What steps can you take to identify all relevant factors in problem identification and scoping?

Problem identification should consider not only 'problems' or 'challenges', but also constraints on opportunities that are preventing the goals and objectives from being achieved. Define the problem, brainstorm solutions, analyze your options, choose a solution, create a plan and then evaluate your plan, as this is a simple, step-by-step way to overcome business challenges and obstacles.

Definition of exact problem statement will only be completed when there is complete understanding of the respective process. While defining the problem statement we need to keep in mind the impact of the change. Sometimes fixing small problems leads to more complexities in the larger scale. Definition of problems should always be associated with the possible solution. 5y analysis and visulation helps.

To identify all relevant factors in problem identification and scoping, a systematic approach is essential. Begin by thoroughly understanding the problem context, engaging stakeholders, and conducting comprehensive research. Utilize techniques such as brainstorming and mind mapping to uncover potential factors and their interconnections. Clearly define the problem's boundaries and constraints, considering both internal and external influences. Seek diverse perspectives from individuals with varying expertise and experiences. Conduct interviews, surveys, and data analysis to gather pertinent information.

1. Clearly identify and define the problem you are facing. 2. Collect relevant data and information related to the problem. This could include conducting interviews, surveys, or analyzing existing data. 3. Once you have gathered the data, analyze it to identify patterns, trends, or potential causes of the problem. 4. Based on your analysis, identify potential factors that may be contributing to the problem. 5. Rank the identified factors based on their potential impact on the problem. 6. Develop hypotheses about the factors and test them to validate their significance and impact on the problem. 7. Based on the results of your analysis and testing, develop and implement solutions to address the identified problem factors

Clarifying the problem statement is crucial as the first step in addressing any issue. A clear problem statement provides a concise and specific description of the problem, its significance, and the desired outcome. By answering these questions, you gain a deeper understanding of the problem and can formulate targeted solutions. For instance, if the issue is a high bounce rate on your website, the 5W+H approach helps identify the specific user group, their needs, traffic sources, visit times, reasons for leaving, and potential improvements to enhance their experience.

In my experience, having problem boundaries helps define the problem and the solution as well.Before , we work on a solution , we need to define how far would you go to create the solution .

While considering boundaries, it is very important to categorise what can be done in house and the capabilities that need to be outsourced or hired. Identify boundaries in terms of process, people and technology.Set up metrics and benchmarks to define the expectations clearly.

From a corporate mobility’s perspective, identifying problem boundaries in the context of corporate mobility involves assessing the specific challenges within the mobility infrastructure. This may include factors like the scale of employee transportation needs, constraints related to geographical locations, and criteria such as cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Utilizing the SMART method ensures that the defined problem boundaries align with measurable targets, achievable solutions, and a time-bound strategy, crucial for optimizing corporate mobility systems.

Embarking on a problem-solving journey demands a meticulous approach. Start by asking probing questions—what, why, and how. Channel your inner detective to unveil the layers of complexity. The key is to broaden your perspective beyond the obvious. Explore the problem landscape, embracing unexpected corners where solutions might hide. Problems are interconnected continents, not isolated islands. Understand the relationships between factors to reveal the bigger picture. Define your scope clearly, setting boundaries to stay focused. Lastly, embrace collaboration. Involve a diverse team with different perspectives. In the realm of problem-solving, identifying all relevant factors is your compass to confidently navigate challenges.

When tackling a problem, I find useful start by really understanding what it is. Consider the big picture, including social, financial, and environmental aspects. Gather info through interviews or data. Check who's involved and what they think. Dig into root causes and your strengths/weaknesses with SWOT analysis. Figure out the most urgent and doable stuff. Use diagrams and talk to the pros. Be real about time and money limits, and stay aware of what's happening around you. Learn from past experiences what worked and what didn't. Set clear measurable goals, and be ready to change course. Write down your findings for everyone to be on the same page. This approach lays the groundwork for effective problem-solving in complex scenarios.

If you work in a large company where all views are welcomed, working out the RACI is invaluable. A 'RACI' helps you map out, 1) who's responsible for the activity; 2) who's ultimately accountable for delivering the activity;3) who's a contributor and; 4) who's simply an interested party. This is important as it allows you to a) reduce the number of people in the meeting to those responsible & maybe contributors; and b) develop a comms plan to update the broader team, including interested parties so they remain engaged. This is the point in time to identify the approvers. Documenting the RACI, approvers and sharing with all involved gives people an opportunity to opt in or opt out of their 'roles' and clarifies expectations.

In my experience understanding the broader context of a problem ensures that we consider the stakeholders perspectives in the problems solving. Remembering that the stakeholders have influence and interests

In such cases stakeholders not only contain the end users or people who approves the process but also various different actors from upstream/downstream systems and external users or systems which consumes the data or output

Every problem will have stake holders. A few connected directly and more indirectly. There would be tertiary stake holders who though not immediately affected would be affected by the “ripple effect”. Need to think “beyond “and bring in solutions to such tertiary “only connected “stake holders .

We need to always consider perspectives from different roles and departments. Early in my career, I worked with a multinational where we faced issues with sales mapping and sales team coverage. On the company's end, it was impacted due to the sales team, however, it was only when we started incorporating the supply side and distributors in our funnel for a comprehensive approach to improving sales team coverage, that we were able to make the real difference.

While looking at the cause of the problem dig deeper to find the root cause underlying the apparent cause. Also, correlation should not be confused with cause.

Map what happened on a timeline. Engage key stakeholders to learn what and why it happened. All people involved should feel safe and confident to describe the route cause openly. Prepare an action plan to avoid the same situation in the future.

Using the 5-Whys concept here is extremely useful to get to the root cause of your problem. We often tend to stop with the first or second why and only treat the symptoms. 5-Whys is an effective forcing function that ensures we dive deep enough to identify the root cause behind the customer problem.

Ignore the surface-level problem or the end result you are aiming to achieve initially. Take a step back, analyze the problem and multiple plausible solutions, then try to understand the root cause, or if you have already tried to work on it then the reason why you cannot attain the goal despite all your efforts. Understanding the underlying problem is crucial for effective problem resolution, and the effect helps prioritize and communicate the urgency of the issue to stakeholders.

In my experience, it is very important to identify the problem causes. In order to do so, a root cause analysis is recommended. The best method to do this is by asking 5 Why’s. In order to reach the root cause , ask a question starting with Why. Each why helps peel the layer to get to the bottom of the issue.

I will segregate the problem into basic steps and then pin point the most basic step. If that does not works I will do reverse process tracking to identify the problem. This will help me revise if the problem is due to some issue in basic science or coding or it is due to mismanagement in trace.

Esclarecer o problema, identificar os efeitos e identificar as causas, nesta ordem, é geralmente a forma com que atuo. Porém, a parte mais interessante a qual é necessário algum engenho, é a identifica??o das alternativas para resolvê-lo. Aí é que a experiência multidisciplinar pode ajudar, assim como a criatividade. Nem sempre as solu??es mais óbvias s?o as melhores. Se o problema n?o requer uma solu??o urgentíssima, escutar as pessoas que vivenciam o problema e uma noite com a almofada podem ser bons conselheiros.

In my experience, having an alternative solutions for the issue at hand is very valuable. It helps prepare for any issues or changes by having a plan B. If the alternative is already built in the solution then pivoting as needed becomes easier and saves time and money.

I am more focused on problem solving than looking for the cause or person responsible. Find a way to solve/rectify it first and then can you look at future prevention.

While assessing a problem with 360 degree perspective, it is important to review what are controllable and uncontrollable causes of the case. Things you can control goes into further analysis and dive deep, things you can't control, can't be put onto the Kanban. Things you can control becomes new focus area, where you want to understand the major implications of the given issue. You want to analyse if the impact is high or low. If high, it will further go into second phase of the analysis. If low, omit the case but keep a check of the potential impact. Once the gravity of the high impact is understood, probably that's when all the above steps in the article should take place.

Always spend more time before you start working on the final solution and approach the problem from various angles and perspectives. Invest time in understanding the problem, & anticipating potential roadblocks with respect to plausible solutions. Once you have identified the real problem, working on the solution will be the easier part.

I would approach it with a combination of the above. First I would try to understand the problem, what we want to achieve. Τhen I would approach the different stakeholders and ask for their perspective on the issue. And Finally I would make a draft of the improved flow and ask for feedback from all parties involved.

There are many facets of business that this model can be helpful. My perspective comes from the P&L statement. Mostly because in business, it's all about the numbers! Whether you add locations or close locations, increase inventory or reduce inventory, add staff or reduce staff, add new products/vendors or let some go, etc, etc, etc. This where you will find the problem AND the solution. The key is to do it in an effective and expeditious way. This is step 1 and, in my experience, must be driven from this perspective.

When trying to identify the scope of a problem, there are various methods and tools that can be used, depending on the nature and context of the problem. For example, asking the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, and Why) can help you understand its main elements and aspects. Additionally, a problem statement can help you focus on the core issue and avoid distractions or assumptions. Furthermore, a boundary diagram is a visual tool that can show the relationship between the problem and its environment. Finally, applying the Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) can help prioritize the most significant factors in the scope of the problem and eliminate the trivial ones.