!

Problem Solving for Success Handbook

Solve the Problem – Sustain the Solution – Celebrate Success
 Problem Solving for Success Handbook
Solve the Problem – Sustain the Solution – Celebrate Success

Rod Baxter

2015
Copyright © 2015 by Rod Baxter

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced
or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of
the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or
scholarly journal.

First Edition: 2015

ISBN 978-1-329-63420-6

Value Generation Partners, LLC

8083 San Vista Circle
Naples, Florida 34109
info@valuegenerationpartners.com

www.valuegenerationpartners.com
 Contents
Introduction: Problem Solving for Success .................................. 1
Step One: State the Problem and Goal ....................................... 7
Develop Problem Definition and Statement ............................. 7
Develop SMART Goal Definition and Statement ..................... 9
Step Two: Understand the Cause ............................................. 11
Construct Current-State Process Flow Diagrams .................. 13
Create Cause-and-Effect (C&E) Diagram .............................. 16
Conduct 5 Why Root Cause Analysis .................................... 18
Step Three: Confirm the Cause ................................................. 21
Step Four: Construct the Solution ............................................. 23
Develop List of Potential Solutions ........................................ 24
Select Solution with Solution Selection Matrix ....................... 25
Analyze Solution with Force Field Analysis ........................... 27
Analyze Solution with FMEA .................................................. 29
Pilot Test and Verify Solution ................................................. 32
Define Future-State Process Flow Diagrams ........................ 33
Step Five: Execute the Solution ................................................ 35
Step Six: Sustain the Solution ................................................... 37
Conduct Solution Training ..................................................... 37
Define and Deploy Solution Sustainment Plan ...................... 39
Conduct Solution Close and Hand-Off ................................... 42
Step Seven: Salute the Team ................................................... 43
Rapid Problem Solving for Success .......................................... 45
Supporting Tools and Techniques ............................................. 51
Affinity Diagram to Group Ideas ............................................. 51
Brainstorming to Generate Ideas ........................................... 52
Data Collection for Problem Solving ...................................... 54
Decision Tree for Selecting among Alternatives .................... 57
Fault Tree Analysis to Determine Root Cause ...................... 59
Graphical Analysis for Problem Solving ................................. 63
Impact/Effort for Selecting among Alternatives ...................... 66
Mind Mapping to Generate and Analyze Ideas ...................... 69
Multivoting for Reaching Group Consensus .......................... 71
Nominal Group Technique to Generate/Rank Ideas .............. 72
v
Contents
Pairwise Comparison to Prioritize Options............................. 74
SIPOC for Understanding Process Elements ........................ 76
Summary: Problem Solving for Success ................................... 79
Index .......................................................................................... 81

vi
With the purchase of this book, you are eligible to receive a complementary
MS Excel® file, which contains the templates referenced in these chapters.

To download your copy of the Problem Solving for Success Toolbox, enter
into your web browser the URL below.

http://www.valuegenerationpartners.com/downloads.html

Then, please complete and submit the download form. Thank you.

vii
 Introduction: Problem Solving for Success
Former Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, is credited with the
quote, "The measure of success is not whether you have a tough
problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last
year." Problems, also known as opportunities, issues, failures, de-
fects, etc., come in many shapes and sizes and exist in every
business and industry with varying levels of impact and complexity.

There are a variety of approaches, methodologies, and techniques to

solve problems, including ISO Corrective Action, Ford 8D, A3 Think-
ing PDCA, Kepner-Tregoe®, Shainin®, and Lean Six Sigma DMAIC,
to list a few. A simple, efficient, and effective approach to problem
solving is one of the most lacking and sought-after skills and compe-
tencies in business and industry today. Businesses need and want a
simple approach to problem solving, one with predictable and sus-
tainable solutions.

This simple seven-

step, fact-based ap-
proach, called
Problem Solving for
Success, may be ap-
plied to any problem
in any industry –
healthcare, construc-
tion, manufacturing,
service, hospitality,
non-profit, govern-
ment, financial, etc.
This guide to Prob-
lem Solving for Success is designed for problem solvers of all levels,
regardless of their role, business, and industry. It combines the best
elements of some of the simplest to most complex problem-solving
approaches and methodologies into the following seven steps:

• State the Problem and Goal – define the problem and goal
statements that clearly and concisely represent the problem and
intended outcome

1
Introduction: Problem Solving for Success

• Understand the Cause – define the current-state process flow

and determine with certainty the true root cause of the problem
• Confirm the Cause – verify and confirm root cause of problem
• Construct the Solution – develop and select a solution, deter-
mine potential issues with the solution, pilot and verify the
solution, and define the future-state process flow
• Execute the Solution – define and execute a solution implemen-
tation plan
• Sustain the Solution – update processes, add controls, and train
users
• Salute the Team – recognize the team and celebrate success

Problem Solving for Success is documented, summarized, and re-

ported using the Problem Solving for Success Summary Report, as
described in the following process steps, flow diagram, and depicted
in the template.

Problem Solving for Success Process:

1. A problem, issue, failure,

or opportunity is deter-
mined to exist and
requires action; initiate
the seven-step process
by completing the top
portion of the Problem
Solving for Success
Summary Report
2. Define and document problem and SMART goal statements on
the Problem Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools
and techniques described in Step One: State the Problem and
Goal
3. Define and document the root-cause statement on the Problem
Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools and tech-
niques described in Step Two: Understand the Cause
4. Define and document the root-cause verification statement on the
Problem Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools
and techniques described in Step Three: Confirm the Cause
5. Define and document the solution selection statement on the
Problem Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools
and techniques described in Step Four: Construct the Solution

2
 Introduction: Problem Solving for Success
6. Define and document the solution implementation statement on
the Problem Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools
and techniques described in Step Five: Execute the Solution
7. Define and document the solution sustainment statement on the
Problem Solving for Success Summary Report using the tools
and techniques described in Step Six: Sustain the Solution
8. Define and document a statement of team recognition and cele-
bration of success on the Problem Solving for Success Summary
Report using the tools and techniques described in Step Seven:
Salute the Team

Employing the seven-step process of Problem Solving for Success

will result in a solution that solves the problem and sustains the re-
sults. The ensuing sections and chapters provide detail and
information necessary to apply the seven-step Problem Solving for
Success approach to every problem of any size and complexity for
every industry and business.
3
Introduction: Problem Solving for Success
Based on the complexity, time restrictions, resource availability, or-
ganizational goals and needs, etc., Problem Solving for Success may
be conducted with one of two approaches. Problem solving may be
conducted as a project-oriented approach as described in the seven-
step Problem Solving for Success process sections of this handbook.
Or, problem solving may be conducted in a condensed, event-based
approach, as described in the Rapid Problem Solving for Success
section toward the back of the handbook.

The facilitator and team may use the following Problem Solving for
Success Checklist to manage and track tasks and activities neces-
sary to successfully complete the Problem Solving for Success
process. It is divided by the seven problem-solving steps with key
activities listed for each step. The facilitator and team may include
additional key activities, as identified, and may choose to change the
current activities from required to not required. The date each activity
is completed is added to the checklist with any additional comments,
as necessary.

4
 Introduction: Problem Solving for Success

Key to Problem Solving for Success is timely, concise, and appropri-

ate communication. George Bernard Shaw was quoted as saying,
"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it
has taken place." As you execute the seven-step problem solving
approach, you must ensure that in each step careful consideration is
given to the impact on the many and various stakeholders and how
that impact is communicated.

Benefits of timely and concise communication include:

• Facilitates securing support for the problem-solving initiative

• Clarification of roles and responsibilities
• Status of the problem-solving initiative
• Updates on issues, risks, and changes
• Updates on activities, implementation plans, and training plans

We wish you much success in your pursuit of Problem Solving for

Success, thereby generating greater organizational value!
5
 Index
5 Define, v, 2, 3, 7, 10, 12, 23, 28,
33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 48, 49,
5 Why
52, 59, 77
Root-Cause Analysis, v, 12, 17,
Deployment Flowchart
18, 19, 47, 59, 62
Swimlane Map, 14, 15, 34
Detection, 11, 15, 31, 32
A
DMAIC, 1
A3 Thinking
Lean Thinking, 1 E
Action Plan, 28, 29, 48, 54, 60, 62
eLearning, 37, 38
Affinity Diagram, 23, 24, 51, 52,
Expected, 24, 57, 58, 59, 61, 76,
54
77
Analyze, v, 27, 29, 59, 62, 69
Experimental, 54
B
F
Blended learning, 37
Facilitation, 29, 46, 53, 73
Block Diagrams, 14, 33, 77
Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), 17, 47,
Brainstorming, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24,
59, 60, 62
51, 52, 53, 54, 67, 69, 71, 72,
Fishbone Diagram, 16
73
Flowcharts, 14, 33
FMEA
C
Failure Modes and Effects
C&E Analysis, v, 23, 29, 30, 32,
Cause-and-Effect Diagram, 48, 57, 62
Fishbone Diagram, Ishikawa Force Field Analysis, v, 27, 28
Diagram, 12, 16, 17, 47, 52, FTA
57, 62 Fault Tree Analysis, 59, 60
Cause-and-Effect Matrix
X-Y Matrix, 59 H
Celebrate, i, iii, 2, 80
Histogram, 64
Checklist, 4, 10
Historical, 54
Concise, 5, 43, 80
Continuous Improvement, 26, 32,
I
46
Control, 29, 40, 63 Impact/Effort Analysis, 25, 66, 67
Correlation, 65 Impact/Effort Matrix, v, 25, 48, 66,
CTC 67, 68
Critical-to-Customer, 76, 77 Improve, 9
Input/Output Process Map, 14, 33
D Instructor-led, 37
Interval, 55
Data Collection Plan, 54, 56
Ishikawa Diagram, 16
81
Index
K Process, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25,
Kaoru Ishikawa, 16, 63
26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36,
37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 45, 46, 47,
L
48, 49, 51, 54, 56, 57, 61, 63,
Lean Six Sigma 64, 66, 67, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75,
LSS, 1 76, 77, 78, 79
Purpose, 43, 46
M
R
Mind Mapping, 23, 24, 69, 70
Mitigate, 28, 30, 55 Rapid Problem Solving for
Monitor, 36 Success, v, 4, 45, 50
Murphy’s Law, 29 Report, 2, 3, 7, 12, 21, 23, 35, 37,
42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49
N Requirements, 25, 30, 32, 40, 62,
75
NASA, 29 Retrospective, 54
National Aeronautics and Root Cause, v, 12, 15, 17, 18, 19,
Space Administration, 25, 29 47, 59, 62
NGT RPN
Nominal Group Technique, 72 Risk Priority Number, 32
Nominal, v, 24, 55, 72, 73
Nominal Group Technique (NGT), S
23, 24, 73
NVA Safety, 48
Non-Value Added, 13 Salute, v, 2, 3, 37, 43, 49, 80
Scatter Diagram, 65
O Schedule, 35, 36, 48, 49, 72
Scope, 9, 47
Observational, 54 Severity, 31, 32
Occurrence, 15, 31, 32 Shainin, 1
Ordinal, 55 SIPOC, vi, 76, 77, 78
Six Sigma, 1
P SMART, v, 2, 7, 9, 10, 42, 46, 47,
Pairwise Comparison, 74 59
Pareto, 64 SME
PDCA Subject Matter Expert, 28, 30,
PDSA, 1 67, 77
Peter Drucker, 9 Solution, i, iii, v, 2, 3, 21, 23, 24,
Problem Solving for Success, i, iii, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36,
v, vi, vii, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 37, 39, 41, 42, 48, 49, 58, 79
12, 21, 23, 24, 35, 37, 42, 43, Solution Implementation Plan, 35
44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, Solution Sustainment Plan, v, 39,
54, 63, 79, 80 41
Solution-Selection Matrix, 26, 54

82
 Index
Step Five Understand the Cause, v, 2, 7,
Execute the Solution, v, 3, 23, 11, 21, 24, 33, 47, 62
24, 35, 48, 49 Stratification, 56, 66
Step Four Sustain, i, iii, v, 2, 3, 35, 37, 49,
Construct the Solution, v, 2, 21, 79
23, 24, 48 Sustainment, v, 39, 41
Step One Swimlane
State the Problem and Goal, v, Deployment Flowchart, 14, 15,
2, 7, 47 34
Step Seven
Salute the Team, v, 3, 37, 43, T
49
Toolbox, 63
Step Six
Training Plan, 5, 38, 80
Sustain the Solution, v, 3, 35,
37, 49
Step Three V
Confirm the Cause, v, 2, 13, VA
21, 48 Value Added, 13
Step Two Values, 24, 58, 59, 68
Virtual, 37

83