problem solving steps in the workplace

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• Turn your team into skilled problem sol ...

Turn your team into skilled problem solvers with these problem-solving strategies

Picture this, you're handling your daily tasks at work and your boss calls you in and says, "We have a problem." 

Unfortunately, we don't live in a world in which problems are instantly resolved with the snap of our fingers. Knowing how to effectively solve problems is an important professional skill to hone. If you have a problem that needs to be solved, what is the right process to use to ensure you get the most effective solution?

In this article we'll break down the problem-solving process and how you can find the most effective solutions for complex problems.

What is problem solving? 

Problem solving is the process of finding a resolution for a specific issue or conflict. There are many possible solutions for solving a problem, which is why it's important to go through a problem-solving process to find the best solution. You could use a flathead screwdriver to unscrew a Phillips head screw, but there is a better tool for the situation. Utilizing common problem-solving techniques helps you find the best solution to fit the needs of the specific situation, much like using the right tools.

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4 steps to better problem solving

While it might be tempting to dive into a problem head first, take the time to move step by step. Here’s how you can effectively break down the problem-solving process with your team:

1. Identify the problem that needs to be solved

One of the easiest ways to identify a problem is to ask questions. A good place to start is to ask journalistic questions, like:

Who : Who is involved with this problem? Who caused the problem? Who is most affected by this issue?

What: What is happening? What is the extent of the issue? What does this problem prevent from moving forward?

Where: Where did this problem take place? Does this problem affect anything else in the immediate area? 

When: When did this problem happen? When does this problem take effect? Is this an urgent issue that needs to be solved within a certain timeframe?

Why: Why is it happening? Why does it impact workflows?

How: How did this problem occur? How is it affecting workflows and team members from being productive?

Asking journalistic questions can help you define a strong problem statement so you can highlight the current situation objectively, and create a plan around that situation.

Here’s an example of how a design team uses journalistic questions to identify their problem:

Overarching problem: Design requests are being missed

Who: Design team, digital marketing team, web development team

What: Design requests are forgotten, lost, or being created ad hoc.

Where: Email requests, design request spreadsheet

When: Missed requests on January 20th, January 31st, February 4th, February 6th

How : Email request was lost in inbox and the intake spreadsheet was not updated correctly. The digital marketing team had to delay launching ads for a few days while design requests were bottlenecked. Designers had to work extra hours to ensure all requests were completed.

In this example, there are many different aspects of this problem that can be solved. Using journalistic questions can help you identify different issues and who you should involve in the process.

2. Brainstorm multiple solutions

If at all possible, bring in a facilitator who doesn't have a major stake in the solution. Bringing an individual who has little-to-no stake in the matter can help keep your team on track and encourage good problem-solving skills.

Here are a few brainstorming techniques to encourage creative thinking:

Brainstorm alone before hand: Before you come together as a group, provide some context to your team on what exactly the issue is that you're brainstorming. This will give time for you and your teammates to have some ideas ready by the time you meet.

Say yes to everything (at first): When you first start brainstorming, don't say no to any ideas just yet—try to get as many ideas down as possible. Having as many ideas as possible ensures that you’ll get a variety of solutions. Save the trimming for the next step of the strategy. 

Talk to team members one-on-one: Some people may be less comfortable sharing their ideas in a group setting. Discuss the issue with team members individually and encourage them to share their opinions without restrictions—you might find some more detailed insights than originally anticipated.

Break out of your routine: If you're used to brainstorming in a conference room or over Zoom calls, do something a little different! Take your brainstorming meeting to a coffee shop or have your Zoom call while you're taking a walk. Getting out of your routine can force your brain out of its usual rut and increase critical thinking.

3. Define the solution

After you brainstorm with team members to get their unique perspectives on a scenario, it's time to look at the different strategies and decide which option is the best solution for the problem at hand. When defining the solution, consider these main two questions: What is the desired outcome of this solution and who stands to benefit from this solution? 

Set a deadline for when this decision needs to be made and update stakeholders accordingly. Sometimes there's too many people who need to make a decision. Use your best judgement based on the limitations provided to do great things fast.

4. Implement the solution

To implement your solution, start by working with the individuals who are as closest to the problem. This can help those most affected by the problem get unblocked. Then move farther out to those who are less affected, and so on and so forth. Some solutions are simple enough that you don’t need to work through multiple teams.

After you prioritize implementation with the right teams, assign out the ongoing work that needs to be completed by the rest of the team. This can prevent people from becoming overburdened during the implementation plan . Once your solution is in place, schedule check-ins to see how the solution is working and course-correct if necessary.

Implement common problem-solving strategies

There are a few ways to go about identifying problems (and solutions). Here are some strategies you can try, as well as common ways to apply them:

Trial and error

Trial and error problem solving doesn't usually require a whole team of people to solve. To use trial and error problem solving, identify the cause of the problem, and then rapidly test possible solutions to see if anything changes. 

This problem-solving method is often used in tech support teams through troubleshooting.

The 5 whys problem-solving method helps get to the root cause of an issue. You start by asking once, “Why did this issue happen?” After answering the first why, ask again, “Why did that happen?” You'll do this five times until you can attribute the problem to a root cause. 

This technique can help you dig in and find the human error that caused something to go wrong. More importantly, it also helps you and your team develop an actionable plan so that you can prevent the issue from happening again.

Here’s an example:

Problem: The email marketing campaign was accidentally sent to the wrong audience.

“Why did this happen?” Because the audience name was not updated in our email platform.

“Why were the audience names not changed?” Because the audience segment was not renamed after editing. 

“Why was the audience segment not renamed?” Because everybody has an individual way of creating an audience segment.

“Why does everybody have an individual way of creating an audience segment?” Because there is no standardized process for creating audience segments. 

“Why is there no standardized process for creating audience segments?” Because the team hasn't decided on a way to standardize the process as the team introduced new members. 

In this example, we can see a few areas that could be optimized to prevent this mistake from happening again. When working through these questions, make sure that everyone who was involved in the situation is present so that you can co-create next steps to avoid the same problem. 

A SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis can help you highlight the strengths and weaknesses of a specific solution. SWOT stands for:

Strength: Why is this specific solution a good fit for this problem? 

Weaknesses: What are the weak points of this solution? Is there anything that you can do to strengthen those weaknesses?

Opportunities: What other benefits could arise from implementing this solution?

Threats: Is there anything about this decision that can detrimentally impact your team?

As you identify specific solutions, you can highlight the different strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each solution. 

This particular problem-solving strategy is good to use when you're narrowing down the answers and need to compare and contrast the differences between different solutions. 

Even more successful problem solving

After you’ve worked through a tough problem, don't forget to celebrate how far you've come. Not only is this important for your team of problem solvers to see their work in action, but this can also help you become a more efficient, effective , and flexible team. The more problems you tackle together, the more you’ll achieve. 

Looking for a tool to help solve problems on your team? Track project implementation with a work management tool like Asana .

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Seven Steps for Effective Problem Solving in the Workplace

Problem-solving and decision-making. Ask anyone in the workplace if these activities are part of their day and they answer ‘Yes!’ But how many of us have had training in problem-solving?  We know it’s a critical element of our work, but do we know how to do it effectively?

People tend to do three things when faced with a problem: they get afraid or uncomfortable and wish it would go away; they feel that they have to come up with an answer and it has to be the right answer; and they look for someone to blame. Being faced with a problem becomes a problem. And that’s a problem because, in fact, there are always going to be problems!

There are two reasons why we tend to see a problem as a problem: it has to be solved and we’re not sure how to find the best solution, and there will probably be conflicts about what the best solution is. Most of us tend to be “conflict-averse”. We don’t feel comfortable dealing with conflict and we tend to have the feeling that something bad is going to happen. The goal of a good problem-solving process is to make us and our organization more “conflict-friendly” and “conflict-competent”.

There are two important things to remember about problems and conflicts: they happen all the time and they are opportunities to improve the system and the relationships. They are actually providing us with information that we can use to fix what needs fixing and do a better job. Looked at in this way, we can almost begin to welcome problems! (Well, almost.)

Because people are born problem solvers, the biggest challenge is to overcome the tendency to immediately come up with a solution. Let me say that again. The most common mistake in problem solving is trying to find a solution right away. That’s a mistake because it tries to put the solution at the beginning of the process, when what we need is a solution at the end of the process.

Here are seven-steps for an effective problem-solving process.

1. Identify the issues.

• Be clear about what the problem is.
• Remember that different people might have different views of what the issues are.
• Separate the listing of issues from the identification of interests (that’s the next step!).

2. Understand everyone’s interests.

• This is a critical step that is usually missing.
• Interests are the needs that you want satisfied by any given solution. We often ignore our true interests as we become attached to one particular solution.
• The best solution is the one that satisfies everyone’s interests.
• This is the time for active listening. Put down your differences for awhile and listen to each other with the intention to understand.
• Separate the naming of interests from the listing of solutions.

3. List the possible solutions (options)

• This is the time to do some brainstorming. There may be lots of room for creativity.
• Separate the listing of options from the evaluation of the options.

4. Evaluate the options.

• What are the pluses and minuses? Honestly!
• Separate the evaluation of options from the selection of options.

5. Select an option or options.

• What’s the best option, in the balance?
• Is there a way to “bundle” a number of options together for a more satisfactory solution?

6. Document the agreement(s).

• Don’t rely on memory.
• Writing it down will help you think through all the details and implications.

7. Agree on contingencies, monitoring, and evaluation.

• Conditions may change. Make contingency agreements about foreseeable future circumstances (If-then!).
• How will you monitor compliance and follow-through?
• Create opportunities to evaluate the agreements and their implementation. (“Let’s try it this way for three months and then look at it.”)

Effective problem solving does take some time and attention more of the latter than the former. But less time and attention than is required by a problem not well solved. What it really takes is a willingness to slow down. A problem is like a curve in the road. Take it right and you’ll find yourself in good shape for the straightaway that follows. Take it too fast and you may not be in as good shape.

Working through this process is not always a strictly linear exercise. You may have to cycle back to an earlier step. For example, if you’re having trouble selecting an option, you may have to go back to thinking about the interests.

This process can be used in a large group, between two people, or by one person who is faced with a difficult decision. The more difficult and important the problem, the more helpful and necessary it is to use a disciplined process. If you’re just trying to decide where to go out for lunch, you probably don’t need to go through these seven steps!

Don’t worry if it feels a bit unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first. You’ll have lots of opportunities to practice!

Tim Hicks is a conflict management professional providing mediation, facilitation, training, coaching, and consulting to individuals and organizations. From 2006 to 2014 he led the Master’s degree program in Conflict and Dispute Resolution at the University of Oregon as its first director. He returned to private practice in 2015. Tim is… MORE >

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What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 7, 2023 — 5 minutes to read

What Is Problem Solving?

Definition and importance.

Problem solving is the process of finding solutions to obstacles or challenges you encounter in your life or work. It is a crucial skill that allows you to tackle complex situations, adapt to changes, and overcome difficulties with ease. Mastering this ability will contribute to both your personal and professional growth, leading to more successful outcomes and better decision-making.

Problem-Solving Steps

The problem-solving process typically includes the following steps:

• Identify the issue : Recognize the problem that needs to be solved.
• Analyze the situation : Examine the issue in depth, gather all relevant information, and consider any limitations or constraints that may be present.
• Generate potential solutions : Brainstorm a list of possible solutions to the issue, without immediately judging or evaluating them.
• Evaluate options : Weigh the pros and cons of each potential solution, considering factors such as feasibility, effectiveness, and potential risks.
• Select the best solution : Choose the option that best addresses the problem and aligns with your objectives.
• Implement the solution : Put the selected solution into action and monitor the results to ensure it resolves the issue.
• Review and learn : Reflect on the problem-solving process, identify any improvements or adjustments that can be made, and apply these learnings to future situations.

Defining the Problem

To start tackling a problem, first, identify and understand it. Analyzing the issue thoroughly helps to clarify its scope and nature. Ask questions to gather information and consider the problem from various angles. Some strategies to define the problem include:

• Brainstorming with others
• Asking the 5 Ws and 1 H (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How)
• Analyzing cause and effect
• Creating a problem statement

Generating Solutions

Once the problem is clearly understood, brainstorm possible solutions. Think creatively and keep an open mind, as well as considering lessons from past experiences. Consider:

• Creating a list of potential ideas to solve the problem
• Grouping and categorizing similar solutions
• Prioritizing potential solutions based on feasibility, cost, and resources required
• Involving others to share diverse opinions and inputs

Evaluating and Selecting Solutions

Evaluate each potential solution, weighing its pros and cons. To facilitate decision-making, use techniques such as:

• SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
• Decision-making matrices
• Pros and cons lists
• Risk assessments

After evaluating, choose the most suitable solution based on effectiveness, cost, and time constraints.

Implementing and Monitoring the Solution

Implement the chosen solution and monitor its progress. Key actions include:

• Communicating the solution to relevant parties
• Setting timelines and milestones
• Assigning tasks and responsibilities
• Monitoring the solution and making adjustments as necessary
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the solution after implementation

Utilize feedback from stakeholders and consider potential improvements. Remember that problem-solving is an ongoing process that can always be refined and enhanced.

Problem-Solving Techniques

During each step, you may find it helpful to utilize various problem-solving techniques, such as:

• Brainstorming : A free-flowing, open-minded session where ideas are generated and listed without judgment, to encourage creativity and innovative thinking.
• Root cause analysis : A method that explores the underlying causes of a problem to find the most effective solution rather than addressing superficial symptoms.
• SWOT analysis : A tool used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to a problem or decision, providing a comprehensive view of the situation.
• Mind mapping : A visual technique that uses diagrams to organize and connect ideas, helping to identify patterns, relationships, and possible solutions.

Brainstorming

When facing a problem, start by conducting a brainstorming session. Gather your team and encourage an open discussion where everyone contributes ideas, no matter how outlandish they may seem. This helps you:

• Generate a diverse range of solutions
• Encourage all team members to participate
• Foster creative thinking

When brainstorming, remember to:

• Reserve judgment until the session is over
• Encourage wild ideas
• Combine and improve upon ideas

Root Cause Analysis

For effective problem-solving, identifying the root cause of the issue at hand is crucial. Try these methods:

• 5 Whys : Ask “why” five times to get to the underlying cause.
• Fishbone Diagram : Create a diagram representing the problem and break it down into categories of potential causes.
• Pareto Analysis : Determine the few most significant causes underlying the majority of problems.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis helps you examine the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to your problem. To perform a SWOT analysis:

• List your problem’s strengths, such as relevant resources or strong partnerships.
• Identify its weaknesses, such as knowledge gaps or limited resources.
• Explore opportunities, like trends or new technologies, that could help solve the problem.
• Recognize potential threats, like competition or regulatory barriers.

SWOT analysis aids in understanding the internal and external factors affecting the problem, which can help guide your solution.

Mind Mapping

A mind map is a visual representation of your problem and potential solutions. It enables you to organize information in a structured and intuitive manner. To create a mind map:

• Write the problem in the center of a blank page.
• Draw branches from the central problem to related sub-problems or contributing factors.
• Add more branches to represent potential solutions or further ideas.

Mind mapping allows you to visually see connections between ideas and promotes creativity in problem-solving.

Examples of Problem Solving in Various Contexts

In the business world, you might encounter problems related to finances, operations, or communication. Applying problem-solving skills in these situations could look like:

• Identifying areas of improvement in your company’s financial performance and implementing cost-saving measures
• Resolving internal conflicts among team members by listening and understanding different perspectives, then proposing and negotiating solutions
• Streamlining a process for better productivity by removing redundancies, automating tasks, or re-allocating resources

In educational contexts, problem-solving can be seen in various aspects, such as:

• Addressing a gap in students’ understanding by employing diverse teaching methods to cater to different learning styles
• Developing a strategy for successful time management to balance academic responsibilities and extracurricular activities
• Seeking resources and support to provide equal opportunities for learners with special needs or disabilities

Everyday life is full of challenges that require problem-solving skills. Some examples include:

• Overcoming a personal obstacle, such as improving your fitness level, by establishing achievable goals, measuring progress, and adjusting your approach accordingly
• Navigating a new environment or city by researching your surroundings, asking for directions, or using technology like GPS to guide you
• Dealing with a sudden change, like a change in your work schedule, by assessing the situation, identifying potential impacts, and adapting your plans to accommodate the change.
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• Jun 15, 2022

How to Solve Problems at Work: A Step-by-Step Guide

Got 99 problems at work? Here’s how to solve them.

Melina Theodorou

Career and Culture Writer

Reviewed by Chris Leitch

The ability to solve problems effectively is one of the most valuable skills you can have.

Regardless your line of work, you’ve probably been faced with numerous situations, both in your personal and professional life , that required swift action to prevent further escalation of the problem. Whether you have to deal with an ongoing cross-department feud, staff shortages, project delivery delays or dysfunctional equipment, there are always fires that need to be put out at work.

Problem solving is often an intuitive process, but certain problems may require a more tactical and meticulous approach to ensure that they’re resolved successfully. In this article, we’ll walk you through the necessary steps you need to follow to become a better problem-solver at work — and beyond.

Step 1: Define the problem

Before you go into problem-solving mode, you must first establish what the problem is and get a solid understanding of all its components.

Start by answering a few questions, such as:

• Who is involved?
• What exactly happened?
• What caused the situation?
• Where did this problem occur?
• Why did it happen?
• What are the immediate effects of this problem?
• How is this problem affecting others?
• How is this problem affecting workflow?

By tackling some of these questions, you’ll be able to understand the full scale of the problem you’re facing, as well as all the aspects you’ll need to consider before you begin working on a solution.

Step 2: Collect feedback

If the problem at hand involves different people, then it's vital to let them offer their insights, too.

Each person may have a different view of what the problem is and what may be causing it. By allowing others to voice their concerns and share their perspective, you can gain a well-rounded understanding of the issue at hand. That said, to be able to come up with an effective solution, you must separate opinion from fact.

You must also take people’s interests into account. How is this problem affecting them? What solution would benefit them? Using tools such as surveys and hosting discussions could be an effective way to receive honest feedback and suggestions.

Step 3: Identify the source of the issue

Beyond defining the problem that you’re faced with, you may also need to identify the root of the problem. This will guide you towards a solution that not only fixes the problem that lies at the surface but also resolve a far deeper issue that could cause more problems to arise in the future.

Using the information you’ve collected, along with the feedback you received, you’ll be able to determine what may be the underlying cause of the problem you’re facing.

For example, you may be working on a collaborative project with colleagues from different departments and teams. However, you’re facing constant delays due to wires getting constantly crossed.

The apparent problem might be a lack of communication and team effort but, in reality, the source of the issue could be that the team didn’t come up with an action plan and set any clear objectives before embarking on the project. Therefore, to come up with a solution, you must first understand where the problem is stemming from.

Step 4: Brainstorm for solutions

Once you’ve determined what the problem is, it’s time to start brainstorming for ways to resolve it. Depending on the nature of the issue, you could brainstorm independently or have others participate in this process.

At this stage, you’ll need to take into consideration all the information, insights and feedback you have received to come up with appropriate solutions that could address the problem without creating new issues in the process.

Allow your imagination to run wild, and consider options from different angles. That said, give yourself a framework to work with; you’ll need to define what the objectives and desired outcomes of these solutions are, as well as any other considerations and limitations that need to be taken into account. You’ll also need to set a deadline, both for this step and the entire process ahead.

Step 5: Utilize problem-solving techniques

When faced with a problem that needs to be resolved quickly and effectively, there are a few techniques you can integrate within the process, including:

The five whys

Use this method to get to the root cause of a problem. Start by defining the problem and then ask why this is occurring. Your answer must be objective and grounded in fact. Then, ask why again in succession to your first answer. Repeat this process three more times, each time framing your “why” around your latest response.

Six thinking hats

This technique allows you to view the outstanding problem from six different perspectives; by the time you have ‘’tried’’ all the hats, you will have a richer insight into the situation. If you’re working on a problem as a team, each person can ‘’wear’’ a different hat.

The blue hat manages the decision-making process , focusing on summarizing all information. The green hat explores creative ideas and solutions. The red hat prioritizes emotions and feelings. The yellow hat focuses on the positive side of each idea. The white hat represents facts and figures. Finally, the black hat uses criticism to cancel out bad ideas.

Failure mode and effects analysis

With this method, you can identify potential failures and problems within your solution strategy. This could require a deeper analysis as well as previous data to support this process. In the end, you’ll be able to take preventative measures before you implement any solutions.

This technique facilitates discussion among bigger groups, helping them approach a problem in a more relaxed and creative setting. To start, create a space modeled after a café, and then let participants discuss and explore ongoing problems.

Step 6: Evaluate the alternatives

Once the brainstorming stage has been completed, you’ll need to evaluate your ideas, considering their merits and fallbacks.

The alternative you choose needs to meet certain criteria. For example, it needs to be aligned to the objectives and goals you established. Furthermore, you must ensure that everyone involved in this process agrees with the choice. More importantly, you should take the feasibility of this solution into account by considering budget constraints, resources, time, and company policies.

Utilizing SWOT analysis will certainly help here. With it, you can identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats attached to each possible solution. Ultimately, this will allow you to select the most appropriate choice.

By measuring these alternatives against these guidelines, you’ll be able to evaluate them individually and determine which one is the wisest choice.

Step 7: Implement the chosen solution

So, you’ve defined the problem, brainstormed a solution, evaluated your options and made your choice on how to address the issue. Now, it’s time to create an implementation strategy and set its wheels in motion.

If you’re working on resolving a problem individually, then you’ll need to determine how to best implement the solution to the problem. Whether it’s a step-by-step action plan, a detailed to-do list or a multitiered scheme, breaking down the process in more digestible sections will help you get started.

Meanwhile, if you’re working as part of a team, tasks will need to be distributed accordingly and allocated to each team member based on their roles. It’s important to check in with others during this stage and ensure that the implementation strategy is going to plan. And in case it isn’t, you’ll need to reconvene accordingly.

Step 8: Monitor progress

Once you have implemented your solution, you’ll need to monitor the progress that is made. This will enable you to identify areas that might need to be adjusted or changed so that you can meet your initial objectives.

If this was a collective effort, then having open channels of communication with the rest of your team will help you gather necessary feedback, too.

Step 9: Document everything

An important step that you should enforce throughout this process is keeping a detailed record of everything. This could include minutes from brainstorming sessions, notes on the initial problem, and plans on the implementation strategy.

By doing so, you’ll be able to preserve everything that was discussed, considered and examined while working towards solving this problem, and it will also help you reevaluate certain decisions and outcomes as you monitor progress.

Key takeaways

When faced with complex situations, you must take the time to create a solution that will address the problem effectively and, hopefully, prevent it from reoccurring.

Use the above steps as a blueprint to guide yourself, and your team, through the problem-solving process. Before you can find a solution, you must first understand the problem in detail and gain insight into why it happened. From there on, you’ll be able to come up with an appropriate strategy that will address the issue at hand.

Got a question or want to share your own tips and thoughts on solving problems at work? Let us know in the comments section below.

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How to Solve Problems

• Laura Amico

To bring the best ideas forward, teams must build psychological safety.

Teams today aren’t just asked to execute tasks: They’re called upon to solve problems. You’d think that many brains working together would mean better solutions, but the reality is that too often problem-solving teams fall victim to inefficiency, conflict, and cautious conclusions. The two charts below will help your team think about how to collaborate better and come up with the best solutions for the thorniest challenges.

• Laura Amico is a former senior editor at Harvard Business Review.

Partner Center

40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse.

Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges , ideating on possible solutions , and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable .

In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems.

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What is problem solving?

Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a problem solving process that begins with identifying the issue, exploring its root causes, ideating and refining possible solutions before implementing and measuring the impact of that solution.

For simple or small problems, it can be tempting to skip straight to implementing what you believe is the right solution. The danger with this approach is that without exploring the true causes of the issue, it might just occur again or your chosen solution may cause other issues.

Particularly in the world of work, good problem solving means using data to back up each step of the process, bringing in new perspectives and effectively measuring the impact of your solution.

Effective problem solving can help ensure that your team or organization is well positioned to overcome challenges, be resilient to change and create innovation. In my experience, problem solving is a combination of skillset, mindset and process, and it’s especially vital for leaders to cultivate this skill.

What is the seven step problem solving process?

A problem solving process is a step-by-step framework from going from discovering a problem all the way through to implementing a solution.

With practice, this framework can become intuitive, and innovative companies tend to have a consistent and ongoing ability to discover and tackle challenges when they come up.

You might see everything from a four step problem solving process through to seven steps. While all these processes cover roughly the same ground, I’ve found a seven step problem solving process is helpful for making all key steps legible.

We’ll outline that process here and then follow with techniques you can use to explore and work on that step of the problem solving process with a group.

The seven-step problem solving process is:

1. Problem identification 

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem(s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they’re facing and wish to resolve.

Be sure to align with your team on the exact definition and nature of the problem you’re solving. An effective process is one where everyone is pulling in the same direction – ensure clarity and alignment now to help avoid misunderstandings later.

2. Problem analysis and refinement

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is  the   right problem . Choosing the right problem to solve means you are on the right path to creating the right solution.

At this stage, you may look deeper at the problem you identified to try and discover the root cause at the level of people or process. You may also spend some time sourcing data, consulting relevant parties and creating and refining a problem statement.

Problem refinement means adjusting scope or focus of the problem you will be aiming to solve based on what comes up during your analysis. As you analyze data sources, you might discover that the root cause means you need to adjust your problem statement. Alternatively, you might find that your original problem statement is too big to be meaningful approached within your current project.

Remember that the goal of any problem refinement is to help set the stage for effective solution development and deployment. Set the right focus and get buy-in from your team here and you’ll be well positioned to move forward with confidence.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or techniquess designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions. 

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can often come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold. 

4. Solution development

No solution is perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically. 

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your front-running solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose. 

5. Decision making and planning

Nearly there! Once you’ve got a set of possible, you’ll need to make a decision on which to implement. This can be a consensus-based group decision or it might be for a leader or major stakeholder to decide. You’ll find a set of effective decision making methods below.

Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution, there are some additional actions that also need to be decided upon. You’ll want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

Set clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups for your chosen solution. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group. 

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved. 

6. Solution implementation 

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving processes have the end goal of implementing an effective and impactful solution that your group has confidence in.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way. For some solutions, you might also implement a test with a small group and monitor results before rolling it out to an entire company.

You should have a clear owner for your solution who will oversee the plans you made together and help ensure they’re put into place. This person will often coordinate the implementation team and set-up processes to measure the efficacy of your solution too.

7. Solution evaluation 

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling it’s been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback.

You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives. 

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization. 

It’s also worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time.

What does an effective problem solving process look like?

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . In our experience, a well-structured problem solving workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

The format of a workshop ensures that you can get buy-in from your group, encourage free-thinking and solution exploration before making a decision on what to implement following the session.

This Design Sprint 2.0 template is an effective problem solving process from top agency AJ&Smart. It’s a great format for the entire problem solving process, with four-days of workshops designed to surface issues, explore solutions and even test a solution.

Check it for an example of how you might structure and run a problem solving process and feel free to copy and adjust it your needs!

For a shorter process you can run in a single afternoon, this remote problem solving agenda will guide you effectively in just a couple of hours.

Whatever the length of your workshop, by using SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Complete problem-solving methods

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

The Six Thinking Hats   #creative thinking   #meeting facilitation   #problem solving   #issue resolution   #idea generation   #conflict resolution   The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   It doesn’t matter where you work and what your job role is, if you work with other people together as a team, you will always encounter the same challenges: Unclear goals and miscommunication that cause busy work and overtime Unstructured meetings that leave attendants tired, confused and without clear outcomes. Frustration builds up because internal challenges to productivity are not addressed Sudden changes in priorities lead to a loss of focus and momentum Muddled compromise takes the place of clear decision- making, leaving everybody to come up with their own interpretation. In short, a lack of structure leads to a waste of time and effort, projects that drag on for too long and frustrated, burnt out teams. AJ&Smart has worked with some of the most innovative, productive companies in the world. What sets their teams apart from others is not better tools, bigger talent or more beautiful offices. The secret sauce to becoming a more productive, more creative and happier team is simple: Replace all open discussion or brainstorming with a structured process that leads to more ideas, clearer decisions and better outcomes. When a good process provides guardrails and a clear path to follow, it becomes easier to come up with ideas, make decisions and solve problems. This is why AJ&Smart created Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ). It’s a simple and short, but powerful group exercise that can be run either in-person, in the same room, or remotely with distributed teams.

Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for brainstorming solutions

Now you have the context and background of the problem you are trying to solving, now comes the time to start ideating and thinking about how you’ll solve the issue.

Here, you’ll want to encourage creative, free thinking and speed. Get as many ideas out as possible and explore different perspectives so you have the raw material for the next step.

Looking at a problem from a new angle can be one of the most effective ways of creating an effective solution. TRIZ is a problem-solving tool that asks the group to consider what they must not do in order to solve a challenge.

By reversing the discussion, new topics and taboo subjects often emerge, allowing the group to think more deeply and create ideas that confront the status quo in a safe and meaningful way. If you’re working on a problem that you’ve tried to solve before, TRIZ is a great problem-solving method to help your team get unblocked.

Making Space with TRIZ   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #issue resolution   You can clear space for innovation by helping a group let go of what it knows (but rarely admits) limits its success and by inviting creative destruction. TRIZ makes it possible to challenge sacred cows safely and encourages heretical thinking. The question “What must we stop doing to make progress on our deepest purpose?” induces seriously fun yet very courageous conversations. Since laughter often erupts, issues that are otherwise taboo get a chance to be aired and confronted. With creative destruction come opportunities for renewal as local action and innovation rush in to fill the vacuum. Whoosh!

Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Idea and Concept Development

Brainstorming without structure can quickly become chaotic or frustrating. In a problem-solving context, having an ideation framework to follow can help ensure your team is both creative and disciplined.

In this method, you’ll find an idea generation process that encourages your group to brainstorm effectively before developing their ideas and begin clustering them together. By using concepts such as Yes and…, more is more and postponing judgement, you can create the ideal conditions for brainstorming with ease.

Idea & Concept Development   #hyperisland   #innovation   #idea generation   Ideation and Concept Development is a process for groups to work creatively and collaboratively to generate creative ideas. It’s a general approach that can be adapted and customized to suit many different scenarios. It includes basic principles for idea generation and several steps for groups to work with. It also includes steps for idea selection and development.

Problem-solving techniques for developing and refining solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to develop and refine your ideas in order to bring them closer to a solution that actually solves the problem.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team think through their ideas and refine them as part of your problem solving process.

Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

Ensuring that everyone in a group is able to contribute to a discussion is vital during any problem solving process. Not only does this ensure all bases are covered, but its then easier to get buy-in and accountability when people have been able to contribute to the process.

1-2-4-All is a tried and tested facilitation technique where participants are asked to first brainstorm on a topic on their own. Next, they discuss and share ideas in a pair before moving into a small group. Those groups are then asked to present the best idea from their discussion to the rest of the team.

This method can be used in many different contexts effectively, though I find it particularly shines in the idea development stage of the process. Giving each participant time to concretize their ideas and develop them in progressively larger groups can create a great space for both innovation and psychological safety.

1-2-4-All   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #issue analysis   With this facilitation technique you can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. You can generate better ideas and more of them faster than ever before. You can tap the know-how and imagination that is distributed widely in places not known in advance. Open, generative conversation unfolds. Ideas and solutions are sifted in rapid fashion. Most importantly, participants own the ideas, so follow-up and implementation is simplified. No buy-in strategies needed! Simple and elegant!

15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Problem-solving techniques for making decisions and planning

After your group is happy with the possible solutions you’ve developed, now comes the time to choose which to implement. There’s more than one way to make a decision and the best option is often dependant on the needs and set-up of your group.

Sometimes, it’s the case that you’ll want to vote as a group on what is likely to be the most impactful solution. Other times, it might be down to a decision maker or major stakeholder to make the final decision. Whatever your process, here’s some techniques you can use to help you make a decision during your problem solving process.

How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

Straddling the gap between decision making and planning, MoSCoW is a simple and effective method that allows a group team to easily prioritize a set of possible options.

Use this method in a problem solving process by collecting and summarizing all your possible solutions and then categorize them into 4 sections: “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”.

This method is particularly useful when its less about choosing one possible solution and more about prioritorizing which to do first and which may not fit in the scope of your project. In my experience, complex challenges often require multiple small fixes, and this method can be a great way to move from a pile of things you’d all like to do to a structured plan.

MoSCoW   #define intentions   #create   #design   #action   #remote-friendly   MoSCoW is a method that allows the team to prioritize the different features that they will work on. Features are then categorized into “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”. To be used at the beginning of a timeslot (for example during Sprint planning) and when planning is needed.

When it comes to managing the rollout of a solution, clarity and accountability are key factors in ensuring the success of the project. The RAACI chart is a simple but effective model for setting roles and responsibilities as part of a planning session.

Start by listing each person involved in the project and put them into the following groups in order to make it clear who is responsible for what during the rollout of your solution.

• Responsibility  (Which person and/or team will be taking action?)
• Authority  (At what “point” must the responsible person check in before going further?)
• Accountability  (Who must the responsible person check in with?)
• Consultation  (Who must be consulted by the responsible person before decisions are made?)
• Information  (Who must be informed of decisions, once made?)

Ensure this information is easily accessible and use it to inform who does what and who is looped into discussions and kept up to date.

RAACI   #roles and responsibility   #teamwork   #project management   Clarifying roles and responsibilities, levels of autonomy/latitude in decision making, and levels of engagement among diverse stakeholders.

Problem-solving warm-up activities

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process. Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Closing activities for a problem-solving process

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Tips for effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Create psychologically safe spaces for discussion

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner.

It can be tough for people to stand up and contribute if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions and where possible, create regular opportunities for challenges to be brought up organically.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

Save time and effort creating an effective problem solving process

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

Your list of techniques for problem solving can be helpfully extended by adding TRIZ to the list of techniques. TRIZ has 40 problem solving techniques derived from methods inventros and patent holders used to get new patents. About 10-12 are general approaches. many organization sponsor classes in TRIZ that are used to solve business problems or general organiztational problems. You can take a look at TRIZ and dwonload a free internet booklet to see if you feel it shound be included per your selection process.

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10 Problem-solving strategies to turn challenges on their head

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What is an example of problem-solving?

What are the 5 steps to problem-solving, 10 effective problem-solving strategies, what skills do efficient problem solvers have, how to improve your problem-solving skills.

Problems come in all shapes and sizes — from workplace conflict to budget cuts.

Creative problem-solving is one of the most in-demand skills in all roles and industries. It can boost an organization’s human capital and give it a competitive edge. 

Problem-solving strategies are ways of approaching problems that can help you look beyond the obvious answers and find the best solution to your problem . 

Let’s take a look at a five-step problem-solving process and how to combine it with proven problem-solving strategies. This will give you the tools and skills to solve even your most complex problems.

Good problem-solving is an essential part of the decision-making process . To see what a problem-solving process might look like in real life, let’s take a common problem for SaaS brands — decreasing customer churn rates.

To solve this problem, the company must first identify it. In this case, the problem is that the churn rate is too high. 

Next, they need to identify the root causes of the problem. This could be anything from their customer service experience to their email marketing campaigns. If there are several problems, they will need a separate problem-solving process for each one. 

Let’s say the problem is with email marketing — they’re not nurturing existing customers. Now that they’ve identified the problem, they can start using problem-solving strategies to look for solutions. 

This might look like coming up with special offers, discounts, or bonuses for existing customers. They need to find ways to remind them to use their products and services while providing added value. This will encourage customers to keep paying their monthly subscriptions.

They might also want to add incentives, such as access to a premium service at no extra cost after 12 months of membership. They could publish blog posts that help their customers solve common problems and share them as an email newsletter.

The company should set targets and a time frame in which to achieve them. This will allow leaders to measure progress and identify which actions yield the best results.

Perhaps you’ve got a problem you need to tackle. Or maybe you want to be prepared the next time one arises. Either way, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the five steps of problem-solving. 

Use this step-by-step problem-solving method with the strategies in the following section to find possible solutions to your problem.

1. Identify the problem

The first step is to know which problem you need to solve. Then, you need to find the root cause of the problem. 

The best course of action is to gather as much data as possible, speak to the people involved, and separate facts from opinions. 

Once this is done, formulate a statement that describes the problem. Use rational persuasion to make sure your team agrees .

2. Break the problem down 

Identifying the problem allows you to see which steps need to be taken to solve it. 

First, break the problem down into achievable blocks. Then, use strategic planning to set a time frame in which to solve the problem and establish a timeline for the completion of each stage.

3. Generate potential solutions

At this stage, the aim isn’t to evaluate possible solutions but to generate as many ideas as possible. 

Encourage your team to use creative thinking and be patient — the best solution may not be the first or most obvious one.

Use one or more of the different strategies in the following section to help come up with solutions — the more creative, the better.

4. Evaluate the possible solutions

Once you’ve generated potential solutions, narrow them down to a shortlist. Then, evaluate the options on your shortlist. 

There are usually many factors to consider. So when evaluating a solution, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will my team be on board with the proposition?
• Does the solution align with organizational goals ?
• Is the solution likely to achieve the desired outcomes?
• Is the solution realistic and possible with current resources and constraints?
• Will the solution solve the problem without causing additional unintended problems?

5. Implement and monitor the solutions

Once you’ve identified your solution and got buy-in from your team, it’s time to implement it. 

But the work doesn’t stop there. You need to monitor your solution to see whether it actually solves your problem. 

Request regular feedback from the team members involved and have a monitoring and evaluation plan in place to measure progress.

If the solution doesn’t achieve your desired results, start this step-by-step process again.

There are many different ways to approach problem-solving. Each is suitable for different types of problems. 

The most appropriate problem-solving techniques will depend on your specific problem. You may need to experiment with several strategies before you find a workable solution.

Here are 10 effective problem-solving strategies for you to try:

• Use a solution that worked before
• Brainstorming
• Work backward
• Use the Kipling method
• Draw the problem
• Use trial and error
• Sleep on it
• Get advice from your peers
• Use the Pareto principle
• Add successful solutions to your toolkit

Let’s break each of these down.

1. Use a solution that worked before

It might seem obvious, but if you’ve faced similar problems in the past, look back to what worked then. See if any of the solutions could apply to your current situation and, if so, replicate them.

2. Brainstorming

The more people you enlist to help solve the problem, the more potential solutions you can come up with.

Use different brainstorming techniques to workshop potential solutions with your team. They’ll likely bring something you haven’t thought of to the table.

3. Work backward

Working backward is a way to reverse engineer your problem. Imagine your problem has been solved, and make that the starting point.

Then, retrace your steps back to where you are now. This can help you see which course of action may be most effective.

4. Use the Kipling method

This is a method that poses six questions based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “ I Keep Six Honest Serving Men .” 

• What is the problem?
• Why is the problem important?
• When did the problem arise, and when does it need to be solved?
• How did the problem happen?
• Where is the problem occurring?
• Who does the problem affect?

Answering these questions can help you identify possible solutions.

5. Draw the problem

Sometimes it can be difficult to visualize all the components and moving parts of a problem and its solution. Drawing a diagram can help.

This technique is particularly helpful for solving process-related problems. For example, a product development team might want to decrease the time they take to fix bugs and create new iterations. Drawing the processes involved can help you see where improvements can be made.

6. Use trial-and-error

A trial-and-error approach can be useful when you have several possible solutions and want to test them to see which one works best.

7. Sleep on it

Finding the best solution to a problem is a process. Remember to take breaks and get enough rest . Sometimes, a walk around the block can bring inspiration, but you should sleep on it if possible.

A good night’s sleep helps us find creative solutions to problems. This is because when you sleep, your brain sorts through the day’s events and stores them as memories. This enables you to process your ideas at a subconscious level. 

If possible, give yourself a few days to develop and analyze possible solutions. You may find you have greater clarity after sleeping on it. Your mind will also be fresh, so you’ll be able to make better decisions.

8. Get advice from your peers

Getting input from a group of people can help you find solutions you may not have thought of on your own. 

For solo entrepreneurs or freelancers, this might look like hiring a coach or mentor or joining a mastermind group. 

For leaders , it might be consulting other members of the leadership team or working with a business coach .

It’s important to recognize you might not have all the skills, experience, or knowledge necessary to find a solution alone. 

9. Use the Pareto principle

The Pareto principle — also known as the 80/20 rule — can help you identify possible root causes and potential solutions for your problems.

Although it’s not a mathematical law, it’s a principle found throughout many aspects of business and life. For example, 20% of the sales reps in a company might close 80% of the sales. 

You may be able to narrow down the causes of your problem by applying the Pareto principle. This can also help you identify the most appropriate solutions.

10. Add successful solutions to your toolkit

Every situation is different, and the same solutions might not always work. But by keeping a record of successful problem-solving strategies, you can build up a solutions toolkit. 

These solutions may be applicable to future problems. Even if not, they may save you some of the time and work needed to come up with a new solution.

Improving problem-solving skills is essential for professional development — both yours and your team’s. Here are some of the key skills of effective problem solvers:

• Critical thinking and analytical skills
• Communication skills , including active listening
• Decision-making
• Planning and prioritization
• Emotional intelligence , including empathy and emotional regulation
• Time management
• Data analysis
• Research skills
• Project management

And they see problems as opportunities. Everyone is born with problem-solving skills. But accessing these abilities depends on how we view problems. Effective problem-solvers see problems as opportunities to learn and improve.

Ready to work on your problem-solving abilities? Get started with these seven tips.

1. Build your problem-solving skills

One of the best ways to improve your problem-solving skills is to learn from experts. Consider enrolling in organizational training , shadowing a mentor , or working with a coach .

2. Practice

Practice using your new problem-solving skills by applying them to smaller problems you might encounter in your daily life. 

Alternatively, imagine problematic scenarios that might arise at work and use problem-solving strategies to find hypothetical solutions.

3. Don’t try to find a solution right away

Often, the first solution you think of to solve a problem isn’t the most appropriate or effective.

Instead of thinking on the spot, give yourself time and use one or more of the problem-solving strategies above to activate your creative thinking. 

4. Ask for feedback

Receiving feedback is always important for learning and growth. Your perception of your problem-solving skills may be different from that of your colleagues. They can provide insights that help you improve. 

5. Learn new approaches and methodologies

There are entire books written about problem-solving methodologies if you want to take a deep dive into the subject. 

We recommend starting with “ Fixed — How to Perfect the Fine Art of Problem Solving ” by Amy E. Herman. 

6. Experiment

Tried-and-tested problem-solving techniques can be useful. However, they don’t teach you how to innovate and develop your own problem-solving approaches. 

Sometimes, an unconventional approach can lead to the development of a brilliant new idea or strategy. So don’t be afraid to suggest your most “out there” ideas.

7. Analyze the success of your competitors

Do you have competitors who have already solved the problem you’re facing? Look at what they did, and work backward to solve your own problem. 

For example, Netflix started in the 1990s as a DVD mail-rental company. Its main competitor at the time was Blockbuster. 

But when streaming became the norm in the early 2000s, both companies faced a crisis. Netflix innovated, unveiling its streaming service in 2007. 

If Blockbuster had followed Netflix’s example, it might have survived. Instead, it declared bankruptcy in 2010.

Use problem-solving strategies to uplevel your business

When facing a problem, it’s worth taking the time to find the right solution. 

Otherwise, we risk either running away from our problems or headlong into solutions. When we do this, we might miss out on other, better options.

Use the problem-solving strategies outlined above to find innovative solutions to your business’ most perplexing problems.

If you’re ready to take problem-solving to the next level, request a demo with BetterUp . Our expert coaches specialize in helping teams develop and implement strategies that work.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

8 creative solutions to your most challenging problems

5 problem-solving questions to prepare you for your next interview, 31 examples of problem solving performance review phrases, what are metacognitive skills examples in everyday life, what is lateral thinking 7 techniques to encourage creative ideas, leadership activities that encourage employee engagement, learn what process mapping is and how to create one (+ examples), how much do distractions cost 8 effects of lack of focus, 10 organizational skills that will put you a step ahead, the pareto principle: how the 80/20 rule can help you do more with less, thinking outside the box: 8 ways to become a creative problem solver, 3 problem statement examples and steps to write your own, 10 examples of principles that can guide your approach to work, contingency planning: 4 steps to prepare for the unexpected, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to master the seven-step problem-solving process

In this episode of the McKinsey Podcast , Simon London speaks with Charles Conn, CEO of venture-capital firm Oxford Sciences Innovation, and McKinsey senior partner Hugo Sarrazin about the complexities of different problem-solving strategies.

Podcast transcript

Simon London: Hello, and welcome to this episode of the McKinsey Podcast , with me, Simon London. What’s the number-one skill you need to succeed professionally? Salesmanship, perhaps? Or a facility with statistics? Or maybe the ability to communicate crisply and clearly? Many would argue that at the very top of the list comes problem solving: that is, the ability to think through and come up with an optimal course of action to address any complex challenge—in business, in public policy, or indeed in life.

Looked at this way, it’s no surprise that McKinsey takes problem solving very seriously, testing for it during the recruiting process and then honing it, in McKinsey consultants, through immersion in a structured seven-step method. To discuss the art of problem solving, I sat down in California with McKinsey senior partner Hugo Sarrazin and also with Charles Conn. Charles is a former McKinsey partner, entrepreneur, executive, and coauthor of the book Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything [John Wiley & Sons, 2018].

Charles and Hugo, welcome to the podcast. Thank you for being here.

Hugo Sarrazin: Our pleasure.

Charles Conn: It’s terrific to be here.

Simon London: Problem solving is a really interesting piece of terminology. It could mean so many different things. I have a son who’s a teenage climber. They talk about solving problems. Climbing is problem solving. Charles, when you talk about problem solving, what are you talking about?

Charles Conn: For me, problem solving is the answer to the question “What should I do?” It’s interesting when there’s uncertainty and complexity, and when it’s meaningful because there are consequences. Your son’s climbing is a perfect example. There are consequences, and it’s complicated, and there’s uncertainty—can he make that grab? I think we can apply that same frame almost at any level. You can think about questions like “What town would I like to live in?” or “Should I put solar panels on my roof?”

You might think that’s a funny thing to apply problem solving to, but in my mind it’s not fundamentally different from business problem solving, which answers the question “What should my strategy be?” Or problem solving at the policy level: “How do we combat climate change?” “Should I support the local school bond?” I think these are all part and parcel of the same type of question, “What should I do?”

I’m a big fan of structured problem solving. By following steps, we can more clearly understand what problem it is we’re solving, what are the components of the problem that we’re solving, which components are the most important ones for us to pay attention to, which analytic techniques we should apply to those, and how we can synthesize what we’ve learned back into a compelling story. That’s all it is, at its heart.

I think sometimes when people think about seven steps, they assume that there’s a rigidity to this. That’s not it at all. It’s actually to give you the scope for creativity, which often doesn’t exist when your problem solving is muddled.

Simon London: You were just talking about the seven-step process. That’s what’s written down in the book, but it’s a very McKinsey process as well. Without getting too deep into the weeds, let’s go through the steps, one by one. You were just talking about problem definition as being a particularly important thing to get right first. That’s the first step. Hugo, tell us about that.

Hugo Sarrazin: It is surprising how often people jump past this step and make a bunch of assumptions. The most powerful thing is to step back and ask the basic questions—“What are we trying to solve? What are the constraints that exist? What are the dependencies?” Let’s make those explicit and really push the thinking and defining. At McKinsey, we spend an enormous amount of time in writing that little statement, and the statement, if you’re a logic purist, is great. You debate. “Is it an ‘or’? Is it an ‘and’? What’s the action verb?” Because all these specific words help you get to the heart of what matters.

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Simon London: So this is a concise problem statement.

Hugo Sarrazin: Yeah. It’s not like “Can we grow in Japan?” That’s interesting, but it is “What, specifically, are we trying to uncover in the growth of a product in Japan? Or a segment in Japan? Or a channel in Japan?” When you spend an enormous amount of time, in the first meeting of the different stakeholders, debating this and having different people put forward what they think the problem definition is, you realize that people have completely different views of why they’re here. That, to me, is the most important step.

Charles Conn: I would agree with that. For me, the problem context is critical. When we understand “What are the forces acting upon your decision maker? How quickly is the answer needed? With what precision is the answer needed? Are there areas that are off limits or areas where we would particularly like to find our solution? Is the decision maker open to exploring other areas?” then you not only become more efficient, and move toward what we call the critical path in problem solving, but you also make it so much more likely that you’re not going to waste your time or your decision maker’s time.

How often do especially bright young people run off with half of the idea about what the problem is and start collecting data and start building models—only to discover that they’ve really gone off half-cocked.

Hugo Sarrazin: Yeah.

Charles Conn: And in the wrong direction.

Simon London: OK. So step one—and there is a real art and a structure to it—is define the problem. Step two, Charles?

Charles Conn: My favorite step is step two, which is to use logic trees to disaggregate the problem. Every problem we’re solving has some complexity and some uncertainty in it. The only way that we can really get our team working on the problem is to take the problem apart into logical pieces.

What we find, of course, is that the way to disaggregate the problem often gives you an insight into the answer to the problem quite quickly. I love to do two or three different cuts at it, each one giving a bit of a different insight into what might be going wrong. By doing sensible disaggregations, using logic trees, we can figure out which parts of the problem we should be looking at, and we can assign those different parts to team members.

Simon London: What’s a good example of a logic tree on a sort of ratable problem?

Charles Conn: Maybe the easiest one is the classic profit tree. Almost in every business that I would take a look at, I would start with a profit or return-on-assets tree. In its simplest form, you have the components of revenue, which are price and quantity, and the components of cost, which are cost and quantity. Each of those can be broken out. Cost can be broken into variable cost and fixed cost. The components of price can be broken into what your pricing scheme is. That simple tree often provides insight into what’s going on in a business or what the difference is between that business and the competitors.

If we add the leg, which is “What’s the asset base or investment element?”—so profit divided by assets—then we can ask the question “Is the business using its investments sensibly?” whether that’s in stores or in manufacturing or in transportation assets. I hope we can see just how simple this is, even though we’re describing it in words.

When I went to work with Gordon Moore at the Moore Foundation, the problem that he asked us to look at was “How can we save Pacific salmon?” Now, that sounds like an impossible question, but it was amenable to precisely the same type of disaggregation and allowed us to organize what became a 15-year effort to improve the likelihood of good outcomes for Pacific salmon.

Simon London: Now, is there a danger that your logic tree can be impossibly large? This, I think, brings us onto the third step in the process, which is that you have to prioritize.

Charles Conn: Absolutely. The third step, which we also emphasize, along with good problem definition, is rigorous prioritization—we ask the questions “How important is this lever or this branch of the tree in the overall outcome that we seek to achieve? How much can I move that lever?” Obviously, we try and focus our efforts on ones that have a big impact on the problem and the ones that we have the ability to change. With salmon, ocean conditions turned out to be a big lever, but not one that we could adjust. We focused our attention on fish habitats and fish-harvesting practices, which were big levers that we could affect.

People spend a lot of time arguing about branches that are either not important or that none of us can change. We see it in the public square. When we deal with questions at the policy level—“Should you support the death penalty?” “How do we affect climate change?” “How can we uncover the causes and address homelessness?”—it’s even more important that we’re focusing on levers that are big and movable.

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Simon London: Let’s move swiftly on to step four. You’ve defined your problem, you disaggregate it, you prioritize where you want to analyze—what you want to really look at hard. Then you got to the work plan. Now, what does that mean in practice?

Hugo Sarrazin: Depending on what you’ve prioritized, there are many things you could do. It could be breaking the work among the team members so that people have a clear piece of the work to do. It could be defining the specific analyses that need to get done and executed, and being clear on time lines. There’s always a level-one answer, there’s a level-two answer, there’s a level-three answer. Without being too flippant, I can solve any problem during a good dinner with wine. It won’t have a whole lot of backing.

Simon London: Not going to have a lot of depth to it.

Hugo Sarrazin: No, but it may be useful as a starting point. If the stakes are not that high, that could be OK. If it’s really high stakes, you may need level three and have the whole model validated in three different ways. You need to find a work plan that reflects the level of precision, the time frame you have, and the stakeholders you need to bring along in the exercise.

Charles Conn: I love the way you’ve described that, because, again, some people think of problem solving as a linear thing, but of course what’s critical is that it’s iterative. As you say, you can solve the problem in one day or even one hour.

Charles Conn: We encourage our teams everywhere to do that. We call it the one-day answer or the one-hour answer. In work planning, we’re always iterating. Every time you see a 50-page work plan that stretches out to three months, you know it’s wrong. It will be outmoded very quickly by that learning process that you described. Iterative problem solving is a critical part of this. Sometimes, people think work planning sounds dull, but it isn’t. It’s how we know what’s expected of us and when we need to deliver it and how we’re progressing toward the answer. It’s also the place where we can deal with biases. Bias is a feature of every human decision-making process. If we design our team interactions intelligently, we can avoid the worst sort of biases.

Simon London: Here we’re talking about cognitive biases primarily, right? It’s not that I’m biased against you because of your accent or something. These are the cognitive biases that behavioral sciences have shown we all carry around, things like anchoring, overoptimism—these kinds of things.

Both: Yeah.

Charles Conn: Availability bias is the one that I’m always alert to. You think you’ve seen the problem before, and therefore what’s available is your previous conception of it—and we have to be most careful about that. In any human setting, we also have to be careful about biases that are based on hierarchies, sometimes called sunflower bias. I’m sure, Hugo, with your teams, you make sure that the youngest team members speak first. Not the oldest team members, because it’s easy for people to look at who’s senior and alter their own creative approaches.

Hugo Sarrazin: It’s helpful, at that moment—if someone is asserting a point of view—to ask the question “This was true in what context?” You’re trying to apply something that worked in one context to a different one. That can be deadly if the context has changed, and that’s why organizations struggle to change. You promote all these people because they did something that worked well in the past, and then there’s a disruption in the industry, and they keep doing what got them promoted even though the context has changed.

Simon London: Right. Right.

Hugo Sarrazin: So it’s the same thing in problem solving.

Charles Conn: And it’s why diversity in our teams is so important. It’s one of the best things about the world that we’re in now. We’re likely to have people from different socioeconomic, ethnic, and national backgrounds, each of whom sees problems from a slightly different perspective. It is therefore much more likely that the team will uncover a truly creative and clever approach to problem solving.

Simon London: Let’s move on to step five. You’ve done your work plan. Now you’ve actually got to do the analysis. The thing that strikes me here is that the range of tools that we have at our disposal now, of course, is just huge, particularly with advances in computation, advanced analytics. There’s so many things that you can apply here. Just talk about the analysis stage. How do you pick the right tools?

Charles Conn: For me, the most important thing is that we start with simple heuristics and explanatory statistics before we go off and use the big-gun tools. We need to understand the shape and scope of our problem before we start applying these massive and complex analytical approaches.

Simon London: Would you agree with that?

Hugo Sarrazin: I agree. I think there are so many wonderful heuristics. You need to start there before you go deep into the modeling exercise. There’s an interesting dynamic that’s happening, though. In some cases, for some types of problems, it is even better to set yourself up to maximize your learning. Your problem-solving methodology is test and learn, test and learn, test and learn, and iterate. That is a heuristic in itself, the A/B testing that is used in many parts of the world. So that’s a problem-solving methodology. It’s nothing different. It just uses technology and feedback loops in a fast way. The other one is exploratory data analysis. When you’re dealing with a large-scale problem, and there’s so much data, I can get to the heuristics that Charles was talking about through very clever visualization of data.

You test with your data. You need to set up an environment to do so, but don’t get caught up in neural-network modeling immediately. You’re testing, you’re checking—“Is the data right? Is it sound? Does it make sense?”—before you launch too far.

Simon London: You do hear these ideas—that if you have a big enough data set and enough algorithms, they’re going to find things that you just wouldn’t have spotted, find solutions that maybe you wouldn’t have thought of. Does machine learning sort of revolutionize the problem-solving process? Or are these actually just other tools in the toolbox for structured problem solving?

Charles Conn: It can be revolutionary. There are some areas in which the pattern recognition of large data sets and good algorithms can help us see things that we otherwise couldn’t see. But I do think it’s terribly important we don’t think that this particular technique is a substitute for superb problem solving, starting with good problem definition. Many people use machine learning without understanding algorithms that themselves can have biases built into them. Just as 20 years ago, when we were doing statistical analysis, we knew that we needed good model definition, we still need a good understanding of our algorithms and really good problem definition before we launch off into big data sets and unknown algorithms.

Simon London: Step six. You’ve done your analysis.

Charles Conn: I take six and seven together, and this is the place where young problem solvers often make a mistake. They’ve got their analysis, and they assume that’s the answer, and of course it isn’t the answer. The ability to synthesize the pieces that came out of the analysis and begin to weave those into a story that helps people answer the question “What should I do?” This is back to where we started. If we can’t synthesize, and we can’t tell a story, then our decision maker can’t find the answer to “What should I do?”

Simon London: But, again, these final steps are about motivating people to action, right?

Charles Conn: Yeah.

Simon London: I am slightly torn about the nomenclature of problem solving because it’s on paper, right? Until you motivate people to action, you actually haven’t solved anything.

Charles Conn: I love this question because I think decision-making theory, without a bias to action, is a waste of time. Everything in how I approach this is to help people take action that makes the world better.

Simon London: Hence, these are absolutely critical steps. If you don’t do this well, you’ve just got a bunch of analysis.

Charles Conn: We end up in exactly the same place where we started, which is people speaking across each other, past each other in the public square, rather than actually working together, shoulder to shoulder, to crack these important problems.

Simon London: In the real world, we have a lot of uncertainty—arguably, increasing uncertainty. How do good problem solvers deal with that?

Hugo Sarrazin: At every step of the process. In the problem definition, when you’re defining the context, you need to understand those sources of uncertainty and whether they’re important or not important. It becomes important in the definition of the tree.

You need to think carefully about the branches of the tree that are more certain and less certain as you define them. They don’t have equal weight just because they’ve got equal space on the page. Then, when you’re prioritizing, your prioritization approach may put more emphasis on things that have low probability but huge impact—or, vice versa, may put a lot of priority on things that are very likely and, hopefully, have a reasonable impact. You can introduce that along the way. When you come back to the synthesis, you just need to be nuanced about what you’re understanding, the likelihood.

Often, people lack humility in the way they make their recommendations: “This is the answer.” They’re very precise, and I think we would all be well-served to say, “This is a likely answer under the following sets of conditions” and then make the level of uncertainty clearer, if that is appropriate. It doesn’t mean you’re always in the gray zone; it doesn’t mean you don’t have a point of view. It just means that you can be explicit about the certainty of your answer when you make that recommendation.

Simon London: So it sounds like there is an underlying principle: “Acknowledge and embrace the uncertainty. Don’t pretend that it isn’t there. Be very clear about what the uncertainties are up front, and then build that into every step of the process.”

Hugo Sarrazin: Every step of the process.

Simon London: Yeah. We have just walked through a particular structured methodology for problem solving. But, of course, this is not the only structured methodology for problem solving. One that is also very well-known is design thinking, which comes at things very differently. So, Hugo, I know you have worked with a lot of designers. Just give us a very quick summary. Design thinking—what is it, and how does it relate?

Hugo Sarrazin: It starts with an incredible amount of empathy for the user and uses that to define the problem. It does pause and go out in the wild and spend an enormous amount of time seeing how people interact with objects, seeing the experience they’re getting, seeing the pain points or joy—and uses that to infer and define the problem.

Simon London: Problem definition, but out in the world.

Hugo Sarrazin: With an enormous amount of empathy. There’s a huge emphasis on empathy. Traditional, more classic problem solving is you define the problem based on an understanding of the situation. This one almost presupposes that we don’t know the problem until we go see it. The second thing is you need to come up with multiple scenarios or answers or ideas or concepts, and there’s a lot of divergent thinking initially. That’s slightly different, versus the prioritization, but not for long. Eventually, you need to kind of say, “OK, I’m going to converge again.” Then you go and you bring things back to the customer and get feedback and iterate. Then you rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat. There’s a lot of tactile building, along the way, of prototypes and things like that. It’s very iterative.

Simon London: So, Charles, are these complements or are these alternatives?

Charles Conn: I think they’re entirely complementary, and I think Hugo’s description is perfect. When we do problem definition well in classic problem solving, we are demonstrating the kind of empathy, at the very beginning of our problem, that design thinking asks us to approach. When we ideate—and that’s very similar to the disaggregation, prioritization, and work-planning steps—we do precisely the same thing, and often we use contrasting teams, so that we do have divergent thinking. The best teams allow divergent thinking to bump them off whatever their initial biases in problem solving are. For me, design thinking gives us a constant reminder of creativity, empathy, and the tactile nature of problem solving, but it’s absolutely complementary, not alternative.

Simon London: I think, in a world of cross-functional teams, an interesting question is do people with design-thinking backgrounds really work well together with classical problem solvers? How do you make that chemistry happen?

Hugo Sarrazin: Yeah, it is not easy when people have spent an enormous amount of time seeped in design thinking or user-centric design, whichever word you want to use. If the person who’s applying classic problem-solving methodology is very rigid and mechanical in the way they’re doing it, there could be an enormous amount of tension. If there’s not clarity in the role and not clarity in the process, I think having the two together can be, sometimes, problematic.

The second thing that happens often is that the artifacts the two methodologies try to gravitate toward can be different. Classic problem solving often gravitates toward a model; design thinking migrates toward a prototype. Rather than writing a big deck with all my supporting evidence, they’ll bring an example, a thing, and that feels different. Then you spend your time differently to achieve those two end products, so that’s another source of friction.

Now, I still think it can be an incredibly powerful thing to have the two—if there are the right people with the right mind-set, if there is a team that is explicit about the roles, if we’re clear about the kind of outcomes we are attempting to bring forward. There’s an enormous amount of collaborativeness and respect.

Simon London: But they have to respect each other’s methodology and be prepared to flex, maybe, a little bit, in how this process is going to work.

Hugo Sarrazin: Absolutely.

Simon London: The other area where, it strikes me, there could be a little bit of a different sort of friction is this whole concept of the day-one answer, which is what we were just talking about in classical problem solving. Now, you know that this is probably not going to be your final answer, but that’s how you begin to structure the problem. Whereas I would imagine your design thinkers—no, they’re going off to do their ethnographic research and get out into the field, potentially for a long time, before they come back with at least an initial hypothesis.

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Hugo Sarrazin: That is a great callout, and that’s another difference. Designers typically will like to soak into the situation and avoid converging too quickly. There’s optionality and exploring different options. There’s a strong belief that keeps the solution space wide enough that you can come up with more radical ideas. If there’s a large design team or many designers on the team, and you come on Friday and say, “What’s our week-one answer?” they’re going to struggle. They’re not going to be comfortable, naturally, to give that answer. It doesn’t mean they don’t have an answer; it’s just not where they are in their thinking process.

Simon London: I think we are, sadly, out of time for today. But Charles and Hugo, thank you so much.

Charles Conn: It was a pleasure to be here, Simon.

Hugo Sarrazin: It was a pleasure. Thank you.

Simon London: And thanks, as always, to you, our listeners, for tuning into this episode of the McKinsey Podcast . If you want to learn more about problem solving, you can find the book, Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything , online or order it through your local bookstore. To learn more about McKinsey, you can of course find us at McKinsey.com.

Charles Conn is CEO of Oxford Sciences Innovation and an alumnus of McKinsey’s Sydney office. Hugo Sarrazin is a senior partner in the Silicon Valley office, where Simon London, a member of McKinsey Publishing, is also based.

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How to Improve Problem Solving Skills in the Workplace

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In a career spanning over two decades in leadership and management, I’ve found myself at the epicenter of problem solving in the workplace more times than I can count. The nature of managing teams and leading projects means that each day comes with its own set of challenges, each presenting a new “fire” to extinguish.

This relentless demand for solutions has served not as a setback, but as a rigorous training ground for honing my problem solving skills. I’ve come to realize that the capability to effectively solve problems is not just an asset but a necessity in the fast-paced and ever-evolving workplace. The journey of refining these skills is continuous, demanding both dedication and a willingness to adapt.

This article aims to share insights and strategies on how to enhance problem solving skills in the workplace, drawing from lessons learned through firsthand experiences. Here, we’ll explore why cultivating strong problem solving abilities is crucial for professional growth and organizational success, and how you can systematically improve these skills to navigate the complex challenges of today’s work environment. Let’s dive in, and uncover the means to turn problems into opportunities for innovation and advancement.

Understanding the Importance of Problem Solving

In the modern workplace, the ability to tackle difficulties effectively is not a luxury, it is an absolute necessity. Problems can arise from a variety of sources: internal challenges, market competition, technological advancements, or unforeseen global events. Employees and leaders alike who excel in problem solving become invaluable assets to their organizations. But what makes problem-solving skills so crucial? Let’s unpack this.

Value in the Workplace

First and foremost, problem solving is directly linked to productivity and efficiency. A workforce adept in identifying issues quickly and proposing viable solutions can save a company from costly downtime and resource wastage. It is the oil that keeps the organizational machinery running smoothly.

Beyond the immediacy of resolving specific issues, problem-solving skills foster a proactive mindset. Rather than waiting for directives, employees who are skilled problem solvers take ownership and initiative. They are the ones who anticipate potential roadblocks and ward them off before they impact workflow.

Innovation and Adaptation

The constant push to find better, faster, and more cost-effective methods gives rise to innovation. When employees approach problems with a creative mindset, they often discover new ways of doing things that significantly improve operations. This adaptive quality ensures that a company is not just reacting to change but is staying ahead of it, prepared to pivot and embrace new opportunities.

Team Dynamics and Morale

A culture that values and develops problem-solving skills is also conducive to stronger team collaboration. When everyone brings their problem-solving ‘A-game’, it creates a synergistic effect where the sum is greater than its parts. Moreover, teams that solve problems together experience heightened morale and job satisfaction. Overcoming hurdles collectively strengthens workplace harmony and builds a sense of camaraderie and trust.

Risk Management

The strategic side of problem solving involves risk management—identifying potential issues before they become actual ones. Effective problem solvers are able to extract lessons from every challenge and apply them to future scenarios. This makes the business more resilient and able to handle adverse situations with more agility.

Measure of Leadership

Finally, for anyone in or aspiring to leadership, being a competent problem solver is a defining characteristic. Leaders are often judged by their capacity to navigate through crises and lead their teams to success. It’s not simply about extinguishing fires; it’s about doing so in a way that instills confidence and maintains or even boosts momentum.

Essential Problem-Solving Skills to Develop

To flourish in today’s complex business environment, mastering a set of core problem-solving skills is imperative. These skills serve as the toolkit for dismantling difficulties and turning them into opportunities. Here are some crucial abilities that professionals should foster:

Analytical Skills

The bedrock of problem solving is the ability to break down complex information into manageable parts. Analytical thinkers can dissect a problem and understand its components, which makes finding a solution more straightforward. Developing sharp analytical skills allows you to evaluate data methodically, recognize patterns, and isolate the variables that influence outcomes.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking goes hand-in-hand with analytical capabilities. It involves questioning assumptions, evaluating arguments, and considering the validity and reliability of data before making decisions. By honing critical thinking, you reinforce your judgment and decision-making processes, ensuring that your solutions are well-founded and not just spur-of-the-moment guesses.

Creative Thinking

While analytical and critical skills are important, sometimes the best solutions come from outside the proverbial box. Creative thinking unlocks innovative solutions to problems that may not be apparent using traditional methods. Cultivating creativity isn’t just for artistic pursuits; it’s about looking at challenges from fresh angles and being open to unconventional ideas that can lead to breakthroughs.

Emotional Intelligence

Problem solving is not solely an intellectual exercise; it often involves managing emotions and interpersonal relations. Emotional intelligence (EQ) empowers you to understand and manage your own emotions and those of others. High EQ leads to better communication and collaboration, which is essential when you’re working through problems in a team setting.

Decision-Making Skills

All the analysis, critical thought, and creativity ultimately aim at making decisions. Timely and decisive action is often required to resolve issues before they balloon. Training yourself to weigh the pros and cons and then confidently make choices is an essential component of effective problem solving.

Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is about seeing the big picture . Those skilled in strategy are able to formulate step-by-step plans that lead to solutions, considering both short-term results and long-term implications. This forward-thinking approach is invaluable for moving from problem identification to successful execution of solutions.

Adaptability and Flexibility

In a world where change is the only constant, being adaptable and flexible is key. Problems often don’t follow a script, and you need to be able to pivot and adjust your plans as new information or variables come into play.

Persistence

Finally, an often-overlooked aspect of problem solving is the persistence to follow through. Some problems are more complex and stubborn than others, requiring sustained effort and the resilience to face setbacks.

By intentionally cultivating these skills, you will become better equipped to face the multitude of challenges that the workplace can throw at you. Strengthening these capabilities is not an overnight affair but rather a continuous journey of personal and professional development to become a good problem solver. As you advance these essential problem-solving skills, you’ll find yourself becoming a go-to source for solutions in your workplace, deepening your value and effectiveness in your role.

Strategies to Enhance Problem Solving Skills

Developing effective problem-solving skills is a dynamic and continuous process. To better navigate the complexities of the workplace and personal challenges, it’s beneficial to adopt certain strategies that can enhance these skills over time. Below are some effective strategies to consider incorporating into your personal development plan :

Continuous Learning

Keeping abreast of industry trends, technological advancements, and professional knowledge is essential. Engaging in continuous learning through courses, workshops, and reading can expose you to new ideas and methodologies that enhance your problem-solving skills.

Practice Critical Analysis

Like any other skill, problem-solving abilities improve with practice. Try to tackle diverse problems, even if they’re hypothetical. Games and puzzles that require strategic thinking can also sharpen your problem-solving skills.

Reflect on Past Experiences

Maintaining a journal where you document thechallenges you’ve faced, the approaches you took, and the outcomes can help you analyze your growth. This reflection can provide insights into how your approaches can be improved or adapted for future issues.

Foster Creativity

Regular brainstorming sessions, either solo or in a group, can help you think outside the box and generate creative solutions. Don’t judge ideas as they come; the goal is to open up as many possibilities as you can, and then evaluate them later for viability.

Seek Diverse Perspectives

Different perspectives can lead to unique solutions. By networking with others and collaborating, you can experience different problem-solving styles and learn new techniques. This can be particularly useful in complex scenarios where interdisciplinary approaches might be beneficial.

Develop Emotional Intelligence

Since problem-solving often involves other people, understanding emotional dynamics can lead to better outcomes. Work on emotional intelligence by practicing empathy and self-awareness. Knowing how your emotions influence your decisions can help you manage them more effectively.

Implement Structured Problem-Solving Methods

Familiarize yourself with structured problem-solving techniques such as SWOT Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, or the Five Whys. These frameworks can provide a systematic approach to dissecting and addressing problems more effectively.

Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunities

Every problem-solving process offers a lesson. Embrace mistakes and analyze them to understand what went wrong and why. This analysis can turn failures into valuable learning opportunities, preventing similar mistakes in the future.

Prioritize Problems

Not all problems need to be solved immediately, and not all require the same amount of resources. Learning to prioritize problems based on their impact and urgency can enhance your effectiveness.

By incorporating these strategies into your regular practices, you can sharpen your problem-solving skills and become more adept at navigating the challenges of both your professional and personal life. Enhancing these skills not only makes you a more competent individual but also a valuable team player and leader in any organizational setting.

Training and Resources for Skill Enhancement

Developing and enhancing problem-solving skills is a journey that involves continual learning and growth. Thankfully, in today’s digital world, there are abundant resources and training opportunities available that cater to varying levels of expertise and professional fields. Utilizing these resources can significantly boost your ability to tackle complex problems effectively. Here’s a guide to some of the most valuable types and sources of training and resources available:

Online Courses and Workshops

Platforms like Coursera, edX, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses taught by industry professionals and university professors. These platforms cover a wide range of topics from analytical thinking, critical reasoning, and creative problem-solving, to specialized courses tailored to specific industries. Interactive workshops can also simulate real-life problem-solving scenarios, offering hands-on experience.

Books and eBooks

A wealth of knowledge exists in books focused on enhancing problem-solving skills. Titles such as “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, and “The Art of Problem Solving” by Russell L. Ackoff provide insights into human cognition and practical strategies for effective problem-solving. eBooks available on platforms like Amazon Kindle allow easy access to the latest titles as well as classic texts.

Professional Development Seminars

Industry-specific seminars hosted by professional bodies or trade associations can be invaluable. These seminars often address current challenges in the field and offer problem-solving techniques that are immediately applicable to your work. Attending these events also provides networking opportunities with peers who may have faced similar challenges.

Mentorship Programs

Finding a mentor in your field can provide personalized guidance on navigating professional challenges. Mentors can share their experiences, offer advice on developing problem-solving strategies, and provide feedback on your approach to different situations.

Group Discussion Forums and Online Communities

Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and specific professional networks (e.g., Stack Overflow for tech professionals) can be excellent resources for sharing and receiving advice on problem-solving. Engaging with these communities allows you to discuss real-world problems, explore multiple perspectives, and learn from the experiences of others.

Simulation Games

Strategic and simulation games (e.g., chess, SimCity, or even escape rooms) can be fun and effective ways to sharpen your strategic thinking and decision-making skills. These games challenge you to think ahead, anticipate problems, and devise solutions within constraints, mirroring real-life problem-solving situations.

YouTube Channels and TED Talks

Educational YouTube channels (such as TED-Ed or CrashCourse) and TED Talks offer free access to engaging content that can broaden your perspective and inspire innovative thinking. They cover a vast range of subjects, including psychology, business strategies, and science—all of which can enhance your problem-solving skills.

E-learning Apps

Mobile apps designed for learning new skills can be highly convenient. Apps like Lumosity, which offers brain-training exercises, or Brilliant.org , which focuses on problem-solving and critical thinking, allow you to practice and improve your skills on the go.

By leveraging these diverse training and resources, you can effectively enhance your problem-solving skills and apply them to your professional and personal life. Remember, the key to improvement is consistency and the willingness to step out of your comfort zone to tackle new challenges.

Practical Ways to Apply Problem Solving in Everyday Work

Incorporating problem-solving techniques into daily work routines can transform the way challenges are approached, making processes more efficient and outcomes more effective. Here are practical ways to apply problem-solving skills in everyday work:

Start with Clear Problem Definition

The first step in solving any problem is accurately defining it. Spend time understanding the issue at hand. Ask questions like, “What exactly is the problem?”, “Why is it a problem?”, and “What are the consequences of this problem?” A clear, concise problem statement paves the way for focused and effective solutions.

Break Down the Problem

Large or complex problems can seem daunting at first. Break them down into smaller, more manageable components. This approach makes it easier to tackle each part of the problem systematically, without feeling overwhelmed. Analyzing smaller pieces of the puzzle often reveals insights that apply to the problem at large.

Implement the 5 Whys Technique

Originating from lean manufacturing practices, the 5 Whys technique is about asking “Why?” a minimum of five times to drill down into the root cause of a problem. This method encourages deeper investigation beyond surface-level issues and can uncover underlying problems that, once solved, prevent future occurrences.

Leverage Diverse Perspectives

Collaboration can bring diverse perspectives to the table, shedding new light on the problem. Encourage team members to share their insights, experiences, and potential solutions. Sometimes, a fresh pair of eyes can see a solution that may not be apparent from a single viewpoint.

Apply Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves analyzing facts to understand a problem or topic objectively. It requires distancing yourself from emotional responses to evaluate data and evidence logically. In the context of problem-solving, this means looking at all angles of a problem, questioning assumptions, and considering various outcomes before deciding on a course of action.

Experiment with Brainstorming and Mind Mapping

Brainstorming sessions can generate a multitude of solutions in a short amount of time, making them invaluable for problem-solving. Mind mapping, on the other hand, can help visually organize thoughts, ideas, and potential solutions, making the relationships between different aspects of the problem and its possible solutions clearer.

Prioritize Solutions

Once potential solutions have been identified, evaluate and prioritize them based on criteria like feasibility, impact, and resource requirements. This step ensures that effort is invested in implementing solutions that are most likely to resolve the problem effectively.

Develop an Action Plan

An actionable plan outlines the steps needed to implement the chosen solution. This plan should include tasks, timelines, responsible individuals, and resources needed. Breaking the solution down into manageable steps ensures progress can be tracked, and adjustments can be made as needed.

Reflect and Learn from Outcomes

After implementing a solution, it’s crucial to assess its effectiveness. Did it solve the problem? What worked well, and what didn’t? Reflecting on these questions and learning from the outcomes is a critical part of the problem-solving process. It not only helps in refining current solutions but also enhances problem-solving skills for future challenges.

By integrating these practical strategies into everyday work, individuals and teams can foster a proactive problem-solving culture. This approach not only addresses issues more efficiently but also contributes to continuous improvement and innovation within the workplace.

Incorporating Problem Solving into Team Collaboration

Bringing problem-solving to the forefront of team collaboration not only enhances productivity but also drives innovation and team cohesion. Here are several strategies for effectively incorporating problem-solving into the fabric of team collaboration :

Foster Open Communication

Establish a communication-rich environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Encourage active listening and ensure that all voices are heard without judgment. This openness facilitates the free flow of information, which is critical for identifying issues and brainstorming solutions collaboratively.

Define Roles Clearly

Clearly defining roles within the team helps in streamlining the problem-solving process. Assign a facilitator to guide discussions, a scribe to document the process, and various roles based on team members’ unique skills and expertise. When everyone understands their responsibilities, the team can tackle problems more efficiently.

Utilize Group Problem-Solving Models

Adopt structured problem-solving models such as the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) or the Six Thinking Hats technique to give a clear framework to the collaborative process. These models help organize thoughts, manage the flow of ideas, and assess solutions systematically.

Create a Safe Space for Creativity

Innovative solutions often arise from creative thinking. Create a team culture where creativity is valued and nurtured. Establish an environment where it’s safe to take risks and where unconventional ideas are explored, not immediately dismissed.

Encourage Collaborative Tools

Leverage technology to facilitate collaboration. Use project management tools, shared documents, and digital whiteboards to allow team members to contribute ideas, organize thoughts, and track progress in real-time, even when working remotely.

Value Diverse Perspectives

Diversity within teams brings a range of perspectives to problem-solving, which can lead to more comprehensive and robust solutions. Encourage team members with different backgrounds, skills, and experiences to contribute their viewpoints. Recognize the value of diversity as a strength in the problem-solving process.

Implement Regular Group Reflection Sessions

After completing a project or resolving an issue, reconvene the team for reflection sessions. What was learned? What could have been done better? Reviewing the problem-solving process and the outcomes can offer valuable learning experiences that improve the teams’ ability to handle future issues collectively.

Establish a Clear Process for Decision Making

While consensus may be ideal, it’s not always practical. Establish a decision-making process that is transparent and fair, such as voting or taking turns to make final decisions. Having a process in place can help avoid conflict and ensure that decisions are made in a timely manner.

Empower Team Members

Empower individuals within the team to take initiative and make decisions within their scope. This empowerment can lead to faster problem resolution and encourages a sense of ownership and accountability within the team.

Celebrate Successes and Learn from Failures

Acknowledge when the team successfully solves a problem and celebrate the achievement, no matter how small. This positive reinforcement motivates team members for future problem-solving endeavors. Similarly, view failures not as setbacks but as learning opportunities, providing valuable insights for improvement.

Incorporating problem-solving into team collaboration isn’t just about fixing issues; it’s about building a dynamic, resilient, and innovative team capable of confronting any challenge that comes their way with confidence and collective expertise.

Measuring the Impact of Improved Problem-Solving Skills

As organizations and teams focus on enhancing problem-solving abilities, it becomes essential to measure the impact of these improvements. Evaluating the outcomes not only validates the effort invested in developing these skills but also guides future training and development initiatives. Here are approaches to quantitatively and qualitatively measure the impact of enhanced problem-solving skills within a team or organization:

Benchmarking Performance Metrics

Before and after implementing problem-solving training or initiatives, benchmark key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to the organization’s goals. Metrics such as customer satisfaction scores, product defect rates, service delivery times, and employee efficiency can provide tangible evidence of the impact of improved problem-solving skills. Monitoring these metrics over time helps in assessing the long-term effects on operational efficiency and productivity.

Employee Feedback and Self-Assessment

Gather feedback from team members about their confidence and competence in solving problems before and after training or initiatives. Surveys, interviews, and self-assessment tools can be used to measure perceived improvements in problem-solving abilities. Employees’ reflections on their growth and challenges provide invaluable insights into the effectiveness of development efforts and areas for further improvement.

Case Studies and Success Stories

Document specific instances where enhanced problem-solving skills led to significant positive outcomes—for example, a complex project delivered successfully, a critical issue resolved efficiently, or a notable innovation developed. These case studies serve as qualitative evidence of the impact and can be incredibly motivating for individuals and teams, illustrating the real-world applications and benefits of effective problem-solving.

Turnaround Time for Issue Resolution

Measure the time taken to identify, address, and resolve issues before and after applying focused problem-solving strategies. A reduction in the turnaround time indicates a more efficient problem-solving process. This metric can be particularly revealing in high-pressure environments where rapid response to challenges is crucial.

Innovation and Idea Implementation

Track the number of new ideas, innovations, and continuous improvement projects generated and implemented within a specific timeframe. Improved problem-solving skills often lead to a more innovative mindset and a higher rate of actionable ideas that can drive the organization forward.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Calculate the return on investment for training and development initiatives aimed at enhancing problem-solving skills. This can involve comparing the costs associated with these initiatives against the tangible benefits obtained, such as cost savings from efficiencies, increased sales from innovative products, or reduced waste and rework. Demonstrating a strong ROI is compelling evidence of the value of investing in problem-solving capabilities.

Employee Retention and Engagement

Examine trends in employee retention and engagement levels. Organizations that focus on developing problem-solving skills often see improvements in these areas because employees feel more empowered, valued, and capable. Higher engagement and lower turnover rates indirectly reflect the positive impact of a problem-solving culture.

Customer Feedback and Retention

Monitor changes in customer feedback and retention rates. Improvements in problem-solving can enhance product quality, customer service, and overall satisfaction, leading to positive feedback and higher retention. Changes in these metrics can provide insight into how enhanced problem-solving skills are perceived from the customer’s perspective.

By employing a combination of these quantitative and qualitative measures, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of improved problem-solving skills. This evaluative approach enables continuous improvement, helping to cultivate a culture of problem-solving that drives success and innovation.

Improving problem-solving skills in the workplace is crucial for any organization aiming to enhance efficiency, foster innovation, and maintain competitiveness. By encouraging a collaborative environment, providing ongoing training, implementing structured problem-solving frameworks, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement, teams can develop stronger analytical and creative thinking capabilities.

It’s essential for these efforts to be supported by managers and integrated into the core values of the organization to ensure their effectiveness and sustainability. As businesses work on refining these skills among their employees, they not only solve immediate challenges more effectively but also equip their workforce with the tools needed for future success. Thus, investing in and nurturing problem-solving skills becomes a pivotal strategy for organizational growth and resilience.

Your 4-Step Guide to Solving Any Problem at Work—Faster

At my company, we have a special group of individuals known as the “Escalation and Action Team.” They’re dedicated to solving our organization’s most critical problems, and recently, I had to submit an urgent one to them.

What was the issue, you ask? In short, my job is to pull outcome reports for our clients, indicating the prevalence of health risks and behaviors in the population (i.e., high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, sedentary behavior). One report I pulled excluded more than 75% of people who should’ve been in it.

As you can imagine, this wasn’t exactly ideal. I mean, if you ordered a pizza and the box only had two slices when it was delivered, would you just shrug and say “Oh well, better than nothing!”

Just as it’s the restaurant’s responsibility to provide you with the entire pizza you ordered, it’s my job to provide clients with the most detailed and accurate reporting so I can best inform the future of their program and the health of their participants.

The escalation team worked diligently to address the problem and kept me informed the entire way—I’m happy to report that problem’s fixed. And along the way, due to the team’s transparency, I learned a bit more about problem solving techniques .

So, next time you you run up against an obstacle, rather than panicking, try taking the following steps to tackle it.

1. Identify the Problem

I know. You’re looking at me and rolling your eyes. Identify the problem? I already know what it is, you fool. But—do you really?

When defining what’s wrong, you need to break it down and be as specific as possible. Instead of simply saying “This report is wrong,” I needed to provide the team with the following information:

• Why is the report wrong? “It does not have enough people in it.”
• How do you know the report is wrong? “I know that X amount participated, but the results of only 25% of that are showing.”
• When do you need a resolution by? “I need to be able to show the client the accurate data by [date].

As Michael Cooper , an executive business coach says , “A well-defined problem often contains its own solution within it, and that solution is usually quite obvious and straightforward.” According to Cooper, properly explaining an issue is “simple and any difficulty that arises is because it requires patience, repetition, and thorough examination. It is the most important element of critical thinking.”

2. Get to the Bottom of It

A huge part of solving an issue is finding the cause. Why did this happen?

Let’s go back to the pizza scenario quickly. The problem’s been identified: Your pizza arrives and it is missing six out of eight slices. But, why is the box almost empty?

There is a very big difference between “Oops, I accidentally grabbed the wrong box out of the car” and “Sorry, I ate most of your pizza on the drive over here.”

In Scenario A, the problem can be fixed by the delivery person returning to his car and grabbing the correct box. In Scenario B, well, someone needs to make you a whole new pizza or give you back all your money. Or both, actually. (Also, your pizza guy may need his job description read to him again.)

The solution you decide upon depends heavily upon the root of the cause. And while it may be a bit (or very) tedious to find the culprit, it will make finding the solution so much easier. Think about trying to unravel a knot in your headphones—if you keep pulling at the center, it just keeps getting worse and worse. But is you start at the end of the line, you can untangle it much more quickly.

3. Phone a Friend

I really like to figure things out on my own. Google is my best friend (I know, you’re jealous), and I like to dig through files and systems in an effort to find the answer. But, while I do believe you should try to gather as much info yourself before bringing in others, there are limits. There comes a certain point in which you’re just wasting time and running in circles.

Because I can get lost in a black hole of digging, I’ve developed a rule: Search for 30 minutes. If there’s no answer by then, call in the troops. Your colleagues can offer you different perspectives you may not see because you are so in the weeds with the problem. In addition, they may have historical knowledge you don’t have. Maybe this same thing’s arisen before, and they already know the solution. Don’t waste time resolving something that’s already been resolved.

There’s only so much I know about the back end of our reporting system. In fact, I know very little. I didn’t even have insight as to where I could look to find the magical answer. After I tried running the report, I pulled in the experts. Without them, I would still be sitting here with a dud.

Lastly, even if you can solve the problem on your own, you should still alert others to it for a few reasons:

• You don’t want anyone, especially your manager, to be blindsided by any impact it may have.
• Your co-workers can learn from your story.
• Others may have good ideas for how to prevent said problem from happening again.

4. Fix the Problem

Once you determine the steps that need to be taken in order to start fixing the issue, ask the appropriate people for help. Maybe you determine you can do it all yourself. But if you can’t, don’t take it all on as some kind of workplace martyr. For instance, if the solution requires someone to do some coding and that’s completely foreign to you, don’t try to do it . (You can learn how to code another time.)

Make sure that when you’re delegating, you provide all the necessary information: any background details they do not have, the desired outcome, and the specific time frame. Everybody needs to be on the exact same page.

Issues pop up. It’s life. Knowing a few problem solving strategies and how to deal with them will not only do wonders for your stress levels, but also for your career. After all, in a study by Burning Glass Technologies , this skill was listed in the top 10 skills employers search for in the majority of career areas.

Do you have a different approach when something goes wrong at work? Let me know on Twitter !

Building future workplaces

5 Simple Steps to Effective Problem Solving

The ability to solve problems is a crucial skill in the modern workplace. It can make the difference between success and failure, and it can help you navigate the complexities of a fast-paced environment. But what exactly is effective problem solving? And how can you develop the skills needed to solve problems efficiently and effectively?

Effective problem solving involves several key steps that can help you identify the root cause of a problem, develop a plan of action, and implement that plan to achieve a successful outcome . Here are five simple steps you can take to develop your problem-solving skills and tackle any challenge that comes your way in the workplace.

Introduction

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you’re faced with a workplace problem, and you’re not sure where to start? Whether it’s a customer complaint, a team conflict, or a project delay, it’s essential to address it promptly to maintain productivity and morale. In this article, we’ll provide practical steps that can help you effectively solve problems at your workplace.

Step 1: Define the Problem

The first step in effective problem solving is to define the problem clearly. Take the time to analyze the issue and gather as much information as possible. It’s crucial to identify the cause of the problem and its impact on your team or organization. For example, if a team member is underperforming, it’s essential to understand the root cause of the issue and how it’s affecting the team’s productivity. Is it a lack of training, motivation, or resources? Are there external factors, such as personal issues or workload, that are affecting their performance?

Once you have a clear understanding of the problem, you can begin to develop a plan of action to address it. It’s important to involve all stakeholders in this process, including those who are directly affected by the problem, to ensure that you have a complete picture of the situation. Involving others in the process can also help you gain different perspectives and insights, which can be valuable in developing an effective solution.

Step 2: Brainstorm Possible Solutions

After identifying the problem, the next step is to brainstorm possible solutions. It’s important to be creative and come up with as many solutions as possible, even if they seem unrealistic or impractical. Brainstorming can be done individually or in a group setting, where team members can bounce ideas off each other. In a group setting, it’s important to create an open and safe environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their ideas. Remember to focus on generating ideas, without evaluating or criticizing them during the brainstorming session.

Once you have a list of possible solutions, evaluate each one based on their feasibility, potential impact, and costs. It’s important to consider the pros and cons of each solution before selecting the most appropriate one. Keep in mind that the solution may not be perfect, but it should be the best one available given the resources and constraints. By considering different options, you can increase the chances of finding an effective solution that addresses the problem.

Step 3: Evaluate the Solutions

When evaluating the solutions, it’s important to keep an open mind and consider different perspectives. Seek feedback from other team members or colleagues who may have a different point of view. It’s also important to consider the long-term effects of each solution, rather than just the immediate impact. For instance, while changing the project scope may seem like a quick fix to a delayed project, it could cause further delays or even impact the project’s success in the long run.

During the evaluation process, it’s essential to prioritize solutions based on their impact on the problem and their feasibility. Consider the resources, time, and effort required to implement each solution. Some solutions may be quick fixes that can be implemented immediately, while others may require more planning and preparation. It’s important to choose a solution that addresses the problem effectively while also being feasible to implement within the given resources and timeframe.

It’s also important to remember that not all solutions may work as expected. Be prepared to modify or pivot to a different solution if the initial solution does not yield the desired results. Additionally, ensure that the chosen solution aligns with the company’s policies and values and does not violate any ethical standards.

Step 4: Implement the Solution

Implementing the chosen solution requires careful planning and execution. The team needs to work together to ensure that the solution is implemented smoothly and efficiently. The plan should include a timeline, specific tasks, and deadlines. Assigning roles and responsibilities to each team member is crucial to ensure that everyone understands their role in the implementation process.

Effective communication is also essential during the implementation phase. The team should communicate regularly to discuss progress, identify any obstacles, and adjust the plan if necessary. For example, if the team decides to implement a new customer service strategy, they should train the customer service team, provide them with the necessary tools, and communicate the new strategy to customers.

It’s also important to track the progress of the implementation to ensure that everything is on track. Regular check-ins can help identify any problems early on and provide an opportunity to address them before they become bigger issues.

Step 5: Monitor and Adjust

Monitoring and adjusting the solution is crucial in ensuring that the problem is fully resolved. It’s essential to track the progress of the solution and evaluate its effectiveness. If the solution is not working as planned, it’s important to adjust it accordingly. This step requires flexibility and open communication among team members.

For example, if the team decided to adjust the project timeline, they should monitor the progress regularly and make adjustments if necessary. They should also communicate any changes to the stakeholders involved in the project. If the new timeline is not working, the team should be open to making further adjustments, such as revising the project scope or adding more resources.

Feedback plays a vital role in this step. It’s important to gather feedback from team members and stakeholders to ensure that the solution is meeting their needs. Feedback can also help identify any potential issues that may arise and allow the team to address them promptly.

Learning from mistakes is also an important aspect of effective problem solving. Every problem presents an opportunity to learn and grow. By reflecting on the process and the outcome, team members can identify areas for improvement and apply them in future problem-solving situations.

So, there you have it – a five-step process to solve any workplace problem like a pro! Whether it’s a pesky customer complaint, a tricky team conflict, or a stubborn project delay, you can tackle it with ease.

Remember, the first step is to define the problem – analyze it, gather information, and understand the root cause. Next, brainstorm possible solutions, even if they seem unrealistic or impractical. Get creative and come up with as many solutions as possible!

After that, evaluate the solutions by identifying their pros and cons, and choose the one that’s most feasible and practical. Make sure to consider the potential risks and benefits of each solution. Then, it’s time to implement the most practical solution. Develop a plan, communicate it to everyone involved, and assign roles and responsibilities.

Last but not least, monitor the progress and adjust the solution if necessary. Keep track of the progress and be open to feedback. Remember, learning from your mistakes is the key to success!

So, the next time you face a workplace problem, take a deep breath and follow these simple steps. You’ll be able to find a solution that works for everyone and become a valuable asset to your team or organization. With effective problem solving skills, you can maintain productivity, boost morale, and achieve success!

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The Art of Effective Problem Solving: A Step-by-Step Guide

Author: Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

Whether we realise it or not, problem solving skills are an important part of our daily lives. From resolving a minor annoyance at home to tackling complex business challenges at work, our ability to solve problems has a significant impact on our success and happiness. However, not everyone is naturally gifted at problem-solving, and even those who are can always improve their skills. In this blog post, we will go over the art of effective problem-solving step by step.

You will learn how to define a problem, gather information, assess alternatives, and implement a solution, all while honing your critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. Whether you’re a seasoned problem solver or just getting started, this guide will arm you with the knowledge and tools you need to face any challenge with confidence. So let’s get started!

Problem Solving Methodologies

Individuals and organisations can use a variety of problem-solving methodologies to address complex challenges. 8D and A3 problem solving techniques are two popular methodologies in the Lean Six Sigma framework.

Methodology of 8D (Eight Discipline) Problem Solving:

The 8D problem solving methodology is a systematic, team-based approach to problem solving. It is a method that guides a team through eight distinct steps to solve a problem in a systematic and comprehensive manner.

The 8D process consists of the following steps:

• Form a team: Assemble a group of people who have the necessary expertise to work on the problem.
• Define the issue: Clearly identify and define the problem, including the root cause and the customer impact.
• Create a temporary containment plan: Put in place a plan to lessen the impact of the problem until a permanent solution can be found.
• Identify the root cause: To identify the underlying causes of the problem, use root cause analysis techniques such as Fishbone diagrams and Pareto charts.
• Create and test long-term corrective actions: Create and test a long-term solution to eliminate the root cause of the problem.
• Implement and validate the permanent solution: Implement and validate the permanent solution’s effectiveness.
• Prevent recurrence: Put in place measures to keep the problem from recurring.
• Recognize and reward the team: Recognize and reward the team for its efforts.

Download the 8D Problem Solving Template

A3 Problem Solving Method:

The A3 problem solving technique is a visual, team-based problem-solving approach that is frequently used in Lean Six Sigma projects. The A3 report is a one-page document that clearly and concisely outlines the problem, root cause analysis, and proposed solution.

The A3 problem-solving procedure consists of the following steps:

• Determine the issue: Define the issue clearly, including its impact on the customer.
• Perform root cause analysis: Identify the underlying causes of the problem using root cause analysis techniques.
• Create and implement a solution: Create and implement a solution that addresses the problem’s root cause.
• Monitor and improve the solution: Keep an eye on the solution’s effectiveness and make any necessary changes.

Subsequently, in the Lean Six Sigma framework, the 8D and A3 problem solving methodologies are two popular approaches to problem solving. Both methodologies provide a structured, team-based problem-solving approach that guides individuals through a comprehensive and systematic process of identifying, analysing, and resolving problems in an effective and efficient manner.

Step 1 – Define the Problem

The definition of the problem is the first step in effective problem solving. This may appear to be a simple task, but it is actually quite difficult. This is because problems are frequently complex and multi-layered, making it easy to confuse symptoms with the underlying cause. To avoid this pitfall, it is critical to thoroughly understand the problem.

To begin, ask yourself some clarifying questions:

• What exactly is the issue?
• What are the problem’s symptoms or consequences?
• Who or what is impacted by the issue?
• When and where does the issue arise?

Answering these questions will assist you in determining the scope of the problem. However, simply describing the problem is not always sufficient; you must also identify the root cause. The root cause is the underlying cause of the problem and is usually the key to resolving it permanently.

Try asking “why” questions to find the root cause:

• What causes the problem?
• Why does it continue?
• Why does it have the effects that it does?

By repeatedly asking “ why ,” you’ll eventually get to the bottom of the problem. This is an important step in the problem-solving process because it ensures that you’re dealing with the root cause rather than just the symptoms.

Once you have a firm grasp on the issue, it is time to divide it into smaller, more manageable chunks. This makes tackling the problem easier and reduces the risk of becoming overwhelmed. For example, if you’re attempting to solve a complex business problem, you might divide it into smaller components like market research, product development, and sales strategies.

To summarise step 1, defining the problem is an important first step in effective problem-solving. You will be able to identify the root cause and break it down into manageable parts if you take the time to thoroughly understand the problem. This will prepare you for the next step in the problem-solving process, which is gathering information and brainstorming ideas.

Step 2 – Gather Information and Brainstorm Ideas

Gathering information and brainstorming ideas is the next step in effective problem solving. This entails researching the problem and relevant information, collaborating with others, and coming up with a variety of potential solutions. This increases your chances of finding the best solution to the problem.

Begin by researching the problem and relevant information. This could include reading articles, conducting surveys, or consulting with experts. The goal is to collect as much information as possible in order to better understand the problem and possible solutions.

Next, work with others to gather a variety of perspectives. Brainstorming with others can be an excellent way to come up with new and creative ideas. Encourage everyone to share their thoughts and ideas when working in a group, and make an effort to actively listen to what others have to say. Be open to new and unconventional ideas and resist the urge to dismiss them too quickly.

Finally, use brainstorming to generate a wide range of potential solutions. This is the place where you can let your imagination run wild. At this stage, don’t worry about the feasibility or practicality of the solutions; instead, focus on generating as many ideas as possible. Write down everything that comes to mind, no matter how ridiculous or unusual it may appear. This can be done individually or in groups.

Once you’ve compiled a list of potential solutions, it’s time to assess them and select the best one. This is the next step in the problem-solving process, which we’ll go over in greater detail in the following section.

Step 3 – Evaluate Options and Choose the Best Solution

Once you’ve compiled a list of potential solutions, it’s time to assess them and select the best one. This is the third step in effective problem solving, and it entails weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each solution, considering their feasibility and practicability, and selecting the solution that is most likely to solve the problem effectively.

To begin, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. This will assist you in determining the potential outcomes of each solution and deciding which is the best option. For example, a quick and easy solution may not be the most effective in the long run, whereas a more complex and time-consuming solution may be more effective in solving the problem in the long run.

Consider each solution’s feasibility and practicability. Consider the following:

• Can the solution be implemented within the available resources, time, and budget?
• What are the possible barriers to implementing the solution?
• Is the solution feasible in today’s political, economic, and social environment?

You’ll be able to tell which solutions are likely to succeed and which aren’t by assessing their feasibility and practicability.

Finally, choose the solution that is most likely to effectively solve the problem. This solution should be based on the criteria you’ve established, such as the advantages and disadvantages of each solution, their feasibility and practicability, and your overall goals.

It is critical to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to problems. What is effective for one person or situation may not be effective for another. This is why it is critical to consider a wide range of solutions and evaluate each one based on its ability to effectively solve the problem.

Step 4 – Implement and Monitor the Solution

When you’ve decided on the best solution, it’s time to put it into action. The fourth and final step in effective problem solving is to put the solution into action, monitor its progress, and make any necessary adjustments.

To begin, implement the solution. This may entail delegating tasks, developing a strategy, and allocating resources. Ascertain that everyone involved understands their role and responsibilities in the solution’s implementation.

Next, keep an eye on the solution’s progress. This may entail scheduling regular check-ins, tracking metrics, and soliciting feedback from others. You will be able to identify any potential roadblocks and make any necessary adjustments in a timely manner if you monitor the progress of the solution.

Finally, make any necessary modifications to the solution. This could entail changing the solution, altering the plan of action, or delegating different tasks. Be willing to make changes if they will improve the solution or help it solve the problem more effectively.

It’s important to remember that problem solving is an iterative process, and there may be times when you need to start from scratch. This is especially true if the initial solution does not effectively solve the problem. In these situations, it’s critical to be adaptable and flexible and to keep trying new solutions until you find the one that works best.

To summarise, effective problem solving is a critical skill that can assist individuals and organisations in overcoming challenges and achieving their objectives. Effective problem solving consists of four key steps: defining the problem, generating potential solutions, evaluating alternatives and selecting the best solution, and implementing the solution.

You can increase your chances of success in problem solving by following these steps and considering factors such as the pros and cons of each solution, their feasibility and practicability, and making any necessary adjustments. Furthermore, keep in mind that problem solving is an iterative process, and there may be times when you need to go back to the beginning and restart. Maintain your adaptability and try new solutions until you find the one that works best for you.

• Novick, L.R. and Bassok, M., 2005.  Problem Solving . Cambridge University Press.

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Daniel Croft

Hi im Daniel continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and over 10 years of real-world experience across a range sectors, I have a passion for optimizing processes and creating a culture of efficiency. I wanted to create Learn Lean Siigma to be a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights and provide all the guides, tools, techniques and templates I looked for in one place as someone new to the world of Lean Six Sigma and Continuous improvement.

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Land your dream job, how to apply your problem solving skills in the workplace.

Problem solving is a “soft skill” valued by just about every employer. And its importance will only grow in the future—the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2025 (and beyond), employers will increasingly seek out creative candidates with expertise in critical thinking and problem solving . 

You’ve probably practiced problem solving skills without realizing it; most of us solve multiple problems, large and small, on a regular basis as we go about our lives. But workplace problems often require a more methodical, collaborative approach. Here’s how to sharpen your problem solving competencies for a current or potential job . 

Identify and define the problem

The simplicity of the first step makes it easy to overlook. Before you can tackle a problem, though, you need a clear understanding of what the problem is. If you’re dealing with several issues at once, address them one at a time—you may find a lot of connected problems can be traced back to a single issue. Business coach Michael Cooper says, “ A well-defined problem often contains its own solution within it ,” and that might be the case for you. 

The next step is to explain the problem as specifically as you can. Start by asking yourself “Why is this a problem?” even if the answer seems obvious. The “why” will open up other questions you can use to generate problem-solving ideas and make the issue easier for others to understand. Just because something seems like a clear problem to you doesn’t mean it’ll feel that way to someone else. 

Using creativity 

One definition of creativity is the ability to consider a task in a different way, or to think of new approaches and angles. Many organizations and individuals find themselves running into the same problems over and over. A well-timed creative solution can break the cycle. 

One framework you can use is the Creative Problem Solving [CPS] process , formalized by theorists Alex Osborn and Sidney Parnes (Osborn came up with the term “ brainstorming ”). There are many variations on the specific steps of this process, but they all involve a period of idea generation or thinking up “creative challenges.” 

A creative challenge is a question designed to invite answers or suggestions. This can be as simple as replacing “I need to…” with “How can I…?” or “In what ways can I….?” Here’s what creative challenges might look like in a work context: 

• How could I manage my time more efficiently to meet this deadline?
• How can I reorganize my inbox so I see the most important messages first? 
• How could we use our internal communications software in a way that keeps messages from getting lost in the shuffle? 

Pro tip: Turning problem statements into questions is a key problem-solving skill. Questions are much more open-ended than statements, which makes it easier for you and others to find multiple possible responses.

Generating potential solutions

Next you’ll think of answers to your “creative challenge” questions. This is the problem solving skill normally called brainstorming. 

 First, get all your ideas in one place—ideally a document you can refer to and edit later. For instance, an idea generation process might be helpful when you’re coming up with: 

• Scenarios for a seminar that include in-person, virtual, and hybrid options 
• Ways to cover necessary shifts in an understaffed workplace (staggering people’s schedules, reassigning or rearranging duties, bringing in volunteers, etc.) 
• Presenting data for an annual report in a way that makes sense to readers (visual graphs, charts, a highlights reel, etc.) 

Once you’ve thought of as many solutions as possible, step back from the list—as long as the problem isn’t too time-sensitive—and come back with fresh eyes. 

The next step is to turn some of your ideas into actionable plans. When you see the solutions all together, you might discover how certain ideas are related and can form part of a connected strategy. 

Not every idea is going to be a winner, so here are tips for sifting through them: 

• Figure out in advance what criteria you’ll use to judge the ideas (like timeframe, budget restrictions, or other factors). 
• Consider previous experiences you’ve had with a similar problem. What worked and what didn’t? 
• Try the SWOT technique to think about all the angles of an idea. 
• Break down broader, more vague solutions into step-by-step tasks. 

Collaborating as a team 

At any point during this process, you may realize you don’t have the best skill set or expertise to solve the problem. Or you might simply want to bring in different perspectives. 

• Remember, creativity involves trying new approaches. Someone else may propose an idea that would never have occurred to you.
• Solutions will impact some employees differently than others, depending on their roles. On your own, you may not realize how your potential solutions affect other people. 
• Suspend judgment any time you’re generating creative challenges or ideas, in a group or on your own. This might not be easy, especially if you flat-out disagree with a colleague’s idea, but listen to their reasoning first. Everyone needs a chance to be heard. 

Ultimately the solution should be a group effort, even if one person is in charge of the process. Collaboration has the bonus effect of keeping everyone on the same page. When everyone understands the task, the details, and the logistics, there’s less confusion. 

Making a decision and moving forward

Once you’ve generated, narrowed down, and developed ideas, you’re ready to pick the solution you think will be most effective. 

After you implement your plan, you’ll practice another crucial problem-solving skill, evaluation. Come up with benchmark criteria to determine whether or not the solution is working. 

For instance, maybe you’ve arranged a way for staff members to take on new responsibilities after a colleague has left abruptly or a position is eliminated. Your evaluation benchmarks will probably include performance metrics to make sure the work is complete and up to organizational standards. You’ll also want to assess whether the staff members feel they can sustain their new workloads and whether tasks are being distributed fairly.

And once solutions get underway, they may not work out exactly as you thought they would. While that’s inconvenient, it doesn’t mean the problem-solving process failed. 

Problem solving is an ongoing effort, and if you do end up going back to the idea generation board, you’ll learn even more the next time. 

What problem solving tips and techniques have you found helpful? Feel free to comment and share. 

Amy Bergen is a writer based in Portland, Maine. She has experience in the social impact space in Baltimore, Maryland, the educational museum sphere in Columbus, Ohio, and the literary world of New York City.

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How to Nail your next Technical Interview

You may be missing out on a 66.5% salary hike*, nick camilleri, how many years of coding experience do you have, free course on 'sorting algorithms' by omkar deshpande (stanford phd, head of curriculum, ik).

How to Use Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

Last updated by Vartika Rai on Apr 01, 2024 at 01:09 PM | Reading time: 14 minutes

" We've been stuck at it for a week now, " thought Frank to himself. His team came across a simple bin-packing problem surrounding consecutive character strings that were seemingly impossible to solve, and had been running into the same error message every time someone hit the ‘Compile’ button.

The new guy on his team ( his first day ), who had been quiet the whole day, walked to the whiteboard and started jotting down something. When he was done, five minutes later, a solution pattern popped right out the whiteboard.

" Gosh! How did he do that? "

Well, we'll find out. Here's what we'll be covering in this article:

- What exactly is problem-solving?

- What will be the employer or manager looking for in you?

- How to approach a workplace problem?

- Problem-solving techniques in the workplace

Step 1: Thoroughly understand the problem

Step 2: Define the problem

Step 3: Strategize a solution

Step 4: Find alternate solutions

Step 5: Evaluate solutions and document everything

Step 6: Choose a solution

Step 7: Implement

Step 8: Monitor progress and make modifications accordingly

- What essential problem-solving skills do employers search for during the interview?

- How to highlight problem-solving skills in your resume?

What exactly is problem-solving?

Problems are a massive part of what we do in our day-to-day lives, be it at your home or workplace.

Problem-solving is the complete process of understanding and defining the problem, brainstorming a solution, finding alternatives, implementing the best solution, and making adjustments based on the outcome.

What do hiring managers look for?

One's problem-solving ability is a harmonious accord between instinct and immense practice. As your technical skills age with experience, so does your ability to identify patterns and solve problems effectively.

Almost each and every employer looks for effective problem-solving skills in a candidate when making a hiring decision. They look for an aspirant's natural talent to dig up patterns, look at the problem with a fresh perspective, and be realistic while providing solutions.

How to approach a workplace problem?

During computer science classes, you will find two types of students.

The first batch has a mindset that algorithms and data structures are only useful for passing the finals and getting an edge over others in interviews.

The second batch loves programming and aspires to write codes from scratch for each new project that they come across.While both mindsets may be partially correct, they do not hold up much.

In real-life situations and as part of an organization, your job drastically changes to one objective only: ' write the right amount of good code. '

For most projects, you will need to write quick, efficient codes to overcome difficult roadblocks. And the only way to achieve that skill is by getting acquainted with as many problems as possible.

Solve as many problems as possible. Learn as many Data Structures and Algorithms as you can. Get acquainted with the basics of reusing a chunk of code. Make StackOverflow your default homepage.

Does that seem too groundbreaking? Let us simplify it for you.

Problem-solving techniques in the workplace

See, a lot of people understand the problem at hand and the syntax or logic that might explain the issue. The primary thing you need to learn is how to convert your thoughts into code to all the creative geniuses out there.

If you need a comprehensive set of instructions, here are the problem-solving steps that you can adopt in your day-to-day lifestyle. This procedure applies not only to coding problems but also to other general hiccups.

While some have the mental affluence to solve problems on the go, keep practicing these daily, and you too will develop critical thinking skills.

The first and most crucial step in solving a problem is to comprehend the standing concepts behind it. Believe us when we say this, a lot of employees jump to providing suggestions before actually understanding what the problem is.

A quick way to gauge your understanding is verifying if you can explain the problem to someone else. This also ties into your communication skills, and employers will gauge your ability to converse issues and solutions effectively. It is, thus, also one of the essential interview preparation tips for you.

Hiring managers have a behavioral question that they like asking, which revolves around the following:

" How will you be explaining a complex technical concept to a person who is not very sound technically? "

Ask yourself these questions and make a note of the solutions as you go.

• What exactly is the end goal?
• What are the variables?
• Do you understand every concept revolving the problem?
• Are you familiar with the provided measurement units?
• What information is missing?
• Is there any unnecessary information?
• Can you verify the information from a bona fide source?

The next step in this process is accumulating every bit of necessary information so that you can start assembling a solution. Now, this isn't as easy as it sounds, and you can effortlessly mess up things during proceedings.

Strangely, at this time, do not focus on the solution. Instead, focus on defining the question.

Therefore, instead of saying ' the sale numbers need to be consistent in the next quarter, ' say ' the sale numbers are inconsistent. '

Based on the information you collected in step 1, start separating the facts from estimations. Analyze the procedures that have been used previously and make precise adjustments based on the company policies.

Now that you have understood the problem and defined it, start strategizing a solution for it based on your findings. Workplace solutions can be majorly categorized into two different kinds, i.e. tactical solutions and strategic solutions .

A tactical solution is a short-term fix for a standing obstacle, more like a workaround for an issue. Imagine reusing a piece of code from your last project to get around that pesky error message in your new one.

A strategic solution, on the other hand, is a long-term fix for an issue. Strategic solutions involve using a comprehensive series of steps to find the overall architecture of a problem.

Usually, workplaces adopt the following problem-solving strategies into their policies.

• Use logical reasoning
• Recognize patterns
• Reverse engineer the problem
• Try a different point of view
• Consider worst-case scenarios
• Relate to a more straightforward real-life problem
• Data organization
• Prepare a visual representation
• Take all possibilities into account
• Intelligent guessing and testing

Your goal as an employee should be to become as fluent in these strategies as possible. Once you can naturally zoom into the problem, you will be able to form a strategy within minutes, without having to write anything down.

Are you starting to understand how the new guy deduced a solution that quickly?

Keeping the goals and objectives in mind, understand that there's always more than one way to skin a cat . Invite your team members and other experienced guys to brainstorm ideas alongside you.

For each problem, you should be able to find at least THREE different points of view or solutions, each with a unique USP.

Here's a neat little trick you may find useful someday in your career. Invite everyone associated with the project to this brainstorming session. Making sure that everybody gets equal participation is one of the ways you can exhibit your leadership skills while forging strong workplace relationships.

Now that you have found alternate solutions as well, it's time to evaluate these solutions. You will need to assess each solution based on various factors and list down all the pros and cons of each alternative you found in solution 4.

Create a document or spreadsheet listing down the USPs of each alternative and the positive and negative consequences thereby. You can go on adding other columns such as budget constraints, time allocation, resource requirements, workforce, and other relevant data.

The ability to quickly evaluate solutions ties into your management skills. A manager will be able to evaluate and implement solutions based on such factors quickly. Train yourself to find as many parameters as you can find to analyze solutions effectively.

Basically, your main objective is to find one effective solution out of all the ones provided on the list. The solution you choose depends on various parameters, which can be one or all of the following:

• Cost-effectiveness
• Practicality
• Company policies and procedures

You can promote strong work ethics by running the chosen solution by everyone in your team or involved in the project before implementing it. Also, select the employees who will be actively implementing it, and ask for their feedback.

Implementing a solution does not merely mean diving headfirst with anything that you do. After you have collected the feedback and communicated the solution to everybody involved, here's what you will need to do next.

First, redefine the objectives , in brief, to help get a better idea of the end goal. Develop a simple action plan with defined timelines for the solution that you agreed upon in the step above.

Implement the chosen solution according to the action plan. Then, identify the measurable parameters to track success and failure rates.

Finally, set up communication channels for regular feedback and a contingency plan in case of a failure.

The last problem-solving step involves actively monitoring how the solution performs in real life and if it meets the end goal for which it was adopted in the first place.

Tally how the solution functions compared to how you expected it to perform and document all changes. Check the feedback channel for any discrepancy or issues that arise during the process.

If you feel that any modification will further optimize the process, implement it after running it with your team.

Improving problem-solving skills for programmers

• Understand the question and classify it as Corner-case or Edge-case
• Simplify and optimize your steps
• Write line-by-line pseudo code, focusing on the logic and steps rather than the syntax
• Translate it into a code
• Debug and remove repetitions
• Write comments to help you understand
• Get feedback regularly
• Practice again

What essential problem-solving skills do employers search for in interviews?

Problem-solving in the workplace is one of the most sought-after skills in any organization. During the interview, if you can highlight your ability to find creative solutions quickly along with your technical skills , you definitely have a better chance of making it to the next round.

Hiring managers tend to leave specific questions open-ended; the notion being that without a trail for the candidate to follow, they'll be able to understand better how the candidate thinks.

Some of the crucial problem-solving skills that employers look for in the candidate include the following:

" Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. " – Helen Keller

Effective problem-solving encompasses teamwork. As a problem-solver ( and a leader ), you need to show empathy towards your teammates, develop effective feedback channels, and use their input to solve the problem at hand.

Listening skills

A good listener in the workplace will be able to gather more valuable information and then use them to find unique solutions in the least possible time. Additionally, an active listener encourages every team member to get involved in the problem-solving steps , listens to their feedback, and comes up with a profitable solution.

However, ' saying ' that you have good listening skills outright defeats the purpose.

During the interview , maintain your composure and LISTEN quietly to the problem at hand. Understand the problem and its root cause; only then provide a solution.

Communication

Irrespective of the nature of a problem, you need to be able to communicate the issue and any possible solution effectively to everybody else involved in the project. You need to brush up your delivery skills and learn which points to communicate first and last.

Interviewers may either ask your proficiency with various communication channels such as e-mail, phone, and text or give you a behavioral task and test your ability to communicate with others in real-life situations.

Creativity and critical thinking

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." - Maya Angelou

Employers in this day and age are always on the lookout for an innovative thinker, one who can see the problem with a new set of eyes and bring a unique perspective to the team. You need to be able to establish the balance between cause and effect quickly, anticipate long-term effects of a solution that you implement, and lead your team to a new direction when stuck.

Decision-making

More often than not, decision-making is closely tied to an employee's problem-solving ability . Besides implementing solutions that your team comes up with, you should also be able to foresee the long-term effects and prevent catastrophes.

With quality technical interview preparation courses , you can further understand the importance of this step.  

How to highlight problem-solving skills in your resume?

Your resume is the first document that a hiring manager sees. The experience and skills you mention in your resume can help you secure an interview if it catches the recruiter's attention.

The first approach you can adopt is highlighting your analysis and problem-solving skills right under the hard skills. This approach shows that you are confident in your technical skills and can find and implement work-based solutions efficiently.

For a full-stack web developer, the following problem-solving skills can be mentioned.

Critical and creative thinking and proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NPM, Database Storage, Ruby on Rails. Good at problem-solving and working in teams.

Secondly, you can list your problem-solving ability under the work experience section. This is an excellent way to highlight your job experience and emphasizes that you learn and implement these skills in your work.

• Analyzed customer service feedback to predict interest in a sales campaign to attract a target audience group.
• Documented the standard processes and scripts using specialized software solutions which led to customer satisfaction increased by 45% in a quarter.
• Researched and launched a mobile app that reduced the school pickup time by 21 minutes.
• Altered the inventory safeguard protocols during hurricane season, saving $1 million in wastage.

Apart from using problem-solving skills in your workplace , a quick way to develop your skills is to ask many questions. Only by asking questions and analyzing the information at hand can you build a workplace reputation as someone who handles challenging situations wisely.

Vartika Rai

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8 Steps to Improve Problem-Solving Skills for the Workplace

Author: By Zenresume Editorial Team Updated on September 14, 2020

When employers are surveyed about the most important soft skills for employees, problem-solving almost always tops the list.

Problem-solving is a universal job skill. In any line of work, challenges will arise.

In my company, Transizion, my team and I solve problems each and every day. We’ve built our skills to tackle all types of obstacles. But it’s a time-consuming process that you need to be committed to.

Strong problem solvers can expertly navigate unexpected issues. They also find creative solutions that improve processes and make them more efficient.

Boosting your problem-solving skills will make you a more effective employee and a more competitive candidate.

So, how can you get started?

Try the simple activities below to become a problem-solving pro.

1. Play Games That Stimulate the Brain

Challenge your brain with logic puzzles, sudoku, chess, or a Rubik’s cube. These brain teasers require both analysis and lateral thinking. Lateral thinking means solving problems with a more creative approach.

You’ve probably heard the term “Use it or lose it.” When we don’t confront challenges or think creatively, our ability to do so declines.

On the plus side, our brains are neuroplastic . They shift and change in response to our experiences and activities. When you consistently stimulate your brain with logic puzzles, your neural pathways become faster, stronger, and smarter. Solving problems becomes easier.

2. Stay Active

They say the best exercise for the brain is exercise. Numerous studies suggest that exercise positively impacts memory and thinking skills.

In fact, regular aerobic exercise boosts the size of the hippocampus , the area of the brain involved in learning and memory.

Exercise also reduces stress and anxiety while improving mood and sleep. Naturally, this results in clearer thinking.

Dancing, yoga, and strategic, fast-moving sports like soccer have also been shown to strengthen cognitive skills.

If you want to improve your ability to solve problems, get up and get moving!

3. Observe How Others Solve Problems

Do any of your colleagues have strong problem-solving skills? It’s helpful to observe their process and take note of how you can improve your own skills.

If possible, ask some of your more experienced co-workers about their problem-solving process.

• Is there a specific way they approach problems?
• How have they honed their skills?
• Do they have tips for improving your abilities in this area?

4. Learn a Problem-Solving Process

Often, out-of-the-box thinking is the best way to find new, innovative solutions to workplace problems. But having a clearly defined process is a great way to start improving your skills.

Here’s a typical problem-solving process you can practice:

• Define the problem. What is the problem? Who or what is it affecting? How serious is the problem?
• Determine what caused the problem . When did this problem occur? Why and how did it happen? Are you missing any information? If so, how can you gather more info?
• Brainstorm solutions. What are some potential solutions to this problem?
• Evaluate your options. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option? Can any of these options be combined? Which option(s) would most likely lead to your desired results?
• Choose an option. Why is this solution the best one? How will you put the solution into action?
• Measure outcomes. What results are you hoping for? How will you know when the problem has been solved? Is your solution working? If not, what other options will you try?

If you often feel overwhelmed by challenges, this structured process can help you tackle them one step at a time.

Need a CIA-approved problem-solving hack? Try the Phoenix Checklist —a handy tool CIA agents use to tackle unexpected problems!

5. Focus on Solutions

When we focus too heavily on a problem, our brains struggle to find solutions. Focusing on the problem activates negative thinking. In turn, negative thinking stimulates the fight or flight response or emotional reactions such as blaming.

Your brain power then goes to answering questions like: Why does dumb stuff like this always happen? Whose fault is this? How can I prove it’s not my fault?

Instead, save your energy for the important question: How can I solve this problem?

Remain calm. Once you’ve defined the problem, move on to solution-focused thinking. Instead of getting upset or finding fault, search your brain for helpful answers.

6. Ask “Why?”

Asking, “Why?” can help you get to the root of the problem and find an effective solution.

Let’s say your problem is that you’re frequently late to work. Why ?

• You always turn off your alarm, telling yourself, “I’ll get up in five more minutes.” Why do you have difficulty getting up when your alarm goes off?
• You don’t get enough sleep. Why ?
• You stay up too late. Why ?
• Maybe it’s because you drink too much caffeine during the day. Or you spend too much time scrolling through social media in bed.

Now, you can find a solution.

Have a cut-off time for caffeine and social media. Then you’ll sleep better, which will make it easier to get up in the morning and arrive to work on time.

Of course, this is a simple example. But asking “why” can always help you discover the root cause of an issue. And unless you’re addressing the root cause, you can’t truly solve the problem.

7. Try a Brain Dump

When brainstorming, a brain dump is usually the way to go. We often second-guess ourselves with thoughts like, “I’m not sure this will work,” or, “Maybe this idea is stupid.”

With a brain dump, you list everything that comes to mind. Literally. All of it. It doesn’t matter if it’s silly or unreasonable or just plain impossible. The goal is to stimulate creativity.

Ask yourself “What if…” or “Imagine if…” instead of shutting down your thought process with negativity.

Once you’ve recorded all your ideas, sift through them to find the best options.

8. Seek Out Opportunities to Solve Problems

Practice may not make perfect , but it certainly makes progress. Improve your problem-solving skills by practicing them consistently.

Look for opportunities to solve problems. Ask to join or sit-in on brainstorming sessions. Volunteer for new projects and put yourself in new situations.

Start approaching everyday challenges with a “what if” mentality. Seek fresh ideas and solutions, and jot them all down in a journal.

Over time, you’ll become more comfortable making decisions and more adept at solving problems.

So, what do you think?

What’s a major problem or challenge you’ve tackled at work? How did you solve it?

What tips have helped you improve your problem-solving skills?

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The 5 steps of the solving problem process

August 17, 2023 by MindManager Blog

Whether you run a business, manage a team, or work in an industry where change is the norm, it may feel like something is always going wrong. Thankfully, becoming proficient in the problem solving process can alleviate a great deal of the stress that business issues can create.

Understanding the right way to solve problems not only takes the guesswork out of how to deal with difficult, unexpected, or complex situations, it can lead to more effective long-term solutions.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the 5 steps of problem solving, and help you explore a few examples of problem solving scenarios where you can see the problem solving process in action before putting it to work.

Understanding the problem solving process

When something isn’t working, it’s important to understand what’s at the root of the problem so you can fix it and prevent it from happening again. That’s why resolving difficult or complex issues works best when you apply proven business problem solving tools and techniques – from soft skills, to software.

The problem solving process typically includes:

• Pinpointing what’s broken by gathering data and consulting with team members.
• Figuring out why it’s not working by mapping out and troubleshooting the problem.
• Deciding on the most effective way to fix it by brainstorming and then implementing a solution.

While skills like active listening, collaboration, and leadership play an important role in problem solving, tools like visual mapping software make it easier to define and share problem solving objectives, play out various solutions, and even put the best fit to work.

Before you can take your first step toward solving a problem, you need to have a clear idea of what the issue is and the outcome you want to achieve by resolving it.

For example, if your company currently manufactures 50 widgets a day, but you’ve started processing orders for 75 widgets a day, you could simply say you have a production deficit.

However, the problem solving process will prove far more valuable if you define the start and end point by clarifying that production is running short by 25 widgets a day, and you need to increase daily production by 50%.

Once you know where you’re at and where you need to end up, these five steps will take you from Point A to Point B:

• Figure out what’s causing the problem . You may need to gather knowledge and evaluate input from different documents, departments, and personnel to isolate the factors that are contributing to your problem. Knowledge visualization software like MindManager can help.
• Come up with a few viable solutions . Since hitting on exactly the right solution – right away – can be tough, brainstorming with your team and mapping out various scenarios is the best way to move forward. If your first strategy doesn’t pan out, you’ll have others on tap you can turn to.
• Choose the best option . Decision-making skills, and software that lets you lay out process relationships, priorities, and criteria, are invaluable for selecting the most promising solution. Whether it’s you or someone higher up making that choice, it should include weighing costs, time commitments, and any implementation hurdles.
• Put your chosen solution to work . Before implementing your fix of choice, you should make key personnel aware of changes that might affect their daily workflow, and set up benchmarks that will make it easy to see if your solution is working.
• Evaluate your outcome . Now comes the moment of truth: did the solution you implemented solve your problem? Do your benchmarks show you achieved the outcome you wanted? If so, congratulations! If not, you’ll need to tweak your solution to meet your problem solving goal.

In practice, you might not hit a home-run with every solution you execute. But the beauty of a repeatable process like problem solving is that you can carry out steps 4 and 5 again by drawing from the brainstorm options you documented during step 2.

Examples of problem solving scenarios

The best way to get a sense of how the problem solving process works before you try it for yourself is to work through some simple scenarios.

Here are three examples of how you can apply business problem solving techniques to common workplace challenges.

Scenario #1: Manufacturing

Building on our original manufacturing example, you determine that your company is consistently short producing 25 widgets a day and needs to increase daily production by 50%.

Since you’d like to gather data and input from both your manufacturing and sales order departments, you schedule a brainstorming session to discover the root cause of the shortage.

After examining four key production areas – machines, materials, methods, and management – you determine the cause of the problem: the material used to manufacture your widgets can only be fed into your equipment once the machinery warms up to a specific temperature for the day.

Your team comes up with three possible solutions.

• Leave your machinery running 24 hours so it’s always at temperature.
• Invest in equipment that heats up faster.
• Find an alternate material for your widgets.

After weighing the expense of the first two solutions, and conducting some online research, you decide that switching to a comparable but less expensive material that can be worked at a lower temperature is your best option.

You implement your plan, monitor your widget quality and output over the following week, and declare your solution a success when daily production increases by 100%.

Scenario #2: Service Delivery

Business training is booming and you’ve had to onboard new staff over the past month. Now you learn that several clients have expressed concern about the quality of your recent training sessions.

After speaking with both clients and staff, you discover there are actually two distinct factors contributing to your quality problem:

• The additional conference room you’ve leased to accommodate your expanding training sessions has terrible acoustics
• The AV equipment you’ve purchased to accommodate your expanding workforce is on back-order – and your new hires have been making do without

You could look for a new conference room or re-schedule upcoming training sessions until after your new equipment arrives. But your team collaboratively determines that the best way to mitigate both issues at once is by temporarily renting the high-quality sound and visual system they need.

Using benchmarks that include several weeks of feedback from session attendees, and random session spot-checks you conduct personally, you conclude the solution has worked.

Scenario #3: Marketing

You’ve invested heavily in product marketing, but still can’t meet your sales goals. Specifically, you missed your revenue target by 30% last year and would like to meet that same target this year.

After collecting and examining reams of information from your sales and accounting departments, you sit down with your marketing team to figure out what’s hindering your success in the marketplace.

Determining that your product isn’t competitively priced, you map out two viable solutions.

• Hire a third-party specialist to conduct a detailed market analysis.
• Drop the price of your product to undercut competitors.

Since you’re in a hurry for results, you decide to immediately reduce the price of your product and market it accordingly.

When revenue figures for the following quarter show sales have declined even further – and marketing surveys show potential customers are doubting the quality of your product – you revert back to your original pricing, revisit your problem solving process, and implement the market analysis solution instead.

With the valuable information you gain, you finally arrive at just the right product price for your target market and sales begin to pick up. Although you miss your revenue target again this year, you meet it by the second quarter of the following year.

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Tackling Workplace Challenges: How to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

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Picture this: you’re in the middle of your workday, and suddenly, a problem arises. Maybe it’s a miscommunication between team members, a tight deadline that’s getting closer, or an unhappy customer you need to appease.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

The thing is, facing challenges at work is pretty much inevitable. But what sets successful professionals apart is their knack for tackling these issues head-on with a problem-solving mindset.

You see, being a great problem solver is a game-changer in any work environment. It helps us navigate through obstacles, come up with creative solutions, and turn potential setbacks into opportunities for growth.

In this article, we will dive into some common workplace problems and explore real-life examples of problem-solving scenarios.

We’ll also share practical solutions and strategies that you can use to tackle these challenges, ultimately empowering you to become a more effective problem solver and team player.

Common Workplace Problems Businesses Experience

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of problem-solving scenarios, let’s take a quick look at some of the most common workplace problems that almost every professional encounters at some point in their career.

By understanding these challenges, we’ll be better equipped to recognize and address them effectively.

Communication breakdowns

Miscommunications and misunderstandings can happen to the best of us. With team members working together, sometimes remotely or across different time zones, it’s not surprising that communication breakdowns can occur. These issues can lead to confusion, missed deadlines, and even strained relationships within the team if left unaddressed.

Some examples of communication breakdowns include:

• Unclear instructions
• Lack of updates on project progress
• Messages lost in a sea of emails

Fostering open communication channels and utilizing collaboration tools can help teams stay connected and informed.

Conflicting priorities and resource allocation

With limited resources and multiple projects competing for attention, it can be challenging to determine which tasks should take precedence. Juggling conflicting priorities and allocating resources efficiently is a common workplace problem that can result in decreased productivity and increased stress if not managed properly.

For example, two high-priority projects might be scheduled simultaneously, leaving team members stretched thin and struggling to meet deadlines. Developing a clear project prioritization framework and regularly reviewing priorities can help teams stay focused and manage their resources effectively.

Employee performance issues

It’s not unusual for team members to face performance-related challenges occasionally. Employee performance issues can affect team productivity and morale, whether it’s due to a lack of skills, motivation, or other factors. Identifying and addressing these concerns early on is crucial for maintaining a high-performing and engaged team.

For instance, employees may struggle to keep up with their workload due to a skills gap or personal issues. Providing coaching, training, and support can help employees overcome performance challenges and contribute positively to the team’s success.

Customer satisfaction challenges

Meeting customer expectations and delivering exceptional service are goals for most organizations. However, addressing customer satisfaction challenges can be tricky, especially when dealing with diverse customer needs, tight deadlines, or limited resources.

Ensuring a customer-centric approach to problem-solving can help overcome these obstacles and keep your customers happy.

For example, a product might not meet customer expectations, resulting in negative feedback and returns. By actively listening to customer concerns, involving them in the solution process, and implementing improvements, organizations can turn customer dissatisfaction into opportunities for growth and enhanced customer loyalty.

Adapting to change

Change is inevitable in the modern workplace, whether due to new technology, evolving market conditions, or organizational restructuring. Adapting to change can be difficult for some team members, leading to resistance or fear of the unknown.

Embracing a flexible mindset and developing strategies to cope with change is essential for maintaining a productive and resilient work environment.

For instance, a company might introduce new software that requires employees to learn new skills, causing anxiety and frustration. By providing training, resources, and support, leaders can help team members adapt to change more effectively and even become champions of new initiatives.

How to Identify Workplace Problems

A problem-free workplace doesn’t exist.

Even if you run a well-oiled machine with many happy employees, it’s still a good idea to proactively search for any problems.

The earlier you can get ahead of issues, the easier it will be to put things right and avoid any breakdowns in productivity. Here’s how you can go about that:

Recognizing the Signs of Potential Issues

Before diving into problem-solving strategies, it’s essential first to identify the workplace problems that need attention.

Look out for signs that could indicate potential issues, such as decreased productivity and efficiency, increased employee turnover or dissatisfaction, frequent miscommunications, and conflicts, or declining customer satisfaction and recurring complaints. These red flags might signal underlying problems that require your attention and resolution.

Proactive Problem Identification Strategies

To stay ahead of potential issues, it’s crucial to adopt a proactive approach to problem identification. Open communication channels with your team members and encourage them to share their concerns, ideas, and feedback.

Regular performance reviews and feedback sessions can also help identify areas for improvement or potential problems before they escalate.

Fostering a culture of transparency and trust within the organization makes it easier for employees to voice their concerns without fear of retribution. Additionally, utilizing data-driven analysis and performance metrics can help you spot trends or anomalies that may indicate underlying problems.

Seeking Input from Various Sources

When identifying workplace problems, gathering input from various sources is crucial to ensure you’re getting a comprehensive and accurate picture of the situation. Employee surveys and suggestion boxes can provide valuable insights into potential issues.

At the same time, team meetings and brainstorming sessions can stimulate open discussions and creative problem-solving.

Cross-departmental collaboration is another effective way to identify potential problems, enabling different teams to share their perspectives and experiences. In some cases, it might be helpful to seek external expert consultations or benchmark against industry standards to gain a broader understanding of potential issues and identify best practices for resolving them.

Problem-Solving Scenario Examples and Solutions

Let’s dive into some real-life problem-solving scenarios, exploring the challenges and their practical solutions. We’ll discuss communication issues, conflicting priorities, employee performance, customer satisfaction, and managing change.

Remember, every situation is unique; these examples are just a starting point to inspire your problem-solving process.

Scenario 1: Resolving communication issues within a team

• Identifying the root causes: Let’s say your team has been missing deadlines and experiencing confusion due to poor communication. The first step is identifying the root causes, such as ineffective communication tools, unclear instructions, or a lack of regular updates.
• Implementing effective communication strategies: Implement strategies to improve communication. For example, consider adopting collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to streamline communication, establish clear channels for updates, and create guidelines for concise and transparent instructions.
• Encouraging a culture of openness and feedback: Cultivate a team culture that values openness and feedback. Encourage team members to voice concerns, ask questions, and share ideas. Regularly hold check-ins and retrospectives to discuss communication challenges and opportunities for improvement.

Scenario 2: Balancing conflicting priorities and resource constraints

• Evaluating project requirements and resources: In this scenario, you’re juggling two high-priority projects with limited resources. Start by evaluating each project’s requirements, resources, and potential impact on the organization.
• Prioritization techniques and delegation: Use prioritization techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix or MoSCoW method to rank tasks and allocate resources accordingly. Delegate tasks efficiently by matching team members’ skills and expertise with project requirements.
• Continuous monitoring and adjustment: Regularly monitor project progress and adjust priorities and resources as needed. Keep stakeholders informed about changes and maintain open lines of communication to ensure alignment and avoid surprises.

Scenario 3: Addressing employee performance concerns

• Identifying performance gaps: When an employee’s performance is below expectations, identify the specific areas that need improvement. Is it a skills gap, lack of motivation, or external factors like personal issues?
• Providing constructive feedback and support: Provide clear, constructive feedback to the employee, highlighting areas for improvement and offering support, such as training, coaching, or mentorship.
• Developing performance improvement plans: Collaborate with the employee to develop a performance improvement plan , outlining specific goals, timelines, and resources. Regularly review progress and adjust the plan as needed.

Scenario 4: Improving customer satisfaction

• Analyzing customer feedback and pain points: In this scenario, customers are dissatisfied with a product, resulting in negative feedback and returns. Analyze customer feedback to identify common pain points and areas for improvement.
• Implementing customer-centric solutions: Work with your team to develop and implement solutions that address customer concerns, such as enhancing product features or improving customer support.
• Monitoring progress and iterating for success: Regularly monitor customer satisfaction levels and gather feedback to assess the effectiveness of your solutions. Iterate and improve as needed to ensure continuous progress toward higher customer satisfaction.

Scenario 5: Managing change and uncertainty

• Assessing the impact of change on the organization: When faced with change, such as the introduction of new software, assess the potential impact on the organization, including the benefits, challenges, and required resources.
• Developing a change management plan: Create a comprehensive change management plan that includes communication strategies, training, and support resources to help team members adapt to the change.
• Fostering resilience and adaptability among team members: Encourage a culture of resilience and adaptability by providing ongoing support, celebrating small wins, and recognizing the efforts of team members who embrace and champion the change.

Scenario 6: Navigating team conflicts

• Identifying the sources of conflict: When conflicts arise within a team, it’s crucial to identify the underlying issues, such as personality clashes, competing interests, or poor communication.
• Facilitating open discussions and mediation: Arrange a meeting with the involved parties to discuss the conflict openly and objectively. Consider using a neutral third party to mediate the conversation, ensuring everyone’s perspective is heard and understood.
• Developing and implementing conflict resolution strategies: Work together to develop strategies for resolving the conflict, such as setting clear expectations, improving communication, or redefining roles and responsibilities. Monitor progress and adjust strategies as needed to ensure long-term resolution.

Scenario 7: Overcoming deadline pressure and time management challenges

• Assessing project progress and priorities: If a team is struggling to meet deadlines, assess project progress and review priorities. Identify tasks that are behind schedule, and determine if any can be reprioritized or delegated.
• Implementing time management techniques: Encourage the team to adopt effective time management techniques, such as the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking, to maximize productivity and stay focused on tasks.
• Adjusting project scope and resources as needed: In some cases, it may be necessary to adjust the project scope or allocate additional resources to ensure successful completion. Communicate any changes to stakeholders and maintain transparency throughout the process.

Scenario 8: Tackling low employee morale and engagement

• Identifying the causes of low morale: When faced with low employee morale, it’s essential to identify the contributing factors, such as lack of recognition, insufficient growth opportunities, or unrealistic expectations.
• Implementing targeted initiatives to boost morale: Develop and implement initiatives to address these factors, such as offering regular feedback and recognition, providing professional development opportunities, or reassessing workload and expectations.
• Monitoring and adjusting efforts to improve engagement: Regularly monitor employee morale and engagement through surveys or informal conversations. Adjust your initiatives to ensure continuous improvement and maintain a positive work environment.

Developing Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

As we’ve seen, problem-solving is a crucial skill for navigating the myriad challenges that can arise in the workplace. To become effective problem solvers, you must develop hard and soft skills that will allow you to tackle issues head-on and find the best solutions.

Let’s dive into these skills and discuss how to cultivate them in the workplace.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are non-technical, interpersonal abilities that help you interact effectively with others, navigate social situations, and perform well in the workplace. They are often referred to as “people skills” or “emotional intelligence” because they involve understanding and managing emotions and building relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.

Soft skills are typically learned through life experiences and personal development rather than formal education or training.

Examples of soft skills include:

• Critical thinking: Critical thinking is the ability to analyze a situation objectively, considering all relevant information before making a decision. To develop this skill, practice asking open-ended questions, challenging assumptions, and considering multiple perspectives when approaching a problem.
• Effective communication: Strong communication skills are vital for problem-solving, as they enable you to express your ideas clearly and listen actively to others. To improve your communication skills, focus on being concise, empathetic, and open to feedback. Remember that nonverbal communication, such as body language and tone, can be just as important as the words you choose.
• Collaboration and teamwork: Problem-solving often requires collaboration, as multiple minds can bring diverse perspectives and fresh ideas to the table. Foster a sense of teamwork by being open to others’ input, sharing knowledge, and recognizing the contributions of your colleagues.
• Emotional intelligence: The ability to recognize and manage your emotions, as well as empathize with others, can significantly impact your problem-solving abilities. To cultivate emotional intelligence, practice self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy when dealing with challenges or conflicts.
• Adaptability and resilience: In a constantly changing work environment, the ability to adapt and bounce back from setbacks is essential. Develop your adaptability and resilience by embracing change, learning from failure, and maintaining a growth mindset.

Hard Skills

Hard skills, on the other hand, are specific, teachable abilities that can be acquired through formal education, training, or on-the-job experience. These skills are typically technical, industry-specific, or job-related and can be easily quantified and measured.

Hard skills are often necessary for performing specific tasks or operating specialized tools and equipment.

Examples of hard skills include:

• Project management: Effective problem-solving often involves managing resources, timelines, and tasks. Improve your project management skills by learning popular methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall), setting clear goals, and monitoring progress.
• Data analysis and interpretation: Many problems require data analysis to identify trends, patterns, or insights that inform decision-making. Strengthen your data analysis skills by familiarizing yourself with relevant tools and software, such as Excel or Tableau, and practicing critical thinking when interpreting results.
• Technical proficiency: Depending on your industry, various technical skills may be crucial for problem-solving. Stay current with your field’s latest tools, technologies, and best practices by participating in workshops, online courses, or industry events.
• Decision-making: Strong decision-making skills are vital for problem-solving, as they enable you to evaluate options and choose the best course of action. Develop your decision-making abilities by learning about decision-making models (e.g., SWOT analysis, cost-benefit analysis, or decision trees) and applying them in real-life situations.

Both types of skills—soft and hard—play a crucial role in achieving success in the workplace, as they work together to create a well-rounded and highly effective employee. When combined, these skills enable individuals to excel in their roles and contribute significantly to their organization’s performance and productivity.

Boosting Your Problem-Solving Skills in the Workplace

Boosting your problem-solving skills in the workplace is essential for success, personal growth, and increased productivity.

To effectively improve these skills, consider the following strategies:

• Cultivate a growth mindset by embracing challenges as learning opportunities, being open to feedback, and believing in your ability to develop and improve.
• Enhance critical thinking and creativity by objectively analyzing information, considering multiple perspectives, and brainstorming innovative solutions.
• Develop effective communication skills, including active listening and clear articulation of your thoughts, to facilitate collaboration and problem-solving.
• Foster empathy and emotional intelligence to understand others’ emotions, perspectives, and needs, which can help you devise better solutions.
• Learn from experienced colleagues, study successful problem-solving strategies, and participate in professional development courses or workshops to gain new insights and techniques.
• Adopt a systematic approach to problem-solving by defining the problem, gathering and analyzing relevant information, generating and evaluating potential solutions, and implementing the chosen solution while monitoring its effectiveness.
• Stay organized and manage your time effectively by prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance and breaking complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts.
• Embrace change, be resilient and adaptable, and learn from failures and setbacks to stay flexible and open to new ideas.

By dedicating time and effort to improving these aspects of your problem-solving skills, you can become a more effective problem-solver, contributing positively to your workplace and enhancing your career prospects.

Problems in the workplace will continuously develop and evolve over time if left unaddressed. Proactively dealing with these issues is the most effective method to ensure a positive and productive work environment.

By honing your problem-solving skills, embracing a growth mindset, and fostering open communication, you can tackle challenges head-on and prevent minor issues from escalating into significant obstacles.

Remember, staying proactive, adaptable, and continuously refining your problem-solving strategies is crucial for professional success and personal growth in the ever-changing world of work.

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How to Accurately Estimate Costs & Budget for Your Project’s Success

How to Accurately Estimate Costs & Budget for Your Project’s SuccessIf you’re a project manager, then you know that one of your most important duties is to estimate the costs and budgets for your projects. Without accurate estimates, it’s nearly impossible to ensure that your project stays on track and within budget. Yet, many project …

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Max 8 min read

Project Management

The 6 Most Damaging Results of a Poor Project Plan and How to Avoid Them

The 6 Most Damaging Results of a Poor Project Plan and How to Avoid ThemProject planning is the process of setting project goals and developing a plan for how to achieve them. It’s an ongoing activity that helps teams stay on track and reach their goals throughout the project’s life cycle, but it also necessitates …

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Max 9 min read

The Ultimate Roundup of Free Project Management Software for 2023

The Ultimate Roundup of Free Project Management Software for 2023Are you, in search of free project management software for the year 2023? With projects becoming more complex and diverse the demand for user tools to manage them has never been greater. Using the right project management tools allows teams to plan, execute and monitor projects …

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Max 25 min read

Project Management Software Comparisons

Asana vs Wrike

Basecamp vs Slack

Smartsheet vs Airtable

Trello vs ClickUp

Monday.com vs Jira Work Management

Trello vs asana.

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