World has become much more complex and this is reflected both in people’s lives and organizations. In such a context, problems are the rule, therefore problem solving skills have become exponentially more important. In the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence and robotics, jobs that involve simple and repetitive tasks are slowly being taken over by machines and it’s likely that soon only duties that instead require creativity and intuition will remain exclusively reserved for human beings.
As a consequence, the quality of our life will more and more depend on our ability to deal with and solve the more or less serious difficulties and inconveniences we encounter.
The good news is that problem solving can be done more effectively and easily with the right strategy.
What is problem solving?
Problem solving is a mental process that includes the discovery, analysis and solution of a problem.
MacCrimmon and Taylor in 1976 defined a problem as a gap between the current state and the desired state, that is, a jump between where we are now and where we want to be.
If we accept the idea that a problem is like a gap between the current and desired state then problem solving can be defined as the process of transforming something into what we want.
Solving a problem involves several cognitive activities:
• Identify and define the problem accurately
• Identify the causes of the problem and possible solutions
• Generate creative and alternative solutions
• Evaluate and choose the best solution
• Apply the best solution, monitor our actions and make sure the problem is solved successfully
Whatever the problem, we can use this 6-step troubleshooting model which is highly flexible and can be adapted to various types of problems.
1) Define the problem
Einstein once said that if he had one hour to save the world, it would take fifty-five minutes to define the problem and only five minutes to find the solution. This statement illustrates a fundamental point: before jumping to the solution we must invest time and energy to improve understanding of the problem.
The more clearly a problem is defined, the easier it will be to complete the next steps.
To define a problem we can use a gap analysis which includes comparing the current situation with the one we would like to achieve. This will allow us to have a clearer idea about the roadblocks and what is exactly that we need to work on in order to remove them.
2) Analyze the problem
Decide which problem to face, if there is a clear barrier or circumstance that we want to overcome, or if we want to find a way to achieve our goal. We must therefore identify the causes of the problem and in particular the nature of the gap between where we are and where we would like to be. We can get to the roots of multiple problems using a cause-and-effect approach. The important thing is to never stop asking questions. The more questions we ask ourselves, the better our understanding of the problem will be.
If the situation is complex it can be useful to break down the main problem into smaller secondary problems.
3) Identify as many solutions as possible
Brainstorming is what we need to do in this phase. We think of all the possible solutions and keep record of all the options. When we generate ideas, it is important to separate creation from evaluation. The objective is to keep the analysis and criticism for later and in this step just leave room for ideas 😊
4) Make a decision
Now that we have several possible solutions, the time has come to select the best one by gradually eliminating those that we find less appropriate. We evaluate every possible solution that comes to our mind based on its effectiveness, time, costs and effort required and start considering resources.
5) Action plan
During this phase we determine which steps we need to take. It can be useful to prepare a plan B in case of unexpected circumstances. The 5 why analysis is a tool that can help us get to the heart of the problem. Asking ourselves who, what, where, when and why can help us find information faster and more effectively.
6) Act
We cannot be a good problem solver if we don’t act. Sometimes the required actions could involve risk, but this is part of the game. Virtually no one comes to success immediately without ever having experienced any failure. To take action and deal with this last step of the process requires courage. It might be of use, then, the idea behind certain theories according to which a given situation is defined as problematic only because the mind sticks above it the label ‘problem’.
In these cases, the resolution is very easy: simply remove this internal label or mentally replace it with another as an ‘opportunity’, or ‘challenge’.
To conclude, every day we are likely to be confronted by a problem to solve, and our quality of life will largely be influenced by the way we approach such challenge and the emotions that come with it.
But…faced with a problem we can decide if to get lost in a glass of water or use it to water the flowers 🙂
What are your thoughts an experiences with regards to problem solving? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us or email us at [email protected]
Alessandra is a PhD in Sociology. For many years she has worked for large multinationals covering senior operations and people management positions. She’s a visual coaching practitioner and is studying to become a certified professional coach.
Alessandra is passionate about Diversity and Inclusion which she also lectures on. She’s married and mum of three. In Malta since 2017, Alessandra also volunteers for MYSC, Malta Young Sailors Club.
Click here to check out Alessandra’s full bio as well as a list of all her Wham published articles
