The Problem Solving Process

Research the Topic Learn as much as possible about the topic and its subtopics. These are examples of some of the information in the research about extreme sports and gender equity in sports, one possible subtopic.

Mass media glorifies extreme sports through ESPN Extreme Games, movies, and ad campaigns that use them.	Interest in extreme sports tends to increase after viewer exposure to media showing extreme sports.	Psychological motivation – one group of people use risky sports to boost their self-image.
Psychological motivation – one group of people use risky sports to boost their self-image.	Extreme sports appeals to people with “Type T Positive Physical” personalities. (outgoing, creative, desire novelty and excitement)	Through history, young men have been drawn to feats of daring & physical challenge to prove their masculinity & fearlessness
Less dangerous extreme sports appeal to ages 30 and up	Highest physical risks taken by Type T personalities between ages of 15 and 25	An article in Brandweek states that extreme sports appeals to men between 18-34
Extreme sports are usually individual – no teams, no uniforms, fewer rules, can be modified to suit individuals	In 1993 a court challenge paved the way for women to participate in boxing as a sport.	Women’s sports are increasing in popularity with American viewers.
Title IX is an American law that requires boys and girls to have equal opportunities in school districts. Title IX is responsible for the increase in competitive sports for girls,	Lifetime sponsors WNBA (women’s basketball) games. In the future it may try half hour shows or a whole network for women’s sports.	There are only 2 women on the International Amateur Athletic Federation Council. One is a Moroccan who has been working to increase participation of women in sports.

Extreme sports mentioned in the research

Sky diving Rock climbing Mountain climbing Bungee jumping Whitewater rafting	Downhill mountain biking Backcountry snowboarding Wakeboarding Sky surfing BASE jumping	In line skate hockey Street luging River surfing Spranga Quidditch (Harry Potter)

PROBLEM SOLVING

Read the Future Scene
A Future Scene is a one-page story set in the future and related to the topic. It describes a situation that must be the focus of the problem solving work.

Future Scene: Extreme Sports

Advertisement in the latest Youth Sports e-zine, May 2042

Bored? Tired of all your VidScreen games? Looking for something to do?
Don’t waste time! Don’t try illegals! Don’t get in trouble!
Join the gang at X-Pro Sports Adventures!
Challenge yourself! Test your mettle! Achieve the unbelievable!

Spend time with us, and you will soon be setting your sights on achieving the highest honor, the “X-Pro Extreme Award.” Earn the award by completing a challenging, grueling course for each of these five X-citing X-treme Events! (Must be 14 or older to enter.)

Vertical Rock Climb – the old fashioned way. Just you and the cliff and the climbing equipment.
Spranga – straight from Iceland. Learn to swing high, perform flips, spins, and other tricks from the knotted rope attached to a cliff.
Downhill Mountain Biking – tackle Crazy Mountain trails. Learn to control the latest model bikes, complete with hydro-rocket jump spurts to get over rocks and boulders in your way.
Street Luging – speed is everything. Careen down steep hills, turn corners, scoot down straightaways. Fingertip handpads on the street sled control your rudders and brakes.
Quidditch – the latest craze! Modeled after the wizard’s game in the popular Harry Potter series, completed last year when the 7th book came out. Ride the latest aero-jet brooms to victory. Use remote brainwave power to control your balls and thwart your opponents. Brroms come complete with the latest snitch-detecting device.

Earn the Award. Wear Your X-treme Shirt with Pride. You Can Do It!

“Hey, Randy, what’cha doing?”

“Luke, look at this ad. I heard they’re starting up a new training group, and I am going to be in it.”

“Dude! I’d like to, but my parents said ‘No Way!’” Luke explained. “All the guys with the award shirt sure think they’re hot stuff, though. Everybody thinks they’re cool. I wouldn’t mind having one, but I guess I won’t get to.”

“Have you ever tried these events?” asked Randy. “They are so awesome! I tried street luging once. Just a small hill. Man, the feeling! It’s so cool. You’re sitting there waiting to head down the run. You just know you could flip out, and your heart starts pounding, and then you’re just flying down the hill! But you have to concentrate, you have to hit the buttons just right to get around the corner. It’s scary, but it’s the best.”

“Didn’t a kid wipe out really bad on the street luge last month?”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Still in the hospital. But it was only his third try. The course he tried was too hard without more training.”

“Sounds like something my cousin would like to do. Here she comes. Hey, Katie, Randy has something here you might like.”

“Hi guys,” Katie said in greeting. “What is it? X-Pro Sports Adventures? Sure, I’d like it. You know me. I’ve heard all about it. But Carrie tried to join and she said it was a real bummer. She was the only girl and no one paid any attention to her. When she asked for help to train on some of the events, they said it would just be a minute, but they never got around to her. All the instructors just wanted to work with the boys. She heard one talking later who said girls couldn’t cut it. What a joke.”

“After the X-Games on the TeleNet last week and all those ads, I bet more girls would be interested. You should get some friends fired up, Katie, and change their minds!” suggested Randy.

“Well, I’m out,” said Luke. “Thumbs down from my parents. But have fun!”


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STEP 1: Identify Challenges

Brainstorm Possible Challenges

Medical bills, lose customers

Girls not as good because they don’t get help

Try hard ones to prove masculinity

Want t-shirt, take risks without training

Hurt opponent and feel guilty

X-Pro maybe can’t afford expensive equipment

Kids join and then drop out

Stereotype against girls

Fingertip handpads malfunction

Teenagers lack judgment

Ads mislead them, then disappointed

15-25 high risk takers, injuries result
Equipment in bad condition – lawsuits
Discrimination against girls
Lack of protection from clothing & equipment
Girls avoid, are disappointed & lose out
Conflicts with parents over participation
Hard to stay on brooms
Lots of injurie
Just want status of t-shirt
Media glorifies, unrealistic picture
Type T addicted to thrills

Write 16 Challenges

A challenge is a logical cause or effect of the situation in the Future Scene. Explain what the challenge is and why it is a problem.


1	Because extreme sports are so dangerous and risky, kids who participate in the extreme sports activities at X-Pro may sustain injuries from crashes or accidents. Parents may have to pay medical bills for their children and then refuse to let them go to X-Pro, resulting in fewer customers.
2	Type T personalities (outgoing, desire novelty & excitement) are attracted to extreme sports. If some Type T kids get involved with X-Pro sports, they could get “addicted” to the thrill of the dangerous activities, and take unnecessary risks without regard to their own safety.
3	The X-Pro Sports ads seem to be attracting a lot of kids. Kids may join up quickly but not be prepared to spend enough time training, so they may drop out quickly too and the company may have trouble staying in business.
4	Because of the high risk involved in extreme sports, it is very important for the equipment to be in good condition. If X-Pro sports is not careful with its equipment, there could be injuries that lead to lawsuits.
5	Young men often feel they must show off with extreme sports to prove their masculinity and fearlessness. In order to “show off,” inexperienced athletes may start with the most difficult sports at X-Pro, or try for the award before they are ready, and may injure themselves.
6	Last month a kid got badly hurt street luging and is still in the hospital. This may have been caused by lack of protection through special clothing or equipment features. If lack of protection is a common practice at X-Pro, other kids may get hurt also.
7	If the X-Pro trainers don’t think girls can “cut it,” they may discourage them from participating, which is discriminating against them. Since discrimination is illegal (Title IX), they could be taken to court, which could affect their business.
8	Because there are often fewer formal rules in extreme sports, kids who go to X-Pro may feel pressured to disable their opponents in order to “win.” If they end up hurting someone else they may feel very guilty and no longer have pleasure in the X-Pro activities.
9	Because X-Pro Sports is for kids 14 and up, and the highest risks in sports are taken by people15-25, the participants at X-Pro may take risks that result in injury to themselves or others.
10	Since Quidditch is a very fast paced game played up in the air, it may be difficult for kids to stay on their aero-jet brooms. Consequently, they could fall off resulting in serious injury or death.
11	If the X-Pro trainers do not give equal attention to girls, they may be reinforcing the stereotype that girls are not as active or capable at sports as boys. This could have a negative effect on girls’ development of their athletic abilities.
12	If the X-treme t-shirts become a high status item, many kids could try the extreme sports just for the shirt who aren’t really committed to becoming well trained for the activities. This could lead to many injuries.
13	The X-Pro ads are targeted at teenagers 14 and up. Students this age may not have the judgment or experience to know which activities are too dangerous for them. As a result, they may make poor choices when trying the X-Pro activities.
14	Since the trainers at X-Pro are not giving as much attention to the girls, those girls who do participate in the extreme sports may not be able to perform to the best of their ability.
15	The ad may mislead kids into thinking they can achieve the Extreme Award. But since all the sports are very dangerous and difficult, they might not be able to earn the award and could be very disappointed in themselves.
16	Since the media often glorifies extreme sports, the kids could REALLY want to participate and not understand why their parents say no. As a result, there could be ongoing unresolved conflicts between parents and their teens.


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STEP 2: Select an Underlying Problem

An underlying problem specifies the goal for problem solving. It contains a condition phrase (rationale), a key verb phrase (main goal), a purpose (result of meeting the goal), and is tied to the Future Scene by time, place, and topic.

SINCE the sports offered at X-Pro are dangerous and risky, HOW MIGHT WE alleviate the high risk of injury to the student sports participants at X-Pro SO THAT more students will be able to safely experience the excitement of extreme sports in 2042 and beyond?

OTHER EXAMPLES

SINCE many students may be attracted to the dangerous sports offered by X-Pro in the year 2042, HOW MIGHT WE improve the training for inexperienced athletes in the 5 X-Pro sports SO THAT students from all skill levels can participate in the X-Pro challenges?
SINCE many amateur and inexperienced athletes are participating in the X-Pro activities, HOW MIGHT WE increase the safety of the participants in the X-Pro sports SO THAT the risk of injury or death for those participating is reduced in the year 2042 and beyond?
SINCE the girls at X-Pro sports in 2042 are being left out or ignored, HOW MIGHT WE promote the equal treatment of girls and boys by the X-Pro trainers SO THAT more girls can experience the thrill of extreme sports activities in the future?


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STEP 3: Produce Solution Ideas

Brainstorm Possible Solutions


Force fields against objects that come near Virtual training environment Reviews every 3 months Raise age limit Gradual training sessions Special clothing Computer safety training Prior experience in other sports Six months in each sport Boys only/girls only sessions	Personality analysis Easy courses Parents attend with kids Practice sessions Analyze injuries and causes Equipment checks Coordination and reflexes testing Boy-girl partners Time clocks to track training Safety spotters

Write 16 Solutions

Solutions must address the key verb phrase (how might we…) and the purpose (so that…). Explain who will implement the solution, what will be done, how it will work and/or why it is a good idea.


1	Sports physicians on the X-Pro board of directors will recommend that the age for participation be raised from 14 to 16. The participants will be more experienced at controlling their bodies kinesthetically so they will be less prone to injury.
2	Computer animation experts will develop weekly “safety training” movies. At these sessions students will watch samples of possible unsafe situations on computer software, and will have a chance to select possible reactions to the situations. They will see through video clips what will happen with each decision. Students must make the safest decisions 95% of the time each week in order to participate.
3	The X-Pro Company will require students to have two years of prior experience in at least two other sports in order to be physically prepared. Students must submit notarized records of their participation signed by the coach and a person from the school or organization.
4	Professional athletes will design virtual reality performance-based reviews for each sport at X-Pro. In the review the amateur athlete will have to react quickly to virtual dangerous situations. X-Pro participants will be required to pass the review for each sport every 3 months in order to continue.
5	Mechanical engineers will design easy courses for each extreme sport that must be used by participants ages 14-18. This will provide students with a similar level of fun but with less risk of injury.
6	Sports trainers will develop a coordination and reflexes test that is matched to the skills needed for each of the extreme sports at X-Pro. Participants must pass the test for each sport before they can try it, to show that they have the required physical development needed.
7	X-Pro staff will keep statistics on every injury and its cause. Sports trainers will assist them in analyzing the data so they can plan training methods focused on avoiding the most common injuries.
8	Virtual environment engineers will create a virtual synthetic training environment with neuro-stimulant activities. It will provide a virtual reality with all of the things an environment might have (wind, rain, etc.). It will provide the same sensation that you would feel in a real life scenario. Here X-Pro participants can train for lots of experience without getting hurt.
9	Behavioral psychologists will develop a personality inventory to be taken by all participants. Type-T students who could become “addicted” to high risk will be required to take a one week break once a month.
10	Sports outfitters will manufacture special clothing for X-Pro participants that will provide extra protection in case of accidents. The clothing will be lightweight but will consist of many small cells that act as air bags that will inflate on impact to protect the wearer from harm.
11	Participants will be required to complete 10 practices on easy courses during the two weeks prior to trying a difficult course. The X-Pro staff must observe each practice and will keep daily practice records in order to verify that each student has completed the requirement.
12	The National Association of Sports Trainers will offer an intensive training course for all X-Pro staff in correctly “spotting” students during each of the sport activities. Two experienced safety spotters will be on hand each time a student tries a risky activity.
13	Professional sports trainers and engineers will design a series of training sessions for the X-Pro extreme sports that gradually become more difficult. The participants will start training with virtual reality simulations, then move on to real life training with added safety features such as air mats below the cliffs for Quidditch and Spranga, and padded sides for the luge. Finally they will try the real activity.
14	Parents will attend all X-Pro activities with their children and must give permission for each activity the child tries. The parents will be able to observe a demonstration of each activity so they can use their judgment to determine if their child is ready to try it.
15	NASA engineers will design special force fields to be embedded in the extreme sports equipment. The force fields will be activated when any object comes within 5 feet of the athlete.
16	Design engineers will develop rigorous equipment checking devices for all the X-Pro extreme sports equipment. Checks will be done on every piece of equipment before the business opens each day.


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STEP 4: Select Criteria

Write 5 Criteria

Criteria are used to evaluate and rank the solutions to a specific underlying problem. Criteria must have one dimension, be in the desired direction, and contain a superlative.

WHICH SOLUTION WILL most reduce the risk of injuries from extreme sports participation?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL be the safest for inexperienced users?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL be the most approved of by parents?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL attract the most participants to the X-Pro company?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL provide the best training program for amateur athletes?

EXAMPLES THAT COULD BE USED WITH OTHER UNDERLYING PROBLEMS

WHICH SOLUTION WILL best prepare the amateur athletes for the difficulties of the sport.
WHICH SOLUTION WILL most equalize the treatment of female and male athletes?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL increase the safety of amateur athletes the most?
WHICH SOLUTION WILL be the most developmentally appropriate for the age of the athletes?


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STEP 5: Apply Criteria

Complete the Grid Use a grid to rank ten of the solutions using one criteria at a time. The best solution is the one with the highest number of total points.

Criteria

Solution Numbers	Solution Ideas	1	2	3	4	5	Total
#2	Computer safety training	2	4	7	7	4	12
#4	3-month VR performance reviews	3	3	6	2	2	16
#7	Statistical analysis and planning	4	7	5	1	1	12
#8	Virtual training environments	5	1	9	3	10	34
#10	Special protective clothing	10	10	3	10	7	40
#11	10 easy practices	7	6	8	6	8	35
#12	Safety spotters	8	5	4	9	5	31
#13	Gradual increase in difficulty	6	8	10	5	9	38
#15	5 foot force fields	9	9	2	8	6	34
#16	Equipment checking devices	1	2	1	4	3	11

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STEP 6: Develop an Action Plan

Write an Action Plan

The Action Plan describes how the best solution will be implemented. Explain details on how the plan will operate, timelines and tasks for implementing the plan, how any problems might be overcome, and the impact of the plan on the Future Scene.

Sports outfitters will manufacture special clothing for X-Pro participants that will provide extra protection in case of accidents. The clothing will be lightweight but will consist of many small cells that act as air bags that will inflate to protect the wearer from harm.

The special line of air-cell clothing, called X-treme Wear, will contain small electronic devices that are designed to receive transmissions from similar devices in the “base units” of each X-Pro sport event. The transmitter devices would be in the rope ends for Spranga and mountain climbing, and in the bikes and sleds and aero-jet brooms for the other sports. If the athlete should fall off or fly off the “base unit”, the transmitter would register a greater distance and would then activate the air cells to inflate. They would also be set to inflate if the base unit registered an impact of a certain number of pounds per square inch, so if a sled or bike crashed but the rider didn’t fly out he would still be protected.

X-Pro will contact other extreme sports companies to work together to hire a design company to create the clothing. Once it is ready, the company will stock the clothing in many sizes. X-Pro participants will not wear the special clothing during training sessions in safe situations, but they will be required to wear it any time they are completing the real-life challenging courses for the Extreme Award. Participants will rent the clothing for a small fee each time they need to use it.

Some parents may be skeptical about how well the X-treme Wear will work. In order to convince them, X-Pro Sports will hold demonstrations once a month. Their most experienced sports trainers will fly off, fall off, or crash on purpose in order to show how the air cells inflate and protect them from harm.

This solution will greatly increase the safety and reduce the number of injuries and death from participation in extreme sports. It will help the X-Pro company get more business because more people will be willing to try the extreme sports activities. Parents will be happy because they can be more confident of their children’s safety. Students will be happy because their parents will be more willing to let them join. Participants will be able to experience the thrills of extreme sports without as many risks.

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