G.D LESSON 3

Problem Solving

problem

• a dilemma with no apparent solution, an undesirable

  situation without a way out, a question that cannot currently be

  answered, the difference between the current situation and a desired

  state, or a situation team members must manage effectively (Pokras,

  1995).

• can come form the environment or raise from the

  team. Problems often first surface for a team a symptoms that cause

  undesirable effects.

A team’s assignment contains two

primary problems:

1. determining the nature of the assignments and

   how to complete them

2. managing problems and obstacles

   encountered when performing them.

perfect way to solve a problem

define it and then decide how to

solve it. This may seem obvious, but the biggest problem teams have is

generating solutions without first understanding the problem. Defining

and evaluating the problem is the most difficult step for teams to

perform.

Steps in solving a problem:

• discuss and document individual

  views until everyone agrees on the nature of the problem

• searching for their root causes

• define what successful resolutions would look like in order to evaluate alternative solutions

• evaluating the solution

The —— should be agreement on the issues that need resolution and clear statements of the problem.

result

— is ignored because no one

wants to present negative information to superiors. Rather than learning

from mistakes made, the mistakes are hidden from the team and

organization. As a result, they are often repeated because of lack of

feedback.

Evaluation

three approaches to team problem solving:

• Descriptive

• Functional

• Presciptive

descriptive

• examines how teams solve problems

functional

• identifies the behaviors of effective problem solving

• Advice on Improving Team Problem

  Solving

prescriptive

• recommends techniques and approaches to improve team problem

solving (Beebe & Masterson, 1994).

four stages a team uses when solving a problem:

• Forming

• Storming

• Norming

• Performing

forming stage

team examines the problem and tries to better

understand the issues related to it

storming stage

a time of

conflict, when different definitions of the problem and preliminary

solutions are discussed. Often, the team jumps ahead to arguing about

solutions before it has reached agreement on the problem, so it must

return to the problem definition stage to resolve this conflict.

norming stage

the team develops methods for analyzing the problem generating alternatives, and selecting a solution.

performing stage

methods are used to solve the problem and develop plans to implement

the solution.

Factors That Improve Team Problem Solving:

• intelligent problem solvers or vigilant critical thinkers

• should analyze the problem, develop alternatives, and select the best solution

• process should be relatively free of social, emotional, and political factors that disrupt a rational analysis.

characteristics of effective team problem solvers:

• Skilled problem solvers view problems from a variety of viewpoints to better understand the problem. Rather than relying on its own opinions, an effective team gathers data and researches a problem before making a decision.

• A successful team considers a variety of options or alternatives before selecting a particular solution.

• An effective team manages both the task and relational aspects of problem solving. It does not let a problem damage the team’s ability to function effectively in other areas.

• A successful team’s discussion is focused on the problem.

• An effective team listens to minority opinions. 

• Skilled problem solvers test alternative solutions relative to established criteria. The team defines what criteria a good solution must meet and uses those criteria when examining alternatives.

Rational Problem-Solving Model

• The functional approach illustrates what can go right (and wrong) with

  the team problem-solving process. The prescriptive approach presents a

  strategy that encourages teams to solve problems more effectively.

The more unstructured and complex the problem, ——-

the more helpful it is if the team uses a structured approach to solve it (Van Gundy, 1981).

Problem-solving teams

• typically established for brief periods to solve specific organizational problems or to encourage organizational improvements (Fiore & Schooler, 2004).

• These teams work on a variety of issues, such as quality, process improvement, reengineering, and organizational development.

• may be composed of people from different organizational levels, from production and service employees to professionals and managers, and from different parts of an organization.

engineering problem-solving technique called “process mapping”

• works as a problem-solving tool because it leads to the

  construction of a shared mental model for the team.

after doing a “As is” map, next is the —-

“Should be” map

“Should be” map

- describes how the process should

operate. These maps are then used to analyze the organization’s

operations and develop recommendations for improvement.

4 Problem-Solving Techniques for Teams:

• Problem analysis

• Criteria Matrix

• Action plans

• Force field Analysis

Problem analysis

• technique to help in the problem analysis stage

• Problem solving begins by recognizing that a problem exists, and that most of the real problem lies hidden. Typically, the first encounter with a problem is only with its symptoms. The team must then find the problem itself and agree on its fundamental sources. It should separate the symptoms (which are effects) from the causes.

• Before using the tools in this approach, team members investigate the problem by gathering more information about it. With this new information, the team can analyze the cause of the problem.

criteria matrix

• used to assist in selecting a solution.

• Once the team has generated alternative solutions, a selection process is required to review and evaluate them. If the team did a good job generating alternatives, they should have a number of options from which to choose.

• system used to rate alternatives (Pokras, 1995).

• allows the team to analyze and discuss the relative merits of the alternatives in a structured manner.

Action plans

• improve the implementation of a solution

• practical guide to translating the solution into reality—a step-by-step road map, if possible (Pokras, 1995).

• It emphasizes the timing of various parts and assigning responsibility for actions. The plan also should establish standards to evaluate successful performance.

Force field analysis

• used in many stages of the problem solving process.

• the team analyzes the driving and restraining forces that affect a problem.

• approach to understanding the factors that affect any change program (Lewin, 1951).

• examines the relation between the driving and restraining forces for change.

• provides a method for teams to study their problem solving activities. Using Lewin’s action research model (1951), teams use group discussions to identify the driving and restraining forces affecting any proposed solution.

Symptom identification

technique that has the team tabulate all aspects or symptoms of a problem

charting unknowns

team members discuss what they do not know about the problem, which generates hidden facts, questions, and new places to look for information.

repetitive “why” analysis

the team leader states the problem and then continues with the statement, “ ... which was caused by what?” This question is repeated several times to examine underlying causes of a problem.

driving forces

are what the team wants to achieve and the factors that minimize the problem.

restraining forces

are the obstacles that prevent success and the factors that contribute to the problem.