critique my zettel: Difference problem–task - does next step require thinking or action

Biberschuh

Hello everyone,

I am still new to the zettelkasten-methode and would like to improve my ability to work with the this method. Would someone be kind enough to give me their opinion on the following zettel?

Thanks a lot!

(as a disclaimer the note is translated with DeepL.com)

# 20241213115603 Difference problem–task - does next step require thinking or action

#Problem #Task #Thinking #Action

The difference between a problem and a task lies in the next required step: In a task, the next step is an action, whereas a problem requires thinking.

Whether a situation is assessed as a problem or a task depends on whether productive thinking is required to transform an actual state into a target state:

- Problem: A problem exists if productive thinking is required[^@kipman2020]
- Task: A task exists if productive thinking is not required[^@kipman2020]

This means that the next step in a task is implementation, while the next step in a problem requires thinking.

Further literature research[^doerner1976].

%% reference %%

[^@kipman2020]: Kipman, Ulrike. Problem solving: Concept - strategies - influencing factors - teaching - (home) support. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-26804-6. p. 8︎︎

[^doerner1976]: Dörner, D. (1976). Problem solving as information processing (Kohlhammer Standards Psychology: Study Text: Subfield: Thinking Psychology, 1st ed.). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.︎

GeoEng51

@Biberschuh I understand the distinction you are making but the division seems somewhat artificial, as if you can have only one state, either thinking or action, at a time. Many situations in life require both and quickly.

However, the zettel itself is well constructed and laid out, with suitable tags and references. You may, as time goes on and your ZK grows, find appropriate links.

Will

Your mileage will vary.

I'd suggest that you consider templating. How might your note be formatted consistently? A couple of glaring issues.
1. There are no hard links, only soft links to tags.
2. This note is not corraled into an inbox.

I've pictured how it would fit in my templating. Your preference will be different. Mine were different when I started and will change in the future. Try to think about future needs.

1. A YAML section is great for scripting future needs
2. "#proofing" is my inbox. Keeping partially completed notes separated is helpful in process management.
3. I divided the title into a tickler and a one-sentence summary, which I call a "subatomic."
4. This is key, I include a set of evolving "Note Building Reminders" that I progressively remove as I factor the note. When these are resolved, I remove the inbox (#proofing) tag.
5. The line "Further literature research[^doerner1976]." is a reminder and belongs in the "Note Building Reminders" or somewhere else. I'm assuming that doerner1976 is in your reference manager?
6. I put all hard links in the See Also section.
7. References are at the bottom.

JasperMcFly

Good that it is about one idea. Bad that it is repetitive, not as concise as it could be. You stated a problem requires thinking three times.

Biberschuh

Thanks a lot for your recommendations and your help!

1. I will apply the Note Building Reminders and a hashtag for an inbox in my system. @Will, do you use just one hashtags for your inbox or multiple ones?

2. I agree with you on the content of the note: The statements are redundant and not yet differentiated enough. I still have a lot to learn on this point.

3. What do you think of the new version? Would it be an improvement? (there are still some placeholders that need to be replaced in future sessions)

20241213115603 Ü2 Distinguishing Problems and Tasks: Thought and Action Differences

#Ü2 #Task #Problem #Action

Subatomic

Tasks and problems differ not in their need for action or thought but in the type of actions and thoughts they require: tasks demand reproductive thinking and implementation, while problems require productive thinking and innovation

Definitions

First there needs to be clarity about the important terms:

• A task is a job or an order that must be done ([[202411060949]]), and
• a problem is a complicated question or challenging as a yet unsolved task ([[202411121516]]).
• An action is "the totality of movements directed towards an intended goal." [@rieger2024]

Development of my personal understanding

At first I thought problems and tasks could be distinguished by there need of either action or thought as a next step.[[ID to the content of the old note]]

Then I realized that these are two different subjects involved¹:

• it's not about wheater or not they need action OR thought
• Both need action and thought but they do need different kinds of actions and thoughts

These differences are:

1. Different kind of action: While tasks do need implementation as an action (excecuting, straightforward and based on established procedures), problems do need exploring the unknown, experimenting, improvising, or trying new strategies and innovating solutions.[[ID-Reference to a note explaining this idea]]

2. Different kind of thinking: While tasks do need reproductive thinking ([[20241218142613]]), problems do need a different kind of thinking – productive thinking ([[20241220091129]]).[[ID-Reference to a note explaining this idea]]

Conclusion

Tasks and Problems can't be distinguished by there need for action or though. They require different actions and thoughts.

A more nuanced claim might be: The next step for a task is implementing what we already know (procedures and thoughts), while a problem requires a creative actions (e.g. experiments, improvisation) and productive thinking.

See also/Practical application

• [[20241214105726]] The Pitfall of confusing problems with tasks: Confusing tasks and problems can lead to inefficiencies. Treating a task as a problem may result in overthinking, while treating a problem as a task may lead to premature action without clarity.
• [[ID to a yet uncreated note]] Correct allocation of resources increases productivity: In project management, understanding whether a challenge is a task or a problem helps determine if you should allocate resources to execution or brainstorming.
• [[ID to a yet uncreated note]] theories about reproductive vs. productive cognition.
• The distinction between tasks and problems based on the necessity of thinking things through reminds me of the clarity phase described by @allen2020 in the GTD method ([[202405152003]]), where thinking serves to clarify the next steps before taking action.

References

[@rieger2024]: Rieger, Martina, und Jochen Müsseler, Hrsg. Allgemeine Psychologie. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-68476-4.

[@allen2020]: Allen, D. (2020). Wie ich die Dinge geregelt kriege: Selbstmanagement für den Alltag (H. Reuter, Übers.; Aktualisierte und erweiterte Taschenbuchausgabe, 8. Auflage). Piper.

---

1. Influenced by the feedback from JasperMcFly and GeoEng51 ↩︎

Will

I use one tag to corral immature notes in my inbox. I use the tag #proofing.

I prefer the concise old version of your note.

You don't need to format your links with round brackets ([[20241220091129]]). Links can be formatted [[20241220091129]].

What does Ü2 mean? What is your thinking about including it in the title and as a tag? Seems redundant.