There are 10 steps to take in defining a problem:

1.                  State why it is a problem.   (Is There Really a Problem?)

2.                  Separate fact from opinion, and reality from fiction.

3.                  List everything that is known.

4.                  List what you have to learn. (Expect this list to get longer.)

5.                  Look at the underlying causes.

6.                  Talk to everyone who might have information.

7.                  Figure out whose problem it really is.

8.                  Avoid stating the problem as a disguised solution.

9.                  Develop a simple problem statement.

10.              Determine if it is solvable.

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5.      Step 1

            Author Robert A. Humphrey tells us that “An undefined problem has an infinite number of solutions.” The more accurate and focused your definition, the closer you are to a solution. So let’s look at these steps in a bit more detail.

1]         State why it is a problem.

            A map is little more than a wall decoration unless you are using it to find a specific location or route. You cannot deal with a problem until you figure out why it is a one—or even if it really is a problem.

            Just because something is different from what is expected, predicted, or promised—or  even from what you are used to—does not make it a problem automatically. It just means that it is different.

            You have to study how it is different. What is there about the difference, or differences, that are causing a problem? What is it preventing or interfering with? Is it changing the way you have to act or respond? How?

            If you study a problem you will see that it often provides a map to its own solution. As American philosopher John Dewey put it:

“It is commonplace that a problem stated is well on its way to solution, for statement of the nature of a problem signifies that the underlying quality is being transformed into determinate distinctions of terms and relations or has become an object of articulate.”

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6.      Steps 2 & 3

2]         Separate fact from opinion, and reality from fiction.

            Take an honest look at the problem and the effect it is having.

            Facts and objective data contribute to defining the exact nature of the problem. Opinions and speculation just keep it vague, and the keep problem stewing. organizational culture and climate could become an issue here, too. How is the organization handling it? Are there statements being made? Are there reactions to the statements? Are they adding to the problem?.

            Not everything said about a problem contributes to its solution. It may be necessary to sift through everything that is said in order to find information that is usable.

3]         List everything that is known.

            Use the list as a starting point for an analysis of what you know about the problem. The list should include what the expected results were as well as the actual results. This gives you a place to start from for making comparisons, helps you determine how big the problem actually is, and gives you an idea of the type and magnitude of repercussions that could result from it.

            If, for example, you have inadvertently sent the wrong pricing information to your 10 smallest beneficiaries, there is probably less to worry about than if you had sent that same information to the 10 largest.

 

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7.      Steps 4, & 5

4]         List what you have to learn. (Expect this list to get longer.)

Use this list as the starting point to fill in the missing information that could point the way to defining the scope of the problem and suggest a possible solution. Remember, however, that information does not solve problems. Solving problems takes action.

Collecting information also takes action. Sometimes the information will be expressed as something you know. At other times, however, the information will be expressed as what you don’t know. This means that it is something you will have to find out about in order to be properly prepared to tackle the problem

5]         Look at the underlying causes.

When you are lost it is probably because you started out going in the wrong direction, or took a wrong turn at some point along the way. The same is true with problems. Go back to the beginning to find that point where you went off track, and what contributed to it.

Sometimes the problem was not in what you did, but in what led up to it.

As Anthony J. D’Angelo put it: “When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves.” In archery, when an arrow does not hit the target it is rarely the arrow’s fault. Sometimes the fault is with the bow, the string, wind and weather, the archer, or the way the archer was trained.

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8.      Steps 6, 7, & 8

6]         Talk to everyone who might have information.

Everyone who was involved in the problem knows something about it. You won’t know what they know until you talk with them about it. For that matter, some of the won’t realize what they know until they talk about it. When talking to the people involved, remember that you are looking for a solution, not for someone to blame. As William Arthur Ward puts it: “It is wise to direct your anger towards problems—not people; to focus your energies on answers—not excuses.”
7]         Figure out whose problem it really is.

The definition must deal with whose problem it is. Sometimes you cannot solve a problem because it is not yours to solve. If no one is willing to accept responsibility for the problem—including the person whose problem it is—it will never be solved. Eventually, someone will have to make a decision about what to do with the problem.

8]         Avoid stating the problem as a disguised solution.

Do not make the definition a disguised version of a solution. Saying, for example, that “the problem is motivating employees to work more efficiently” is not a valid definition. Instead, it is a “solution” disguised as a “problem.” It assumes that the problem is lack of motivation when the real problem may be that employees are not working efficiently. Lack of motivation could be the problem. But it could also be the equipment they use, the noise level, their pay, health problems, training, or something else entirely. There could be several factors involved and “motivation” could be at the top, middle, or bottom of the list. However, it might not even be on the list at all.

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9.      Steps 9, & 10

9]         Develop a simple problem statement.

Once you are able to honestly say “The problem is…” and then go on explain it in one or two simple sentences, you’ll finally be in a position to start looking for solutions. The simpler and more explicit the statement, the less ambiguity there will be in developing a solution. A simple problem statement must also point out who is responsible for the problem and the solution, and what standards, goals, or expectations failed to be met. It is important to remember that not everyone will—or is able to—agree with the statement. Here’s how British Scientist Derek Gjertsen put it:

“Give a scientist a problem and he will probably provide a solution; historians and sociologists, by contrast, can offer only opinions. Ask a dozen chemists the composition of an organic compound such as methane, and within a short time all twelve will have come up with the same solution of CH4. Ask, however, a dozen economists or sociologists to provide policies to reduce unemployment or the level of crime and twelve widely differing opinions are likely to be offered.”

10]       Determine if it is solvable.

Not all problems are solvable. Figuring that out, however, can eat up a lot of time and effort. The better you have defined your problem, the closer you are to finding a solution—or discovering that there is none. Either discovery will help you figure out where you go from there.

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10.  Four Problems With Problem Solving

            There are four secondary problems that most managers also have to deal with while trying to solve their main problems:

1.      Jumping The Gun: People often start suggesting solutions before they know what the problem is. As Malcom Forbes put it: “It’s so much easier to suggest solutions when you don’t know too much about the problem.” A problem can be over-researched, and the people working on it can get paralyzed by too much information. Hasty action, however, can lead to even more problems.

2.      Definition Disagreements: There is rarely complete agreement on which definition of the problem to accept and use as a basis for finding a solution. This can be the result of the egos of the individual involved; of the organizational culture and climate; time or budgetary constraints; of extenuating circumstances; or all of, or any combination of, the above.

3.      Limited Vision: Problems are often defined in terms of the tools or solutions the people involved already have or are familiar with. As Abraham Maslow put it: “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” To be successful, people have to learn to be willing to look for solutions outside of their normal procedures and experiences.

4.      Misdefining the Problem. The story is told of a man poking around under a streetlight. When asked what he was doing he said he was looking for his keys. “Is this where you lost them?” he was asked. “No,” he replied, “I lost them across the street… But the light is better here.” Know exactly what the problem really is.