SOLVE IT LIKE SHERLOCK
“Problems, problems I don`t know about you, but I rarely get through the day without facing more than my fair share of snags, mishaps and quandaries.”
Whether it`s my children wanting help with their maths homework, a doorknob dropping off or something else entirely, there`s always something going on to test my problem-solving mettle. In most cases, the solutions are self-evident-setting up a project team to sort out the knob less door chez Middleton would be a solution-generating sledgehammer to crack a problematic nut.
Once in a while, though, a bigger problem looms. On these occasions, it`s not always immediately apparent what should be done for the best. Indeed, sometimes it`s not absolutely clear what the problem is. That`s when I like to reach for the Xerox problem-solving process.
In fairness, there are any numbers of problem-solving processes out there that you could use. They all take you through the same essential process but break it up in different ways.
“After your brainstorming has generated lots of ideas for tackling your problems, whittle the ideas down to a realistic set of options but thinking about the most important criteria that your chosen solution will need to satisfy. For example, it might be most important to you that your solution saves money, or that it saves time or is accepted by everyone. Once you know your most important criteria, you can really get to grips with identifying and implementing the most appropriate solution.”
The Xerox approach isn`t inherently better than most of the others, but it does provide a structured basis for tackling the decent sized problems you`re like to come across at home and at work. It consists of six steps, namely.
· Identify and select the problem
· Analyze the problem
· Generate potential solution
· Implement the solution
· Evaluate the solution
Identify and select the problem:
What do we want to change? What`s going on that makes you think there`s a problem? Who is affected? When, where and how is it happening? Why is it happening? What`s the point of this? Use the evidence you`re gathering as a basis for coming up with a definition of the problems and what the desired outcome is.
Analyze the problem:
What`s currently stopping us from reaching the desired outcome? What seem to be the key causes?
Generate potential solution:
What are all the ways in which we could achieve the desired outcome? A brainstorming session (sometimes called a thought showers session in the more politically correct environment) would be the classic tool to use at this point.
Select and plan the solution:
Of all the possible solutions, what is the best way to solve this problem> what are the benefits and risks attached to each possible solution? Do we have the necessary resources? Do we have enough time to implement the approach?
Implement the solution:
Are we following the plan? Is the plan working as expected or does it need tweaking as we go along?
Evaluate the solution:
How we ll did it work? Did it turn out as expected? If not, what happened and why? How well will the implemented solution bear up in the future?
“All that is comes from the mind; it is based on the mind. It is fashioned by the mind.”
Whichever process you decide to go with, the benefits are the same. Any structured problem-solving process gives shape to your thinking. Offers the key tools you need at every key stage, and- most crucial of all-enables you to focus on the problem at hand.
CAclubindia
