The six steps problem-solving model | by Sorin Dumitrascu

The six steps of problem solving · 1. define the problem — Defining the problem is a crucial step that involves digging deeper to identify what it is that needs ... SigninCaseStudiesResourcesCareerPublishastoryUXCollectiveThesixstepsproblem-solvingmodelSorinDumitrascuFollowAug28,2020·4minreadProblemsolvingisthementalprocessyoufollowwhenyouhaveagoalbutcan’timmediatelyunderstandhowtoachieveit.It’saprocessthatdependsonyou—howyouperceiveaproblem,whatyouknowaboutit,andtheend-stateyouwanttoreach.Solvingaprobleminvolvesanumberofcognitiveactivities:ascertainingwhattheproblemreallyis,identifyingthetruecausesofyourproblemandtheopportunitiesforreachingyourgoal,generatingcreativesolutionstotheproblem,evaluatingandchoosingthebestsolution,andimplementingthebestsolution,thenmonitoringyouractionsandtheirresultstoensuretheproblemissolvedsuccessfully.Clearly,problemsolvingisn’taone-stepprocess.Yoursuccesswilldependonwhetheryouapproachandimplementeachofthestageseffectively.Thebestwaytodothisistouseawell-established,systematicproblem-solvingmodel.ThesixstepsofproblemsolvingProblemsvarywidely,andsodotheirsolutions.Sometimesaproblemanditssolutionareclear,butyoudon’tknowhowtogetfrompointAtopointB.Atothertimes,youmayfindithardtodefinewhat’swrongorhowtofixit.Regardlessofwhataproblemis,youcanuseasix-stepproblem-solvingmodeltoaddressit.Thismodelishighlyflexibleandcanbeadaptedtosuitvarioustypesofproblems.Italsocomeswithaflexiblesetoftoolstouseateachstep.Themodelisdesignedtobefollowedonestepatatime,butyoumayfindthatsomestagesdon’trequireasmuchattentionasothers.Thiswilldependonyouruniquesituation.Thestepsintheproblem-solvingmodelareasfollows:1.definetheproblem—Definingtheproblemisacrucialstepthatinvolvesdiggingdeepertoidentifywhatitisthatneedstobesolved.Themoreclearlyaproblemisdefined,theeasieryou’llfindittocompletesubsequentsteps.Asymptomisaphenomenonorcircumstancethatresultsfromadeeper,underlyingcondition.It’scommontomistakesymptomsforproblemsthemselves—andsotowastealotoftimeandeffortontacklingconsequencesofproblemsinsteadoftheircauses.Todefineaproblem,youcanusegapanalysis,whichinvolvescomparingyourcurrentstatetothefuturestateyouwanttobein,toidentifythegapsbetweenthem.2.analyzetheproblem—Youdecidewhattypeofproblemitis—whetherthere’saclearbarrierorcircumstanceyouneedtoovercome,orwhetheryouneedtodeterminehowtoreachagoal.Youthendigtotherootcausesoftheproblem,anddetailthenatureofthegapbetweenwhereyouareandwhereyouwanttobe.Thefive-whyanalysisisatoolthat’llhelpyougettotheheartoftheproblem.Ask“Why?”anumberoftimestodigthrougheachlayerofsymptomsandsotoarriveattheproblem’srootcause.Youcangettotherootofamorecomplicatedproblemusingacause-and-effectdiagram.Acauseissomethingthatproducesaneffect,result,orconsequence—orwhatcontributedtothecurrentstateofaffairs.Categoriesofcausesincludepeople,time,andtheenvironment.3.identifyasmanypotentialsolutionsasyoucan—Brainstormcreatively—asklotsofquestionsaboutthewho,what,where,when,andhowofthecausestopointtovariouspossibilities.Don’tlimityourselfbyconsideringpracticalitiesatthisstage;simplyrecordyourideas.4.choosethebestsolution—Inevaluatingyourideas,moreoptionscouldpresentthemselves.Youcoulddothisbyratingeachpossiblesolutionyoucameupwithinstep3accordingtocriteriasuchashoweffectiveitwillbe,howmuchtimeoreffortitwilltake,itscost,andhowlikelyitistosatisfystakeholders.5.planofaction—Duringthisstep,youdeterminewhatstepsmustbetaken,designatingtaskswherenecessary.Andyoudecideondeadlinesforcompletingtheactionsandestimatethecostsofimplementingthem.Youalsocreateacontingencyplanincaseofunforeseencircumstancessothatifanythinggoeswrongwithyourplan,youhavea“planB”inplace.Typically,thisstageinvolvesnarrowingdownthepossiblewaystoimplementthesolutionyou’vechosen,basedonanyconstraintsthatapply.Youalsoshoulddrawupanactionplan.Thecomplexityoftheplanwilldependonthesituation,butitshouldincludethewho,what,andwhenofyourproposedsolution.6.implementthesolution—Thisisanongoingprocess.Youneedtoensuretherequiredresourcesremainavailableandmonitorprogressinsolvingtheproblem;otherwise,alltheworkyou’vedonemightbefornothing.Rememberthatthismodelishighlyadaptable.Althoughyoushouldn’tskipanyofthesixsteps,youcantailortheamountoftimeyouspendoneachstagebasedonthedemandsofyouruniquesituation.Thesix-stepproblem-solvingmodel,andthetoolsitprovides,isaneffective,systematicapproachtoproblemsolving.Byfollowingeachstepconsciously,youcanensurethatgeneratingsolutionsisafact-driven,objective,andreliableprocess.Itencouragesyoutodigdeepertotherootcause,allowsyoutogetinputfromothers,tobecreativewhenfindingsolutions,andtomonitoryoursolutionstomakesurethey’reworking.Sobyfollowingthismodelyou’remorelikelytocomeupwithgood,original,lastingsolutions.Tosolveproblemseffectively,youneedtouseagoodproblem-solvingmodel.Thesix-stepmodelisatried-and-testedapproach.Itsstepsincludedefiningaproblem,analyzingtheproblem,identifyingpossiblesolutions,choosingthebestsolution,planningyourcourseofaction,andfinallyimplementingthesolutionwhilemonitoringitseffectiveness.BootcampFromideatoproduct,onelessonatatime.FollowProblemSolvingDecisionMakingManagementEffectivenessWrittenbySorinDumitrascuFollowAconsultant,trainerandauthorspecializedinmanagement,correctionsandindustrialrelationsFollowBootcampFollowAlivingcollectionofresourcesandcasestudiesfordesignersstartinginDesign,UX,andUI.BootcampisanewproductdesignpublicationfromtheteambehindtheUXCollective(http://uxdesign.cc).Tosubmityourstory:bootcamp@uxdesign.ccFollowWrittenbySorinDumitrascuFollowAconsultant,trainerandauthorspecializedinmanagement,correctionsandindustrialrelationsBootcampFollowAlivingcollectionofresourcesandcasestudiesfordesignersstartinginDesign,UX,andUI.BootcampisanewproductdesignpublicationfromtheteambehindtheUXCollective(http://uxdesign.cc).Tosubmityourstory:[email protected]?Forgetaboutit;Trythisinstead.KristyBertenshawMindfulness,meditationandYoga:howtoincreaseproductivityinPhDthesiswritingTatianaC.Styliari,PhDPowerScoreRecap — WeekofMarch14th,2021KyleAckermanFiveBooks:AchievingEffortlessResults,theCultofthe“Self,”theBestShortNovels,andMoreMattKaramazovImprovingMyNote-taking,TheOldFashionedWayRossThomas5WayTipsEmailManagementMethodsYourEmailWithoutLosingmalikkashifPersonalInternalAuditing:WhereAreYouInYourLife?SertanUzuninCuriousTHELAZYPERSON’SWAYTOGETTINGTHINGSDONETinaPhillips