You’re a Business Analyst facing a complex problem. What techniques can you use to solve it?

In order to solve complex problem its very important to give significant amount of time to discovery and defining the problems. BA should be able to identify positive, negative and edge cases work flow One more technique that can help is 'The six hats' White: Focuses on your data and logic. Red: Uses intuition, emotions, and gut feelings. Black: Consider potential negative results, and what can go wrong. Yellow: Focus on the positives; keep an optimistic point of view. Green: Uses creativity. Blue: Takes the big picture into account, process control.

Embrace a collaborative problem-solving approach by involving key stakeholders. Leveraging collective insights and diverse perspectives not only enhances the analysis process but also fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to the solution, ensuring a more robust and well-rounded outcome for complex business challenges.

There are many ways to approach the problem definition. Starting with the key question: Why is “this” a problem for our product user? The question is not why the user wants a product feature or why isn’t the user utilising the product the way it has been designed? But it is to determine what they intend on achieving with it. You must interact with the user to identify the root cause behind their ask. We can talk about workflows, PPTs, requirement documents etc. but in the end you MUST interact with your user. The key to define “this” is to identify: - Use Cases - Assumptions - Downstream Utility - Long Term Goal By doing so you will be able to define, scope, and structure your problem and effectively communicate to other stakeholders.

Defining problem is the concrete step for heading towards a comprehensive solution building. Problems can also be identified with the help of various questionnaires with the team members, analyzing past trends considering some dominant factors also helps to figure out true problem.

Utilize stakeholder analysis to understand the perspectives and requirements of all parties involved in the problem. Employ problem-solving frameworks such as root cause analysis or SWOT analysis to identify underlying issues and potential solutions. Conduct data analysis and gather relevant information to inform decision-making and validate proposed solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, leverage brainstorming sessions, and employ agile methodologies to iteratively develop and implement effective solutions.

Defining the scope of the problem is one of the most important jobs a business analyst does. Scope creep can be a big problem, so properly defining the scope early in the project is critical. It is also crucial to get align with the stakeholders on the scope to avoid future conflicts.

I like the approach we use at Siemens-Healthineers for Structured Problem Solving. The key is to spend your maximum time understanding the problem and getting to the root cause. When you look at a Tree the leaves and branches are just the symptoms, the truck could be a problem but the actual cause of the problem is hidden like the roots. It helps to list out all and ask if this is a symptom, problem, or root cause. Use a fishbone to categorize the root causes and then use the 5-whys method to get to the root cause before you can come up with counter measures for short-term and develop long-term solutions.

Logical thinking is the important step before analyzing any data, its about our thought process and how we will structure of problem and our analysis to arrive at our business recommendation.

A fundamental yet vital practice involves conducting rigorous Root Cause Analysis (RCA). This widely adopted technique is based on the understanding of interconnectedness within systems and events. An action in one area sets off a chain reaction in others, resulting in subsequent actions. By retracing these steps, one can pinpoint the original source of the problem and understand how it evolved into the current symptom. Furthermore, it's imperative not only to conduct RCA but also to thoroughly document it, including the corrective and preventive actions taken. This documentation ensures that similar problems are prevented from recurring in the future.

It is one of the crucial steps to follow while dealing with a problem. After identifying the problem one should do a thorough analysis of what is causing this problem. To do so, one must consider all the factors and look at the problem from all the perspectives in order to understand the problem and build a solution.

Analysis is my favorite step in problem resolution. It's where listening to varies parties can help a problem get solved in a new and fresh way. Of course, part of that also is having the experience and knowledge to know what ideas have even a minor chance of success, but Analysis plays that pivotal role in finding the best and brightest solutions.

Few techniques that can help analyze the problem include Business Process Mapping, SWOT Analysis, Brainstorming, 5W1H, Pestle Analysis.

The MECE framework: Mutually Exclusive Collectively Exhaustive is my go-to. It ensures we consider all possible solutions. In Cinderella's story, the problem is how she can become financially independent to escape her evil stepmother. MECE might suggest: 1. Get a Job: Use her singing and animal communication skills. ? Finding work in the human world could be tricky. 2. Inheritance from Dad: There's potential, but her naivety could be risky. ? The evil stepmother may seize any entitlement. 3. Marry Rich: Using her beauty and magic from her fairy godmother. ? Seems like the best choice. This analysis ensures we thoroughly explore all possibilities and present the most relevant solution. P.S. Your thoughts?

In my experience a feasibility study is very useful to solve problem, as solutions differ in cost & limitations (time, budget, resource availability), so be practical and strategic in the decision: Start with a simple comparative table of the possible solutions with: 1. The positive and negative of each option. 2. List if the solutions are strategic or tactical 3. List the cost of each solution 4. List any challenges, e.g. simultaneous projects / deliveries that can impact the solution 5. Include your PESTLE and SWOT analysis. 6. Review the options with your stakeholders: include the correct people, send it in advance, set up a meeting or workshop to go through it. 7. Document the agreed solution, and update your requirements doc.

Besides communication, it is important to track the solution to ensure it works. Using a Visual Agile charter and conducting periodic PDCA (plan–do–check–act) sessions will ensure success.