Self-evaluation- June Sri

If I would compare myself as an athlete, I see myself as a Go game (a Chinese strategy board game) player. As a warrior, I never give up until the game is over. I always keep trying, and I always think positive even though it shows on the board that I might lose for sure. As an explorer, I learn from my opponent. I observe tricks my opponent uses against me. As a judge, I use what I observe from my opponent to create my own style. I learn from my mistakes and become a better player. Even if I lose, I learn and think of ways of defeating my opponents. The key to success is thinking outside of the box.

My weaknesses are using computers and writing in English. When it comes to using the computer I only know how to do basic things such as using the internet and writing papers. I want to learn how to do something creative like using Photoshop. In my school in Thailand, we rarely needed to use computers for our work. I only really began to use the computer when I came to the U.S. two years ago. In order to overcome this weakness, I received help from my friends and teachers. I also read books and learned about how to use the computer programs. Another weakness is my ability to write in English. I think that my English has improved a lot in the past two years, but I still can’t seem to fill in the gaps. Spoken English and English vocabulary that I learned in Thailand only gave me the ability to survive in countries that use English. I can’t really express my own ideas or write what I really want to say in English. Those weaknesses limit my ability to turn my ideas into real things.

My strengths are that I always listen to everyone’s ideas and I try to integrate them into one new idea that represents all of us and creates a “happy medium”. All different, all unique!

Self Evaluation – Ryan C

When I first looked at the four hats of the problem solver, I immediately identified myself as a ‘warrior’. However, after taking another look at the hats, I discovered that I am a more subtle mix of the hats as opposed to a single, exclusive one. I had first seen myself as only a warrior because very often, I find myself restless and wanting to pursue and push an idea instead of evaluating it beforehand. I do not like seeing an idea fail, even a mediocre one. Therefore, I push the idea forward until it works out to some degree.

However, I also feel I have some of the artist in me as well. I find that I enjoy extending others’ ideas and applying them in ways that they were not intended for, but can be used to solve a problem. When I run into a problem, I view everything around me as a tool to help fix the problem. I often ask myself “what do I have that could be conveniently and efficiently used in place of the traditional method of solving this problem?”

Thirdly, a small portion of me wears the ‘judge’ hat. I enjoy punching holes in my own ideas and filling them with better options and more efficient methods. I usually feel like there is a better way to do things, whether it comes to politics or tinkering with things in the garage. This often makes me frustrated with current less-than-perfect systems, which motivates me to brainstorm and try and come up with solutions and better, more efficient alternatives to the current systems.

Self-Evaluation – kdimanov

 

                I believe that I am an Explorer over anything else, I try to find facts prove theories concepts and feelings I look for data to support the theories and concepts. Like a true explorer I try to look in different places as well as places in which people have already looked because you need to know where to look and how will you know where to look if you haven’t learned what and how people before you have looked at and explored. I like to state the problem as well as solve the problem but like John Dewey stated “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved”.  When a solution to a problem is found I try not to take it for granted because there is a solution in front of me I try to look ahead and find a better way to solve the problem because in some cases there is many solutions to one problem. The real trick is to find the solution that serves you best and takes the least amount of effort to compile even thou that solution might have required enormous effort to reach or solve. Out of all 4 I believe I am the least an artist because I don’t have the ability to change stuff around and look at things backwards even thou if it is required I will do it to reach my goal. I like stuff to be able out in a sequential order.  I can be a judge if I need to be one because if you are not working in a team environment sometimes you have to be all 4 hats yourself and you have to take all of the responsibility when you are working in a team the judge is a very important part because he needs to tell the artist and the explorer what is wrong so that they can find a better solution or a different solution to the problem. The warrior comes in when everything is finished and the product is complete. He fights his own battles which require enormous amounts of effort. You need to know people to be a warrior you need to know how people think and what people want. And you need to be aggressive and have a drive for success and I believe that I can be a warrior if I needed to be one. After all everyone is wearing a hat that is a different color but it carries the same logo and that logo is TEAM.

 

Self Evaluation – Wes Vullo

After reading about all the various “hats” I find myself falling into two of them. The explorer and the judge, an excellent combo in my opinion. I think of myself as an explorer because i like to think, and explore beyond the obvious. It’s a very good skill to be able to think beyond obvious explanations, and interpret them and be interested in them. I say i am a judge because.. the product must be the most efficient. Failing is not an option. Every detail must be perfect or near perfect or you will end up running into problems. I tend to look at the big picture with little bias, it helps out at this skill a lot.

I like the explorer, but I may not match EVERYTHING in this category that was explained. I like to evaluate the product, but everyone on a task must be interested with the development. Exploring is inventing in many ways. Inventing even the smallest algorithm can help many businesses in ways you never thought. Thinking about ways to improve human interaction is being an inventor.

But as the judge, I can see if the product will actually work. If it will sell, if it is even worth it. Many inventions fail, this step involves knowing all the potential risks for the flaws in the product. I’d like to consider myself very unbiased.. I like to look at every ones interpretation. If this article on the hats is correct, then i am a “good” judge.

The Hats! Keith Foederl

Like most students in this English class I am not a single hat but rather a complex mix of hats defining my personality through a mix of my own talents and the influence of my peers.  The Judge I believe rules how I perceive the world and the environment around me, I am always double-guessing myself, double-checking and making decisions that I believe will have the least negative impact.

But besides the Judge which rules how I perceive the things around me, Elements of the explorer and the artist both which represents my intellect.  The explorer is always seeking a thrill in my engineering endeavors during which my artistic side gives me the insight and the creativity I need to solve complex problems. Even though I believe the warrior hat does not fix me as well as some of the others, it can be made to fit. I will use any ability I need to develop to solve problems that will surly be faced throughout my college experience.

Hat Assessment – Cory Stoney

Hat AssessmentWhen assessing myself using each of the hats it seems as though I am mainly a mix of the explorer, artist, and judge hats with a little less of the warrior. In general I am a problem solver, I love to figure out a solution which requires the aspects of all three of these hats. When addressed with a problem I generally tend to look at every angle that could be taken before attacking it. I tend to focus mainly on acquiring the actual solution as opposed to working with the solution to put into a presentable format.

In terms of the explorer hat I feel as though I have some but not all of the attributes that come with this.  I feel as though I enjoy the aspects of this such as taking an idea and breaking it down into facts theories and concepts. I’m a very productive thinker and am very capable of finding alternative solutions to difficult problems. This is definitely a strength for me, I am great at thinking in a scientific sense as well as applying this to practical uses.The artist hat is there in me however it is much more diluted. While I may be good at this hats attributes I do not enjoy it as much as I do the explorer or the judge hats.

When it comes to the artist hat I’m very capable of covering all of the “what if” style questions when working off what the explorer hat has done.  I am very goal oriented and tend not to make many mistakes in this process, I find comfort in looking at all the angles of a problem as well as my solution.

While the judge hat isn’t necessarily my best hat it is probably my favorite, this aspect of problem solving is the most challenging for me and therefore I tend to lean towards it just because of the difficulty. When the problem or situation is solved or completed I like to scrutinize over the results, looking for any small thing out of place or that could be redone in a different, usually better or more simplified way. This hat is what I enjoy the most and therefore am willing to jump at more.

The warrior hat is easy to me, however it is extremely boring. My whole life I have been able to present and to display my ideas in a relevant and easy to understand manner. So while I am very good at the tasks this hat needs I find it boring to do these duties and as a result tend to put off more work in this area and just wing it when it comes around. Overall making this hat one of my weaker points.

 

Self Evaluation – Karaffa

When personally evaluating myself I feel that I don’t necessarily have a certain “hat” to which i can relate my behavior the most to. The way in which I handle certain situations varies and I would have to say my technique, if you will, is not static for the most part. When viewing myself as an explorer I feel as though I relate to this “hat” when I am in a critical mood. As I stated earlier the way I view things often is affected by the mental state i am in at the time, therefore for since I usually am in more of a light-hearted mood the explorer side of me is usually put on the back burner. The only time I feel as though I am wearing this “hat” is when I am either at class or at work.

My attitude and behavior is more suited to the Artist. I suppose I view myself as a rebel and a rule breaker because I enjoy the thrill of risks and the undermining of authority. Also I have a very curious personality and I constantly wonder of how things would be if they were skewed differently in some sort of way. That and the fact that I have been known to be somewhat of a clown and a joker puts me more in the field of the artist.

The only facet of the Judge I have in common with is the negativist outlook it seems to harbor. The questioning of wether something is reliable to work and what should be done if it fails is on my mind constantly whenever a plan is brought forth. The warrior is another “hat” which I barely relate to. I usually am not the one to take control of the situation unless no one else is willing, and I am better at contributing ideas and plans rather than taking control of them, however if the weight falls on my shoulders I dont back down, Im just not prone instigation.

Self -Evaluation- Rich M.

A solution to a problem is not always obvious or easy. These kinds of solutions take different modes of thinking to reach. Having evaluated myself in these different modes I find that I am a mix of  The four different problem solving styles. 

  An Explorer is someone who searches out information and seeks knowledge. He is the frist persona that anyone trying to solve a problem must become. I find that I do well at gathering information and attacking my problems from all directions. When a problem arises the first step i take is usually to ask the six critical questions, “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How”. This usually gives me all the information that i need to solve any problem. Having said that one of my flaws is that sometimes I spend too much time gathering information and not enough moving to the next step. 

  The Artist is someone who can put a problem into a new light. The interpret the data that the explorer gathered and put together a proposed solution. They are the architect of the solution. I can always think of a way to solve a problem. It does not matter what the problem is. My flaw is that sometimes I am to hasty in my decision to go with the first solution instead of waiting of the better solution to come to me. As they say, “hind sight is twenty-twenty.”

    The Judge is the persona that decides weather a particular solution is feasible or not. This is where a person must be self critical of their ideas. I am terrible at this. In general I think that my idea is the best and that it is always feasible. I have a hard time criticizing the work that I have done my self.  

   The Warrior is the persona that a peson uses when they are pursuing their solutions. They must fight to make the solution work. I am great at this part of solving problems. I will beat a solution to death before i will give up on it.

  Problem solving is not always as cut and dry as it may seem. These differnet personas help to visualize the process that you under take when you atempt to solve a problem. I am working to become a better problem solver.

Self Evaluation – Michael

After reading and studying that aspects of the four hats, I believe that no one hat fits me better then the others. The Explorer hat fits me in that I tend to look for different ways to do things. If one solution has been mastered I seek out another solution to further my understanding of the problem. I have always looked for different paths to take rather than keeping to the same road. Exploring and learning new things is and always has been one of my passions. Although this is my passion it can sometimes be considered a curse, because every once in a while I look too hard and that usually means I have made the answer harder to find.

The Artist hat fits me because I look at a problem from every angle analyzing the situation to find a solution. This attribute has helped make my life easier in many different ways. If i can’t find the answer I will ask questions to help with the solution. If none of these work I can put some tings together and bend them a little bit to form an answer that is close the the correct answer. The best way to solve a problem is to find multiple solutions. Bending information to support my conclusion can sometimes lead to laziness which isn’t a very good thing.

I feel that the Judge hat fits me because I make sure that nothing will go wrong with the solution I have chosen. I always ask questions and analyze every single thing that could go wrong. Then I make sure that noting is clouding my judgement and I redesign the solution fixing the problems so that the solution is safe and nothing bad will happen. After fixing the problem I look to see what will happen if the solution fails. This will allow me in the future to make decision to follow through with the plan. My weakness in this aspect is that sometimes i tend to ask too many questions, needlessly delaying production for an extended period of time. 

Although the solution doesn’t always work, I usually think ahead and figure out a plan if things don’t work out. I never give up, even when the odds are astronomical. It isn’t in my nature to simply quit without trying, if this were the case nothing would ever get done. I never let things get me down, I am usually in a good mood and ready to learn. All of these reasons I believe give me the ability to wear all four hats simultaneously.

Self-Evaluation – Wesley C

The four hats of a creative problem-solver are worn by each person for different amounts of time. As for me, I wear the Artist and Judge hats the most, while the Warrior and Explorer hats the least.

The Artist is a refiner. I find that, in problem-solving, I enjoy critiquing thoughts (posed by the explorer) in order to refine the idea. By thinking beyond the problem, the idea becomes resistant against outside problems through refining. By learning the details, the problem can be simplified or the solution can be narrowed in upon. It is for this reason I consider myself most similar to the Artist. This strength in me is most helpful in clarifying the idea of which it is trying to achieve.

The Judge is a critic. An expert on indecision, I am always wondering what is wrong with my ideas. When it’s all said and done, I like to criticize the characteristics of an idea in order to achieve a better idea the second time through. I enjoy thinking abstractly and figuring out what’s wrong.

The Warrior is the employer of the other three. When it comes to finding solutions, there is a point where my brain busts and I just feel no motivation to go further. While I am aggressive in pursuing an answer, my endurance in doing so is low. I combat this weakness by having others force me along to keep working, to motivate me.

The Explorer is a discoverer. I am rarely ever the one enthusiastic about obtaining data. I find that data compilation is a long arduous task. I definitely wear this hat the least because I find it very dull and repetitive. Although I may enjoy finding a way to obtain data or concepts, I don’t particularly enjoy repetitively employing it. The Explorer hat is a weakness that I have to force myself to wear. By forcing it upon myself, slowly I will become used to it.