Solving Indefinable Problems with Communications

Backward Utopian Iteration

Introduction
Most problem-solving methods begin with a clean definition of the problem. Once
a problem is carefully defined, the solution is usually not far off. Some of the 59
toughest problems are those which defy definition. They are the problems that
tend to be indefinite in nature, very large in scope and/or unstructured in format.
Heuristic methods have been designed to assist in discovering the nature of these
problems, but they tend to focus on the problem definition, and fall back on other
techniques thereafter. In this communication we propose a "systems approach"
to heuristic problem solving.

Some Problem-solving Methods

Various texts have outlined the "business school" approach to problem solving
with slight variations. Generally, they cover the following steps:
(1) Define the problem
(2) Identify criteria that relate to the solution of the problem
(3) Identify possible solutions to the problem
(4) Select the solution that best meets the criteria
(5) Implement the solution and review the results.
Another approach towards problem solving may be called the "research" method.
This procedure avoids any preliminary evaluation of the problem in order to avoid
tainting the outcome:
(1) Study the problem, and obtain a small sample of it
(2) Carefully examine the sample in order to determine its nature
(3) Develop one or more hypotheses concerning the relationship between the
sample and the whole problem
(4) Obtain additional samples, as necessary, to permit some evaluation of the
hypotheses
(5) Make some determination of the degree that the samples represent the
essence of the whole problem
(6) Make some statements about the whole problem and its possible solutions,
based on the sample findings.
The "business school" method gets stuck on the first step if the nature of the
problem defies a good definition. Too often users of this method have glossed-
over the problem definition and proceeded regardless. The result is that the correct
solution was implemented for the wrong problem.
The "research" method works well for many areas unless the subject is a living
organisation. Then the initial evaluation phase tends to change the subject, thus
injecting doubt into the validity of the outcome.
Kybernetes Backward Utopian Iteration (BUI) Explained
19,4 Some problems defy definition; for example, a situation where there are so many
factors that bear on the problem that it is impossible to see any specific relationships.
This makes organisation of the factors difficult. Another example is where the
sheer size of a problem may overwhelm the mind's capacity to grasp important
details, as in evaluating the effectiveness of a certain political system in controlling
the economy of a superpower.
60 There are many examples of problems that defy definition which may be
discussed. However, intense discussion about these seems to be avoided since
everyone assumes there are no practical solutions to them. But there must be
solutions, since we humans still exist! For all our befuddled decision making over
the centuries, we still exist and we continue to muddle through — and sometimes
we do very well.
In studying the evident decisions of the past that have had a great and favourable
impact on our society and/or the world, one may observe that there was no decision
at all. People simply failed to decide, and history meandered along on its most
likely course. In fact, one may say that most of history has been accidental, and
as we enter the last part of the 20th century, it will probably continue to be
accidental, unless we improve the way we handle big, indefinable problems.
The systems approach suggests that rather than concentrating on the "inputs"
or problems, we should study the "outputs" or goals of the system first. Once
the outputs have been defined, we can take a closer look at the inputs (the current
situation). Next we look closely at the process that turns inputs into outputs. This
process is broken down into definable steps or modules where each step moves
the system from the input towards the output.
The BUI process is simple. Once it is realised that one is confronted with an
overwhelming problem, and one cannot begin to understand all its parts, go through
the following steps:
(1) Do not struggle with the details of the problem's symptoms. Open up your
mind to think of the problem in the largest terms possible.
(2) Project your mind forward in time and outward in scope to form a general,
ideal picture of a solution. This situation may be impossible, but it should
perfectly and completely satisfy all aspects of the problem. This is the
"utopian" solution. It need not be practical in any sense of cost or time
or effort or technology. Let the vision of this utopian solution develop in
your mind. Embellish it. Enjoy its beauty. Thrill to the feeling that if such
a solution were only possible it would be truly wonderful.
(3) Write down a description of your utopian solution, in as much detail as
possible. Make such diagrams as are necessary to document your dream.
(4) Think again about where you are now with the original problem. Think
about the impossible gap which separates where you are from your utopian
dream. Let your mind visualise a definite distance between the harsh reality
of the present problem and that far-off castle in the sky. Is time the difference
between the two? Or money? Or technological innovation? No matter.
 Whatever is the nature of the chasm which separates where you are from Communications
where you would ideally like to be, divide the gap into four or more fairly
equal pieces. Ask yourself, would it take 500 years to reach the ideal goal?
Or, $200 million? Or, 10,000 people working five years? The distance between
the current problem and the utopian solution must be great enough that the
utopia is the perfect solution, but it is really out of reach in any practical sense.
(5) Now, move your mind back from your utopian model to the nearest of the 61
points you have mentally established between where you are and where
you want to be. (This would be the third step, if the fourth step was the
utopian solution). Ask yourself, "If I am going to reach the final utopian
situation represented in the final (next) step, how far must I have come
to reach this last intermediate step?" Let your mind concentrate on this
third intermediate step. The details that you can visualise should be almost
as good as in the final utopian model, but not quite so perfect. A little
less good, but still close enough that you could be pretty certain that if
you could get that far, you would surely reach the ultimate utopia with the
additional time (or money, or effort) that is represented by the gap that
separates the intermediate step from the final utopia.
(6) Now loop back to the utopian step and compare it with the last intermediate
step. Are you satisfied that you can logically make the jump between the
third and fourth steps? Would you be satisfied with remaining at the last
intermediate step indefinitely? Perhaps you have discovered a more reachable
utopia. In any case, you will have more firmly established in your mind
the relationship between the two steps outlined so far.
(7) Now move your mind one step closer to your present situation. If you put
four steps between your present problem and the utopian solution, you would
now be on the third step. This step would represent a situation that would
not be as good as the fourth step, but certainly it would be quite good.
The solution would contain definite flaws. Not all aspects of the problem
would be satisfactory. But it would be an intermediate that would show
some promise of movement toward the improved fourth step. Again, let
your mind embellish the details of this step. Write them down. See how
they fit together and evaluate them. Then let your mind move back to the
fourth step and the utopian fifth step and evaluate that third step. Does
it definitely lead toward the fourth step? Does it contain flaws that would
preclude its eventual development into the fifth utopian step? Satisfy yourself
that the third step, while imperfect, contains elements which will logically
allow it to mature into the fourth step and onward.
(8) Move your mind back from the last utopian step through the intermediate
steps to the next step closer to where you began. Do the same as you
have done in previous steps. Develop the details in your mind of what the
step would look like. Document them. Study them and compare them with
those in the step that follows. Work in your mind back through the
intermediate steps to the utopian level. Is there a logical progression? Is
it possible to get from the second step to the third step?
Kybernetes (9) You have now moved back from the utopian idea towards the reality of the
19,4 problem far enough to see many elements of the problem still unsolved
in the second step. Perhaps you have not worked back close enough to
the problem. Perhaps you need to put in one or more additional steps to
get you closer to the first (problem) step. In any case, if you keep repeating
this iterative (looping) process backward from the utopian step, you will
eventually reach your original starting point... the problem that you are
62 trying to solve. Now you can turn around and see the bridge of intermediate
steps you have built from the problem to an ideal solution.Younow have
a plan of action.

Examples of BUI
BUI can be adapted to very small problems like personal education or career goals;
it can be applied to intermediate sized problems like corporate organisational goals;
and it can be adapted to goals that encompass the entire nation, like economic
or environmental goals. In each case, a model is built of the desired "utopian"
situation. Then the iterative process that has been outlined is used to step
backwards through a series of definable steps back to the original situation.
For example, if the goal is to achieve a PhD but the problem is that you currently
have only a BA, you have five kids, and are in debt with your house and your
car, a series of definable steps could be:
(1) Current situation
(2) Work on Masters degree in the evenings while saving up enough money
to support your family for two or three years with only part-time employment
(3) Complete Masters and start on a PhD programme. Sell house, move into
a small apartment, and use the capital from the house to pay off the car
debt. Work part-time to pay rent. Use savings for other expenses
(4) Achieve PhD.
In this example every step helps toward the ultimate goal, and each step is beneficial
to your education even if the "utopian" goal is not achieved.

Conclusion
Using the systems approach, BUI allows the user to work with the systems
"output" or goalfirst.Having defined this goal, BUI breaks the difference between
the present state and "Utopia" into a series of incremental steps. These steps
are each achievable and work towards the goal. The systems approach does not
get wrapped up in problem definition or problem studies, rather it suggests getting
wrapped up in a study of the solution.

R.W. Kaiser
California State University, Chico, California 95929-0011, USA
G.J. Plenert
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA