Nearly 90% of employers seek evidence of problem-solving skills when evaluating candidates.
Problem-solving is about diving into the unknown, uncovering the root cause, crafting creative solutions, taking decisive action and learning from the results.
Are you feeling stuck with a workplace problem?
It could be anything — a process stuck in the Stone Age, costs ballooning out of control or employees feeling overwhelmed by the mountain of endless work they have.
Whatever the problem is, finding the right solution is the key to breaking free and skyrocketing toward success.
And the problem-solving techniques below will help you unlock your team’s potential.
Key Takeaways:
- Problem-solving finds a way to move from a problem to a solution.
- Problem-solving techniques include The 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram and Mind Mapping.
- There’s no one-method-fits-all solution — the best problem solvers use various methods to flesh out new and creative solutions.
What Does Successful Problem Solving Look Like?
Forget one-size-fits-all solutions.
Successful problem-solving is a symphony of skills played by a team of all-stars.
It involves combining skills, communication styles, critical thinking, information processing and decision-making with other problem-solving powerhouses to find the one solution that fixes the problem in the best possible way.
While there are many different advanced problem-solving methods, they’re all informed by this 7-step process:
| 1. Problem Identification | Clearly define the issue you are trying to solve. |
| 2. Problem Analysis and Refinement | Determine the impact of the problem and what is required to solve it. |
| 3. Solution Generation | Develop solutions that could solve the problem using different problem-solving methods. |
| 4. Solution Development | Design, pre-test and pilot the chosen solution to refine it before implementation. |
| 5. Decision Making and Planning | Decide specifics like roles, timelines and successes. |
| 6. Solution Implementation | Implement the solution, either all at once or over stages. |
| 7. Solution Evaluation | Measure and review results for solution effectiveness. |
It’s all about leveraging your team’s collective brainpower to come up with an effective solution. Once you have the basic problem-solving framework down, you can hone in on more specific action items.
1. Define the Problem Clearly
Feeling like you’re just putting out fires instead of solving problems? Don’t fall victim to the band-aid mentality.
Clearly defining the problem can identify the true root cause.
Taking time to peel back the layers and find the origin of the problem will help give a clear definition and understanding of the larger problem at hand to crush the problem for good.
2. Break It Down
When clearly defining and solving a larger problem, it might be helpful to break it down into smaller pieces or steps.
This allows you to focus on resolving each singular micro-problem, which will alleviate the overarching hurdle.
Not only does it make things more manageable, but it also allows you to prioritize the business needs strategically, tackling the most critical challenges first.
3. Gather Relevant Information
Has your team hit a snag in a process that’s been chugging along for what seems like centuries?
Problems often occur from inefficient processes happening over time.
Gathering information is vital to finding a new solution. The more data you gather, the faster you’ll unmask the hidden pattern causing the roadblock.
Organize your data into sleek tables or eye-catching charts to help visualize the underlying pattern contributing to the roadblock.
4. Brainstorm Solutions
Ever feel like you’ve hit a dead end on a problem?
You don’t know what you don’t know, so turning to a brainstorming session will be key. Brainstorming is an informal way to elicit creative and diverse opinions on how to solve the problem at hand.
Plus, brainstorming sessions allow visibility to individuals who might not always be the most vocal otherwise.
5 Advanced Problem-Solving Techniques for Deeper Exploration
Sure, the basic problem-solving steps get you started. But what about when the solution hides deeper than the surface level?
Forget the tired dichotomy of problem and solution. Problem-solving is all about forging new paths and leaving assumptions behind.
These advanced steps are your secret weapons, ready to unleash a wave of creative solutions and conquer even the trickiest challenges.
1. The 5 Whys
Feeling like you’re just treating the symptoms of a problem, not the real beast lurking beneath?
Time to channel your inner curious toddler and unleash the power of the “Why?” Method.
Like a toddler learning to explore the world around them, the 5 Whys method repeatedly asks the question “why” to peel back the layers of a problem, eventually exposing the root obstacle.
The stages of the 5 Whys method include:
- Acknowledging a specific problem (e.g., poor employee performance)
- Asking why the problem happened (e.g., the employee isn’t reaching monthly goals)
- Continually asking “why” until you find the root cause of the initial problem, which differentiates causes from causal factors (e.g., the employee didn’t have the support they needed from other teammates, causing them to miss monthly goals)
2. Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa Diagram)
A different approach to finding the potential causes of a problem is drawing a fishbone diagram.
This isn’t some boring old chart — it’s a visual powerhouse designed to uncover the root cause and its sneaky little accomplices.
Here’s how it works: after brainstorming all the possible culprits behind your problem, you’ll rank them by their villainous potential. Then, each major cause becomes a main bone on the diagram, with smaller sub-bones branching out to capture even the most intricate details.
This will create a clear visual of the big-picture problem, making it easier to solve step-by-step.
3. SCAMPER
Feeling like you’ve exhausted previous problem-solving techniques examples and the solutions are still brewing up bland?
It’s time to unleash the power of the SCAMPER method, your secret weapon for thinking up new and creative ideas that might have gone unnoticed.
- Substitute: Can you substitute an element of an ineffective solution for a new one?
- Combine: Can you combine ideas to create a powerful solution?
- Adapt: Can you adapt a solution to a different problem to fit the need?
- Modify: Can you modify a current solution to make it work better?
- Put to another use: Can you find a new way to use an existing resource to solve your problem?
- Eliminate: Can you eliminate unnecessary elements to find a solution or modify the problem?
- Reverse or rearrange: Can you reverse the problem to see it differently?
This method allows you to explore possibilities and solutions you might not have uncovered with other problem-solving methods. It also helps you improvise when no other solution seems possible.
4. Lateral Thinking
Try lateral thinking for an outside-the-box approach to finding solutions that aren’t immediately plain to see.
Otherwise known as horizontal or divergent thinking, lateral thinking uses situational awareness and random stimulation to spark new ideas.
By exploring alternatives and twisting the problem from different angles, you’ll unlock a treasure trove of innovative insights.
5. Mind Mapping
Feeling like your brain is a pile of mush from trying to solve your business problem?
Mind map it.
Mind mapping organizes the noise around the main problem by prioritizing the most critical aspects of the problem as the center. Other causes of the main problem branch off the center, with sub-branches being used to investigate these points further.
This isn’t just about organizing information — it’s about freeing your mind from the stress of overthinking. Taking the problem apart visually will help you unlock new pathways to solutions you might have missed before.
How to Evaluate and Choose the Best Solution
Brainstorming is a great way to flesh out many possible solutions, but not every idea is a winner. The key to a winning solution is to think of it like a recipe — you need to have all the right ingredients.
Consider the Feasibility
The first step is to consider feasibility when evaluating solutions to solve a problem. Determining what options are practical to implement will help narrow your list of possible solutions to just a handful of realistic ideas.
Ask some hard-hitting questions to filter out the fluff:
- Does this solution actually solve the problem, or is this a temporary fix?
- Does this solution cause new problems while solving the old one?
- Have we already applied this solution? If so, how can we change the existing process?
- Is this solution ethical?
- Is this solution legal, or could it pose legal problems?
- Is the solution scalable enough to grow with the business?
Assessing feasibility isn’t a linear process and might take a few rounds of questioning to do it right, but only the champion solutions will conquer your problem once and for all.
Weigh Pros and Cons
After determining which problem-solving solutions are feasible, you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of each like a strategic mastermind.
You can use a simple table method, or for a more refined approach, use the questions below to score each potential solution. For each question that results in a positive outlook, score with a positive number, and for cons, score a negative number.
- How long will the solution take to implement?
- How much will the solution cost?
- What kind of support will be needed to implement the solution?
- What are the advantages of this solution?
- What risks are we facing with this solution?
After asking these questions and scoring each solution, you’ll see the clear winner emerge.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
It’s no big secret — the bottom line in business is crucial.
Looking at a very practical point of view when evaluating possible problem-solving solutions, the cost-benefit analysis helps determine the costs and benefits of a solution if it becomes implemented.
Think of it like mapping the financial landscape of each solution. Consider the direct and indirect costs, the hidden opportunities you might give up, and even the potential risks lurking in the shadows.
It’s all about seeing the full picture before you make your move. By the end, you should know the total cost and the net gain, making it a no-brainer to choose the solution that delivers the biggest win (and the biggest ROI).
Long-Term Impact
Finally, the best problem-solving techniques focus on the long-term impact. That means considering the big picture from all angles: the company, your team and beyond.
Will this solution truly cure the problem for good? Or will there be other implications down the road? And how will the solution impact your company’s bottom dollar? Forecasting your solution’s impact on profits, workforce and customer satisfaction is crucial before getting the ball in motion.
How to Refine and Implement the Solution
Problem? Identified. Solution? Chosen.
So … now what?
Before launching your solution into action, it’s time to craft a battle plan by following a roadmap to solution success.
1. Develop an Action Plan
As important as finding a practical solution to your problem, you’re only part way to seeing a resolution. Developing an action plan for implementing this solution is the next hurdle to overcome:
- How long will it take to roll out this solution? WIll it be all at once or over several stages?
- How is success determined?
- What does failure look like, and how is it handled?
- What milestones are important to report on?
- How much of the workforce is needed to support the solution?
- Who will this solution impact, and how will they be made aware of the changes?
Taking time to develop a thorough action plan before solution implementation will only help your plan to succeed with minimal roadblocks.
2. Delegate Tasks
Time to suit up and assemble. Inspirational leaders know that it takes a team to make anything succeed, and making an effective problem-solving strategy succeed is no different.
Once a solid action plan is in place, it’s time to choose the right tasks for the suitable contributor. Then, you’ll set clear expectations on start dates, expected milestones and whether they will have any additional sub-tasks due to success or failure. Be sure to provide support throughout the process and offer ample effective communication for continued success.
3. Monitor Progress
When it comes to problem-solving, you can’t “set it and forget it.”
Now that your problem’s resolution is in full motion, it’s time to monitor the progress. Schedule regular check-ins with your team, acting as your mission control.
These check-ins are all about celebrating wins (big or small), identifying any roadblocks that might slow progress down and, most importantly, making sure the team is meeting those all-important milestone deadlines.
Remember: Full success might not happen immediately, and tracking how things shake out at each milestone will help recalibrate.
4. Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity
Not every plan is destined to succeed, at least not at first. As you monitor the progress of the solution to your problem, understand that roadblocks might happen.
Don’t look at failure as a setback — use it as a learning opportunity to decide what part of the solution is working and what needs to be revamped to get to the finish line. Use challenges to become even stronger, more adaptable leaders.
How to Be an Effective Problem Solver
Effective problem-solving takes practice and vision, especially with intricate or complex situations. Even more importantly, problem-solving is a group effort. The old adage that “two heads are better than one” is true — finding a feasible solution that benefits everyone is a group effort and should be treated as such.
Strong problem solvers:
- Embrace diverse and new strategies
- Break down the problem into smaller segments to find holistic solutions
- Keep an open mind for new ways to solve old problems
- Provide constructive self-evaluation without taking failures personally
- Avoid jumping to conclusions on the best solution without investigating
For opportunities to implement the best problem-solving techniques, explore our open positions today. And keep trying; I know you’ll find a solution that works for you.
To finding all of the hidden solutions to solve your business problems,
Thomas
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