Occam’s Razor and Problem Solving

Occam’s Razor is a scientific and philosophical principle which states that “All things being equal, the simplest solution tends to be the best one.” It is named after a 14th century English monk, but is still widely applied in science, logic, and philosophy. Some medical schools teach a version of this principle as a tool in diagnosing medical conditions with the quote, “When you hear hoofs, look for horses, not zebras.”

On the micro level, Occam’s Razor can be useful in solving problems on a personal level and also in an organizational setting. For example, let’s say that your department needs to develop a policy for reimbursing travel expenses. You could apply Occam’s Razor in formulating the policy by

Listing the people who absolutely must be involved in the process of approving spending and securing reimbursement funds. This might be a direct supervisor, the departmental accountant, and of course, the employee being reimbursed.
Identifying the absolute minimum guidelines for appropriate travel spending (perhaps using a tool like the current Federal mileage rates).
Developing very simple forms and procedures for securing reimbursement (such as paying a set per diem rather than dealing with receipts).

The payoff for simplifying and streamlining processes include greater efficiency, faster processing time, and most of all, less aggravation.

Similarly, applying Occam’s Razor on a personal level can help simplify physical tasks as well as relationships. A friend once told me that when her husband is late coming home from work, multiple possible reasons (usually negative) flow through her thoughts. In that situation, the simplest possible explanation for her husband coming home late is because he had to work late. As far as know, this is true the vast majority of the time in her situation. All of the energy she expends on considering complex reasons is wasted and just stresses her out.

The next time you have to figure out how to organize your mail or what to cook for dinner, give Occam’s Razor a try, and share your stories in the comments.