On Analyzing Problems

I only started thinking about analyzing problems a few weeks ago during the first session of ABP class (analysis of business problems). Yes, I put problem solving on my resume, and I have not been droning through life at the mercy of every problem, I am only a fool sometimes; I have come to understand, there are certain hoops to jump for you to rightfully say, you have analyzed a problem and arrived at a solution.
An important tool in your arsenal for analyzing problems is critical thinking (…thinking about your thinking while you’re thinking, in order to make your thinking better – Richard Paul), and your skills develop as you analyze more problems. In employing critical thinking, you:

• Question assumptions: an assumption is a conclusion or position taken without facts to validate it.
• Reason through logic: following a structured process (step by step thinking) helps you to take into consideration all relevant factors before arriving at your decision.
• Embrace diversity of thought: this does not mean fully accept every idea that comes, it means you should interrogate them.

This is the structured approach I have learnt in class:
Structured approach to decision making process:

*Identify and collect all relevant information (Understand the situation)
Before rushing to suggest solutions or recommendations to problems like we normally do, it is paramount to collect all relevant information. Find out the scope of the situation and filter out irrelevant information, by asking what, why, when, how, where and who. You are sure you understand the scope, when you can tell a story that incorporate these questions into a clear statement.

*Identify and define the problem
When you have successfully understood the situation, defining the problem will be easy. Avoid confusing symptoms with causes as this will result in not solving the problem or make the situation worse; low profit does not always mean poor market research, or low morale a lack of communication. The way you state the problem, frames your decision.

*Define your objective
What do you want to see when the problem is solved? Stating the objective can be a tricky endeavor. Your objective is not the steps or plan you will use to solve the problem, ask yourself: what does success look like? Lack of clarity about the objective minimizes your ability to be focused on the achievement of that objective; if you don’t know where you’re going, anything can look like it.

*Generate alternatives
In generating options, working as a group helps as one person cannot rightly think of all possible solutions. Hold brainstorming sessions with the right brains, but avoid group think. Remember embrace diversity of thought and interrogate every idea that comes.

*Identify criteria and limitations
These are standards you use to evaluate your alternatives; what factors limits the success of one alternative or the other? Evaluating alternatives against set criteria prevents unfounded inclinations towards one option or the other.

*Make a decision
After following this structured process, you will logically arrive at a conclusion or decision which is most often than not the first option you chose without analysis. Identify the risks associated with your decision and explain why you think your choice is best, then develop an action plan.
You can’t ever have all the information you need to make a decision, but the information you compile must be relevant, accurate and complete; complete does not mean all information, but all relevant information.

It might take some practice before my mind unconsciously goes through this structured approach. I’m here for it!