THE ART OF PROBLEM FORMULATION

One of the most important skills for any manager is to be able to define and frame the problems they face. A well-formulated problem can lead to clear objectives, effective strategies, and measurable outcomes. A poorly formulated problem can result in confusion, wasted resources, and frustration. Many managers struggle with this skill and often jump to solutions without fully understanding the problem. Based on this, we have come to believe that problem formulation is the single most underrated skill in all management practice.

As business owners and leaders, we fail to pay close attention to problem formulation rather focus on the results and other areas. According to research, there are few questions in business more important than “What problem are we trying to solve”. This was the question Mr Oba the expert on Toyota production system asked Mr Don Kieffer.

Problem formulation is the art of defining what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and how you will measure your progress. It is also the art of identifying the assumptions, constraints, and trade-offs that shape your problem space. It has been suggested that the brain is prone to move straight from a situation to a solution without pausing to define the problem clearly.

How Our Minds Solve Problems

The Human brain has at least two different method of addressing problems;

• Conscious Processing: represents that part of our brain that we control. Conscious processing refers to the mental processing that occurs when we are aware of our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. It involves actively directing our attention to a particular task or stimulus and engaging in deliberate and effortful mental processing to make sense of the information.
• Automatic Processing: this works differently from its conscious counterpart. Automatic processing is a type of mental processing that occurs without conscious awareness or intentional control. It refers to the ability to perform certain tasks or respond to certain stimuli with little or no conscious effort, often as a result of repeated practice or familiarity. Examples of automatic processing include habitual behaviours such as brushing teeth or driving a familiar route, as well as perceptual processes such as recognizing faces or words. These processes are typically fast and efficient, allowing us to respond quickly to our environment without using up limited mental resources.

A good problem statement has five basic elements;

• reference something that the organization values, such as its mission or core values, and connect each element of the plan to clear and specific goals that align with those values.
• A successful project plan should include a clearly defined set of objectives that articulate the gap between the current state of affairs and the desired outcome, in order to guide the development and implementation of effective strategies
• the key variables – the target, the current state and the gap are quantifiable
• it is as neutral as possible concerning possible diagnoses or solutions
• it is sufficiently small in scope that you can tackle it quickly.  

In order to develop a strong and effective strategy for problem-solving, it is essential to start with a clear and concise description of the problem at hand, which forms the foundation of a logical chain of reasoning.