SESSION 10: PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND GENERATING SOLUTIONS OR

IMPROVEMENT OF IDEAS

Business and Work Improvement Course

MODULE OUTLINE

1. Problem Definition and Analysis

2. Generating Solution or

Improvement of Ideas

3. Enterprise/Project Visit through

Checklist Exercise

PROBLEM DEFINITION AND ANALYSIS

What is a Problem?

Scenario not matching the desired situation needing necessary improvement.

Actual performance does not meet the expected results.

Problems do not occur without a reason.

Difference between “What is” and “What might or should be”

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Problem analysis serves as a participatory, systematic method by mapping out the problems and look into causes and the effects that affects the overall operation of your business:

Cause and effect relationship

Encourage participation and critical thinking among planners.

Basic Questions to Ponder

What is the current or existing

situation? What is the gap?

Is it worth looking into?

What are the forces blocking

and forces pulling?

PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

Define Actual Causes

Identify Probable Causes

Analyze the

Problem in Details

Set the Problem

Statement

Define the Problem

STEPS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

1 DEFINE THE PROBLEM

Acknowledge first that the problem exists to make yourself committed in the process

Find the right persons who might know anything useful about the problem

List the pros and cons of doing the problem solving to eliminate issues that hold you back.

1 DEFINE THE PROBLEM

2 SETTING THE PROBLEM STATEMENT

Problem statement gives you the general context to determine the scope wherein you can reasonably solve

Integrates the specific details coming out from the above-mentioned basic questions

Should be clear and precise so that all stakeholders can understand it and be able to make practical solutions.

3 ANALYZE THE PROBLEM IN DETAILS

Do not focus only on what is wrong but also consider valid and correct details.

4 IDENTIFY PROBABLE CAUSES

Determine the differences of the present

performance from the optimal objective

based on the factors (location, time, and

people involved)

Determine what has changed to provide the

probable explanations to the problem

statement

5 DEFINE ACTUAL CAUSE(S)

Determine the actual explanation(s) among the identified probable explanations based on the symptoms identified and data collected

Ensure that your actual causes lead to the actions or problems identified to prove that the analysis is correct and reliable

REMINDERS

1. Be realistic in identifying problem causes.

2. Engage the relevant stakeholder moreactively in brainstorming sessions to generatemore diverse perspectives about the issuematter.

REMINDERS

3. Avoid jumping straight to conclusion aboutthe cause. Remember to support yourarguments with valid and relevantdata/information.

4. Keep committed on the problem-solvingprocess.

GENERATING SOLUTIONS OR IMPROVEMENT OF IDEAS

OVERVIEW

Once the problem is identified, craft and workout practical yet effective solutions towardsimprovement of your businesses

Great ideas cannot be realized in just a blink. Itrequires changing the process, our attitude,and most importantly, the way we think.

Implement the

Decision

Select the best

solution

Evaluate potential solutions

Generate the

potential solutions

Establish a Criteria

STEPS IN GENERATING AND SELECTING BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

1ESTABLISH THE

CRITERIA

Criteria is important to determine the effectiveness ofthe solutions/alternatives in order to guide properlythe entire process about the relevant information andto avoid remote or unrealistic possibilities

Decide the “what should be” model

Make sure that relevant factors (e.g. human &physical resources, time, location) are considered inthe process.

2GENERATE THE POTENTIAL

SOLUTIONS

Employ your creative thinking to come up withthe potential solutions.

Avoid making any pre-judgement at this stageand consider each idea on its own merit andworth of consideration.

3EVALUATE POTENTIAL

SOLUTIONS

Evaluate each solution relative to the criteriaby looking into the projected probabilities andconsequences that may it cause

Choose a potential solution with the leastconsequences.

4SELECT THE BEST

SOLUTION

Consider the advantages and disadvantages youhave identified in your evaluation

Ensure that:

a) Majority of the stakeholders are involved tominimize resistance to change

b) The solution matches within the organizationalcapabilities to ensure its sustainability

4SELECT THE BEST

SOLUTION

Employ your critical thinking skills

It is not necessary to limit your focus on thebest solution. Other solutions which youhave considered may significantly enhancethe overall value of the final solution.

5IMPLEMENT THE

DECISION

The final step is to decide how to implement the solution.

After the implanting the solution, you may evaluate the decision to tweak the problem(s) that have surfaced during the implementation process.

Feedback mechanisms must be established to continuously monitor the actual performance against your targets.

REMINDERS

1. Think out of the Box

2. Solicit advice from other people

3. Follow the 6Cs of Decision Making(Construct, Compile, Collect, Compare,Consider, Commit)

4. Be Creative and Critical Thinker

THANK

YOU!!