Different ways Quote by Russell L. Ackoff
““There are four different ways to treat problems: • Absolution • Resolution • Solution • Dissolution, redesign These form a hierarchy of effectiveness, from least to most. They are seldom made accessible to students in school. Below the university level, only two are ever used. In some curricula at the university level, three are exposed. The fourth and most effective way is rarely dealt with in the educational system, except in training for professions in which design is the principal process involved. Absolution.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Recreating the Corporation, 1999
It outlines four problem‑solving approaches, ranking them from simple acceptance to redesign, noting that education rarely teaches the most effective method.
In simple terms: Four ways to handle problems, from ignoring to redesigning.
Key Takeaway
Teach redesign as a primary skill.
Themes
education
problem solving
design
hierarchy
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
educational
strategic
When to use this quote
- classroom teaching
- corporate training
- product development
- policy design
Key Concepts
Systems thinking
creative redesign
effectiveness
Questions to Reflect On
- How could curricula integrate dissolution redesign?
- What barriers prevent teaching redesign?
A Different Perspective
Most schools only teach resolution and solution, limiting creative outcomes.
![“Cizek came to Vienna [from Leitmeritz, a small town in Bohemia, then Austrian] when he was twenty [in 1885], and entered the Academy of Fine Arts. He lodged with a poor family, where, fortunately, there were children. These children saw him painting and drawing, and they wanted, as Cizek has so…” quote by Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5d1/russell-l-ackoff-12928_art_cizek-came-to-vienna-from-leitmeritz-a-s_694148.jpg)
