Problem structuring - Good Better Best

61 downloads 296 Views 475KB Size Report
'Is our current CSR policy adequate?' or 'Should we invest in this new .... of workshops, call Jackie Mackenzie at GoodB
Problem structuring: What, Why & How? Do you ever find yourself ‘not knowing where to start’? Do you delay beginning new projects due to uncertainty about how to plan them, dread finding out about new legal or environmental requirements, or find it hard to tackle substantial changes in direction? If you recognise any of these symptoms, a bit of problem structuring may help.

What is problem structuring? Problem structuring is a simple technique for breaking down complex, ‘messy’ questions into manageable subsets of issues. It is used, in slightly differing forms, and under slightly different names, by lawyers and management consultants, and in all forms of project management, and although it’s a standard part of the engineers’ toolkit, it’s definitely not rocket science.

Why is problem structuring useful? The benefits, if the process is carried out to its full potential, are;      

Comprehensive identification of issues within a specified problem, Clarity about inter-relationships between those issues, Identification of dominant issues (i.e. those which should receive most focus, as a resolution would render other issues irrelevant, or easier to manage), A plan for analysis or issue resolution, Consensus on relative priority of issues, and A structure for communication of both the issue, and the resolution.

In a nutshell, problem structuring helps to ensure that you don’t miss anything, you don’t focus on less important issues at the expense of the important ones, and you have a plan for what to do to get to a resolution.

How do you ‘structure’ a problem? The basic steps are as follows; 



Define the problem you are working on, in the form of a question, e.g. ‘Which new strategic options should we pursue?’, ’Is our current CSR policy adequate?’ or ‘Should we invest in this new technology now? Starting with a question, rather than a heading, is a useful discipline, because when you have an answer for the question, rather than a list of interesting possibilities, you will know that you are done. Brainstorm all the possible questions relating to the problem. You don’t need to answer them, but you do need to write them down as questions. Be as creative and as persistent as you can – the fuller the list, the better. Discuss the question with functional heads, and other people with knowledge, or get them into the brainstorm from the start, if you can.











Look for themes among the questions. Many of them may relate to money for example, but others to business or personal objectives, to market developments, or to how competitors may react. Organise your long list of questions into themed groups, and try to generate a question that describes each theme. Look carefully at the relationships between questions within a theme. Some questions will be ‘part of’ other questions e.g. ‘what revenue growth can we achieve next year?’ would be a sub question of ‘what profit growth can we achieve next year?’ Then look for ‘killer questions’ – the ones that outweigh others in importance, or if you knew the answer to them, would make other questions irrelevant. e.g ‘Can we (realistically) raise the money to pursue this option?’ or ‘Is our current technology limiting our competitiveness?‘ If the answers to these questions are no, you can pretty much stop working on the problems. Put your effort into resolving those killer questions. They are the priorities, and focusing on them will ensure you are efficient in covering all issues, rather than working on everything at once. Be aware that some ‘killer questions’ may have political or emotional aspects, rather than purely rational. (Would the new machine require expertise our current operators cannot realistically acquire?) Now you are at a cross roads – and the next step depends on the objective of the exercise. You may be looking to make a decision at this point, informed by your identification of the key questions. You may need to do further research, or analysis, to answer some of the major questions before you can make a decision, or you may be seeking agreement around the issues and their relative priority, in order to progress to a project plan.

Define problem

Brainstorm the issues

Sort into themes

Identify linkages

Agree priority questions

Plan next steps

Tips for successful problem structuring: In common with most simple processes, the quality of the output depends on the quality of the input. Shortcuts are tempting, but should be recognised for what they are, and the impact they will have on the final output. ‘Garbage in = garbage out’. This is true for all steps of the process. 



Initial problem definition makes a critical difference to the outcome. The question ‘What is our product strategy for the next 3 years?’ needs different information and possibly different people in the discussion, from ‘Should we pursue Option A?’, although one may turn out to be a sub-question of the other. A clear start point will get you to a clear outcome. Brainstorming benefits from o the right mix of people in the room (people with technical knowledge, key stakeholders in the outcome, people likely to challenge the current view), o the right environment (no disturbances) and a facilitation approach that encourages openness and creativity.

o





If you can invest in a bit of facilitation, it will pay dividends, as an experienced facilitator will ensure your investment of time and people delivers a robust end product. Theming will work better when enough time is invested to get groups of issues that can be worked on together, and to root out overlapping sets of issues and clarify their relationship, or when enough discussion takes place to ensure most people are bought into the outcome. The approach to, and time invested in, prioritisation depends on the objective of the exercise. o If agreement among a team about priorities is the objective, then it makes sense to invest a greater proportion of the available time in the prioritisation stage, allowing for different versions to be discussed and all team members to have input. o If the objective is to highlight key analyses, or make a rapid decision by achieving clarity quickly, then a ‘quick and dirty’ approach may be appropriate, and one person may take a lead in pushing to a conclusion on priorities. o Beware of mixing those approaches – lasting consensus is rarely achieved by one person dominating the discussion, any more than rapid decisions are made by committee.

How to eat an elephant. As the old proverb goes ‘The way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.’ Problem structuring helps you to create bite-sized chunks from big, lumbering problems. It enables you to put structure around complicated problems, and plan how to resolve them. It helps you to focus your time on the issues that really matter, to be crystal clear about which issues are – and are not – linked within the bigger problem. It is a powerful way of getting through work quickly with a team, or by yourself, and it can be a great aid to communication. Next time you find yourself confronting an elephant of a problem, look it firmly in the eye, and reach for your problem structuring toolkit. Before you know it, it will be a plateful of bite-sized chunks. Much easier to digest.

_________________________________________________________________________________ Problem structuring can be applied to all types of problems, from strategic plan preparation to day to day issues. For practical help, including design and facilitation of workshops, call Jackie Mackenzie at GoodBetterBest Training Ltd on 01943 888946.