Coursera

Methods for Solving Problems (Coursera)

Offered by University of Colorado Boulder,

In this course, we will explore different types of problems, the boundaries of what makes a problem solvable, and the different algorithms, rules, and heuristics we can implement to solve these problems.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

What You Will Learn

Ascribe human and computational problems to various definitions of difficulty and problem solving techniques.
Use problem solving strategies to break down problems.
Describe the effects of various sources of bias in judgement and decision making.
Analyze and apply heuristic models and probability modeling to a variety of decision making scenarios.

Course 2 of 4 in the Mind and Machine Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Problems for Minds and Machines
This week we will begin our discussions by defining the boundaries and limitations of problems and their solutions.

WEEK 2
Computers and Logic
This week we will explore adapting problem-solving approaches into computational methods.

WEEK 3
Humans and Heuristics
This week we will discuss judgment and decision making as a different kind of problem-solving and explore how heuristics are used for these tasks.

WEEK 4
Course Assessment & Wrap-Up Discussion
In this module, you will test your knowledge on methods for solving problems.

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coursera

Illinois Tech

Business Economics and Game Theory for Decision Making (Coursera)

Business

Good decision making and strategy do not exist in isolation: the success and profitability of a business depend not only on the organization’s own strategic moves but also on those that other firms make, especially competitors. Understanding the strategic linkages among firms can therefore be immensely valuable. Economics and Game theory offer tools that can specifically enhance one's understanding and ability to exploit such strategic linkages. This course will cover one of the most crucial decisions that a firm offering a differentiated product needs to make – how to price its product.

Nov 9th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Markets Microeconomics Business Strategy

Coursera

Coursera Instructor Network

Voice of the Customer (VoC): Enhancing Experiences (Coursera)

Marketing & Communication Business

In today's rapidly evolving global and personalized marketplaces, delivering exceptional customer experiences is no longer a one-time transaction but a continuous process. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, organizations must harness the power of the Voice of the Customer (VoC) – a practice that involves actively listening to customers to understand their preferences, needs, and feedback. This course equips participants with the tools, methods, and strategies to not only collect valuable customer insights but also to cultivate a customer-centric culture within their organizations.

Nov 9th 2026

1 Week

Decision Making Engagement Effective Communication

Coursera

Politecnico di Milano

Fundamentals of Organization (Coursera)

Business

Organization is a fundamental theme to understand the real functioning of each company or, more in general, of any institution, and it is part of the basic know-how of each manager. Organization design implies decisions on how work is subdivided and how coordination between the various activities and people who autonomously perform them is guaranteed.

Nov 9th 2026

3 Weeks

Business Organization Organizational Structure

Coursera

Duke University

Programming Fundamentals (Coursera)

CS: Theory CS: Programming

Programming is an increasingly important skill, whether you aspire to a career in software development, or in other fields. This course is the first in the specialization Introduction to Programming in C, but its lessons extend to any language you might want to learn. This is because programming is fundamentally about figuring out how to solve a class of problems and writing the algorithm, a clear set of steps to solve any problem in its class.

Nov 2nd 2026

4 Weeks

Programming Algorithms C Language

Coursera

University of Michigan

Problem Solving Using Computational Thinking (Coursera)

CS: Theory Computer Science

Have you ever heard that computers "think"? Believe it or not, computers really do not think. Instead, they do exactly what we tell them to do. Programming is, "telling the computer what to do and how to do it." Before you can think about programming a computer, you need to work out exactly what it is you want to tell the computer to do. Thinking through problems this way is Computational Thinking. Computational Thinking allows us to take complex problems, understand what the problem is, and develop solutions. We can present these solutions in a way that both computers and people can understand.

Nov 9th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Programming Algorithms Computational Thinking

Coursera

Duke University

Behavioral Finance (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Economics & Finance

We make thousands of decisions every day. Do I cross the road now, or wait for the oncoming truck to pass? Should I eat fries or a salad for lunch? How much should I tip the cab driver? We usually make these decisions with almost no thought, using what psychologists call “heuristics” – rules of thumb that enable us to navigate our lives. Without these mental shortcuts, we would be paralyzed by the multitude of daily choices.

Nov 9th 2026

3 Weeks

Finance Business Money

Coursera

University of Michigan

Using Public Policy for Social Change (Coursera)

Social Sciences

Using Public Policy for Social Change provides a comprehensive introduction to public policy and its role in addressing societal challenges, with a focus on social inequalities. You’ll explore various areas of policy work, including social welfare, public health, the environment, education, and criminal justice. Learn the fundamentals of public policy design and analysis, and how policymaking functions across all levels of government in democracies worldwide.

Nov 9th 2026

4 Weeks

Social Change Public Policy Problem Solving

Coursera

Johns Hopkins University

Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice (Coursera)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving methodology and demonstrate how it can be used in a wide variety of settings to identify problems, propose solutions, and evaluate interventions.

Nov 2nd 2026

4 Weeks

Health Data Disease

Coursera

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Creativity Toolkit I: Changing Perspectives (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Thinking and doing the same things faster and better is not enough; we need creativity. Fortunately, creativity is a skill you can learn. This course will examine when, why, and how we can be creative. It examines the cues that trigger us to consider being creative. It provides a road map of the creative process – the process of changing our perspectives – and the kinds of outcomes that result from creativity.

Nov 4th 2026

4 Weeks

Creative Productivity Creativity

Coursera

Howard University

Fundamentals of Business Problem Solving (Coursera)

Business

This course introduces how to classify data and create models used to solve business models. Learners will use Solver to create expressions to find optimal paths for business problems.

Nov 9th 2026

4 Weeks

Business Spreadsheets Business Strategy

Coursera

Universidad Austral

Estadística aplicada a los negocios (Coursera)

Statistics & Data Analysis Data Science

La toma de decisiones está en la esencia de los negocios. Gerenciar es tomar decisiones, muchas veces bajo presión, con información desordenada y en un contexto de incertidumbre. Un aspecto básico es entender y analizar la información, organizar los datos de forma de facilitar su posterior uso y la toma de decisiones.

Nov 9th 2026

4 Weeks

Business Statistics Decision Making

Coursera

University of Michigan

Data Augmented Technology Assisted Medical Decision Making (Coursera)

Data Science

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to increase diagnostic accuracy, decrease diagnostic errors, and improve patient outcomes. The Data Augmented, Technology Assisted Medical Decision Making (DATA-MD) course will teach you how to use AI to augment your diagnostic decision-making.

Nov 9th 2026

4 Weeks

Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning