Whenever one faces a problem, it can be very useful to think 3-D.  First, it is important to deliberate or engage in long and careful consideration of the options one has in front of him/her.  Then, having pondered all of the possible solutions, a person can decide on the best answer to the dilemma.  Finally, after those two steps are completed, one can do what’s needed to solve the problem.

In many cases, when trying to deal with an issue of any kind, one can be in a quandary about some aspects of the predicament in which a person finds oneself.  The most important thing to do is to think of as many possibilities as one can.  I find that brainstorming with another person or persons can open one’s mind to many things from another person’s perspective or point of view.  When we use our resources to find other people with a different set of experiences, we can discover answers we would never have come up with on our own.

Decisions come more easily when we can examine as many answers as possible. Deliberation is key to problem-solving.  That is the most important aspect of the 3-Ds. The other two steps flow naturally after there is a bank of solutions to consider. 

If you are a person who enjoys solving problems, you probably know a lot more than I do about problem-solving.  But I find that any skill requires practice and as much collaboration as one can find.  I love working with people who know more than I do in any discipline.  That’s how we learn.  And the more one learns, the more answers can be found for the problem at hand.  Finally, the last step is just to do what one has decided. In all things, cooperative collaboration can make 3-D thinking as easy as 1,2,3.