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Wednesday, 4 April 2012 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A problem can arise when there is a difference between what “should be” and what “is”; between the ideal and the actual situation. A problem:
A problem is any question or matter involving doubt, uncertainty, or difficulty. Everyone has problems. Big 
problems, little problems, work problems, relationship problems; pick an area of your life and you probably have at least one, or have had one. At some point along the way you may have received some problem solving training.
The seven fundamentals
1.Decide on which problem to pursue: For some reason, this step is left out of many problem-solving methods. Maybe it’s assumed that participants will automatically know which problems are worth tackling. This is hardly ever the case. In most organisations there are countless opportunities for improvement but finite resources available to apply to them. Most organisations must prioritise the issues and dedicate resources accordingly. (Appropriate tools for this step include brainstorming, Pareto charts, run charts, pie charts, flowcharts and voting.)
2.Define the problem: In the clearest and most succinct terms possible, what exactly is the problem? Provide the details of who, what, where and when. “The customer states that the parts won’t run right,” is an almost-worthless problem definition. Get specific. Keep in mind that carefully defining the problem will provide the raw material for successfully identifying its root cause. (Appropriate tools include brainstorming, Pareto charts, check sheets and histograms.)
3.Determine the root cause: Identifying a root cause proceeds directly from defining the problem itself. The typical obstacle at this step is mistaking a symptom for the root cause. Often the so-called “root cause” is nothing more than a restatement of the problem definition. Before team members are asked to participate in problem solving, they should receive training in how to distinguish symptoms from root causes. (Appropriate tools include interviewing, brainstorming, cause-and-effect diagrams, and voting.)
4.Generate possible solutions and choose the most likely one: This step works very well in a team setting, where it’s possible to generate a large number of alternative solutions. The trick is to cast a wide net, then narrow the possibilities to those solutions that satisfy the following criteria: They have a strong chance of being successfully implemented, they will be accepted by all relevant stakeholders and they truly address the root cause identified in the previous step. Then agree upon a solution, either by group consensus or through executive decree. (Appropriate tools include brainstorming, Pareto charts and voting.)
5.Plan and execute the solution: Even the best solution is doomed to fail if its implementation isn’t carefully planned and executed. This process typically consists of two distinct phases: selling the solution to key stakeholders in order to get buy-in and methodical project planning to ensure the solution is executed correctly. It’s also helpful to notify the organisation’s customers who will be affected by the solution. This reinforces the idea that the organisation is dedicated to customer satisfaction and problem resolution. (Appropriate tools include project planning, effective presentation skills, selling skills and pilot runs.)
6.Verify effectiveness: After you’ve implemented your solution, someone must verify that it’s effective. The more objective the determination is, the better. It isn’t absolutely necessary that people outside the problem-solving team verify effectiveness, but it might be helpful in order to avoid bias. Whether they are internal or external, customers are particularly good at shedding light in this regard. If a customer doesn’t perceive an improvement, then there is no improvement. Perception is everything. (Appropriate tools include auditing, interviewing, documentation, control charts and process capability.)
7.Communicate and congratulate: This step is routinely forgotten in many organisations. Most problem-solving methods I’ve seen don’t address this issue, even though communication drives an effort’s success at every stage. People crave information about how problems are being addressed and solved. This information creates a feeling of security and confidence and builds a culture of continual improvement. Recognition is also critical. People who successfully contribute to problem-solving efforts should be recognised for their work. Congratulations should be dignified, public and carried out by top management. (Appropriate tools include empathy, integrity, and effective speaking and writing skills.)
Most people in Sri Lanka find it hard to congratulate another. This is because of being self-centred or green with jealousy. We focus on the happiness we derive when others congratulate us and speak well of us. Could we do the same for others? No, not at all!
Types of problems in organisations
Type 1: Docile, isolated problems: The simplest type of problem is relatively isolated. This means that it is in effect “contained” by an organised and orderly environment. An organisation is therefore free to locate such problems and move towards them, attack, and eliminate them.
Because such problems are randomly distributed, there is no necessity for an organisation to make any distinction between tactics and strategy. The optimal strategy is just the simple task of attempting to do one’s best on a purely local basis.
The best tactic, moreover, can be learned only by trial and error, and only for a particular class of local environmental variances. This means that organisations can easily adapt to each new problem as it is located within their domain.
Type 2:Docile problem groups: The situation becomes more complex when the problems are no longer isolated, but are grouped or clustered together in certain ways. The solution to a problem in one part of the structure may be compensated by some increase in strength of some other part of the problem cluster.
An organisation under these circumstances can no longer afford to attempt to deal tactically with each new environmental variance as it occurs. Some form of strategy is required. The organisation needs to know how to manoeuvre in its environment around the problem cluster in order to find the most useful method of attack. To pursue a goal under its nose may lead it into part of the field fraught with danger, while avoidance of an immediately difficult issue may lead it away from potentially rewarding areas.
The organisation has to learn to concentrate its resources, to organise them in terms of a general plan, and to develop a distinctive competence in handling certain types of problems. Organisations under these conditions; therefore tend to grow in size and become hierarchical with a tendency towards centralised control and coordination.
Type 3:Dynamic interactive problems:This is a situation when changes in one problem area give rise to changes in another problem area. The situation is complicated because it is no longer possible for an organisation to assume that it can act without taking into account other organisations. Several, or even many, organisations may be concerned with the same group of interacting problems. The solution of one problem by one organisation may create several new problems for other bodies.
The goal of one organisation may be the same as the goal of another organisation. Noting this, each will wish to improve its own chances by hindering the others, and each will know that the others must not only wish to do likewise, but also knows that each knows this.
Unfortunately, this attitude is not only applicable to profit making organisations, but also to non-profit organisations. Thus two organisations with the same non-profit objective (whether it be “development” refugee relief, etc.), will not always be purely cooperative in their relationships with one another. As soon as one organisation feels that the other is infringing upon its “territory” it starts, indirectly, attempting to hinder the other.
It now becomes necessary to define the organisational objectives in terms of capacity or power to move more or less at will, i.e., to be able to make and meet competitive challenge. This gives particular relevance to situations in which stability can be obtained only by a certain coming to terms with competitors, whether enterprises, interest groups, or governmental agencies. One has to know when not to fight to the death.
Type 4: Aggressive interactive problems: In the final stage of complexity, the interactive problems do not merely respond unpredictably to the actions of the organisations tackling them, but appear to have a momentum and aggressive initiative of their own.
They increase or decrease in importance and manner of interaction without it being possible to determine the original cause of the change. The organisation’s environment may now be called “turbulent” and the assumptions upon which the organisation bases its action are threatened by this turbulence. The “ground” is in motion. For organisations, these trends mean a growing increase in their area of relevant uncertainty. The consequences which flow from their actions lead off in ways which become increasingly unpredictable: they do not necessarily fall off with distance, but may at any point be amplified beyond all expectations; similarly, lines of action that are strongly pursued may find themselves attenuated by emergent forces.
This turbulent environment demands some new form of organisation that is essentially different from the hierarchically structured forms to which we are accustomed. Whereas Type 3 problems require one or other form of accommodation between like, but competitive, organisations, whose fates are to a degree negatively correlated.
Turbulent environments require some relationship between dissimilar organisations whose fates are, basically, positively correlated. This means relationships that will maximise cooperation and which recognise that no one organisation’ can take over the role of “the other” and become paramount. It is in this type of environment that matrix organisations should be considered.
Why do you need to identify a problem?
Identifying a very clearly defined and specific problem is the first critical step to successfully implementing the problem-solving process. The strategy of improving the quality of services involves solving problems in order of priority. Why is it important to prioritise problems?
nResources and time are limited. You can’t solve all the problems at the same time, so your efforts should initially focus on the most important problem.
nTo gain experience and acquire expertise with the problem-solving process, the first problem you work on should be one that is easily studied and resolved. Choose a problem with plenty of data easily available.
nIf the resolution of the first problem is successful, that solution can be reproduced easily at the local or national level and even more so if it corresponds to the priority policies of the institution.
How to select a problem?
You can select a problem by using one of the following techniques:
Systematic problem solving
A systematic problem solving is a step by step approach for resolving a problem or issue. Its purpose is to provide a structured and disciplined means for groups to explore and resolve an issue together. An in-depth analysis ensures that groups understand their problem before jumping to solutions.
The outcome for systematic problem solving results in doable action steps that members of the group take responsibility for implementing. Because the process is systematic, it stops the group from randomly suggesting ideas that never get implemented. Problem solving is also at the heart of improving customer service and continuous improvement.
Eight steps in systematic problem solving
Step 1: Name the problem: Identify a problem that needs to be solved. Analyse it briefly to ensure that there is a common understanding of the issue. Next write a one or two sentence description of the problem. This is called the problem statement.
Step 2: Identify the goal of the problem:solving exercise: Answer the following questions individually or as a group. “If this problem were totally solved, how would you describe the ideal situation?” or “How will things look if we solve this problem?” Summarise this in a one to two sentence goal statement.
Step 3: Analyse the problem: If the problem is fairly technical, do a Fishbone Diagram, otherwise as a series of probing questions to help members think analytically about the problem. Categorise the observations as either ‘causes’ or effects’. The goal is to get to the true root cause of the problem. Some good probing questions include:
Step 4: Identify potential solutions: Brainstorm potential solutions. Use the following guidelines when brainstorming:
When the ideas stop flowing, ask probing questions to encourage members to dig deeper. Some useful probing questions are:
Step 5 : Evaluate solutions: Use either a criteria-based grid or the impact analysis to sift through brainstormed ideas and determine which are the most applicable to the situation.
Step 6 : Create an action plan: Spell out the specific steps needed to implement the best solutions. Use SMART goals. Each action step should have a performance indicator that answers the question, “How will we know we have been successful?” This indicator will help focus the action step and make it easier to measure results later.
Step 7: Troubleshoot the plan: Use the Troubleshooting worksheet to identify all of the things that could get in the way and then make sure that there are plans in place to deal with them. Use the following questions to help identify trouble spots:
Step 8: Monitor and evaluate: Identify how the actions plans will be monitored and when and how the results will be reported.
(The writer is the Managing Director & CEO, McQuire Rens & Jones (Pvt) Ltd. He has held Regional Responsibilities of two Multinational Companies of which one, Smithkline Beecham International, was a Fortune 500 company before merging to become GSK. He carries out consultancy assignments and management training in Dubai, India, Maldives, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Nalin has been consultant to assignments in the CEB, Airport & Aviation Services and setting up the PUCSL. He is a much sought-after business consultant and corporate management trainer in Sri Lanka. He has won special commendation from the UN Headquarters in New York for his record speed in re-profiling and re-structuring the UNDP. He has lead consultancy assignments for the World Bank and the ADB. Nalin is an executive coach to top teams of several multinational and blue chip companies. He is a Director on the Board of Entrust Securities Plc.)
