Everyone talks about problem solving, but how do you do that?
Here is a simple 10 step process to apply problem solving in a way anyone can apply. Give them away – print them out – put them on your desk. Use them.
You will not remember them if you don’t do something with them now.
So print these out now, and put them where you will see them and use them.
10 steps of problem solving
- Investigate and gather information – to see if it is really even a problem
- Define problem – write it down on paper (when we do this we get a different perspective) determine the cause if possible
- Brainstorm as many possible solutions you can think of, use other people, ask them – quantity is key, not quality – examples of how we stop this
- Apply 80/20 rule to step 3 the ideas– at this point in time find which ideas might work and produce the biggest results with the lease amount of effort
- Pick one, decision using the 80/20 rule
- Act on step 5 – do not let time elapse (the sooner we act the greater possibility of success) – key characteristic of successful people is they are decisive. Successful people have a clear goal, a lifetime goal, of where they want to go. Because of the clear picture of where they want to go, they know if their decision fits in or not. Unsuccessful people don’t know if their decision fits into their picture because they don’t have one. They don’t have goals
- Follow up – inspect – we get what we inspect, not what we expect
- Evaluate your progress to date
- Do 1-8 for parts of the problem not resolved or if problem is not resolved (most problems will be solved after 3 times through this)
- Document what you did – so you do not have to do this again.
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