I enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles by myself or with family. I suspect part of the reason I enjoy this is because I'm good at it. I have a high ability to differentiate between color variations, and this helps with sorting pieces and finding where they belong in the overall puzzle picture.
I also have strong spatial reasoning such that I can often identify how jigsaw pieces will fit together in orientation to one another by looking at them rather than by having to physically test them.
Simple repeatable puzzle-building routine
1. Find and assemble all border pieces (usually these have one straight edge).
2. Identify easily recognizable colors/patterns which will enable me to select sets of pieces out of the mix. Collect and assemble these to create localized completed subsections of the puzzle.
3. After assembling the first 2-3 subsections of the puzzle, identify smaller more subtle colors/patterns on pieces that can also be selected out of the larger mix of pieces. Collect these into a series of smaller sets.
4. Assemble these smaller sets and add them to the growing organization of the puzzle. Repeat as needed.
5. After multiple sections of the puzzle have been identified and assembled, we generally move into a mode of looking through the remaining pieces and finding small details that allow us to reference where each fits into the ever-growing completed portions of the design.
Puzzles versus real world problems
A major difference between puzzles and solving real world problems is working toward a predetermined answer (like a jigsaw puzzle) versus figuring out a previously uncharted path to a new and unique solution. Jigsaw puzzles are by their very nature “problems” that have predetermined solutions. In business and life, the paths to get to successful solutions are many and varied. Definitions of success vary by individuals and company. And the resources and skill sets available to each person and business differ greatly.
I understand how for those who aren't necessarily visual or have the same degree of attention to visual detail and high spatial reasoning, the puzzle analogy may not be relevant.
Lesson
The parallels I'm trying to draw between jigsaw puzzle working and real life problem solving are related to goal setting, focus, and experimentation. Despite the wide variability in finding paths to success, some central principles apply across most situations:
• Defining a goal helps catalyze teams or individuals to action. Without action there can be no success.
• Experimentation generally leads to learning which can be leveraged for a straighter path to success.
• Focusing on specific problems helps people and teams get traction on those problems.
So whether you enjoy jigsaw puzzles or not, I want to encourage us all to do what we can to define goals, so that we have something to work toward. Experiment with ways to solve problems we encounter as we strive to get the results we are looking for. Pay attention and learn as we go. Discipline ourselves to focus on specific problems and try to get closure on each. Completed work is significantly more valuable than half done work.