

#pets #dogs #photography #golden_doodle
petersironwood.com/2025/04/25/t...
#story #problem_solving

Reframing the Problem: Paperwork & Working Paper Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Reframing the Problem: Paperwork & Working Paper This is the second in a series about the importance of correctly framing a problem. Generally, at least in formal…

petersironwood.com/2025/12/04/r...
A recounting of an example of having a problem handed to me and then my reframing it for a better result. Can AI reframe problems? Should it?
#AI #thinking #sense_making #problem_solving #UX #HCI #creativity

Bulletproof problem solving: The one skill you can't automate (Conn & McLean) In a world of AI and automation, what is the most valuable human skill left? According to the World Economic Forum, it's complex problem solving. Yet, most of us were never taught how to do it. We rely on gut instinct or jump straight to solutions without understanding the real issue.In today's 5-minute briefing on "Bulletproof Problem Solving," written by two former McKinsey partners, we explore the rigorous 7-Step Framework used by top strategy consultants. Discover why the biggest mistake leaders make is "solutioning"—and how to stop guessing and start solving.

📣 New Podcast! "Bulletproof problem solving: The one skill you can't automate (Conn & McLean)" on @Spreaker #analysis #consulting #critical #data #decisions #definition #development #framework #logic #mckinsey #mece #problem_solving #solutions #strategy #thinking

The Doorbell’s Ringing! Can you get it? Photo by Little Visuals on Pexels.com After a long day’s work, I arrived home to a distraught wife. Not, “Hi, sweetheart” but “This doorbell is driving me crazy!”  Me: “What doorbell? What are…

Formal education teaches us how to solve problems. IRL, problem solving is important. Equally important: problem *formulation* #AI #thinking #problem_solving #problem_formulation #sense_making #ChatGPT #UX #HCI #creativity #story
petersironwood.com/2025/12/02/t...

Measure for Measure (More or Less is only More or Less, More or Less) Confusing. I know. Let’s unpack.  We like to measure things. And, generally, that can be a very good thing. Once we measure and quantify, we c…

petersironwood.com/2021/01/28/m...
An essay about various uses and pitfalls about approaches to measurement.
#AI #thinking #problem_solving #sense_making #HCI #UX

How to Frame Your Own Hamster Wheel Graduate school at the University of Michigan (in Ann Arbor, Michigan) provided me with a rich, rewarding experience. I was in a program aimed at understanding more about how human beings perceive,…

petersironwood.com/2021/01/22/h...
#story #problem_solving #framing #formulation #sense_making #HCI #UX #psychology #attribution #ethics
Sometimes you find themselves in situations that is inherently stressful. Often, however, stress comes from how you see the problem; not from the problem itself.

Wordless Perfection ———————————— Sirius Black I like to write. In fact, I like to write so much that I wrote before I could even read. When my early crayon “writings” in my grandfather’s books were discovered, instead…

Language is a wonderful invention & allows humans to communicate over time and space, but it's a double-edged sword. Sometimes words get in the way. #thinking #problem_solving #sense_making #UX #HCI #psychology #AI #ChatGPT petersironwood.com/2021/01/20/w...

Problem Formulation: Who Knows What? Photo by Nikolay Ivanov on Pexels.com This post focuses on the importance of discovering who knows what. It’s easy to assume (without thinking!) that everyone knows what you know.  At IBM Research,…

petersironwood.com/2025/11/28/p...
Based on studies at IBM Research, some examples of the importance of problem formulation. In particular, it is easy to erroneously assume that everyone "knows" the same thing.
#problem_solving #sense_making #thinking #UX #HCI #AI #software #development

The Movie "Darkest Hour" and Cognitive Diversity (ep 298)  This is a rebroadcast of ep. 194 In this episode of Libertarians Talk Psychology, Julie and Mike take a deep dive into the film Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, set in the tense days before the Nazi invasion of the United Kingdom during World War II. We explore how Churchill’s leadership illustrates the value of cognitive diversity—bringing different perspectives, problem-solving styles, and viewpoints together to navigate crisis situations. Our conversation connects the lessons of the past to today’s challenges, showing how cognitive diversity applies not only to wartime leadership but also to modern political decision-making, organizational strategies, and personal growth. We touch on related themes such as Rand Paul’s independent thinking, the impact of masking requirements on public debate, and the role of YouTube in shaping political and cultural discourse. If you’re interested in psychology, politics, history, and how diverse minds can solve complex problems, this episode offers a unique libertarian perspective on one of the most powerful historical dramas of recent years.

📣 New Podcast! "The Movie "Darkest Hour" and Cognitive Diversity (ep 298)" on @Spreaker #churchill #cognitive #darkest #diversity #gary #hour #leadership #libertarian #libertarians #movie #oldman #paul #problem_solving #psychology #rand #talk #war #winston #world

Logmi Business Launches New Series for Aspiring Young Business Leaders Logmi Business has introduced a new series aimed at young professionals, highlighting essential books for the next generation of business leaders.

Logmi Business Launches New Series for Aspiring Young Business Leaders #Japan #Business_Leaders #Shibuya #Logmi #Problem_Solving