Problem-solving is a crucial skill in any field, but it can also be challenging and time-consuming. How do you decide which problems to tackle first, how much time to spend on them, and when to move on to the next one? In this article, you'll learn some practical tips and frameworks to help you prioritize your time for problem-solving.
The first step to prioritize your time for problem-solving is to clearly define the problem you are trying to solve. What is the main goal, question, or challenge you are facing? What are the causes, effects, and constraints of the problem? How will you measure the success of your solution? By answering these questions, you can narrow down the scope of the problem and focus on the most relevant aspects.
As an analyst, most of the time I need to solve the problem that were coming from my stakeholders, in terms of how do I identify the problem, I always have a time to discuss it together to my stakeholder to understand what's the exact problem that they want to solved. To be honest, some stakeholder only have the raw thinking of the problem, they don't know what kind of results that they want. Identifying the problem together with stakeholder is one of the key to be precise on giving the results that stakeholder needs, so you wont waste a time to do an analysis that stakeholder not really care about.
It's very important to know how to prioritize the problem you will start to solve, assuming the possibility that you'll probably see multiple problems in your organization. It's necessary to identify what problem can bring you the best relation between time spent on solving the problem, the complexity to find a solution, and the potential outcomes you can obtain in case of sucess.
Recognizing that every problem has a "why" is critical. As you question what problem you're solving, make sure to ask why you're solving it. Who benefits once it's solved and what real impact does it have on their lives? Who will continue to be harmed if it's left unsolved and how painful will it be? There are loads of resources chasing problems, but people that find the most value out of problem-solving are those that proactively think through why the problem needs solving and only once they have a clear answer, pursue the next steps.
Agree with @Marla Sofer so much on this point. The first step in identifying problem(s) to solve is to find the "why". I've been working in a highly matrixed company for a decade and often I find myself most efficient in prioritizing when I have a fair and clear assessment on why I need to solve certain problems and their impacts. Some problems require a very complex solution and the options may not be very apparent at first. Understanding the why and the impacts of problems will help strengthen the engagement of stakeholders and bring them along in the journey of designing a solution.
Quite often, I've found that stakeholds focus on a big solution rather than on the actual problem. For example, during a contract, management told me that they need to get a new ERP system. I scheduled a meeting with the stake holders that went as folows: *What do you want to accomplish? *Improve efficiency,. *How will replacing the ERP improve efficiency? By being faster. Being faster at what specifically? Pulling weekly reports. How will this improve efficiency? By saving the directors several hours each week. So you don't want the directors spending hours each week pulling reports? Correct The problem wasn't the ERP system, it was how reports were being pulled, a much simpler issue. Ask questions; get to the root of the problem.
The next step is to gather and analyze the data and information related to the problem. You can use various tools and methods to do this, such as SWOT analysis, root cause analysis, Pareto analysis, or brainstorming. The purpose of this step is to identify the key factors, assumptions, and risks that influence the problem and its possible solutions. You can also rank the factors by their importance, urgency, and feasibility to help you prioritize them.
While you look internally at the problem and analyze different factors, make sure to also assess the problem externally, relative to other problems. Is it as urgent as other problems that are causing more severe pain? Does it require immediate attention?
Once you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the problem, you can start generating and evaluating potential solutions. You can use creative thinking techniques, such as mind mapping, SCAMPER, or reverse brainstorming, to come up with as many ideas as possible. Then, you can use analytical thinking techniques, such as pros and cons, cost-benefit analysis, or decision matrix, to compare and contrast the ideas and select the best one.
As a Performance Manager problem solving is fundamental to my role. For me without problem solving, how do I know I’m tackling the right thing, how do I know I’m spending the business and customers money wisely. It has to start by knowing your problem statement, if you get that wrong you may invest time and effort in the wrong things. I believe a key ingredient to defining your problem is doing Gemba walks. Go and see what is happening, invest time taking to the experts to shape that problem statement. Then the next step is analysis. Look at the data and define and understand your gap to target. Then set manageable and realistic goals but ensure they are timely. That way you can track success. Always do retrospectives to continually improve
I have found that the best progress made towards a solution will often be when you bring together everyone together to work collaberativly. However, people's time is valuable and it can be difficult to get everyone to meet at any one point in time. It can be a good idea to include time for solutioning whenever you can, especially if there are existing meetings with who is needed. If you are planning to include time for solutioning in a meeting, it is important to list the specifics of the discussion as a part of a meeting agenda in order to be clear about the additional topic, as well as put a boundary to the length & topics of discussion. Without a clear and well enforced agenda, you risk losing control of the discussion.
The final step is to put your chosen solution into action and monitor its results. You can use a project management approach, such as SMART goals, action plans, or Gantt charts, to plan and execute your solution. You can also use feedback loops, such as surveys, tests, or metrics, to track and measure the impact of your solution. You can then adjust or improve your solution based on the feedback and outcomes.
Setting up a good OKR (Objectives and Key Results) from the beginning is another helpful way to implement and monitor solutions. Many problems we solve today have many cross-functional impacts. Gathering feedback and maintaining a good communication loop with stakeholders in terms of sharing KPI results and gathering feedback are crucial to keep an accurate pulse on the solutions.
Besides following these steps, you also need to manage your time effectively throughout the problem-solving process. You can use time management techniques, such as setting deadlines, prioritizing tasks, delegating work, or avoiding distractions, to optimize your productivity and efficiency. You can also use time management tools, such as calendars, timers, or apps, to organize and schedule your work.
In today's high-paced world, it's not just time management, but energy management is way more crucial for enhanced productivity. Focusing on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of energy can significantly improve personal effectiveness. Instead of cramming more tasks into a day, it's about optimizing our energy to perform each task efficiently. By shifting focus to managing energy, we move beyond merely surviving to thriving in our demanding world.
Finally, you should always review and learn from your problem-solving experience. You can use reflection questions, such as what went well, what went wrong, what did you learn, or what can you do better next time, to evaluate your performance and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can also use learning resources, such as books, courses, or mentors, to improve your knowledge and skills in problem-solving.
With over 10 years experience in product development & management, I have realized that, having your calendar full of meetings, isn’t a sign of productivity, in terms of problem solving. Note that,if you are available for all meetings, the chances of you doing anything tangible, is slim. So, you need to have a dedicated time for problem solving; a result-focused engagement with SMEs. But note, before you can have a successful meeting of such, you must have identified the following: - clearly state the problem statement or the pain points you are trying to eliminate. - identify the available timeline - exhaustively analyze the problems & come up with the root cause & possible solutions. - identify the impacts & temporary solutions, if any
This is amazing post. In shortest and completed form and I found enough points about prioritizing problem solving in that. I usually used to summarize a short assumption or even a code list for myself then start thinking to find a solution. I believe the solving process starts by making a perfect assumption set.