As a Facility Manager, how do you make sure you’re solving the right problems?

Effective problem-solving starts with thorough problem identification. Rushing can lead to misdiagnosis. Dive deep: use audits, feedback, and stakeholder consultations to understand the issue fully. This isn't just about finding a problem; it's about understanding its layers and how it impacts your goals. This approach prevents costly fixes to wrong problems and ensures resources are correctly allocated. Remember, clear problem definition is the foundation of effective management. Get this right, and you're halfway to the solution.

Taking the time to thoroughly define and understand a problem is crucial for finding the right solution. It's about digging deep, gathering all the necessary data, and consulting with all stakeholders to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. By doing so, we can create a clear and impactful problem statement that sets us on the path to success. Let's commit to this process wholeheartedly and work together to address any challenges head-on. Our dedication to understanding and solving problems will undoubtedly lead to positive outcomes for our organization. Let's do this!

Facility Managers must tackle problems efficiently by diving deep into root causes. Start with the '5 Whys' technique; it's like peeling an onion, layer by layer, to uncover the core issue. This approach prevents superficial fixes and ensures lasting solutions. Utilize tools like fishbone diagrams and SWOT analysis to map out all contributing factors. Remember, it's about understanding the full picture before acting. Prioritize issues using Pareto charts, focusing on the crucial 20% causing 80% of the problems. In practice, this method streamlines efforts and resources towards impactful areas, fostering a proactive rather than reactive management style.

A clearly worked out root cause analysis also helps redefine the real problem rather than the perceived problem or unseen underlying issues.

1. Identify Stakeholder Needs: Engage with stakeholders such as tenants, employees, and management to understand their concerns and priorities. 2. Data Analysis: Analyze historical data, feedback, and performance metrics to identify recurring issues and trends. 3. Prioritize Issues: Prioritize problems based on their impact on operations, safety, and overall facility performance. 4. Root Cause Analysis: Conduct thorough root cause analysis to understand the underlying factors contributing to each problem. 5. Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborate with different departments and experts to gain diverse perspectives and insights into the problems.

Facility Managers must prioritize solving the right problems by evaluating solutions systematically. Start with aligning potential solutions with organizational goals and values, ensuring they meet the larger vision. Use tools like cost-benefit analysis and risk assessments to measure each solution’s viability and impact. Don’t overlook stakeholder analysis; understanding how changes affect everyone involved is crucial for buy-in and success. This approach not only streamlines decision-making but also ensures resources are used where they're most effective, leading to sustainable, goal-aligned outcomes.

Facility Managers must focus on precise problem identification before solution implementation. Begin by engaging with stakeholders to pinpoint the exact issues. Use data analytics for an objective view. Prioritize based on impact and urgency. When implementing, tailor communication to each stakeholder's needs, ensuring clarity and alignment. A solution's success hinges not just on execution but on accurate issue identification and stakeholder engagement. This approach minimizes wasted resources and enhances overall facility efficiency.

Facility Managers must prioritize continuous improvement and adaptability. After implementing solutions, actively engage with both data and human feedback. Use tools like KPIs and surveys not just to validate success but to uncover hidden issues or areas for improvement. Comparing new results against original problems isn't the end; it's a checkpoint. It's vital to understand that solutions evolve. Regularly revisiting and revising strategies based on real-world feedback ensures facilities remain efficient and responsive to stakeholder needs.

Monitoring is very important. You can make a change that won’t see any results at first, but may overtime revert or go wrong. You can fix a plumbing issue and forget about it, but there could be different issues that arise down the line that you didn’t know about or weren’t problems until the first problem was fixed. Follow up and check up.

Através da metodologia PDCA o gestor de Facilities consegue planejar (Plan) a solu??o, colocar em prática (Do), monitorar se a solu??o implantada esta funcionando (Check) e realizar melhorias sempre que for necessário (Act).

How do you make sure that you are solving the right problems, a very interesting question! There will be stakeholder pressure which is urging that time and resources are allocated towards a certain problem, also there might be reactive problems to address and each workplace will have different priorities. Perhaps the most important thing for an FM team to do is to not concentrate fully on addressing reactive problems, whilst there will be issues that occur on a day to day basis it’s important to keep your eye on the bigger picture and be able to explain that bigger picture to your stakeholders and employer so that there is universal buy in.