WHAT IS PROBLEM SOLVING?

Quality Glossary Definition: Problem solving

Problem solving is the act of defining a problem; determining the cause of the problem; identifying, prioritizing, and selecting alternatives for a solution;
and implementing a solution.

 The problem-solving process

 Problem solving resources

Problem Solving Chart

THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS

In order to effectively manage and run a successful organization, leadership must guide their employees and develop problem-solving techniques. Finding
a suitable solution for issues can be accomplished by following the basic four-step problem-solving process and methodology outlined below.

Step Characteristics

1. Define the problem  Differentiate fact from opinion

 Specify underlying causes
 Consult each faction involved for information
 State the problem specifically
 Identify what standard or expectation is violated
 Determine in which process the problem lies
 Avoid trying to solve the problem without data

2. Generate alternative solutions  Postpone evaluating alternatives initially

 Include all involved individuals in the generating of alternatives
 Specify alternatives consistent with organizational goals
 Specify short- and long-term alternatives
 Brainstorm on others' ideas
 Seek alternatives that may solve the problem

3. Evaluate and select an alternative  Evaluate alternatives relative to a target standard

 Evaluate all alternatives without bias
 Evaluate alternatives relative to established goals
 Evaluate both proven and possible outcomes
 State the selected alternative explicitly

4. Implement and follow up on the solution  Plan and implement a pilot test of the chosen alternative
 Gather feedback from all affected parties
 Seek acceptance or consensus by all those affected
 Step Characteristics

 Establish ongoing measures and monitoring

 Evaluate long-term results based on final solution

1. Define the problem

Diagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful problem-solving techniques include using  flowcharts to
identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect diagrams to define and analyze root causes.

The sections below help explain key problem-solving steps. These steps support the involvement of interested parties, the use of factual information,
comparison of expectations to reality, and a focus on root causes of a problem. You should begin by:

 Reviewing and documenting how processes currently work (i.e., who does what, with what information, using what tools, communicating with
what organizations and individuals, in what time frame, using what format).
 Evaluating the possible impact of new tools and revised policies in the development of your "what should be" model.

2. Generate alternative solutions

Postpone the selection of one solution until several problem-solving alternatives have been proposed. Considering multiple alternatives can significantly
enhance the value of your ideal solution. Once you have decided on the "what should be" model, this target standard becomes the basis for developing a
road map for investigating alternatives. Brainstorming and team problem-solving techniques are both useful tools in this stage of problem solving.

Many alternative solutions to the problem should be generated before final evaluation. A common mistake in problem solving is that alternatives are
evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. If we focus on trying to get the results we want, we
miss the potential for learning something new that will allow for real improvement in the problem-solving process.

3. Evaluate and select an alternative

Skilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative. They consider the extent to which:

 A particular alternative will solve the problem without causing other unanticipated problems.
 All the individuals involved will accept the alternative.
  Implementation of the alternative is likely.
 The alternative fits within the organizational constraints.

4. Implement and follow up on the solution

Leaders may be called upon to direct others to implement the solution, "sell" the solution, or facilitate the implementation with the help of others.
Involving others in the implementation is an effective way to gain buy-in and support and minimize resistance to subsequent changes.

Regardless of how the solution is rolled out, feedback channels should be built into the implementation. This allows for continuous monitoring and
testing of actual events against expectations. Problem solving, and the techniques used to gain clarity, are most effective if the solution remains in place
and is updated to respond to future changes.

PROBLEM SOLVING RESOURCES

You can also search articles, case studies, and publications for problem solving resources.

Books
Root Cause Analysis: The Core of Problem Solving and Corrective Action

The Quality Toolbox

Introduction To 8D Problem Solving: Including Practical Applications and Examples

Articles
One Good Idea: Some Sage Advice (Quality Progress) The person with the problem just wants it to go away quickly, and the problem-solvers also want
to resolve it in as little time as possible because they have other responsibilities. Whatever the urgency, effective problem-solvers have the self-discipline
to develop a complete description of the problem.

Diagnostic Quality Problem Solving: A Conceptual Framework And Six Strategies (Quality Management Journal) This paper contributes a conceptual
framework for the generic process of diagnosis in quality problem solving by identifying its activities and how they are related.

Weathering The Storm (Quality Progress) Even in the most contentious circumstances, this approach describes how to sustain customer-supplier
relationships during high-stakes problem solving situations to actually enhance customer-supplier relationships.
The Right Questions (Quality Progress) All problem solving begins with a problem description. Make the most of problem solving by asking effective
questions.

Solving the Problem (Quality Progress) Brush up on your problem-solving skills and address the primary issues with these seven methods.

Case Studies
Refreshing Louisville Metro’s Problem-Solving System (Journal for Quality and Participation) Organization-wide transformation can be tricky,
especially when it comes to sustaining any progress made over time. In Louisville Metro, a government organization based in Kentucky, many strategies
were used to enact and sustain meaningful transformation.

Webcasts
Making the Connection In this exclusive QP webcast, Jack ReVelle, ASQ Fellow and author, shares how quality tools can be combined to create a
powerful problem-solving force.

Adapted from The Executive Guide to Improvement and Change,  ASQ Quality Press.

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Composition Type: Problem-Solution Essays

In composition, using a problem-solution format is a method for analyzing and writing about a topic by identifying a
problem and proposing one or more solutions. A problem-solution essay is a type of argument. "This sort of essay involves
argumentation in that the writer seeks to convince the reader to take a particular course of action. In explaining the problem,
it may also need to persuade the reader concerning specific causes" (Dave Kemper et al., "Fusion: Integrated Reading and
Writing," 2016).
The Thesis Statement
In many types of report writing, the thesis statement is posed front and center, in one sentence. Author Derek Soles writes
about how the thesis statement in a problem-solution paper differs from a straight "report of findings" type of text:

"[One] expository mode is the problem-solution essay, topics for which are typically framed in the form of questions. Why did fourth-graders from
poor families score low on a nationwide math test, and how can educators improve math education for this group? Why is Iran a threat to our
national security, and how can we reduce this threat? Why did it take the Democratic Party so long to select a candidate for the 2008 presidential
election, and what can the party do to make the process more efficient in the future? These essays have two parts: a full explanation of the nature
of the problem, followed by an analysis of solutions and their likelihood of success."
("The Essentials of Academic Writing," 2nd ed. Wadsworth, Cengage, 2010)

Readers need additional context before you get to your thesis, but that is not to say that the thesis has to be posed as a
question in the introduction:  

"In a problem-solution essay, the thesis statement usually proposes the solution. Because readers must first understand the problem, the thesis
statement usually comes after a description of the problem. The thesis statement does not have to give details about the solution. Instead, it
summarizes the solution. It should also lead naturally to the body of the essay, preparing your reader for a discussion of how your solution would
work."
(Dorothy Zemach and Lynn Stafford-Yilmaz, "Writers at Work: The Essay." Cambridge University Press, 2008)

Sample Introductions
It can be helpful to see completed examples before writing in order to examine what makes for an effective piece. See how
these introductions give some context before posing the topic and lead naturally into the body paragraphs, where the
evidence will be listed. You can imagine how the author has organized the rest of the piece.
"We buried my cousin last summer. He was 32 when he hanged himself from a closet coat rack in the throes of alcoholism, the fourth of my blood
relatives to die prematurely from this deadly disease. If America issued drinking licenses, those four men—including my father, who died at 54 of
liver failure—might be alive today."
(Mike Brake, "Needed: A License to Drink." Newsweek, March 13, 1994)
"America is suffering from overwork. Too many of us are too busy, trying to squeeze more into each day while having less to show for it.
Although our growing time crunch is often portrayed as a personal dilemma, it is, in fact, a major social problem that has reached crisis
proportions over the past twenty years."
(Barbara Brandt, "Whole Life Economics: Revaluing Daily Life." New Society, 1995)
"The modern-day apartment dweller is faced with a most annoying problem: paper-thin walls and sound-amplifying ceilings. To live with this
problem is to live with the invasion of privacy. There is nothing more distracting than to hear your neighbors' every function. Although the source
of the noise cannot be eliminated, the problem can be solved."
(Maria B. Dunn, "One Man's Ceiling Is Another Man's Floor: The Problem of Noise")

Organization
In "Passages: A Writer's Guide," how to organize a problem-solution paper is explained: 
"Though to some extent [your organization of the paper] depends on your topic, do make sure that you include the following information:
Introduction: Identify the problem in a nutshell. Explain why this is a problem, and mention who should be concerned about it.
Problem Paragraph(s): Explain the problem clearly and specifically. Demonstrate that this is not just a personal complaint, but a genuine problem
that affects many people.
"Solution Paragraph(s): Offer a concrete solution to the problem, and explain why this is the best one available. You may want to point out why
other possible solutions are inferior to yours. If your solution calls for a series of steps or actions to be followed, present these steps in a logical
order.
"Conclusion: Reemphasize the importance of the problem and the value of your solution. Choose a problem that you have experienced and
thought about—one that you have solved or are in the process of solving. Then, in the essay itself, you may use your own experience
to illustrate the problem. However, don't focus all the attention on yourself and on your troubles. Instead, direct the essay at others who are
experiencing a similar problem. In other words, don't write an I essay ('How I Cure the Blues'); write a you essay ('How You Can Cure the
Blues')."