Backwards Forwards Planning

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Backwards forwards planning is a process to help you define the problem, and make sure you are not in tunnel vision where you can't see the real problem because of the close problem you think is biting you. The process has three stages.

1. Write down the short version of the problem, preferably starting with "How to…"
2. If you were to solve the problem in statement 1, what higher level problem would it also solve? Write this down. Continue asking what higher level problem it solves and writing them down. Try to obtain at least 3 statements.
3. Going back to statement 1, ask what other benefits would flow from it, if it were a solution. Make sure these are different from those in stage 2.

You can then look at the various definitions and decide which is the most appropriate statement of the problem.

As an example, you are at home, your car is at the garage for repairs and you feel you really need to go and do the food shopping. Your first statement might be;

   "How to get into the shops."

If you were to work down the list of additional problems this would solve you might write down

   "I could get all the food and drink for the week"

Followed by

   " I could relax and not worry any more about where the food was"

Which may lead you to

   " I could finish that painting I want to hang in the living room"

Working the other way, what benefits would you also have if you could get to the shops may lead to;

   " I could have a look at some clothes whilst I was there."
   " I could enjoy some retail therapy" and
   " I could call in on my friend for a chat since they live near the shop."

You now have 7 potential problem statements to choose from, it may be that your original statement is the problem to be solved, or it may be that "How to find time to complete the picture I'm painting" is more important to you.

See also Chunking