Much of what business managers and supervisors do is solve problems and make decisions and they are likely to do it by reacting to the problems. Often, when they encounter a new problem or decision they must make, they react with a decision that seemed to work before. Whilst problem solving is of crucial importance to all businesses when products or processes fail, such that corrective action can be taken to prevent further failures, a potential problem can be predicted, analysed and mitigation applied to proactively reduce the likelihood of problems occurring.

In this two-day practical and experiential Problem Solving and Decision Making workshop, participants will be given both an organised approach to problem-solving and decision making as well as a creative angle in viewing problems. Both Critical and Creative thinking, which have become personal and corporate imperatives, will help individuals forge a path from problems to solutions that are more dependent on logic, reasoning and imagination.

•  Recognise the Psychology of Problem Solving
•  Define a Structured Problem Solving Process
•  Understand Cause-Effect-Symptom-Problem Relationships in Problem Definition
•  Apply Cause-Effect Tools and Techniques and Develop Root-Cause Analysis
•  Apply Idea Generation Tools and Techniques in Formulating Creative Solutions
•  Apply Evaluative Tools and Techniques for Decision Making Process
•  Identify Strategic Considerations in Evaluating Risks and Implementing Solutions

Module 1: Basics of Problem Identification

• How to assess a Situation
• Psychology of Problem Solving
• Understand the definition of a Problem and its characteristics
• Problem-solving process – DMAIC

Module 2: Elements of Problem Identification

• Defining problem solving
• Relationship between Cause-Effect-Symptom-Problem (CESP)
• Characteristics of problem statements
• The validation process for problem statements
• Applying guideline for clear problem statements
• Following the laws of problem-solving

Module 3: Applying Root Cause Analysis

• Purpose and impact of RCA
• Review different RCA techniques
• Finalizing root-cause through a funnelling process
• Relationship between Cause-Effect-Symptom-Problem (CESP)

Module 4: Developing Creative Solution Process

• What it is and what it’s not
• Creativity
• Lateral thinking
• De Bono’s six hats exercise
• Thinking outside the box
• Differentiating divergent and convergent techniques
• Applying tools and techniques for identifying creative solutions
• The process to narrow down solutions Generating ideas (Brainstorming & Reverse Brainstorming)

Module 5: Evaluating Solutions & Making Decisions

• Applying tools and techniques for evaluating solutions
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Pareto analysis
• Star-bursting
• Decision Tree Analysis
• McKinsey 7’s Framework
• Finalise decisions with Decision Matrix

Module 6: Strategic Considerations in Implementing Decisions

• Identify and review action plans
• Develop and review follow up contingency actions
• Formulate after-action review process
• Applying risk assessment in decision making