Figuring out if there is a problem worth-solving is research on its own!
The biggest hurdle in any research is to identify the right problem to pursue. The research problem lays the foundation for setting the objectives, design, and goals of a particular research. If the challenge or issue is the only/natural way of a situation and is rectifiable by commonsense, it's not what the researchers call a problem.
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What do you mean by 'problem' in research?
any problem that requires a solution to rectify an existing issue or to improve a current option
the solution to that problem can cause a huge impact - socially/ technologically/ financially/medically - in life and living.
most importantly, a problem that is searchable: physically doable & practically showable
Research is an intellectual pursuit involving meticulous planning, logical thinking, and detailed documentation. Decision-making is integral to the research process, from choosing the topic to figuring out how much is enough? The decisions vary from person-to-research; however, the critical decision that will either make or break research is making the right decision with choosing the research problem you want to pursue.
Tips for researchers regarding the 'problem'
Be sure there is a problem (back it with enough evidence either by experience or by through research)
Don't start research if you 'feel' there is a problem
Try to figure out whether you are dealing with a question or multiple issues?
If there are multiple problems, decide which one are you specifically trying to solve? Or which issue forms the crux of all problems?
"Don't limit yourself by thinking 'out-of-the-box,' but specifically 'why this box'?"
The problem and aim are like Siamese twins, joined together to perform a common function - solve. The problem decides the purpose and the goal reflects the concern.
How should a research 'think' over a 'problem'
Remember the story of the thirsty crow, one of the most reiterated stories from Aesop's Fables on logic and reasoning. The setting and explanation are perfect for a quick lesson on logical thinking. The Archimedes principle gives the justification for water rising. A particular amount of water occupies a specific volume in any vessel. When a stone enters the pot, it takes up a specific volume/space of water ("the buoyant force on an object submerged in a fluid) and to compensate for the lost space, water takes up another space within the pot ("is equal to the weight of the fluid that is displaced by that object"). The water rises to a constant volume within the pot.
However, from the researcher's angle, the entire situation needs to be re-evaluated to list out possible problems and provide scientific reasoning.
Using the above storyline, a scenario is created to draw a comparison between the logical-thought process of crow & a raven (raven is smartest in birds) over the same issue. The crow lists out the observations whereas the raven gives a researcher's take on perceived views. The given scenario will help an onlooker to develop the 'research sense' (an upgrade to common sense!) much needed in any researcher.
How a researcher should 'pick' the problem?
Before we discuss further, let's make a few things clear:
A researcher is not the one who is directly affected by the problem (majority cases), but who has the domain knowledge to explore and find a solution
A researcher has the time and frame-of-mind to think over the problem, discuss, search and finalize the best possible scenario to solve the problem
A researcher needs to consider the big-picture and figure out whether the proposed solution does not develop into a new problem
So don’t start racking your brain as to why a raven should think so much - just pick & drop the pebble, quench the thirst and fly away.
See, the raven is representing a researcher like you and he/she is not thirsting for water but thirsty to find why there is no water.
The plan of action is as follows:
Step 1: Let’s revisit the questions that the raven posed while going through the issue/scenario/information at hand/experience.
Step 2: Reorganise and see what to actually made out of it
Step 3: Pick on the ‘issue’, redefine it as a ‘problem’, and pen-down current solutions, options and figure out the best solution and pen-down the goal.
Apply the 4C approach for this
The condition : Require drinking water (Thirsty, no water in the vicinity)
The concern : Limited water resource (some water in the pitcher, the narrow pitcher mouth)
The choice (current solution): Access the limited source (throwing pebbles, time-consuming, one-time usage)
So the problem is
'Limited accessibility of water resource'
The course-of-action (proposed solution):
Solution 1- Develop measure for easy access of current water resource (less time-consuming)
Solution 2- Create/identify a new water resource (measures to identify near-by water bodies/water accessibility)
The Goal is
‘Creating 24x7 easy accessible potable water resources’ or ‘Develop an app that assists to locate potable water resources in the vicinity’
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