EVERY problem can be simplified in a top-down scheme.
Read this:
It's like zooming out in a
map.
Suppose I need to get to California(CA) from Texas(TX).
In the extreme detail, I can descrive the journey like an endless turning and stopping and crossing (3500 elements, for example).
If I zoom out a little, I understand I need to cross different countries (35 elements).
If I zoom out even more, I understand I need to cross New Mexico(NM) and Arizona(AZ).
I believe this is not just an exception. Planning, and 'top-downing' an every day's life problem is possible (even if you sometimes are required to do some left-to-right and forward'n'backward(fuel, health, lodging, etc.)
:).
I hope I got the point, and made myself clear, anyhow.