Problem solving

1.  Know the problem or goal. Analyze and limit the problem.  Identify the problem, not the symptoms.  A mistake many make is in “solving” the symptom.  Search for a root cause.  Continue to ask the “why” question until you get back to the root.  In determining the goal, you must begin with the end in mind.  What does the ideal situation look like?  Know where you want to go.

2.  Gather data. Look for facts and assumptions.  Facts are concrete data.  Typically, people think facts are better than assumptions.  But gathering facts can be expensive and time consuming.  Assumptions may be much easier and cheaper and with little risk.  For every assumption ask:  "What are the chances of being wrong in our assumption?" and "What is the penalty for being wrong?"   If the chance of error is small and the risk little, assumptions my be more preferable than facts.  For each assumption, develop a contingency plan.  Determine what you will do if this assumption proves to be false.

3.  List possible solutions. Be creative.  Actively listen.  Don't judge.  Give up ownership.  Aim for quantity, not quality.  A big mistake in brainstorming occurs when people feel the need to defend their ideas.  Keep the pace quick.  No judging.  No explaining.

4.  Test solutions. Dry run.  Use models.  Estimate.  You don’t need to do a full-scale mock-up to make sure the plan will work.  Don’t put more effort into the test than the actual solution.  The goal here is to determine the feasibility or limitations of the solution you’ve decided on.

5.  Select the best solution or combination of solutions. Fine-tune your use of resources.  Compare efficiency with effectiveness.  You may have several plans that would be effective but one that is most efficient.  Consider what is important in your solution.  Is time more important than money?  Is cost more important than quality?

6.  Implement the solution. Just do it.  Put the plan in action and evaluate the results.  Be objective.  You may gather more data as the plan unfolds.  Be prepared to tweak the plan as necessary to accommodate new data.  Whether the plan works of fails, evaluate the outcome to improve not only the plan (if you’ll use it again) but the process of planning.  Your evaluation may provide a wealth of information about the quality of your planning process.