16-Oct-19

PROBLEM SOLVING Moataz Elkady

PROBLEM SOLVING TRAPS

Anchoring trap.

Status Quo Trap.

Framing Trap.

Overconfidence Trap.

Denial trap.

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PROBLEM SOLVING AND RISK

•What is a risk?
•Can we take risks?
•What is the worse that can happen?
•Can we live with outcomes?
•Is it a calculated risk?

• Risk is when the unknown outcome of an action or decision could bring negative
consequences.

CHALLENGES FOR TEAM PROBLEM SOLVING

Team is too big.

Team is too small.

Time frame.

No champions for problem solving.

Conflicting goals and outcomes.

Power threat.

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BARRIERS TO HANDLE PROBLEMS EFFECTIVELY

Time.

Routine.

Status quo.

Resistance to change.

Mental blocks.

BARRIERS:
MENTAL BLOCKS
1. Only one right answer.
2. It does not make sense.
3. Rules say: ……
4. It is practical
and tried before

5. (Why me) attitude.

6. Let us avoid friction and embarrassing.
7. I am from the old school.

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10 QUESTIONS TO ENCOURAGE IDEAS AND

GET BUY-IN
1. What if…?
2. How can we improve…?
3. How will the Optimist Member and/or the community benefit?
4. Are we forgetting anything?
5. What’s the next step?
6. What can we do better…?
7. What do you think about…?
8. What should we add?
9. What should we eliminate?
10. What other ideas do you have.
OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL 7

HANDLING PROBLEMS AND

CONSEQUENTIAL THINKING
Awareness of the consequential.

Ability to generate alternatives.

Look far.

See the global picture.

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IS THE PROBLEM SOLVED?

How would we know?

Who will know?

PROBLEM EVALUATION

What is meant by problem evaluation?

Who should evaluate the problem?

What is the purpose of this evaluation?

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CLARIFY AND STATE SOLUTIONS

Check your alternatives.

Choose the best solution for now.

Make sure all the members understand the solution.

Evaluate.

Check again your alternatives.

TEAM WORK AND PROBLEM SOLVING

Is it related?
Do I need any other opinion rather than mine?
Do I believe that diversity is a source of power?

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PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAPS
Working on the wrong problem
Failing to identify key objectives
Failing to develop a range of good, creative alternatives
Overlooking crucial consequences of your alternatives
Giving inadequate thought to tradeoffs
Disregarding uncertainty…….
Failing to account for risk intolerance
Failing to plan ahead when decisions are linked over time...

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

 Looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking something

different.

 If you keep doing the same thing over and over again the same way

and expecting different results, then you are insane.

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A3 MODEL
A3 No. and Name Team members (name & role)
1.
Stakeholders (name & role)
1.
Department Organisation objective

2. 2.
Team Leader (name & 'phone ext) 3. 3. Start date & planned duration
4. 4.

1. Clarify the problem 4. Analyse the Root Cause 7. Monitor Results & Process
Is:
Is not:

Problem statement:

2. Breakdown the problem

8. Standardise & Share Success

5. Develop Countermeasures
Countermeasure Impact on target

1
2

6. Implement Countermeasure

3. Set the Target

1
2
3
4

1. PROBLEM STATEMENT
A clear description of a situation that needs to be addressed
or improved.
1. Describe the problem as a gap between what you see and what
you would like to see happening.

2. Use an illustration to make the problem visual.

3. Enhance that statement with background information

4. Show the impact the problem is having on the organization.

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2. BREAKDOWN THE PROBLEM METRICS :

CURRENT STATE
1. What is the measurable Gap between the current situation and the desired
situation?

2. What is the size of the problem?

3. When and where was the problem noticed?

4. What visuals can help you present your metrics in a way you can see the size of
the problem?

4. IDENTIFY CONTRIBUTING CAUSES

1. Determine the specific methodology to highlight causes .
2. Draw a blank fishbone diagram and write the problem at the head of the
fishbone.
3. Write Categories affecting the problem
4. Ask for team’s specific questions.

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4. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS: FISHBONE DIAGRAM

5 WHYS
Ask enough times to avoid the problem recurring
Read the question results backward to check your analysis

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5. BRAIN STORM POTENTIAL COUNTERMEASURES

Encourage every participant to suggest ideas
Avoid criticizing or analyzing ideas
Group the ideas
Prioritize via a voting process

6. AGREE ON THE ACTION PLAN : IMPLEMENT

COUNTERMEASURE
1. Use a list of prioritized countermeasures , 3 to 5
2. Create a blank register, ( Who, What , When and Signature)
3. Define the what
4. Define the who
5. Agree on when
6. Sign the agreement

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7. MONITOR RESULTS & PROCESS

PERIODIC FOLLOW UP
Create a follow up plan
1. Agree on a schedule and location,(weekly follow up)
2. Define what will be reviewed and who should be present Coach and encourage
the team

8. STANDARDIZE & SHARE SUCCESS

Conduction a lessons learned session
Ask each individual to write out two lists
1. Actions that resulted in Successes
2. Actions that resulted in failure

Split into Smaller work groups

 Collect information from individuals

Share information across your organization

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