Every now and then in our research work, we may encounter a technical problem that may not be resolved with repeating the same technical steps. With a scientific methodology, how can an unsolved technical problem be overcome in scientific research?
On every new software product, feature or project you develop you are bound to come across challenges that don’t have a clear answer at first.
In an effort to resolve them you likely hold some discussions with your team, consult some people who might know the answer and you might even prepare some bullet points or slides. Yet you still can’t get to an answer that works or an answer that everyone agrees on. Worst case scenario, you’ve alienated or angered people in the process.
After working through countless challenges of different shapes and sizes, from the technical to the commercial, to the political, I’ve arrived at a tool for working them through that stems from my scientist parents.
The approach is to write out the problem you’re facing following the structure and form of a scientific research article.
While we wait on - or work toward - technological progress, we can approximate with other techniques and investigate other research questions. Galileo tried measuring the speed of light by opening a shuttered lamp at a particular time on far apart hilltops. But no matter how far apart the hills, he couldn't get an answer, concluding light is quite fast. With the advent of technologies in the last several decades (e.g., fMRI), Psychology started testing fine-grain hypotheses about the role of the brain in mental processes & behaviors. Before we would approximate knowledge with detailed case studies of those with brain injuries. Is there a more concrete example of the type of technological stumbling block you're interested in, Salman? Best wishes, Kevin
If its a purely technical issue, I do try to fix it by clicking and following the instructions of the help sections. If still not resolved I take help from experts of technical feilds.
When we face a technical problem during our work in scientific research, an essential step for the sake of solution is to deal with the problem in a systematic way. The following points may be of help in solving the issue: 1. It is vital to review all the steps in a particular research of concern in a systematic order, where reviewing of the immediate preceding steps acquires utmost importance. 2. It is important to review all details concerning materials and reagents including validity and weights, additions and insturments including calibration also in a systematic plan and in accordance with the research steps. 3. Sampling errors should also be excluded. 4. Calculations review also is equally important. 5. If the problem exists despite performing the outlined steps, then it is worth a second opinion.
Dear all, to follow a tight and precise strategy, to be hardworker and self-confident, to analyse any and all details, to be ready for an extra support from outside your work group. My Regards
In our field of research, when we encounter a technical problem, we try to solve it by reading about this problem and finding appropriate solutions to complete the work. Sometimes we find suitable solutions in the sources we read, but the materials mentioned in the sources are for example not all of them are available to us. Here comes the value of work experience, whether on our site or from those around us who we use in how to benefit from what is available to us and sometimes conducting a modification or amendment to the method that we read and may give better results than what was given by the original method that we adopted in our work, research work needs perseverance, reading and asking constantly so that we can develop ourselves and achieve the best and we are most likely to make a change in the ways that we read about to take advantage of what we have available. Thanks a lot, Doctor, for sharing this interesting question, really thanks.
Dear Dr Faraed Salman. My Sincere thanks for your kindful contribution and reply. Indeed, your detailed and informative comment is highly appreciated. Kind regards.
Dear Dr Manal Hadi Kanaan. My Sincere thanks for your kindful contribution. In fact, you presented a wonderful and detailed description of the possible solutions upon facing technical problems. Best regards.
Dear Dr Tahir A.M Omer. Thanks a lot for your kindful contribution and reply. Your wonderful comments and words are gratefully acknowledged. Best regards
If technical problems happened in your research. First you have ask experts or supervisor to help you to resolve. You can also search and find scientific solution through research papers.
The first step in the scientific method is to identify and analyze a problem then form a hypothesis, and test the hypothesis by conducting an experiment and analyze the data then communicate the results.
It is important to realize that if certain areas of scince (research) appear to be quite mature, others are in the process of development, and yet other remain tobe born.
We can modify these steps and combine them with numerical or mathematical methods, and try to divide the problem and convert it into mathematical equations.
Dear Dr Mohamed Farid Benlamnouar. Thanks a lot for your kindful contribution and reply. Your wonderful comment is gratefully acknowledged. Best regards.
I think technical problems ca be solved through holding some discussions with your team, consult some people who might know the answer and you might even prepare some bullet points or slides. Yet you still can’t get to an answer that works or an answer that everyone agrees on. Worst case scenario, you’ve alienated or angered people in the process.
Dear Dr Anmar Aldewachi. Thank you so much for your kindful contribution and reply. Your valuable comment is gratefully acknowledged. Sincere gratitude.
I personally believe that a technical problem during a scientific research can be solved by discussing within the working group. This operation will be all the more effective when the skills of the group are of a multidisciplinary nature and of both a scientific and technological nature. If the problem is not resolved quickly, each staff member will have the task of deepening their knowledge (internal to the institution, other colleagues) and / or their skills to provide their contribution to a subsequent discussion more thorough. If this were not enough, you could look for (... and maybe find) resources even outside your research institution.
Dear Dr Pierluigi Traverso. Really thank you so much for your kindful contribution and reply. Indeed I agree in depth with your wonderful comment. Best regards.