Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Course Outline
I. Overall Process
II. Defining the Problem
III. Formulating the Hypothesis
IV. Collecting the Facts
V. Conducting the Analysis
VI. Developing the Solution
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Course Objectives
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At the end of this session, participants should be able
to….
Problem
Solution Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
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Defining the Problem Solution
Problem
Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
Definition:
• A problem is a situation that is judged as something that needs to be
corrected – implies that a state of "wholeness" does not exist
Importance:
• It is our job to make sure we’re solving the right problem – it may not be
the one presented to us by the client. What do we really need to solve?
Basic Concepts:
• Most of the problems are initially identified by our clients
• Defining the problem clearly improves focus – it drives the analytical
process
• Getting to a clearly defined problem is often discovery driven – Start
with a conceptual definition and through analysis (root cause, impact
analysis, etc.) you shape and redefine the problem in terms of issues
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Formulating the Hypotheses Solution
Problem
Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
Definition:
• Hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation that
can be tested (i.e. proved or disproved) by further
investigation
Importance:
• Start at the end - Figuring out the solution to the problem,
i.e. "hypothesizing", before you start will help build a
roadmap for approaching the problem
Basic Concepts:
• Hypotheses can be expressed as possible root causes of
the problem
• Breaking down the problem into key drivers (root causes)
can help formulate hypotheses
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Collecting the Facts Solution
Problem
Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
Definition:
• Meaningful information (has merit – not false) that is qualitative (expert
opinions) or quantitative (measurable performance) to your decisions
Importance:
• Gathering relevant data and information is a critical step in supporting
the analyses required for proving or disproving the hypotheses
Basic Concepts:
• Know where to dig
• Know how to filter through information
• Know how to verify – Has happened in the past
• Know how to apply – Relates to what you are trying to solve
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Conducting the Analysis Solution
Problem
Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
Definition:
• The deliberate process of breaking a problem down through the
application of knowledge and various analytical techniques
Importance:
• Analysis of the facts is required to prove or disprove the hypotheses
• Analysis provides an understanding of issues and drivers behind the
problem
Basic Concepts:
• It is generally better to spend more time analyzing the data and
information as opposed to collecting them. The goal is to find the
“golden nuggets” that quickly confirm or deny a hypothesis
• Root cause analysis, storyboarding, and force field analysis are some
of many analytical techniques that can applied
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Developing the Solution Solution
Problem
Hypothesis
Analysis Facts
Definition:
• Solutions are the final recommendations presented to our
clients based on the outcomes of the hypothesis testing
Importance:
• Solutions are what our clients pay us for…
Basic Concepts:
• It is important to ensure the solution fits the client –
solutions are useless if they cannot be implemented
• Running an actual example through the solution is an
effective way of testing the effectiveness and viability of the
solution
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TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
FOR
Employee
turnover rate
has been Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
increasing
Employees are Employees are not Employees feel that Other employers Demand for such
leaving for other satisfied they are underpaid are paying higher employees has
jobs salaries increased in the
market
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Root Cause Analysis Technique – Fishbone Diagram
Result (Problem)
Detail Detail
Cause Cause
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TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
FOR
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1A
#1A
Key
KeyQuestions
Questions #1C-a
#1C-a
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1B
#1B
Issue
Issue#1
#1 Key
KeyQuestions
Questions #1C-b
#1C-b
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1C
#1C
Key
KeyQuestions
Questions #1C-c
#1C-c
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1D
#1D
Key
KeyQuestions
Questions #1C-d
#1C-d
Problem
Problem Issue
Issue#2
#2
Issue
Issue#3
#3
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Key Components of Issue Diagram
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Identifying the Issues
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Key to Identifying Issues
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Formulating the Hypotheses
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1A
#1A The market is large.
Market Interest?
Issue
Issue#1
#1 Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1B
#1B
Etc.
Etc.
Divest Widget X Cost
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#2A
#2A
Business? Effectiveness?
What are some possible
Problem
Problem Issue
Issue#2
#2 Hypothesis
Hypothesis#2B
#2B answers to the issues?
Etc.
Etc.
Impacts on Hypothesis
Employees? Hypothesis#3A
#3A Large percentage of
employees will likely retire in
Issue
Issue#3
#3 Hypothesis
Hypothesis#3B
#3B two years.
Etc.
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Framing the Key Questions
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Brainstorming – A Method for Identifying Issues and
Formulating Hypotheses
FOR
• Number of
companies in the
How many are large industry
Key enough to take on • Revenues for the
KeyQuestion
Question#1A-a
#1A-a the client's last 5 years
business? • Etc.
Issue
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#1A
#1A Key
KeyQuestion
Question#1A-b
#1A-b
Issue#1#1
Hypothesis #1B
Hypothesis #1B
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Data Collection Techniques
FOR
What
Whatperformance
performanceareas
areasare
areweak?
weak? Benchmarking
Benchmarking
What
Whatare
arethe
thecore
corecompetencies
competenciesof
ofthe
theclient?
client? SWOT
SWOT
What
Whatforces
forcescan
caninfluence
influencethe
theproblem?
problem? Force
ForceField
FieldAnalysis
Analysis
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Specific Sequential Steps that lead up to the Analysis
Make sure you know what you are trying to solve – Clearly
1 defined issues or questions drive the analysis!
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Apply analytical tools and move back upstream
Hypothesis #2A
Hypothesis #2A
What analysis needs to be
Problem Issue #2
Problem Issue #2
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#2B
#2B
done to answer this
question?
Hypothesis
Hypothesis#3A
#3A Key
KeyQuestion
Question#3A-a
#3A-a
Issue
Issue#3#3 Age of employees 3. Collect required information per the
Hypothesis #3B
Hypothesis #3B Key
KeyQuestion
Question#3A-b
#3A-b Age of employees
Key
KeyQuestion
Question#3A-c
#3A-c
Analytical Tool selected
How many employees Employee interest level
Employee interest level
are 50 years old or in retiring
in retiring
older and interested in
retiring?
4. Once you complete your analysis, move back upstream to
answer the key question you started with
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Analytical Techniques
Internal
Internal Assessment
Assessment of
of the
the organization,
organization, its
its people,
people, services,
services, competencies,
competencies, etc.
etc.
Strengths Weaknesses
Client has a global infrastructure to service Client has limited resources for expanding
all types of customers its global reach
Services are in high demand in most parts Key processes are not very cost competitive when
of the world compared to other service providers
External
External Assessment
Assessment of
of direct
direct and
and indirect
indirect forces,
forces, social,
social, economic,
economic, political,
political, etc.
etc.
Opportunities Threats
Untapped demand exists in almost half of Other clients are investing in newer
the World technologies
New Technologies make it possible to Some clients are entering into strategic
expand service reach partnerships to expand their global footprint
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Force Field
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Force Field Example
Problem:
Problem: Agency
Agency is
is not
not strategically
strategically focused
focused
Positive
PositiveForces
Forces–– Negative
NegativeForces
Forces––
Promotes
Promotesthe
theSolution
Solution Inhibits
Inhibitsthe
theSolution
Solution
Choice
Choice A:
A: Proposed
Proposed Solution
Solution -- Design
Design and
and develop
develop an
an on-line
on-line database
database system
system
The Costs (minuses) The Benefits (pluses)
• Software License Fees • Consistent Reporting
• Upgrade network capacity • Reduced Data Entry
• Database development time • Much faster turnarounds when
• Training of end-users updating master records
• Requires regular maintenance • Improved accuracy in reporting
Choice
Choice B:
B: Do
Do Nothing
Nothing –– Status
Status Quo
Quo
• Software License Fees Net
NetBenefit
Benefit==
• Maintenance Costs $$250,000
250,000
• Planned Upgrades
Change
Change ininCosts
CostsChoice
ChoiceAA ––BB== $$700,000
700,000 Change
Change ininBenefits
BenefitsChoice
ChoiceAA ––BB== $$950,000
950,000
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Impact Analysis
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Impact Analysis Tools
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Pareto Analysis
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Pareto Chart
Measure
# of Employees, etc.
Downtime, Errors,
FOR
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Summary
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Questions and Comments
Thanks for
your participation!
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