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What Is Creative Problem-Solving & Why Is It Important?

Business team using creative problem-solving

01 Feb 2022

One of the biggest hindrances to innovation is complacency—it can be more comfortable to do what you know than venture into the unknown. Business leaders can overcome this barrier by mobilizing creative team members and providing space to innovate.

There are several tools you can use to encourage creativity in the workplace. Creative problem-solving is one of them, which facilitates the development of innovative solutions to difficult problems.

Here’s an overview of creative problem-solving and why it’s important in business.

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What Is Creative Problem-Solving?

Research is necessary when solving a problem. But there are situations where a problem’s specific cause is difficult to pinpoint. This can occur when there’s not enough time to narrow down the problem’s source or there are differing opinions about its root cause.

In such cases, you can use creative problem-solving , which allows you to explore potential solutions regardless of whether a problem has been defined.

Creative problem-solving is less structured than other innovation processes and encourages exploring open-ended solutions. It also focuses on developing new perspectives and fostering creativity in the workplace . Its benefits include:

Finding creative solutions to complex problems : User research can insufficiently illustrate a situation’s complexity. While other innovation processes rely on this information, creative problem-solving can yield solutions without it.
Adapting to change : Business is constantly changing, and business leaders need to adapt. Creative problem-solving helps overcome unforeseen challenges and find solutions to unconventional problems.
Fueling innovation and growth : In addition to solutions, creative problem-solving can spark innovative ideas that drive company growth. These ideas can lead to new product lines, services, or a modified operations structure that improves efficiency.

Design Thinking and Innovation | Uncover creative solutions to your business problems | Learn More

Creative problem-solving is traditionally based on the following key principles :

1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Creative problem-solving uses two primary tools to find solutions: divergence and convergence. Divergence generates ideas in response to a problem, while convergence narrows them down to a shortlist. It balances these two practices and turns ideas into concrete solutions.

2. Reframe Problems as Questions

By framing problems as questions, you shift from focusing on obstacles to solutions. This provides the freedom to brainstorm potential ideas.

3. Defer Judgment of Ideas

When brainstorming, it can be natural to reject or accept ideas right away. Yet, immediate judgments interfere with the idea generation process. Even ideas that seem implausible can turn into outstanding innovations upon further exploration and development.

4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But"

Using negative words like "no" discourages creative thinking. Instead, use positive language to build and maintain an environment that fosters the development of creative and innovative ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Whereas creative problem-solving facilitates developing innovative ideas through a less structured workflow, design thinking takes a far more organized approach.

Design thinking is a human-centered, solutions-based process that fosters the ideation and development of solutions. In the online course Design Thinking and Innovation , Harvard Business School Dean Srikant Datar leverages a four-phase framework to explain design thinking.

The four stages are:

The four stages of design thinking: clarify, ideate, develop, and implement

Clarify: The clarification stage allows you to empathize with the user and identify problems. Observations and insights are informed by thorough research. Findings are then reframed as problem statements or questions.
Ideate: Ideation is the process of coming up with innovative ideas. The divergence of ideas involved with creative problem-solving is a major focus.
Develop: In the development stage, ideas evolve into experiments and tests. Ideas converge and are explored through prototyping and open critique.
Implement: Implementation involves continuing to test and experiment to refine the solution and encourage its adoption.

Creative problem-solving primarily operates in the ideate phase of design thinking but can be applied to others. This is because design thinking is an iterative process that moves between the stages as ideas are generated and pursued. This is normal and encouraged, as innovation requires exploring multiple ideas.

Creative Problem-Solving Tools

While there are many useful tools in the creative problem-solving process, here are three you should know:

Creating a Problem Story

One way to innovate is by creating a story about a problem to understand how it affects users and what solutions best fit their needs. Here are the steps you need to take to use this tool properly.

1. Identify a UDP

Create a problem story to identify the undesired phenomena (UDP). For example, consider a company that produces printers that overheat. In this case, the UDP is "our printers overheat."

2. Move Forward in Time

To move forward in time, ask: “Why is this a problem?” For example, minor damage could be one result of the machines overheating. In more extreme cases, printers may catch fire. Don't be afraid to create multiple problem stories if you think of more than one UDP.

3. Move Backward in Time

To move backward in time, ask: “What caused this UDP?” If you can't identify the root problem, think about what typically causes the UDP to occur. For the overheating printers, overuse could be a cause.

Following the three-step framework above helps illustrate a clear problem story:

The printer is overused.
The printer overheats.
The printer breaks down.

You can extend the problem story in either direction if you think of additional cause-and-effect relationships.

4. Break the Chains

By this point, you’ll have multiple UDP storylines. Take two that are similar and focus on breaking the chains connecting them. This can be accomplished through inversion or neutralization.

Inversion: Inversion changes the relationship between two UDPs so the cause is the same but the effect is the opposite. For example, if the UDP is "the more X happens, the more likely Y is to happen," inversion changes the equation to "the more X happens, the less likely Y is to happen." Using the printer example, inversion would consider: "What if the more a printer is used, the less likely it’s going to overheat?" Innovation requires an open mind. Just because a solution initially seems unlikely doesn't mean it can't be pursued further or spark additional ideas.
Neutralization: Neutralization completely eliminates the cause-and-effect relationship between X and Y. This changes the above equation to "the more or less X happens has no effect on Y." In the case of the printers, neutralization would rephrase the relationship to "the more or less a printer is used has no effect on whether it overheats."

Even if creating a problem story doesn't provide a solution, it can offer useful context to users’ problems and additional ideas to be explored. Given that divergence is one of the fundamental practices of creative problem-solving, it’s a good idea to incorporate it into each tool you use.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a tool that can be highly effective when guided by the iterative qualities of the design thinking process. It involves openly discussing and debating ideas and topics in a group setting. This facilitates idea generation and exploration as different team members consider the same concept from multiple perspectives.

Hosting brainstorming sessions can result in problems, such as groupthink or social loafing. To combat this, leverage a three-step brainstorming method involving divergence and convergence :

Have each group member come up with as many ideas as possible and write them down to ensure the brainstorming session is productive.
Continue the divergence of ideas by collectively sharing and exploring each idea as a group. The goal is to create a setting where new ideas are inspired by open discussion.
Begin the convergence of ideas by narrowing them down to a few explorable options. There’s no "right number of ideas." Don't be afraid to consider exploring all of them, as long as you have the resources to do so.

Alternate Worlds

The alternate worlds tool is an empathetic approach to creative problem-solving. It encourages you to consider how someone in another world would approach your situation.

For example, if you’re concerned that the printers you produce overheat and catch fire, consider how a different industry would approach the problem. How would an automotive expert solve it? How would a firefighter?

Be creative as you consider and research alternate worlds. The purpose is not to nail down a solution right away but to continue the ideation process through diverging and exploring ideas.

Which HBS Online Entrepreneurship and Innovation Course is Right for You? | Download Your Free Flowchart

Continue Developing Your Skills

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketer, or business leader, learning the ropes of design thinking can be an effective way to build your skills and foster creativity and innovation in any setting.

If you're ready to develop your design thinking and creative problem-solving skills, explore Design Thinking and Innovation , one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses. If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

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Creative problem solving roles in lean manufacturing

If you work in manufacturing, you've probably heard of lean manufacturing. This influential philosophy continues to shape production methods around the world. An essential element that is sometimes overlooked is lean manufacturing's emphasis on creativity and problem solving.

These creative roles are vital ingredients to the success of lean manufacturing. Now you can explore how creative thinking influences and shapes this effective approach to quality production.

Principles of Lean Manufacturing

Compliance principles of lean production is the key to its successful implementation. The five key principles include identifying value from the end customer's perspective, identifying each step in a process chain, making those processes flow smoothly, enabling customers to draw value from the next upstream activity, and striving for perfection through continuous improvement.

The cornerstone to effectively achieving these principles? You guessed it – creative problem solving. New ways to reduce waste or increase value must always be considered.

The Role of Innovation

Innovation plays a central role in lean manufacturing. It reinforces the drive for continuous improvement. By consistently implementing new ideas, businesses can maintain agility even in competitive industries. Innovation creates a culture where creative solutions are encouraged by all employees in pursuit of strategic goals.

From the factory floor to the executive office, everyone can contribute ideas to boost production. Structured suggestion programs, idea contests, and collaboration tools empower all employees to share their innovations. Over time, the accumulation of many small innovations can transform operations.

Elements of Creative Thinking

Creative thought it involves more than just generating ideas. It involves discovering unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated factors. Challenging established assumptions and questioning existing norms also represent creative acts. In a lean environment, this type of thinking exposes inefficiencies and uncovers new opportunities to deliver value.

For example, analysis of work flow patterns can reveal unnecessary transfer between workstations that could be eliminated through production redesign. Creative technical problem analysis looks at root causes versus temporary quick fixes.

An equally critical priority is developing a culture that fosters creativity – one where ideas are encouraged rather than stifled and where people feel empowered to share their perspectives. Psychological safety allows for more open and honest assessments of what is not working optimally.

Leaders should seek input from all sources, not just top-down directives. Recognition programs provide positive reinforcement for the contribution of innovative proposals.

Need to solve problems

Efficiency is at the heart of lean manufacturing, which means constantly identifying issues that may slow down processes or increase costs. But it's not enough to just fix problems. the goal is to uncover ways to prevent them from happening again.

By leveraging collective knowledge within an organization, insights often emerge to build proactive solutions rather than reactive responses. Rather than one person heroically solving crises alone, group problem solving delivers more holistic and enduring results.

This requires a strategic approach to problem solving – one that anticipates challenges, implements proactive steps and drives continuous improvement.

Techniques such as failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) capture potential points of failure in manufacturing processes to proactively prioritize risk mitigation efforts. This proactive analysis guides resource allocation decisions more efficiently than reacting to costly analysis events after the fact.

Approaches to Creative Problem Solving

There are numerous methods for fostering creative problem solving in lean manufacturing. Performing data analysis often provides insight into where inefficiencies are occurring. Statistical process controls quantify deviations from consistent and reliable performance. Root cause analysis can shed light on the underlying reasons issues arise. The five-why analysis is completed by repeatedly asking why defects occur.

Brainstorming sessions with stakeholders can then generate innovative solutions. Group ideation techniques leverage collective experience and avoid individual blind spots. Instilling an attitude of continuous learning and improvement is also important – there will always be opportunities for fresh thinking and improved techniques.

Structured idea management systems provide frameworks for submitting proposals, gathering feedback, and implementing promising proposals. Field visits to other facilities create a broader perspective. Regular review meetings ensure progress on improvement initiatives.

Cross-functional impact of teams

Cross-functional teams containing diverse expertise enhance creativity when led by necessary leadership skills . With diverse perspectives represented, these groups understand the big picture, challenge existing mindsets and drive innovative solutions. Effective leaders focus group energy on shared goals rather than individual agendas.

People with complementary strengths boost creative output when the dynamic is actively facilitated through building psychological safety and trust. Merging different knowledge bases allows rapid problem identification and more possible solutions.

Leaders play a central role in seeking input across sectors, not just familiar voices. The necessary leadership skills turn the diversity of the team composition into an advantage by proactively setting vision, monitoring progress and enabling open collaboration.

Impact of reducing delivery time

Reducing lead time is a fundamental goal in lean manufacturing, but how does it relate to creativity and problem solving? You see, techniques often used to reduce lead times can also stimulate creative thinking. For example, methods like value stream mapping allow you to visualize your processes and identify non-value-added activities that can be eliminated.

It opens up space for innovative ideas on how to improve process flow, improve time management, use resources more efficiently – inspiring meaningful creative problems to be solved throughout the production journey.

Kaizen Events and Creativity

Kaizen events or Kaizen blitz are quick, intensive sessions designed to address and solve specific problems in a short period of time. Often lasting only several days, these events require thinking outside the box, engaging participants to analyze processes from new perspectives and brainstorm innovative solutions.

Kaizen means “change for the better”, suggesting its inherent connection to creative problem solving. Kaizen events bring people together under a common goal – facilitating collaboration, sparking innovation and promoting lean initiatives.

Applying Andon to Creativity

Andon is a visual management tool used in lean manufacturing to flag problems or anomalies in production as soon as they occur. It's brilliant in its simplicity – issues are flagged immediately, making problem-solving an immediate process rather than a delayed process.

This real-time troubleshooting not only reduces downtime, but also fosters an environment where creative thinking is always active. From the engineer to the worker on the floor, everyone contributes to creating unique solutions quickly.

Jidoka's role in problem solving

Jidoka or “automation with a human touch” is another key aspect of lean manufacturing. The concept allows machines to detect anomalies independently and interrupt operations when they occur. This approach helps identify problems directly at the source, making it easier to develop smart solutions right away.

In addition, it inspires innovative thinking about how to prevent defects, optimize machine performance and improve product quality – thus enhancing creative problem-solving roles within the lean philosophy.

Poka-yoke's contribution to creativity

Poka-yoke or mistakes-protection designs processes in such a way that makes errors virtually impossible or easy to correct if they occur. The practical application of Poka-yoke leads to intelligent product design and process flow changes.

This methodology requires creative thinking as it aims to design foolproof systems that enhance productivity and quality. It combines creativity with practicality – providing opportunities for unique solutions to mistakes that would otherwise have been overlooked.

summarizing

Lean manufacturing thrives on creative problem solving. Its fundamental principles, methodologies and techniques are linked to innovative thinking and the creation of effective solutions.

From using cross-functional teams to implementing smart tools like Andon or Poka-yoke, lean manufacturing creates an ecosystem where creativity is valued and stimulated. Therein lies the beauty of this philosophy – it weaves creativity into the fabric of efficiency, achieving maximum value while minimizing waste.

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Creatively Lean

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You know your organization needs creativity. Your improvement program is effective, but you’re not making the real breakthroughs you were anticipating. Your employees struggle to create innovative change, while you struggle with how to help them. Your lean advisors talk about a "different way of thinking," but how do you get there? In this unique and uplifting book, Bella Englebach shows how the principles and tools of Creative Problem Solving drive deep and creative thinking when used with lean problem-solving approaches. In this book, you will learn how you can encourage creative thinking, how to support the creative thinking of your peers and employees, and how to help everyone in your organization develop high-value insights to advance strategy.

Amid a lean deployment, Beth, a mid-level manager, is shocked to find that she has been assigned not one, but two coaches. Linda is her lean thinking coach, Carlo, a coach in Creative Problem Solving. As Beth faces serious business challenges, Linda and Carlo guide her to think deeply and creatively to solve problems and to become a strong lean thinking leader. You will follow her journey and see how Creative Problem Solving tools enhance lean thinking at every step. Creatively Lean is your roadmap to going beyond as a lean thinker and leader.

Creatively Lean is more than a business novel. Appendices provide insight into the history of Creative Problem Solving, tools for divergent and convergent thinking, and tips on how to use Creative Problem Solving with A3 thinking. Use the book club questions to spur group discussion or for self-study.

Chapter | 6 pages, introduction, chapter chapter 1 | 9 pages, a meeting in the parking lot: lean and creative problem solving, chapter chapter 2 | 7 pages, one of those surprise meetings, chapter chapter 3 | 7 pages, carlo meets the management team, chapter chapter 4 | 4 pages, a day in the contact center, chapter chapter 5 | 5 pages, carlo’s new office, chapter chapter 6 | 3 pages, listening into calls, chapter chapter 7 | 4 pages, beth meets the coaches, chapter chapter 8 | 6 pages, beth’s first coaching session, chapter chapter 9 | 4 pages, getting to the point, chapter chapter 10 | 7 pages, trouble in the warehouse, chapter chapter 11 | 3 pages, pdca and cps, chapter chapter 12 | 9 pages, doing and checking and adjusting without a lean coach, chapter chapter 13 | 7 pages, solving the trust issue in the warehouse, chapter chapter 14 | 4 pages, creativity and the improvement kata, chapter chapter 15 | 10 pages, goal setting in the contact center, chapter chapter 16 | 8 pages, gaining acceptance, chapter chapter 17 | 5 pages, small steps, long journey, chapter chapter 18 | 5 pages, a new product, chapter chapter 19 | 5 pages, not a typical monday, chapter | 1 pages.

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Lean and Creative Six Sigma to Solve Real-life Issues

Published: February 26, 2010 by Abhishek Rai

A strong possibility exists that some organizations using Six Sigma are failing to cash in on the true potential of the methodology. This can happen when proper care is not taken to understand what needs to be integrated with the Six Sigma methodology to make it effective, comprehensive and a focused approach to solve real-life problems.

Obviously, there are certain clear-cut advantages of the statistical or data-driven nature of Six-Sigma, such as:

Common scale for comparison
Accurate analysis of causes of a problem
Convincing logic backed with data
Easy to track improvement by comparing metrics

Need for Lean and Creative Six Sigma

However, an effective and comprehensive approach to realize process improvement is through integration of quantitative rigor of Six Sigma with Lean thinking, lateral problem solving and creativity.

Thus, Six Sigma can be made more effective by understanding and debating what it lacks and how can that “what” be added.

Six Sigma methodology, in its present incarnation, needs two major perspectives:

A systematic approach to identify comprehensive set of factors for improvement
Creativity to formulate feasible solutions

These two points need further exploration:

Firstly, there is need of a systematic approach to decide factors on which measurement and analysis needs to be carried out to plan the improvement actions. Efficacy of Six Sigma in measurement and analysis has been proved beyond doubt by the huge success of the organizations across the globe in last decade or so. But Six Sigma relies heavily on the measuring defects. and what if some defects go unnoticed?

The defects, to a considerable extent, can be directly inferred from the voice of the customer or voice of the stakeholders (VOC or VOS). But there is every possibility that some of the defects, which may be vital from the business perspective, did not get covered in the VOC. Because of this, some of the areas of attention or the parameters may get missed and thus are not considered at all. For instance, if stakeholders are suffering delays then all voices would identify lead-time as a defect (or critical-to-quality item in need of improvement), but the quality, no matter how bad, may not be given attention. Thus, the effect of some of the areas of attention or the parameters may not be taken into account, when the improvement actions are formulated. To take into account all the possible defects, in addition to the VOC or VOS, defects may be further defined based on Lean’s seven types of waste.

Secondly, the reduction of defects can happen only when the problem is properly solved. It needs to be underscored that although the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology is useful in analysis of factors involved in the problems, a Six Sigma project, per se, does not provide the solution to real life problems. There is no specific approach to conceive practical solutions in the Six Sigma toolkit.

Using Lean Tools in Six Sigma Projects

To take into account all the possible defects, in addition to VOC or VOS, defects can be defined based on Lean concept of “Seven Waste”

The accurate defining of the defect is key to capturing the real problems. The Lean definition of seven major types of waste in service environment can be used as a checklist to capture and ensure all defects are taken into consideration before starting measurement of data. Defects based on the Lean’s wastes can be:

Rejects: Errors in documents
Transportation: Movement of documents
Over production: Doing work not required
Waiting: Waiting for next step
Over processing: Multiple reviews and approvals
Movement: Unnecessary motion of people
Inventory: Backlog of work

In addition to the seven wastes, the following concepts should be effectively utilized in a Six Sigma project. These have been mapped to a Six Sigma DMAIC phases.

5S is the methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment.
Error proofing is an approach to ensure error free environment by designing an error free flow or way of working
Value stream mapping is a graphical tool that helps one to see and understand the flow of the material and information as a product makes its way through the value stream. It ties together Lean concepts and techniques

Thus, Lean thinking and concepts can be utilized in the following areas of the typical Six Sigma Project:

Defining defects
Finalizing metrics
Reducing wastes
Formulating improvement actions

Using Creativity in Six Sigma Projects

Creativity and lateral thinking can be applied at the Analyze and Improve phases of Six Sigma projects to conceive solutions.

Dr. Edward De Bono’s concept of lateral thinking, which deals with exploring various dimensions of looking at things, suggests changing/moving from one concept to another to arrive at the most suitable one. Lateral thinking and creativity thus is not a set of tools, it is more of a perspective at looking and exploring things, which becomes absolutely vital in analyzing problems and arriving at solutions to problems.

The following concepts would be useful in Six Sigma DMAIC phases:

Brainstorming: A useful and popular tool that can be used to develop highly creative solutions to a problem.
Reframing Matrix: A technique that helps to look at problems from a number of different viewpoints. It subsequently helps to expand the range of creative solutions.
Random Input: A lateral thinking tool that is useful when one needs fresh ideas or new perspectives during problem solving.
Concept Fan: A way of finding different approaches to a problem when all obvious solutions have been rejected. It develops the principle of “taking one step back” to get a broader perspective.



Define	Brainstorming, seven wastes
Measure	Value-added to non-value-added ratio, CT/VT, CT/TAKT time
Analyze	Value stream mapping, random input, reframing matrix
Improve	5S, visual factory, concept fan, provocative operations (a lateral thinking concept)
Control	Error proofing

Utilizing Six Sigma driven by Lean and creativity facilitates in pinpointing precise nature and extent of the cause and conceiving the real-life solution. It is imperative that a proper balance is provided between data-driven and quantitative nature of Six Sigma, on one hand, and Lean way of working and creative problem solving, on the other hand.

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Abhishek Rai

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Designing a Lean Problem-Solving System with Purpose

The following is an excerpt from People Solve Problems: the Power of Every Person, Every Day, Every Problem (2021: Old Dutch Group), the latest book by IndustryWeek lean leadership contributor Jamie Flinchbaugh.

Too often, managers at all levels operate the same way during the lean journey as they did before, just with some lean lingo thrown in for good measure. They might ask someone to do an A3 and feel they are doing their part for the journey. But a manager has responsibilities in the journey that go beyond using the words and supporting the journey with resources. For starters, they must be an architect of the system of work that drives effective problem-solving.

What does it mean to be the system architect? It means that you take responsibility and ownership of the systems of work that expose problems, capture them, manage them, put resources to them and ultimately, solve them. Sending people to problem-solving training might fall into that category, but that is the easy step and far from sufficient to build an effective problem-solving organization.

Some of the key elements could, or should, be organizational standards. But someone needs to set these standards, and senior management should be highly engaged in this process. How much to standardize across an organization is worthy of some debate and depends on the organization, the existing culture, the change strategy and the level of maturity.

However, even if you adopt a strong bias toward organizational standardization, there is still much work to be done by each director or manager for their own team’s work. Standards for this work are rarely much more than guidelines, perhaps with a few IT tools thrown in. The reason for this is that all problem-solving is contextual, and you must shape your systems for the nature and content of your work.

The Landscape of Problems

We begin with what I like to call the landscape of problems. There are many sources of problems and many sources of finding those problems. Yet most teams end up deciding what problem to engage with next rather randomly, without respect to the entire landscape. Consider these many sources:

You probably have key metrics, or Key Performance Indicators, that you monitor. When properly designed, they should have a clear definition of when things are normal and when they are abnormal. When a key metric hits an abnormal level, problem solving could be initiated.

You may have standard work that helps you consistently perform your team’s tasks. However, sometimes there is a problem and the standard cannot be followed or ceases to work as designed. This condition could drive problem-solving.

You do audits of the work, ranging from a simple 5S audit to a complex customer process audit. These audits generally produce findings, each of which can be defined as a problem.

You develop a culture of identifying waste using the lens of the seven wastes and perform waste walks of the process. Each waste occurrence found is a problem that could be solved.

You fail to meet a deliverable to a customer, internal or external. You are asked what will be done about it, which means you have a problem that needs to be solved and reported back to that customer.

Your team is frustrated with something, and it is a persistent topic of conversation and drag on the team. They would like the problem fixed.

And there are more sources of problems. Here is the challenge: if each source of potential problems is managed and reacted to independently, you have no strategy for what problems you really should be solving. The simplest way to manage your landscape of problems strategically is to have a single list of problems regardless of where the problem is found, but a single list does not have to be your solution. As a leader, you must have an awareness of all the sources of problem identification and a system of work for examining and engaging with them in a balanced and purposeful way. You must have a systematic approach to managing your problem landscape. Otherwise, your team will react to each next problem that pops up in their inbox, which gives you extraordinarily little control of managing your improvement path.

The Andon, or Help Chain

A core element of your system is how you connect help to any problem as it occurs. Andon is a Japanese word meaning “lantern,” which relates to our situation as a signal light to indicate that there is a problem. If you prefer words that are more descriptive for your use, I like to call this the help chain because it is what connects help to the problem occurrence. While not every problem in your problem landscape will receive systematic problem-solving, every problem should receive attention.

To do this, you must define all of these five elements that are context-specific to the environment in which you work. First, you must define those problems that should be escalated and those that should not. For example, if your process takes five to six days, is that a problem or just natural variation of your work? More importantly, if I think you have a problem at four days and you don’t think it is a problem until you reach seven days, then in between those two markers, we are going to have plenty of frustrating tension. We should have the same definition of what is a problem.

Next, you need a way to notice the problem . This is one of the reasons that, in a lean environment, we strive to make the work as visual as possible so it is easier to detect the problem. Again, this is extremely specific to the nature of the work and must be solved at a local level.

Third, you need a method to escalate the problem . What is the one, and ideally only, way to surface that problem? The reason for the term “andon” is that the original creation of this approach was in a manufacturing environment at Toyota where a light would turn on and music would play. But a pilot declaring “Mayday” is a code word that accomplishes the same task, as is an error message popping up on your computer. There are many ways to create a signal, but it should be simple, timely, and very clear. These three elements make up the request for help.

The next two elements make up the response to that request. We must determine who is the right person to respond. This is often assumed to be the immediate manager, but this is the case only if they are able to provide the necessary help. Make sure the right resource is connected, either to coach or to solve. And finally, how do they respond , and just as importantly, when do they respond? This should be standardized so the other end of that help chain is not wondering whether, when, and in what form that help is going to arrive.

Managing and Prioritizing the Problems

Whether you are managing 10 problems or a hundred, you need some method to ensure they are captured and being worked on. If they exist somewhere in an email thread from five days ago or scrib- bled in the margin of someone’s notebook, that is not a very reliable or transparent system. You may determine you want a single team list that is easy for everyone to monitor, but again, the details should fit your needs and your team’s work environment.

There are a couple of elements that are important to include. Ownership of the problem should be clear. A team cannot own a problem, because when it stalls, who do I look to for an explanation? Even if the person who owns it is doing only a small portion of the work, there has to be a person clearly accountable for pushing the problem forward.

Progress made is also important to understand. It is easy for problems to stall, but they must be pushed through whatever barriers were holding them back. All of this should be transparent. Knowing what is being worked on, and what is not, is not only useful inside the team, but it is also useful to those higher up the organizational chart and out to your internal customers and suppliers.

Within that system, prioritization is also important. If your team is very proficient at both solving problems and keeping them small, then first in, first out is a great and simple system. You manage the inbound on the problem landscape, and then once you start them, you push through to the end without interruption.

However, if your problems are too large or your capacity to solve them is too small, problems tend to linger. Then you need to dynamically prioritize the set of problems being worked on. I suggest focusing on prioritizing what to finish rather than what to start. It is easy to start new problems, but what needs to get finished? Getting finished means you are able to realize the performance benefits but also the learning and the sense of accomplishment. The latter two are the fuel that allows you to get the next problem done as well. Focus on getting problems finished.

Build Capacity and Capability

No matter how well-developed your system for managing problems, it will perform only as well as your team’s capacity and capability to solve problems. As a leader, it is your responsibility to build both. Capability is relatively straightforward. Who is trained? Who is practicing? Who is at what level of competence? The most important aspect that you must determine is where everyone will go for coaching help. Coaching is the main lifeblood of problem-solving capability. Everyone in your organization should be, ideally, one step removed from a coach. Maybe you, as the leader, are going to act as the coach. Are you prepared for that? Will you make yourself available on their terms and not your terms? It is usually not the willingness to coach, but the willingness to design your own work around being available to be a coach that is the bigger challenge.

Maybe the coach is someone within your team. They will have the same challenge. When you say, “Lisa will be our coach,” then through whatever means you manage your team’s workload, that must be taken into account. Coaching cannot stop just because Lisa has a busy month ahead.

Capacity is a bit trickier. Over time, as we solve more problems, our work becomes more stable, and we end up with greater capacity. But today, we still must “carve out” or “make” time for problem solving. This is much easier to do at the team or organizational level than at the individual level.

Building capacity begins with properly valuing time spent in problem-solving relative to other work. The work never all gets done before everyone goes home at the end of the day. Therefore, some stuff gets done and other work does not. How do you decide? Based on what you value! If you value polishing PowerPoint and attending every meeting you are invited to more than you value problem-solving, then that is the work that will get done and problem-solving will have to wait. As the leader, you have to first decide, and then communicate, how much problem-solving is valued.

Then you must develop a system that ensures the work gets done. If you look at your employees’ calendars and they have five review meeting notices from you but nothing carved out for problem solving, it sends a pretty clear signal of what is important. The easiest way to signal the importance is to commit the team’s time. This could be done by blocking off an hour a day, or an afternoon, or some form of clear capacity commitment. It is your system of work and your system of priorities. How will your decisions signal what you value? How will you design your team’s system to drive the priority?

We all work as part of a system. As a leader, you are responsible for this system of work getting the right things done. Your role is to be an architect and design your system with purpose.

The founder of JFlinch, Jamie Flinchbaugh has helped purpose-driven leaders craft effective, resilient organizations at over 300 companies. Jamie has helped leaders across a wide spectrum of industries including healthcare, utilities, technology, consumer products, and professional services, including Harley-Davidson, Intel, Mars, Amazon, Crayola, Fidelity, Whirlpool, among many others.

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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The Seven Steps of Problem Solving

Select the issue.
Search for data to describe the situation.
Analyze the facts to obtain root cause(s) of the performance gap.
Select a solution.
Conduct a pilot test.
Evaluate performance.
Standardize the gains, reflect, and repeat the process.

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A Deep Dive into the A3 Problem-Solving Approach

11 mins to read
June 20, 2023
By Reagan Pannell

In today’s fast-paced and fiercely competitive business world, organisations must find ways to continuously adapt, evolve, and excel. Amidst the myriad methods and techniques for achieving improvements and driving continuous improvement , few have proven as profound and transformative as Toyota’s A3 problem-solving approach.

A significant driving force behind the company’s rise to global prominence, the A3 process fosters a culture where problems are embraced as opportunities for growth and learning. In this article, we’ll explore the origins and underlying principles of the A3 approach and uncover the secrets to its success in unlocking the power of improvements.

Understanding the A3 Approach

The A3 methodology is an integral part of the Toyota Production System (TPS), a set of principles and practices that have shaped the company’s approach to manufacturing, management, and continuous improvement over the years. Named after the A3 sheet of paper that was historically used to capture the plan, analysis, and follow-up on a single sheet of paper, typically an A3-sized sheet, the A3 process represents a simple, yet powerful, tool for addressing complex challenges and discovering lasting solutions.

At its core, the A3 approach is rooted in three key elements:

Thorough problem analysis : The foundation of the A3 process lies in digging deep to diagnose the true nature and root cause of an issue, rather than jumping to hastily devised fixes that merely address symptoms.

Structured documentation: The A3 report serves as both a communication tool and an iterative planning device, with each section building on the previous ones to guide problem solvers through a comprehensive analysis, solution development, and execution process. It’s the foundation of good continuous improvement.

Cyclical learning and improvement: Leadership and employees alike are encouraged to commit to hypothesis-driven inquiry, observation, experimentation, and reflection, leading to a culture that actively seeks and leverages opportunities for growth by solving problems.

How to Implement the A3 Process in Your Organisation

The Lean Thinking A3 approach can be distilled into seven essential steps:

1. Identify the problem:

Clearly articulate and define the issue at hand, avoiding the temptation to jump to solutions or assume important facts to be self-evident..

When identifying the problem, it is important to ensure that all relevant stakeholders in the organisation are consulted. This helps to ensure that the issue is accurately described and understood from multiple perspectives. A thorough problem analysis should also include conducting research into possible causes or root issues, and clearly documenting any observed symptoms of the problem. Additionally, it is essential to identify any major risks associated with not finding a solution and recognise any constraints (both external and internal) that may exist which could limit potential solutions. Lastly, it is important to consider any potential opportunities which may arise from addressing the issue that may have been overlooked at first glance. This is the problem statement part which is a critical component that identifies the difference between the current condition and the target condition.

At this stage, we are not looking at how to solve problems being faced or at the potential solution to solving problems. It’s about developing a good understanding of how the actual results differ from the expected results and providing an in-depth systematic approach to process improvement and developing problem-solving skills.

2. Establish the context and background:

Provide a high-level overview of the problem, describing the stakeholders involved, relevant data, and the broader organisational context in which the challenge has arisen..

It is important to ensure that all stakeholders are properly considered when identifying any potential solutions as their perspectives can play a vital role in determining an effective solution. All related data should be thoroughly analysed to understand the full scope of potential solutions. This includes resources, costs, timelines, and any legal or regulatory issues that may need to be considered. Additionally, it is important to consider how well-proposed solutions fit within existing organisational policies and procedures as this could impact implementation success. Finally, understanding how proposed solutions would interact with other initiatives or processes currently taking place in the organisation can help inform decisions about whether or not they are viable options. It may include conducting some value stream mapping to dig deeper into the current state.

It is important to fully explore any underlying factors that may be contributing to the issue at hand and ensure in-depth problem analysis. This includes looking deeper into existing systems, structures, and processes related to the problem in order to identify potential areas of improvement or optimisation. Additionally, it is essential to consider any relevant industry trends or external influences that could impact how the problem manifests within the organisation.

When analysing a problem, collecting data from various sources is important to get a more comprehensive understanding of how a particular issue can be addressed. This includes mapping the current process using the VSM, SIPOC , Process Mapping or Flowcharting techniques. Additionally, interviews and surveys can be conducted with stakeholders to gain insights into how they perceive the issue and their perspectives on potential solutions. Lastly, it is important to observe any real-world activities related to the problem to uncover key areas where time, effort, resources, money etc is being wasted. This is the time improvement that may not have been identified otherwise.

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Get 3-days free access to our green belt course, accelerate your career, 3. set a goal:, now that you have identified the problem and outlined the relevant context, it is time to set a project goal or outcome..

This involves clearly articulating the desired state of affairs and any key deliverables of the proposed solution. Whether it is reducing operational costs, increasing efficiency, improving customer experience, or something else entirely – defining specific objectives with measurable metrics can help ensure that project teams stay focused and remain aligned on their ultimate destination.

At this stage, it is also important to consider how long it will take to reach the desired outcome. Establishing an implementation timeline will help safeguard progress and provide a framework for tracking results along the way. Setting milestones for achieving particular goals at certain points in time can be especially helpful in keeping teams accountable throughout the process. Additionally, having a plan for evaluating success after reaching the end target will allow stakeholders to gain further insights into how effective their approach has been in addressing underlying problems, as well as how well-proposed solutions have fared once implemented.

4. Investigate root causes:

Use a variety of techniques (e.g., the 5 whys, fishbone diagrams, pareto charts) to probe the problem’s underlying causes and avoid settling on proximate reasons..

The process of identifying root causes is essential when using data-driven tools. We always want to find the simplest root cause approach.

One of the most widely used methods for root cause analysis is the ‘5 Whys’ technique. This method involves asking a series of ‘why’ questions to determine the underlying cause of a particular symptom or issue. The goal is to keep asking “Why?” until you reach an answer that can provide insight into how to address the problem and prevent it from occurring in the future.

Another commonly used tool for root cause analysis is the fishbone diagram (also known as Ishikawa diagrams). This approach involves visualising all potential causes which could be causing a symptom or issue in a logical format, allowing users to identify patterns and uncover links between root causes and their respective effects. This technique can be helpful in identifying and focusing on key areas for improvement, as well as helping to identify interdependencies between components within an organisation’s systems.

Finally, Pareto Charts are useful for analysing data collected from surveys, interviews, observations, etc., concerning the severity or frequency of occurrence. This type of chart helps users quickly identify which factors are contributing most significantly towards an issue, allowing them to focus resources towards addressing those areas first and foremost. Additionally, Pareto charts can also be used to prioritise different solutions based on their estimated effectiveness in addressing an issue.

In conclusion, understanding the root cause of an issue through rigorous techniques such as 5 Whys, fishbone diagrams, and Pareto charts provides invaluable insight into how best to address it effectively while preventing it from reoccurring in the future. By leveraging these tools along with other data-led approaches such as process mapping and flowcharting, organisations can ensure that any proposed solutions are well-informed by both qualitative and quantitative data sources as well as ensure they are building consensus across the entire organisation.

5. Countermeasures:

Identify the right countermeasures (corrective actions) to implement that will directly impact the root causes identified..

Brainstorming is a useful tool for identifying potential improvements. It involves coming up with ideas and solutions in an open and collaborative manner, without judgement or criticism. By allowing team members to share their thoughts freely, brainstorming can help uncover innovative solutions that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Additionally, looking at how waste reduction, flow and pull can be used to improve processes can also provide valuable insights into where improvement opportunities lie.

Brainstorm potential solutions that directly target the root causes and create detailed action plans for implementation, complete with assigned roles, responsibilities, and timelines.

Once the countermeasures are identified, it is important to design an implementation plan and assign roles & responsibilities. This will help ensure that all stakeholders understand their part in the implementation and can work together to achieve the desired outcome. Additionally, it is important to track progress along the way – setting measurable milestones that can be tracked against goals established during the initial problem-solving phase will help keep teams accountable and allow for course corrections if needed.

By utilising A3 Problem Solving Tools such as a template, organisations can easily document and share their analyses with relevant stakeholders throughout each stage of the project. Having detailed record-keeping like this also helps teams stay on target over time while providing insights into how proposed solutions may need to be re-evaluated down the line. This implementation plan provides the entire organisation with a clear project status on a one-page report.

6. Evaluate the results:

Measure the impact of your countermeasures against the problem, using well-defined success criteria, key performance indicators, or other relevant metrics..

Once the countermeasures have been implemented, it is essential to measure and evaluate their success. This can be done by tracking performance against the initial objectives established during the goal phase, as well as establishing key performance indicators to gauge how well the proposed solutions have fared.

Additionally, stakeholders should also consider conducting a post-implementation evaluation in order to assess how successful their approach has been in addressing underlying issues and determining what lessons can be learned from the experience. This will enable teams to identify strengths and weaknesses within their existing processes and make any necessary adjustments going forward. By understanding the outcomes of their improvements, organisations are able to gain valuable insights into how well they’ve succeeded in achieving their goals and ensure continued success moving forward.

Once the countermeasures have been implemented and their success measured, it is important to compare the results against the initial objective. This can be done in a variety of ways, including graphical analysis such as charts, process maps or flow diagrams. Graphical analysis helps to visualise the differences between results achieved before and after the implementation of new measures in a meaningful way. It also provides an increased level of clarity when assessing whether the desired outcomes have been achieved or not.

Process maps can be useful in understanding how changes made during the improvement phase have impacted processes within an organisation. By mapping out existing processes and then comparing them against those following implementation of countermeasures, teams can easily pinpoint where improvements were made and analyse how they led to improved performance overall.

Charts, on the other hand, enable users to quickly identify trends that may have emerged from data collected during the project. For example, if performance metrics are tracked before and after countermeasures are implemented, users can use charts and graphs to more clearly observe any patterns that may indicate an improvement or regression in performance over time – providing further insights into which areas need further attention or adjustment moving forward.

Finally, dashboard views provide an effective means of displaying results at a glance while highlighting any anomalies that might warrant further investigation. Dashboards allow stakeholders to gain access to important information quickly and easily while also helping them keep track of progress towards goals set out during initial problem-solving phases. Additionally, because dashboards support data visualisation capabilities they offer a highly interactive user experience which can help teams understand underlying trends with greater clarity and precision.

7. Standardise and share:

If a countermeasure proves successful, integrate it into the organisation’s standard operating procedures and share it with other teams as a best practice..

Once the countermeasures have been successfully implemented and measured against the initial objectives, these changes need to be integrated into the organisation’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) and shared with other teams as best practices. This will ensure that any improvements made during the problem-solving phase are consistently applied across all teams within the organisation.

In order to ensure that these improvements become part of the organisation’s long-term strategy, process maps should be updated to reflect the new improved way of working. Process maps provide a visual representation of how workflows are structured within an organisation, and by updating them in line with newly-implemented countermeasures, organisations can ensure that their processes continue to remain up-to-date and efficient moving forward. It may also be necessary to build a follow-up plan if not all tasks are fully completed as well as develop a Lean-focused PDCA cycle to ensure long-term effective collaboration on the solutions that were implemented.

Process documentation should also be updated in order to keep track of changes made during problem-solving. By documenting not just the solutions that were proposed but also why they were proposed, teams can gain valuable insights into their decision-making process which they can leverage for similar future problems.

Furthermore, it is important to update key performance indicators (KPIs) to accurately reflect any progress made during problem-solving. By tracking performance against objectives established before and after countermeasures were implemented, organisations will be able to identify any areas that may still need improvement or require further adjustment going forward. Additionally, tracking KPIs over time will help teams understand whether or not their current strategies are leading them towards meeting their goals in a timely manner or if additional measures may need to be taken in order to achieve desired results more quickly.

Finally, organisations should share successful solutions with other teams in order to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing amongst stakeholders throughout different parts of the business. This will allow for ideas generated through one team’s problem-solving efforts to benefit multiple departments – helping foster creativity and innovation while ensuring that everyone is on board with necessary changes being made throughout the organisation. The last step is key to Toyota’s PDCA management system designed for the entire organisation.

By breaking down the problem-solving process into these seven discrete stages, the A3 method offers practitioners a comprehensive, end-to-end framework for tackling complex challenges and driving improvements in any organisation.

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Training the team on A3

To get A3 started, everyone in the entire organisation needs to learn how to use this single-sheet or single-page document. This means training people across all parts of the company so that everyone knows how to use the A3 Problem Solving Tool and A3 template. Training will help make sure that everyone follows a structured approach when using an A3 problem solving method, which is derived from Lean management and Six Sigma methodologies.

Getting the organisation fully onboard with A3 Problem Solving is not an easy task and will require a dedicated effort to ensure its successful implementation. To this end, it is important to start with specific areas of the business – whether it be operations, finance or marketing – by setting up targeted training sessions for both operational teams and senior managers. This will help everyone understand how and why A3 is used, as well as the potential benefits it can bring to their business.

Once everyone has mastered the basics of working with an A3 template, companies should look to regularly review and evaluate its effectiveness. This could include setting up quarterly reviews or running workshops where teams discuss successes and areas for improvement when using the A3 tool. Doing this will ensure that any issues are identified early on, allowing the team to quickly adjust accordingly.

At Leanscape, we understand that transitioning to A3 Problem Solving can be a daunting task. With our team of specialists, we can provide your teams with the necessary training and coaching to ensure that they are able to adapt quickly and efficiently. Our comprehensive approach to A3 will equip your team with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully use this powerful tool for improving performance in all areas of your business.

We are committed to helping you develop a culture of continuous improvement within your organisation by teaching best practices and providing guidance through every step of the problem-solving process. Through our specialised training programs, we will help your teams learn how to use the A3 template more effectively, as well as how to interpret data visualisations quickly and accurately – enabling them to take action swiftly when required. Our experienced coaches will also share insights from industry experts on how best to integrate countermeasures into standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process maps, keeping up-to-date with industry trends in order to stay ahead of the competition.

By leveraging Leanscape’s expertise in A3 Problem Solving, you can rest assured knowing that your team is in good hands. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the support needed for successful implementation so that you can achieve sustained performance improvements over time.

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The implementation of A3 Problem Solving provides a comprehensive framework for organisations looking to successfully address complex problems in an efficient and cost-effective manner. By breaking down the problem-solving process into seven distinct stages, users can structure their approach and track the progress of their countermeasures over time.

In order to ensure successful implementation, organisations should dedicate time towards training their teams on how to use the A3 Problem Solving Tool and A3 template. This will give everyone a solid foundation for carrying out future problem-solving activities more effectively, as well as provide insights into the effectiveness of certain countermeasures over time.

Through Leanscape’s specialised training programs, you can ensure that your team is fully equipped with the necessary skills to successfully adopt and incorporate A3 problem-solving into all areas of your business. Our experienced coaches are committed to helping you develop a culture of continuous improvement within your organisation – providing guidance through every step of the process.

Final Thoughts

The A3 approach is an invaluable tool for unlocking the power of improvements within any organisation. By leveraging its structured framework and cyclical learning approach, businesses can remain agile and responsive to ever-changing conditions, allowing them to navigate change more successfully and emerge stronger than ever before. Ultimately, this makes Toyota’s A3 problem-solving process one of the most effective ways to ensure long-term success in today’s fast-paced and competitive market.

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40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse.

Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges , ideating on possible solutions , and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable .

In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems.

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What is problem solving?

Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a problem solving process that begins with identifying the issue, exploring its root causes, ideating and refining possible solutions before implementing and measuring the impact of that solution.

For simple or small problems, it can be tempting to skip straight to implementing what you believe is the right solution. The danger with this approach is that without exploring the true causes of the issue, it might just occur again or your chosen solution may cause other issues.

Particularly in the world of work, good problem solving means using data to back up each step of the process, bringing in new perspectives and effectively measuring the impact of your solution.

Effective problem solving can help ensure that your team or organization is well positioned to overcome challenges, be resilient to change and create innovation. In my experience, problem solving is a combination of skillset, mindset and process, and it’s especially vital for leaders to cultivate this skill.

A group of people looking at a poster with notes on it

What is the seven step problem solving process?

A problem solving process is a step-by-step framework from going from discovering a problem all the way through to implementing a solution.

With practice, this framework can become intuitive, and innovative companies tend to have a consistent and ongoing ability to discover and tackle challenges when they come up.

You might see everything from a four step problem solving process through to seven steps. While all these processes cover roughly the same ground, I’ve found a seven step problem solving process is helpful for making all key steps legible.

We’ll outline that process here and then follow with techniques you can use to explore and work on that step of the problem solving process with a group.

The seven-step problem solving process is:

1. Problem identification

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem(s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they’re facing and wish to resolve.

Be sure to align with your team on the exact definition and nature of the problem you’re solving. An effective process is one where everyone is pulling in the same direction – ensure clarity and alignment now to help avoid misunderstandings later.

2. Problem analysis and refinement

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is the right problem . Choosing the right problem to solve means you are on the right path to creating the right solution.

At this stage, you may look deeper at the problem you identified to try and discover the root cause at the level of people or process. You may also spend some time sourcing data, consulting relevant parties and creating and refining a problem statement.

Problem refinement means adjusting scope or focus of the problem you will be aiming to solve based on what comes up during your analysis. As you analyze data sources, you might discover that the root cause means you need to adjust your problem statement. Alternatively, you might find that your original problem statement is too big to be meaningful approached within your current project.

Remember that the goal of any problem refinement is to help set the stage for effective solution development and deployment. Set the right focus and get buy-in from your team here and you’ll be well positioned to move forward with confidence.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or techniquess designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions.

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can often come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold.

4. Solution development

No solution is perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically.

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your front-running solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose.

5. Decision making and planning

Nearly there! Once you’ve got a set of possible, you’ll need to make a decision on which to implement. This can be a consensus-based group decision or it might be for a leader or major stakeholder to decide. You’ll find a set of effective decision making methods below.

Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution, there are some additional actions that also need to be decided upon. You’ll want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

Set clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups for your chosen solution. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group.

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved.

6. Solution implementation

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving processes have the end goal of implementing an effective and impactful solution that your group has confidence in.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way. For some solutions, you might also implement a test with a small group and monitor results before rolling it out to an entire company.

You should have a clear owner for your solution who will oversee the plans you made together and help ensure they’re put into place. This person will often coordinate the implementation team and set-up processes to measure the efficacy of your solution too.

7. Solution evaluation

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling it’s been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback.

You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives.

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization.

It’s also worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time.

What does an effective problem solving process look like?

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . In our experience, a well-structured problem solving workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

The format of a workshop ensures that you can get buy-in from your group, encourage free-thinking and solution exploration before making a decision on what to implement following the session.

This Design Sprint 2.0 template is an effective problem solving process from top agency AJ&Smart. It’s a great format for the entire problem solving process, with four-days of workshops designed to surface issues, explore solutions and even test a solution.

Check it for an example of how you might structure and run a problem solving process and feel free to copy and adjust it your needs!

For a shorter process you can run in a single afternoon, this remote problem solving agenda will guide you effectively in just a couple of hours.

Whatever the length of your workshop, by using SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Complete problem-solving methods

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

The Six Thinking Hats #creative thinking #meeting facilitation #problem solving #issue resolution #idea generation #conflict resolution The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on.

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages.

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ) #action #decision making #problem solving #issue analysis #innovation #design #remote-friendly It doesn’t matter where you work and what your job role is, if you work with other people together as a team, you will always encounter the same challenges: Unclear goals and miscommunication that cause busy work and overtime Unstructured meetings that leave attendants tired, confused and without clear outcomes. Frustration builds up because internal challenges to productivity are not addressed Sudden changes in priorities lead to a loss of focus and momentum Muddled compromise takes the place of clear decision- making, leaving everybody to come up with their own interpretation. In short, a lack of structure leads to a waste of time and effort, projects that drag on for too long and frustrated, burnt out teams. AJ&Smart has worked with some of the most innovative, productive companies in the world. What sets their teams apart from others is not better tools, bigger talent or more beautiful offices. The secret sauce to becoming a more productive, more creative and happier team is simple: Replace all open discussion or brainstorming with a structured process that leads to more ideas, clearer decisions and better outcomes. When a good process provides guardrails and a clear path to follow, it becomes easier to come up with ideas, make decisions and solve problems. This is why AJ&Smart created Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ). It’s a simple and short, but powerful group exercise that can be run either in-person, in the same room, or remotely with distributed teams.

Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design.

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition #problem solving #idea generation #creativity #online #remote-friendly A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

The 5 Whys

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges.

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results.

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys #hyperisland #innovation This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold.

World Cafe #hyperisland #innovation #issue analysis World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD) #idea generation #liberating structures #action #issue analysis #remote-friendly DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology #action plan #idea generation #problem solving #issue analysis #large group #online #remote-friendly Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around.

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish.

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis #problem solving ##root cause analysis #decision making #online facilitation A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

Problem Tree

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them.

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree #define intentions #create #design #issue analysis A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward.

SWOT analysis #gamestorming #problem solving #action #meeting facilitation The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results.

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix #issue analysis #liberating structures #problem solving You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic . A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate. It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably. A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail. Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward. A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process.

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID #gamestorming #project planning #issue analysis #problem solving When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!

Speed Boat #gamestorming #problem solving #action Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How #idea generation #issue analysis #problem solving #online #creative thinking #remote-friendly A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed.

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It! #gamestorming #problem solving #action Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO!

LEGO Challenge #hyperisland #team A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems.

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken.

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What? #issue analysis #innovation #liberating structures You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

Journalists

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists #vision #big picture #issue analysis #remote-friendly This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for brainstorming solutions

Now you have the context and background of the problem you are trying to solving, now comes the time to start ideating and thinking about how you’ll solve the issue.

Here, you’ll want to encourage creative, free thinking and speed. Get as many ideas out as possible and explore different perspectives so you have the raw material for the next step.

Looking at a problem from a new angle can be one of the most effective ways of creating an effective solution. TRIZ is a problem-solving tool that asks the group to consider what they must not do in order to solve a challenge.

By reversing the discussion, new topics and taboo subjects often emerge, allowing the group to think more deeply and create ideas that confront the status quo in a safe and meaningful way. If you’re working on a problem that you’ve tried to solve before, TRIZ is a great problem-solving method to help your team get unblocked.

Making Space with TRIZ #issue analysis #liberating structures #issue resolution You can clear space for innovation by helping a group let go of what it knows (but rarely admits) limits its success and by inviting creative destruction. TRIZ makes it possible to challenge sacred cows safely and encourages heretical thinking. The question “What must we stop doing to make progress on our deepest purpose?” induces seriously fun yet very courageous conversations. Since laughter often erupts, issues that are otherwise taboo get a chance to be aired and confronted. With creative destruction come opportunities for renewal as local action and innovation rush in to fill the vacuum. Whoosh!

Mindspin

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly.

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation.

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex.

MindSpin #teampedia #idea generation #problem solving #action A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed.

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable.

The Creativity Dice #creativity #problem solving #thiagi #issue analysis Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Idea and Concept Development

Brainstorming without structure can quickly become chaotic or frustrating. In a problem-solving context, having an ideation framework to follow can help ensure your team is both creative and disciplined.

In this method, you’ll find an idea generation process that encourages your group to brainstorm effectively before developing their ideas and begin clustering them together. By using concepts such as Yes and…, more is more and postponing judgement, you can create the ideal conditions for brainstorming with ease.

Idea & Concept Development #hyperisland #innovation #idea generation Ideation and Concept Development is a process for groups to work creatively and collaboratively to generate creative ideas. It’s a general approach that can be adapted and customized to suit many different scenarios. It includes basic principles for idea generation and several steps for groups to work with. It also includes steps for idea selection and development.

Problem-solving techniques for developing and refining solutions

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to develop and refine your ideas in order to bring them closer to a solution that actually solves the problem.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team think through their ideas and refine them as part of your problem solving process.

Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result.

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution.

Improved Solutions #creativity #thiagi #problem solving #action #team You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged.

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch #design sprint #innovation #idea generation #remote-friendly The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper, Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

Ensuring that everyone in a group is able to contribute to a discussion is vital during any problem solving process. Not only does this ensure all bases are covered, but its then easier to get buy-in and accountability when people have been able to contribute to the process.

1-2-4-All is a tried and tested facilitation technique where participants are asked to first brainstorm on a topic on their own. Next, they discuss and share ideas in a pair before moving into a small group. Those groups are then asked to present the best idea from their discussion to the rest of the team.

This method can be used in many different contexts effectively, though I find it particularly shines in the idea development stage of the process. Giving each participant time to concretize their ideas and develop them in progressively larger groups can create a great space for both innovation and psychological safety.

1-2-4-All #idea generation #liberating structures #issue analysis With this facilitation technique you can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. You can generate better ideas and more of them faster than ever before. You can tap the know-how and imagination that is distributed widely in places not known in advance. Open, generative conversation unfolds. Ideas and solutions are sifted in rapid fashion. Most importantly, participants own the ideas, so follow-up and implementation is simplified. No buy-in strategies needed! Simple and elegant!

15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change.

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change.

15% Solutions #action #liberating structures #remote-friendly You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference. 15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change. With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Problem-solving techniques for making decisions and planning

After your group is happy with the possible solutions you’ve developed, now comes the time to choose which to implement. There’s more than one way to make a decision and the best option is often dependant on the needs and set-up of your group.

Sometimes, it’s the case that you’ll want to vote as a group on what is likely to be the most impactful solution. Other times, it might be down to a decision maker or major stakeholder to make the final decision. Whatever your process, here’s some techniques you can use to help you make a decision during your problem solving process.

How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process.

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud.

How-Now-Wow Matrix #gamestorming #idea generation #remote-friendly When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice.

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them.

Impact and Effort Matrix #gamestorming #decision making #action #remote-friendly In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action?

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus.

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively.

Dotmocracy #action #decision making #group prioritization #hyperisland #remote-friendly Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

Straddling the gap between decision making and planning, MoSCoW is a simple and effective method that allows a group team to easily prioritize a set of possible options.

Use this method in a problem solving process by collecting and summarizing all your possible solutions and then categorize them into 4 sections: “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”.

This method is particularly useful when its less about choosing one possible solution and more about prioritorizing which to do first and which may not fit in the scope of your project. In my experience, complex challenges often require multiple small fixes, and this method can be a great way to move from a pile of things you’d all like to do to a structured plan.

MoSCoW #define intentions #create #design #action #remote-friendly MoSCoW is a method that allows the team to prioritize the different features that they will work on. Features are then categorized into “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”. To be used at the beginning of a timeslot (for example during Sprint planning) and when planning is needed.

When it comes to managing the rollout of a solution, clarity and accountability are key factors in ensuring the success of the project. The RAACI chart is a simple but effective model for setting roles and responsibilities as part of a planning session.

Start by listing each person involved in the project and put them into the following groups in order to make it clear who is responsible for what during the rollout of your solution.

Responsibility (Which person and/or team will be taking action?)
Authority (At what “point” must the responsible person check in before going further?)
Accountability (Who must the responsible person check in with?)
Consultation (Who must be consulted by the responsible person before decisions are made?)
Information (Who must be informed of decisions, once made?)

Ensure this information is easily accessible and use it to inform who does what and who is looped into discussions and kept up to date.

RAACI #roles and responsibility #teamwork #project management Clarifying roles and responsibilities, levels of autonomy/latitude in decision making, and levels of engagement among diverse stakeholders.

Problem-solving warm-up activities

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process. Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute.

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out #team #opening #closing #hyperisland #remote-friendly Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

Doodling Together

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start.

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems.

Doodling Together #collaboration #creativity #teamwork #fun #team #visual methods #energiser #icebreaker #remote-friendly Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team!

Show and Tell #gamestorming #action #opening #meeting facilitation Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible.

Constellations #trust #connection #opening #coaching #patterns #system Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic.

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree #thiagi #opening #perspectives #remote-friendly With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Closing activities for a problem-solving process

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round.

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them.

One breath feedback #closing #feedback #action This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Who What When Matrix

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward.

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved.

Who/What/When Matrix #gamestorming #action #project planning With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out!

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised.

Response Cards #debriefing #closing #structured sharing #questions and answers #thiagi #action It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Tips for effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.

Try different approaches

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Create psychologically safe spaces for discussion

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner.

It can be tough for people to stand up and contribute if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions and where possible, create regular opportunities for challenges to be brought up organically.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

Save time and effort creating an effective problem solving process

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session timing adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore how to use SessionLab to design effective problem solving workshops or watch this five minute video to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you!

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

Your list of techniques for problem solving can be helpfully extended by adding TRIZ to the list of techniques. TRIZ has 40 problem solving techniques derived from methods inventros and patent holders used to get new patents. About 10-12 are general approaches. many organization sponsor classes in TRIZ that are used to solve business problems or general organiztational problems. You can take a look at TRIZ and dwonload a free internet booklet to see if you feel it shound be included per your selection process.

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Approaching problem solving more effectively

FEATURE – As they progress on their lean journey, organizations need to learn to adjust their stance to the different types of problems they face. Introducing his new book, the author offers precious tips on problem solving.

Words: Art Smalley , President of Art of Lean, author and speaker

Last year, the Lean Enterprise Institute published a book I authored, entitled Four Types of Problems . The book emphasizes the importance of looking at problems from different angles and not always getting locked into one way of viewing the situation at hand.

The four types described are 1) good troubleshooting routines, 2) gap from standard deviation situations, 3) target state improvement opportunities, and 4) more open-ended or innovation-based routines. There is some overlap between adjacent types, of course, but each has its own purpose and methods associated with it.

My goal in writing the book was to explain how these four types function in a company like Toyota, where I previously worked, and help organizations navigate their own problem-solving journey more effectively.

The book has a short chapter on the history of problem solving in the 20th century and covers many of the influential parties. As I point out in the chapter, I think it is fair to claim that all problem-solving routines are loose derivatives of the scientific method of inquiry in concept. However, I don’t think that all problem-solving routines meet the requirements of actual science in practice. (As an aside, I worked with a national laboratory for many years on their improvement journey. As I was lectured many times by career scientists, the actual bar for the scientific method is quite high – e.g. conduct double-blind studies, publish your full data sets and investigation methods, subject yourself to peer review, have others replicate your results independently, publish in a journal, and establish some type of new knowledge or discovery in the process, etc. OK, we don’t go that far in problem solving but we loosely embody some of the elements.)

A framework for the four types of problems firms can face

The first two categories in the 4 Types framework involve higher degrees of critical analytical thinking and look for proverbial root causes. They tend to reactively deal with problems that have occurred due to some type of causal factor or error. The latter two types are proactively created and not necessarily caused. In other words, you choose to take something to a higher standard. This usually involves higher degrees of lateral or divergent style creative thinking methods and you look for better solutions even when there is no problem per se.

There is a Japanese proverb that essentially states, “a fool knows one way of doing things while an expert knows many.” In other words, it is easy to force all problem-solving routines into one specific box – whether it be Toyota’s current 8-step method, Six Sigma methodologies, Triz, 8D, Kepner Tregoe, rapid Kaizen, Design Thinking, or whatever flavor you are most comfortable with. And we can, of course, just become extremely abstract or non-prescriptive and say it is all loosely science or PDCA for that matter. However, that superficial approach does not really provide much in the way of practical advice for moving forward. And unfortunately, I see many organizations get stuck with this line of thinking and consequently struggle to achieve the desired results. If you are experiencing success in your organization then I suggest you stay with what is working. If your organization is experiencing some trouble with problem solving or improvement, then altering your viewpoint or framework might be of some use.

I often get asked this follow-up question: “Why do you recommend these specific four types and why are they all necessary?” Let me try to explain my thinking. First off, these four types are essentially the patterns I personally observed from my mentors while working inside of Toyota Japan at Kamigo Engine plant (Taiichi Ohno’s facility). These four types line up with my observations and experiences watching various experts over many years at work during their career. Also, a retired gentleman named Isao Kato, who was a major force in the development of problem-solving training at Toyota for decades, urged me to look at every problem from multiple angles and not just one. He often invoked the phrase “Kata ni hamaranai” – a common Japanese expression that translates into “not getting trapped into one way or method”. Subsequently, here is the way I attempt to describe the types and necessities.

THE FOUR TYPES, MORE IN DETAIL

In a perfect world, we would not need Type 1 Troubleshooting routines… but the world is not perfect. Resources are finite and very much constrained in the short term. During a major vehicle launch in Toyota, for example, data collection indicates that the andon chord is pulled signaling an abnormal condition up to 10,000 times in a 24-hour period. Anyone remember those Elon Musk tweets about “production hell” and “logistics hell” while Tesla attempted to ramp up production volumes? Minor problems abound and not all of them are equal. Some form of triage is essentially enacted, with the most critical getting the most attention and others getting lesser amounts of consideration. Some are pursued more deeply in terms of 5 Why thinking (ideally again all of them would be), but many are dealt with in a safe expedient manner to get production back on track. For example, the machine is unjammed, the error is reset, the software is re-booted, the alignment of something is re-centered, etc. etc. How many of you have ever turned your internet router or phone on or off to resolve some type of connectivity issue? Sometimes the short-term fix is allowable under the circumstances.

There is a tendency to put down what I term the Type 1 Troubleshoot routines as not real problem solving, but I think this is ill advised for many reasons. For starters, it is not always so easy to be a first responder in any organization. Most of my trips to ER, for example, ended in pain medication, antibiotics, or other reactive treatments. One can argue those are just troubleshooting techniques dealing with the symptoms and not the real underlying problem. An entire movie starring Tom Hanks was made about Apollo 13 and the famous phrase, “Houston we have a problem”, when an oxygen tank ruptured during a mission. However, the movie then depicted the heroic troubleshooting required to get home, overcoming equipment malfunctions, CO2 build-up, low temperatures, lack of food and potable water, and many manual course adjustments. The real problem of the tank rupture and root cause (incorrect heater thermostatic switch) was figured out much later and not really covered in the movie. My point is that sometimes circumstances force you into Type 1 Troubleshooting responses and you need to be good at it on a daily basis. Also, from a “respect for people” point of view, involving everyone right away in Type 1 routines is a vital concept in Toyota. Most organizations I visit are not as strong at Type 1 problem solving as they seem to believe.

Type 2 problems and the classic gap from standard pattern of problem solving exist because of the inherent limitations of Type 1 responses. All problems are not equal in terms of impact – i.e. there is always some type of Pareto distribution. Of course, sometimes a problem must be handled at a more fundamental level even if it affects safety or quality severely. Many of the techniques developed in the 20th century focus on this type of situation. In order to really fix something you have to understand the proverbial root cause and implement a countermeasure to prevent it from occurring again. Penicillin and pain medication, for example, are great… but what caused the infection in the first place? Why did the Apollo 13 oxygen tank malfunction and rupture? Why are we suddenly experiencing so many defects in the fabrication department? These problems require more diligent investigation. The thinking pattern must shift from addressing the emergency condition to the underlying causal factors involved.

Most organizations struggle with Type 2 problem-solving routines as they are usually more difficult. Problem solving requires skill and teamwork as well as proper support structures. Heroic individuals usually can’t resolve Type 2 problems by themselves as the causal factors cross multiple lines or require certain expertise. We flew an induction hardening and materials expert all the way from Toyota Japan to the United States once during start up, to deal with a specific problem on a piece of equipment that my staff and I could not resolve. Most Type 2 problems, however, can be solved internally by proper usage of tools, methods, and persistence. Some fall into what I call the logic family of analysis (5 Why or Fishbone), some into the one variable at a time (OVAT) statistical family, and some in the multiple variable at a time (MVAT) statistical category. Not everyone needs to be proficient in all of these techniques, but all organizations need some degree of ability in them.

Type 3 routines are critical and different from the previous two types as there is not necessarily a problem to address in a classic sense. Everything is stable and at standard, which is great! Annually, however, organizations set higher goals for internal improvement or out of concern for the competition. Customers expect improvement as well. Sports is a good analogy here. Whatever you ran the 100 meters in or pole-vaulted last year is fine. How much better are you going to be this next year? Game on.

These types of problems are what we historically called Kaizen or continuous improvement inside of Toyota. The bar is raised and a new standard of performance (safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, etc.) is targeted. In these cases, traditional convergent root cause thinking is not as useful since the answer is not in the past or a single root cause per se. The 20th century also flourished with creativity-based routines to come up with a better combination of existing resources to optimize the current state. Creative brainstorm is the classic example where judgement is intentionally suspended, a quantity of ideas is targeted, and set of better methods is identified for one example. This line of thinking is intentionally exploratory and requires a higher tolerance for trial and error for the purposes of learning, etc. I semi-jokingly use the phrase “wishbone” instead of cause-and-effect “fishbone” to accentuate the difference.

Type 4 routines might require the least amount of explanation, but generate the most amount of debate. Open-ended innovation is needed in the first place to create an industry and some type of new product or new service. In the grand scheme of things, without Type 4 problems society does not grow or develop new technologies, etc. There are many areas for open-ended thinking and opportunities for improvement, but very little agreement on how to produce it. Most Type 4 practitioners consider it to be a special category in itself. Noted innovation expert Matthew May, upon kindly reviewing early drafts of my book, for example, commented there was “innovation” and then “just everything else”. Most innovation experts cringe at the notion that dogmatically adhering to specific steps or just answering questions will result in a specific outcome. Creativity is often messy and iterative in nature and not always sequential. Paradoxically, while it employs science, it is not all that scientific itself in terms of practice. In other words, similar methods don’t always produce the same results, which is one of the hallmarks attributes of science. This is partly why I suspect societies are so enamored of eccentric artists and inventors like Da Vinci, Edison, Tesla, or more recently Steve Jobs or Elon Musk.

If this sort of thinking interests you or your organization is not achieving desired results in problem solving, then this book might be of value. It is perfectly fine in the beginning to cling to one way of doing things and have a standard, for example. I can play golf quite well with just one swing and a 7 iron or play a decent game of tennis with just a forehand volley. Advanced players, however, employ multiple techniques depending upon the situation. Without first-hand observation or factual data, I don’t like to make specific recommendations. You have to be the captain of your own ship, so to speak, and plot your own course and periodically adjust. I personally believe that Toyota is successful because it is flexible enough to recognize various problems and respond to them in a multitude of appropriate ways over time. As Isao Kato frequently cautioned to me, “Kata ni hamaranai”.

To purchase your copy of the book, click here .

INTERVIEW – PL sits down with a consultant and a manager from the St Elisabeth hospital in the Netherlands to talk about the organization’s “loving care” approach to treating patients.

The 10 most read articles on Planet Lean in 2016

CONTENT ROUNDUP - Happy New Year, readers! Before kicking things off for 2017 with new, original content, we wanted to share with you the Top 10 of the most-read Planet Lean articles from last year.

Why you need lean thinking in your digital transformation

FEATURE – Organizations can only reap the full benefits of modern technologies if they pair up their digitalization efforts with an enterprise-wide lean transformation.

What informs disaster recovery efforts at Toyota

FEATURE – Much has been said and written about Toyota’s ability to recover from disasters. What many don’t realize, however, is that the company’s recovery strategy is informed by its underlying values – not just its tools.

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Guide: A3 Problem Solving

Author: Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

Problem-solving is one of the key tools a successful business needs to structure improvements and one I have been using to solve problems in a structured way in my career at a range of businesses over the years. When there is a problem in business that is leading to increased costs, waste , quality issues, etc., it is necessary to address these problems. A3 structured problem solving is a Lean Six Sigma methodology that has been designed and developed to support continuous improvement and solve complex business problems in a logical and structured process.

The guide will give you a full understanding of what A3 Problem solving is and a breakdown of all the steps of how to apply it within your business with an example of where I have made improvements with it previously.

Importance of A3 in Lean Management

The A3 problem-solving method is a key tool in Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement in business, and in my experience, it is often the standard approach all improvement activities must follow and is particularly popular in the automotive industry. This is because of the following:

Focus on Root Causes : Rather than applying a quick fix to a problem or jumping to conclusions and solutionizing, A3 requires gaining a deep understanding of the root causes of the problem. By addressing these root causes, the chances of recurrence is reduced.

Standardization : With a consistent format, the A3 process ensures that problems are approached in a standardized way, regardless of the team or department. This standardization creates a common language and understanding across the organization and ensures all problems are addressed to the same standard and approach.

Team Involvement : An A3 isn’t an individual process. It requires a cross-functional team to work together on problem-solving, ensuring that a range of perspectives and expertise is considered. This collective approach builds a stronger understanding of the problem and ensures that solutions are well-rounded and robust.

Visual Storytelling : The A3 report serves as a visual storyboard, making it easier for stakeholders at all levels to understand the problem, the analysis, and the countermeasures. This visualization enhances communication and drives alignment.

The 6 Steps of A3 Problem Solving (With Real Example)

The A3 problem-solving process can initially seem difficult if you have never done one before and particularly if you have never been a team member in one. To help you with this we will break down the 6 steps into manageable activities, followed by a real-life example to help you apply this method within your business.

As a side note, the A3 problem-solving process was actually one of the first Lean Six Sigma tools I learned to use three weeks into my continuous improvement career after being thrown into the deep end due to resource availability, so I can understand how difficult it can be to understand.

Step 1: Describe the problem

Problem description.

The problem description is an important first step in the process as it ensures a common understanding with the team of what the issue is that needs to be addressed. This can be done by using a technique called the 5W1H Is/Is Not method to help gain a clear understanding of the problem.

To understand the 5W1H Is/Is Not the Process, check out our guide for details of that technique. However, in short, it’s about asking key questions about the problem, for example, “What IS the problem?” and “What IS NOT the problem?”

Let’s say you have been asked to look into a problem where “Machine downtime on the automotive assembly line has increased by 30% over the past three months, leading to production delays and increased costs.”

An example of a 5W1H Is/Is Not on this may result in the following output:

5W1H	Is	Is Not
Who	Affects assembly line workers and leads	Affecting administrative staff
What	Increased machine downtime by 30%	This affects all machinery on the floor
When	Over the past 3 months	An issue that has been consistent over the years
Where	Automotive assembly line No.3	Present in assembly lines No.1 and No.2
Why	Lack of preventive maintenance and outdated components	Due to manual errors by operators
How	Through interruptions in the assembly process	Through supply chain or external factors

Based on this we can create a clear problem description as the focus of the project that give the team a clear and common understanding of the issue looking to be resolved in the next steps of the process. The problem description could then be written as:

“Over the past three months, machine downtime on Automotive Assembly Line No.3 has increased by 30%. This has predominantly affected the assembly line workers and leads, leading to production delays and higher labour costs. “

Current Condition

Next is demonstrating the current condition and demonstrating the impact on the business. This can often be done with data and charts to back up the problem that might show trends or changes in outputs.

This might look something like the below and demonstrate a good baseline for confirming the improvement at the end of the A3

A3 Structured Problem Solving - Step 1 - Chart

Containment Actions

Next is containment actions. Since you have identified a problem, there is likely an impact on the business or the customer. As a team, you should consider what can be done to limit or eliminate this problem in the short term. Remember this is just a containment action and should not be seen as a long-term fix.

In our situation we decided to “Implement temporary overtime shifts to meet production goals, leading to an increase in labor costs.”

At this stage, the A3 should look similar to the one below; you can use charts and graphics to represent the current state as well if they fit within the limit area. Remember, we must include the content of the A3 within the 1-page A3 Document.

Step 2: Set the A3 Goals

The next step of the A3 is to, as a team, set the goal for the project. As we have a clear understanding of the current condition of the problem, we can use that as our baseline for improvement and set a realistic target for improvement.

A suggested method for setting the Target condition would be to use the SMART Target method.

If you are not familiar with SMART Targets , read our guide; it will cover the topic in much more detail. In short, a SMART target creates a goal statement that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

By doing this you make it very clear what the goal of the project is, how it will be measured, it is something that can be achieved, relevant to the needs of the business and has a deadline for when results need to be seen.

For our A3 we decided that the goal would be “Our goal is to achieve at least a 20% reduction in machine downtime on Automotive Assembly Line No.3, lowering it from 90 minutes to no more than 72 minutes per day per machine, within the next 60 days. This reduction is crucial for increasing productivity and reducing labour costs, aligning with our overall business objectives.”

I also recommend using charts in this section to visualize the benefit or improvement to ensure you have stakeholder and sponsor support. Visuals are much easier and faster for people to understand.

A3 Structured Problem Solving - Step 2 - Chart

At this point, your A3 might look something like the one below, with the first 1/4 or section complete. The next step is to move on to the root cause analysis to get to the root of the problem and ensure the improvement does not focus on addressing the symptoms of the problem.

Step 3: Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is the next step in the process, often referred to as gap analysis, as this step focuses on how to get to the goal condition from the current condition.

Tip: If at this point you find the team going off-topic and focusing on other issues, Ask the question, “Is this preventing us from hitting our goal statement?” I have found this very useful for keeping on track in my time as an A3 facilitator.

For root cause analysis, a couple of key tools are usually used: a fishbone diagram and a five-why Analysis . Again, we won’t go into the full details of these tools within this guide, as they have been covered in extensive detail in their own guides.

But the aim at this point is as a team, to brainstorm what is preventing us from achieving our target condition. This is done by allowing all members of the team to input the reasons they think it is not being achieved. These inputs are often written on sticky notes and placed on the fishbone diagram. Following this, you may have results similar to the ones below. Note: it is important that the inputs are specific so they can be understood. e.g. “Calibration” alone is not specific to how it’s causing the problem; specify it with “Calibration: Inaccurate measurements affecting machine settings.”

A3 Structured Problem Solving - Step 3 - Fishbone Diagram

After the fishbone diagram has been populated and the team has exhausted all ideas, the team should then vote on the most likely cause to explore with a 5 Whys analysis. This is done because, due to resource limitations, it is unlikely all of the suggestions can be explored and actioned.

In this situation the team decided the “lack of preventative machines: machines not being serviced regularly” was the cause of increased downtime. This was explored with the 5 Whys to get to the root cause of why Assembly Line 3 did not have preventative maintenance implemented.

The result of this root cause analysis can be seen below, and you may end up with more ideas on the fishbone, as generally there are a lot of ideas generated by a diverse team during brainstorming.

Step 4: Solutions and Corrective Actions

Now that we understand what the root cause of the problem is, we need to address it with solutions and corrective actions. Again, as a team, consider the root cause of the problem and discuss what actions need to be taken by the team, who will do them, and when they will be done. The result should be an action plan, for example, like the one below:

A3 Structured Problem Solving - Step 4 - Action List

This action plan needs to be carried out and implemented.

The result of this section will likely just be an action list and look like the below section.

Step 5: Validate Solution and Standardize

Within step 5 it is time to collect data to validate and confirm the actions that have been implemented resulting in solving the problem and meeting the target state of the problem. This is done by continuing to collect data that demonstrates the problem in the baseline to see if the problem is being reduced.

For example, below, the project team continued to collect Assembly Line 3 downtime data on a weekly basis. Initially, there was a steady reduction, likely due to the focus of the project on the problem, which had some impact. However, once the majority of the action was implemented, a huge drop in product downtime was seen, exceeding the target. This showed the actions have been successful

A3 Structured Problem Solving - Step 5 - Confirmation Chart

If, in the validation stage, you find that the improvement required is not being made, you should go back to step 3 and reconsider the root cause analysis with the team, pick another area to focus on, and create an action plan for that following the same steps.

Step 6: Preventive Actions and Lessons Learned

In step 6 after the confirmation of project success you should look at preventive actions and lessons learned to be shared from this project:

Preventive Action: The new preventive maintenance schedule will be standardized across all assembly lines. This will prevent other lines having similar issues and make further improvements
Lessons Learned: A formal review will be conducted to document the process, including challenges faced and how they were overcome, which will then be archived for future reference.

In our project, this looked like the one below and will be used as a reference point in the future for similar issues.

And that is the successful completion of a structured A3 problem-solving technique.

The complete A3 looks like the below image. Yours may slightly differ as the problem and information vary between projects.

A3 Structured problem solving example sheet with all the steps of the A3 Process on an A3 Report

Downloadable A3 Reporting Template

To support you with your A3 problem solving, you can download our free A3 problem solving report from the template section of the website.

A3-Problem-Solving-Feature-Image-Learnleansigma

Problem-solving is important in businesses, specifically when faced with increased costs or quality issues. A3 Structured Problem Solving, rooted in Lean Six Sigma, addresses complex business challenges systematically.

Originally from Toyota’s lean methodology, A3, named after the 11″x17″ paper size, visually maps problem-solving processes. This method ensures concise communication and focuses on crucial details, as illustrated by the provided example.

Emphasized in Lean Management, A3 stresses understanding root causes, standardization across teams, team collaboration, and visual representation for clarity. This tool is not only a guide to understanding the issue but is a standardized format ensuring robust solutions. Particularly for novices, breaking down its six steps, from problem description to setting A3 goals and root cause analysis, provides clarity. Visual aids further enhance comprehension and alignment across stakeholders.

Sobek II, D.K. and Jimmerson, C., 2004. A3 reports: tool for process improvement. In IIE Annual Conference. Proceedings (p. 1). Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE).
Matthews, D.D., 2018. The A3 workbook: unlock your problem-solving mind . CRC Press.

Q: What is A3 problem solving?

A: A3 problem solving is a structured approach used to tackle complex problems and find effective solutions. It gets its name from the A3-sized paper that is typically used to document the problem-solving process.

Q: What are the key benefits of using A3 problem solving?

A: A3 problem solving provides several benefits, including improved communication, enhanced teamwork, better problem understanding, increased problem-solving effectiveness, and the development of a culture of continuous improvement.

Q: How does A3 problem solving differ from other problem-solving methods?

A: A3 problem solving emphasizes a systematic and structured approach, focusing on problem understanding, root cause analysis, and the development and implementation of countermeasures. It promotes a holistic view of the problem and encourages collaboration and learning throughout the process.

Q: What are the main steps in the A3 problem-solving process?

A: The A3 problem-solving process typically involves the following steps: problem identification and description, current condition analysis, goal setting, root cause analysis, countermeasure development, implementation planning, action plan execution, and follow-up and evaluation.

Q: What is the purpose of the problem identification and description step?

A: The problem identification and description step is crucial for clarifying the problem, its impact, and the desired outcome. It helps establish a common understanding among the team members and ensures everyone is working towards the same goal.

Daniel Croft

Hi im Daniel continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and over 10 years of real-world experience across a range sectors, I have a passion for optimizing processes and creating a culture of efficiency. I wanted to create Learn Lean Siigma to be a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights and provide all the guides, tools, techniques and templates I looked for in one place as someone new to the world of Lean Six Sigma and Continuous improvement.

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Module 5: Thinking and Analysis

Solving problems creatively, learning outcomes.

Describe the role of creative thinking skills in problem-solving

Problem-Solving with Creative Thinking

Creative problem-solving is a type of problem-solving. It involves searching for new and novel solutions to problems. Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas—practices and solutions that are unique and effective. It’s about facing sometimes muddy and unclear problems and seeing how things can be done differently—how new solutions can be imagined. [1]

You have to remain open-minded, focus on your organizational skills, and learn to communicate your ideas well when you are using creative thinking to solve problems. If an employee at a café you own suggests serving breakfast in addition to the already-served lunch and dinner, keeping an open mind means thinking through the benefits of this new plan (e.g., potential new customers and increased profits) instead of merely focusing on the possible drawbacks (e.g., possible scheduling problems, added start-up costs, loss of lunch business). Implementing this plan would mean a new structure for buying, workers’ schedules and pay, and advertising, so you would have to organize all these component areas. And finally, you would need to communicate your ideas on how to make this new plan work not only to the staff who will work the new shift, but also to the public who frequent your café and the others you want to encourage to try your new hours.

We need creative solutions throughout the workplace—whether board room, emergency room, or classroom. It was no fluke that the 2001 revised Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy, originally developed in 1948, placed a new word at the apex— creating . That creating is the highest level of thinking skills.

A diagram illustrates the revised version of Bloom’s Taxonomy by showing a comparison between “The Old Version” versus “The New Version.”

Bloom’s Taxonomy is an important learning theory used by psychologists, cognitive scientists, and educators to demonstrate levels of thinking. Many assessments and lessons you’ve seen during your schooling have likely been arranged with Bloom’s in mind. Researchers recently revised it to place creativity—invention—as the highest level

“Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a valid reason to not try a new approach. It may very well be that the old process is a very good way to do things, but it also may just be that the old, comfortable routine is not as effective and efficient as a new process could be.

The good news is that we can always improve upon our problem-solving and creative-thinking skills—even if we don’t consider ourselves to be artists or creative. The following information may surprise and encourage you!

Creative thinking (a companion to critical thinking) is an invaluable skill for college students. It’s important because it helps you look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective. Creative thinking is a way to develop novel or unorthodox solutions that do not depend wholly on past or current solutions. It’s a way of employing strategies to clear your mind so that your thoughts and ideas can transcend what appear to be the limitations of a problem. Creative thinking is a way of moving beyond barriers. [2]
As a creative thinker, you are curious, optimistic, and imaginative. You see problems as interesting opportunities, and you challenge assumptions and suspend judgment. You don’t give up easily. You work hard. [3]

Is this you? Even if you don’t yet see yourself as a competent creative thinker or problem-solver, you can learn solid skills and techniques to help you become one.

Creative Problem-Solving: Fiction and Facts

As you continue to develop your creative thinking skills, be alert to perceptions about creative thinking that could slow down progress. Remember that creative thinking and problem-solving are ways to transcend the limitations of a problem and see past barriers. It’s a way to think outside the box.

Creative Problem-Solving: Fiction and Facts
	FICTION	FACTS
1	Every problem has only one solution (or one right answer).	The goal of problem-solving is to solve the problem, and most problems can be solved in any number of ways. If you discover a solution that works, it’s a good solution. Other people may think up solutions that differ from yours, but that doesn’t make your solution wrong or unimportant. What is the solution to “putting words on paper”? Fountain pen, ballpoint, pencil, marker, typewriter, printer, printing press, word-processing . . .?
2	The best answer or solution or method has already been discovered.	Look at the history of any solution and you’ll see that improvements, new solutions, and new right answers are always being found. What is the solution to human transportation? The ox or horse, the cart, the wagon, the train, the car, the airplane, the jet, or the space shuttle? What is the best and last?
3	Creative answers are technologically complex.	Only a few problems require complex technological solutions. Most problems you’ll encounter need only a thoughtful solution involving personal action and perhaps a few simple tools. Even many problems that seem to require technology can be addressed in other ways.
4	Ideas either come or they don’t. Nothing will help— certainly not structure.	There are many successful techniques for generating ideas. One important technique is to include structure. Create guidelines, limiting parameters, and concrete goals for yourself that stimulate and shape your creativity. This strategy can help you get past the intimidation of the blank page. For example, if you want to write a story about a person who gained insight through experience, you can stoke your creativity by limiting or narrowing your theme to “a young girl in Cambodia who escaped the Khmer Rouge to find a new life as a nurse in France.” Apply this type of specificity and structure to any creative endeavor.

creative problem-solving: a practice that seeks new and novel solutions to problems, often by using imagination rather than linear reason

"Critical and Creative Thinking, MA." University of Massachusetts Boston . 2016. Web. 16 Feb 2016. ↵
Mumaw, Stefan. "Born This Way: Is Creativity Innate or Learned?" Peachpit. Pearson, 27 Dec 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016. ↵
Harris, Robert. "Introduction to Creative Thinking." Virtual Salt. 2 Apr 2012. Web. 16 Feb 2016. ↵
Ibid. ↵
College Success. Authored by : Linda Bruce. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
College Success. Authored by : Amy Baldwin. Provided by : OpenStax. Located at : https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/7-2-creative-thinking . License : CC BY: Attribution
Text adaptation. Authored by : Claire. Provided by : Ivy Tech. Located at : http://ivytech.edu/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

Sail the Seven C’s Voyage Logbook by Robert Bear Instructs Teams on Creative Problem Solving Amid Organizational Storms

Today’s business environment is incredibly fast-moving and complicated, with problems arising left and right, like waves in a storm battering a ship. This can lead to organizations and team members feeling overwhelmed and helpless because they don’t know where and how to start dealing with these problems. Drawing on his more than four decades of experience in teaching, business, art, and the military, Robert E. Bear has authored Sail the Seven Cs Voyage Logbook , a workbook that guides members of corporate teams and other organizations on how to creatively solve problems while supporting each other.

Written from the standpoint of a sailor, Sail the Seven Cs uses various maritime terminologies and metaphors to drive its points. According to Bear, the book and its forms function as a tool for a team, committee, task force, or a group to work together in a systematic, organized approach that can solve problems of any size. The eBook, which will soon be available on Amazon, also has a section that can help individuals and organizations secure funding for their projects by teaching them how to write grant requests.

As outlined by the book, the seven Cs are:

Conviction , or a problem that one is passionate about solving. This could be an unfair practice at work, increasing productivity, taking care of employees’ interests, or filling a market niche.
Courage is the fortitude to step forth and become involved. Courage is the fortress of character that will sustain you through to the success of a positive change.
Counsel may involve more than just seeking advice from friends or peers. This also includes advice and services from professionals, such as attorneys or accountants, as well as gathering as much pertinent data as possible within the business.
Creativity involves crafting a map of solutions to the problem to pass through the doldrums of apathy and indifference, as well as strategies to overcome the hurricanes of skepticisms and tsunamis of intolerance.
Cooperation integrates as many individuals, organizations, and businesses as possible, each having a stake in the outcome of the resolved problem. It also involves leaders being able to properly allocate tasks and responsibilities.
Communication must be a multi-directional, fluid process throughout your network, Bear says. Teams must be able to effectively disseminate objectives, articulate ideas, impart information, and share feelings and feedback.
Commitment , the final C, maybe the hardest C to navigate. It may entail a return to one or more of the previous Cs for continued buoyancy and not sinking from the onslaught of the monsters of doubt and new problems that have surfaced.

According to Bear, each team member should have their own copy of Sail the Seven C’s , to ensure that everyone is on the same page. The team should also confirm a time when they can regularly assemble and work on and review each other's efforts and logbooks.

In addition to the exercises provided by Sail the Seven C’s , Bear also holds half-day and full-day corporate creative problem-solving workshops that reinforce these lessons and provide an even more potent start to an organization’s journey toward positive change.

Bear recommends teams hold free word association exercises to develop their creative problem-solving skills. This encourages members to not be afraid of voicing ideas that may sound silly at first, because there may be something in there that actually works. As different people have different skills and different knowledge sets, encouraging each member to speak up when they believe they have something to contribute is vital to organizational success.

Store / Books / Four Types of Problems

Four Types of Problems

by Art Smalley

$ 50.00

When faced with a problem, many business leaders and teams mechanically reach for a familiar problem-solving methodology. The problem is that the methods are often mismatched with the problem, creating unnecessary struggle, frustration, delay, and ineffectiveness in solving the problem — if it is ever solved at all.

In Four Types of Problems: from reactive troubleshooting to creative innovation veteran lean management practitioner Art Smalley, explains why settling on a favorite problem-solving technique or two is a mistake. He shows that most business problems fall into four main categories, each requiring different thought processes, management cadences, and improvement methods.

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Intro to Problem-Solving

Learn a proven, systematic approach to resolving business and work process problems.

When faced with problems many business leaders and teams reach for familiar and standard problem-solving methods, often creating unnecessary struggle, frustration, delay, and ineffectiveness in solving the problem — if it is ever solved at all! In other words, they keep reaching for the same old hammer as if every business problem were a nail.

In Four Types of Problems, continuous improvement expert and author Art Smalley shows you how to break the “hammer-and-nail” trap. He demonstrates that most business problems fall into four main categories:

Troubleshooting: A reactive process of rapidly fixing abnormal conditions by returning things to immediately known standards.
Gap-from-standard: A structured problem-solving process that aims more at the root cause through problem definition, goal setting, analysis, countermeasure implementation, checks, standards, and follow-up activities.
Target-state: Continuous improvement (kaizen) that goes beyond existing levels of performance to achieve new and better standards or conditions.
Open-ended and Innovation: Unrestricted pursuit through creativity and synthesis of a vision or ideal condition that entail radical improvements and unexpected products, processes, systems, or value for the customer beyond current levels.

“Organizations and individuals at all levels fall into the trap of having one primary or standard way of solving every problem,” writes Smalley, who learned problem solving from Tomoo Harada at Toyota’s historic Kamigo engine plant. Harada led the maintenance activities that created the stability needed for Taiichi Ohno’s innovations in the Toyota Production System.

Each type of problem category requires different thought processes, improvement methods, and management cadences. Each type has its own sub-system and surfacing mechanism, management cadence, timing, and difficulty level, he explained. One size does not fit all situations and just training people in tools or techniques only scratches the surface of problem solving.

In Four Types of Problems you’ll learn:

4 types of problem-solving approaches that are effective against virtually every business problem;
How to advance from treating “abnormal conditions” to more robust problem-solving routines that develop people and create a more diverse continuous improvement culture;
When and how to use each type with real-world examples;
The strengths and limitation of each problem-solving type;
The right sub-system for each type;
The importance of timing and cadence for each routine;
The 3 main kinds of countermeasures and when to use each;
How to use the 4 Cs of Problem Solving for Type 1 or troubleshooting;
The critical role of frontline supervisors in troubleshooting;
2 conditions calling for Type 2 — gap from standard — problem solving;
7 basic steps of Type 2 problem solving, including key points for each step;
What sets Type 3 problem solving apart from Types 1 and 2;
Why Type 3 thinking is possible for any activity – manufacturing, services, healthcare, logistics, government, etc.;
Experts’ perspectives on the modern Type 4 problem-solving approaches of Design Thinking and Set-Based Innovation;
Type 4 innovation checklist;
6 cross-cutting themes shared by all types of problem solving;
Review questions after each chapter to assess your understanding;
How to assess a company’s capabilities in all four types at four different levels of proficiency;
The thinking and logic behind key tools for continuous improvement;
60+ illustrations to reinforce key points and lessons!

Chapter Downloads:

Problem Printable

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Utilizing Six Sigma driven by Lean and creativity facilitates in pinpointing precise nature and extent of the cause and conceiving the real-life solution. It is imperative that a proper balance is provided between data-driven and quantitative nature of Six Sigma, on one hand, and Lean way of working and creative problem solving, on the other hand.
Designing a Lean Problem-Solving System with Purpose
Designing a Lean Problem-Solving System with Purpose. Jan. 10, 2022. Leaders must be system architects, taking responsibility and ownership. Jamie Flinchbaugh. The following is an excerpt from People Solve Problems: the Power of Every Person, Every Day, Every Problem (2021: Old Dutch Group), the latest book by IndustryWeek lean leadership ...
A Lean Journey: The Seven Steps of Problem Solving
Analyze the facts to obtain root cause (s) of the performance gap. Select a solution. Conduct a pilot test. Evaluate performance. Standardize the gains, reflect, and repeat the process. Let's cover each of these steps in a little more detail. 1. Select the Issue. Start with the voice of the customer.
The Deeper Purpose of Problem-Solving
Why problem-solving in a lean setting is a unique opportunity to think about how we think and develop expertise where it counts. Let's face it: we live in an illusion. That is to say, modern theories of cognition demonstrate that we do not really see what is around us. Instead, our eyes dart from one detail to the next to construct a ...
Guide: Problem Solving
Problem-solving stands as a fundamental skill, crucial in navigating the complexities of both everyday life and professional environments. Far from merely providing quick fixes, it entails a comprehensive process involving the identification, analysis, and resolution of issues. This multifaceted approach requires an understanding of the problem's nature, the exploration of its various ...
Design Thinking for Lean Practitioners
So, lean problem-solving and design thinking are, actually, incredibly compatible. In fact, we can enhance lean problem-solving by incorporating design thinking tools to enhance the lean practitioner's toolkit and help us be more creative in our efforts. Here are some examples: Design thinking uses a human-centered approach.
DMAIC Model
The DMAIC Problem Solving Approach is a process improvement methodology based on the Six Sigma approach that helps to improve business processes and products. It is used to identify, analyze, and solve existing processes that are inefficient or ineffective. The approach breaks down into five phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.
A Deep Dive into the A3 Problem-Solving Approach
The A3 problem-solving approach is a powerful tool used to identify, analyze and solve issues. It consists of a comprehensive template which can be used to effectively unlock improvements and gain deeper insights into various situations. This article will discuss how this versatile technique can be used to help individuals unlock their ...
40 problem-solving techniques and processes
7. Solution evaluation. 1. Problem identification. The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem (s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they're facing and wish to resolve.
Approaching problem solving more effectively
Approaching problem solving more effectively. FEATURE - As they progress on their lean journey, organizations need to learn to adjust their stance to the different types of problems they face. Introducing his new book, the author offers precious tips on problem solving. Words: Art Smalley, President of Art of Lean, author and speaker.
Guide: A3 Problem Solving
The A3 is a problem-solving tool that encourages a collaborative and systematic approach to problem-solving. The term A3 comes from the paper size which is roughly 11″ by 17″ and used to map out the problem-solving process on a single sheet of paper. The A3 paper size is used as a single-page constraint that ensures the team focus on the ...
Solving Problems Creatively
Problem-Solving with Creative Thinking. Creative problem-solving is a type of problem-solving. It involves searching for new and novel solutions to problems. Unlike critical thinking, which scrutinizes assumptions and uses reasoning, creative thinking is about generating alternative ideas—practices and solutions that are unique and effective.
Problem Solving For Lean Continuous Improvement
About David Verble. A performance improvement consultant and leadership coach since 2000, David has been an LEI faculty member for 17 years. Recognized as one of the first Toyota-trained managers to bring A3 thinking from Japan to the United States, he has conducted A3 problem-solving and leadership programs for 30 years.
Creative problem solving in knowledge-rich contexts
Creative problem solving (CPS) relies on the reorganization of existing knowledge to serve new, problem-relevant functions. ... By contrast, knowledge-lean creativity de-emphasizes crystalized knowledge. The term, crystalized, generally connotes knowledge that is retained in memory beyond the more fluid short-term stages (e.g., working memory). ...
Sail the Seven C's Voyage Logbook by Robert Bear Instructs Teams on
In addition to the exercises provided by Sail the Seven C's, Bear also holds half-day and full-day corporate creative problem-solving workshops that reinforce these lessons and provide an even ...
Four Types of Problems
The problem is that the methods are often mismatched with the problem, creating unnecessary struggle, frustration, delay, and ineffectiveness in solving the problem — if it is ever solved at all. In Four Types of Problems: from reactive troubleshooting to creative innovation veteran lean management practitioner Art Smalley, explains why ...

Learn how Creative Problem Solving drive deep and creative thinking when used with lean problem-solving approaches.

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What Is Creative Problem-Solving & Why Is It Important?

What Is Creative Problem-Solving?

1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking

2. Reframe Problems as Questions

3. Defer Judgment of Ideas

4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But"

Creative Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Creative Problem-Solving Tools

Creating a Problem Story

1. Identify a UDP

2. Move Forward in Time

3. Move Backward in Time

4. Break the Chains

Brainstorming

Alternate Worlds

Continue Developing Your Skills

About the Author

Creative problem solving roles in lean manufacturing

Principles of Lean Manufacturing

The Role of Innovation

Elements of Creative Thinking

Need to solve problems

Approaches to Creative Problem Solving

Cross-functional impact of teams

Impact of reducing delivery time

Kaizen Events and Creativity

Applying Andon to Creativity

Jidoka's role in problem solving

Poka-yoke's contribution to creativity

summarizing

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lean and Creative Six Sigma to Solve Real-life Issues

Need for Lean and Creative Six Sigma

Using Lean Tools in Six Sigma Projects

Using Creativity in Six Sigma Projects

About the Author

Abhishek Rai

Members Only

Designing a Lean Problem-Solving System with Purpose

The Landscape of Problems

The Andon, or Help Chain

Managing and Prioritizing the Problems

Build Capacity and Capability

Continue Reading

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Manufacturers Find a Workforce Friend in Black Churches

Reshoring Takes Hold Across Multiple Industries

So That Happened: Making Flags in America and Keeping Japanese Steel Companies Out

Fifty Factory Tours that Make America Great

The 3 E's of TPS and How the Basics Never Go Out of Style

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

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A Deep Dive into the A3 Problem-Solving Approach

Understanding the A3 Approach

How to Implement the A3 Process in Your Organisation

1. Identify the problem:

2. Establish the context and background:

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