Discussion article for the meetup : West LA: Problem Solving

WHEN: 12 August 2015 07:00:00PM (-0700)

WHERE: 11066 santa monica blvd

How to Find Us: Go into this Del Taco. We will be in the back room if possible.

Parking is free in the lot out front or on the street nearby.

Discussion: Our group has been doing something we call "rationality moments", sharing success or failure in skills of rationality since we last saw each other. Naturally, this leads to some discussion of how to solve problems which we may be having. It occurs to me that group problem-solving is a skill which can go wrong, and that there is knowledge out there about how to avoid pitfalls and how to get good results.

Recommended Reading:

It's encouraged that you think about the problem and look for good resources yourself, but here is what I found:

The wikipedia article on groupthink (which as I understand it says that we don't know very much at all about what causes groupthink or what may prevent it, in the empirical findings section)

Wikipedia on problem solving has interesting points.

Here is a short document about effective problem-solving for groups.

Hold Off On Proposing Solutions

Don't get caught up solving the wrong problem.

Polya on problem solving

A short article on avoiding bias in decision making, which has the same format of many such articles (IE, not chosen because it especially sticks out).

No prior exposure to Less Wrong is required; this will be generally accessible.

Discussion article for the meetup : West LA: Problem Solving

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