2015/05/09
1 The Six Step
Problem‐Solving Process
SOLVING A PROBLEM MADE EASY
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The Problem Solving Loop
1: Identify and Select the Problem
2: Analyse the Problem
3: Generate Potential Solutions 4: Select and
Plan the Solution 6: Evaluate the Solution
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5: Implement the Solution
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Identify and select the Problem
Even though it can be difficult to get to the core problem as issues become emotional.
Identifying the problem is the best first step to do. Thus, the star method is useful to help everyone be able to not take things too personal.
The star method allows one to engage in this process in a suitable manner such as to calm down and analyse the situation.
It Includes:
Think
Act
Review
Stop
Once the individual or group take a look at what is really causing difficulty, it is a good step closer to solving the problem. There is also the PDSA approach which can be an alternative of the star. It includes, Act, Plan, Do, Study.
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After getting the ideas a consensus is the next approach. Consensus is when everyone is in agreement or they can live with the agreement, and everyone has to get to a point where they agree with the decisions taken. Otherwise it means no consensus is met.
For this to happen there has to be requirements. Everyone should cooperate, have good intentions, and should be willing to discuss things that could be personal to them.
This has 3 Elements:
1. I agree
2. I don’t fully agree, but I can live with and support the agreement.
3. I don’t agree and I cannot live with or support the agreement.
It is most advisable to write things down, and so this is much clear if pen is on paper in a clear and concise statement. Therefore a goal statement should be also written that will focus on what was the outcome of the process. When that has been done the gap between the problem and the goal decreases.
When the problem is much bigger that its overwhelming it is best to break it down this enables the group to deal with it easily.
Analyse the Problem
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When the problems have been identified the cause of the problem has to be analysed.
In this step the key is to focus everyone’s efforts on analysing the problem for the cause. Once that is done, plans have to be made to deal with the problem and fix it.
Analysing means to gather information. Information has to be researched when there isn’t enough information. When this has been successfully done, each individual has to look at what is happening. At this point trying to come to a consensus is best, analysing why the particular problem or issue occurred.
Generate Potential Solutions
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After the problem has been thoroughly analysed, possible solutions must be brought up. This is productive as it creates a creative approach and a practical step where possible solutions are identified.
Brainstorming is usually a best way in thinking many ideas. So this action can be used to come up with many possible solutions. After this is done allow time for everyone to clarify their suggestions and for everyone to understand each others ideas.
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Select and Plan the Solution
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By this time there are a number of possible solutions. So it is appropriate to select the best solutions to fix the problem. As everyone is actively being involved the group has to figure out what works best considering who they are and what they have to work with.
Factors such as, money, time, people, procedure, policies, rules, etc., can effect a solution, but these should be reviewed discussed about and overcome them.
The solution that will work best should be priority. By doing this some suggested solutions are eliminated. With the solutions left the group should discuss and thus come to a consensus with the best solution. The PDSA can be used at this point to have a clear PLAN. So they can capture the solution, collect information on how the solution is working and make changes if necessary.
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Implement the Solution
In this step the DO stage is used. It has to be made sure that the solution can be tracked to have information to use in the STUDY stage of PDSA. This is a scientific approach so it is needed to figure out specifically what’s going on with the solution.
Action is better than speech once something gets done by actions, it becomes clear.
Right approach
Bad approach
Evaluate the Solution
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STUDY stage of PDSA is used to accomplish this step. Here the group will ask themselves if the solution worked.
Analyse if the solution was successful, if not, what went wrong, if it did to definitely to learn from this.
They need to identify if whether or not they need to have certain adjustments if it didn’t work out so they can make a differences. The information gathered in the DO stage make it easy to improve things. The last stage is to ACT which is what will happen when the STUDY stage is accomplished.
CONCLUSION
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By now after going through these steps the solution has helped to solve the problem.
These steps can help who ever, an individual or a group of people. It helps to make better decisions , and it makes it be broad as it has these steps to take.
These six steps allows one to really get under the identify the problem and look through them we saw in the steps 1 and 2. steps 3 and 4 take us to thinking out the best solutions and even brainstorm, then we can take and use those which are best.
Step 5 and 6 take us to the final steps of the process, it takes us to DO the actions of getting the solutions right. And then final is to study and see if this process was a success.
This process does not need you to wait till you have big problems, small problems, even personal ones , with friends , it is valuable.
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Any situation that has complications can be solved with this procedure. An emotional approach to for the people involved in the situation was to comprehend the problem- solving process, and to appreciate the value of what the problem-solving process can do for them.
Its never a good idea to live a problem lingering between people especially when they are have to work together. So this step-by-step will effectively work and the outcomes wont only help you but you will be able to proceed with the either the group work or have a stress less life when its something more personal.
I hope this has helped you understand the importance of solving a problem, and how to actually solve it.
“no problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”
Albert Einstein
So I aint got no problems anymore
Oh really, how did you solve them?
I used the six step problem solving process, you should too!
