Problem Solving

Problem’s are the Golden Eggs

We can’t solve problems by using the
same thinking we used when we
created them….
“In any moment of decision the best thing
you can do is the right thing, the next best
thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing
you can do is nothing”
Do not put a Band Aid – Solve the root of
the problem

Barriers to
Problem Solving
• Failure to recognize the problem – no sure what the problem is
• Conceiving the problem too narrowly, not sure what is happening
• Making a hasty choice, not sure what you want
• Failure to consider the feasibility of the solution
• Failure to consider all consequences, not enough resources
• Failure to know to communicate what is possible
• Failure to define what YOU did that was responsible for your success
• Team attitudes like complacency, ridiculing others ideas, lack of accountability,
dysfunctions, fear of change, lack of trust and doubts

Attitudes That Kill
Creative Ideas
That beyond our responsibility
Don’t be ridiculous
It’s too radical a change
Top management will never go for it
That’s not our problem
It costs too much
That’s not our problem
Are our competitors doing it
It isn’t in the budget
We don’t have time
We’ve never done it before

Don’t Jump over the
Problem
Be with the
Problem
Assumptions Vs Observations

Don’t Jump over the Problem
• Jumping to a solution
orients the team to
deploy only one thing,
which could be
insufficient or just
wrong.
• It stops the team’s
search to find the true
reason for the problem.
• It reduces your effort to
find a real solution.

Be with the Problem
• Explore the current
work situation
• Go to the place of
work where problems
happen, to gain
Insights into the work
where work is Done
• You learn, what is
really happening…
• It avoid False Starts!!!

Problem….
 Problem is the discrepancy between
the current situation and the
standard for that situation
 A standard is a specific established
“KNOWN” expectation of what should
be for a given situation
 The current situation is the way
things are now
 A discrepancy is a measurable or
quantifiable difference between a
standard and the current situation

FOUR-PHASE PROBLEM
SOLVING PROCESS

About PDCA Authors
Walter Shewhart
Discussed the concept
of the continuous
improvement cycle
(Plan Do Check Act) in
his 1939 book,
"Statistical Method
From the Viewpoint of
Quality Control
W. Edwards Deming
Modified and
popularized the
Shewart cycle (PDCA)
to what is now
referred to as the
Deming Cycle (Plan,
Do, Study, Act).

When do we use the PDCA
• Significant or repetitive complaints
• Repetitive human errors occurring
during a specific process
• Repetitive equipment failures
associated with a specific process
• Performance is generally below
desired standard

Problem solving Guide

Problem solving Guide
Clarify the problem
Break down the problem
Target the setting
Determine root causes
Develop countermeasures
See countermeasures
through
Confirm results
& process
Standardize process
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA
PDCA

Step 1: Clarify the Problem
• We need to
understand the
current situation
(Measured), Ideal
situation (Standard).
• Why is it a problem?
What is the KPI
affected? What is the
cost? Relation to
objective? Why is it a
priority?

Step 1: Clarify the Problem
What is a problem?
• Anything that
deviates from the
standard or target
• A gag between
actual and desired
condition
• An unfulfilled
customer’s need

Step 1: Clarify the Problem
Problem type - 1 Problem type - 2 Problem type - 3
Standard not Achieved
Actual (100%
on time @ 2
weeks lead
time
Standard achieved, but a
higher standard is now
required
The new higher standard
is target
Performance to
standard varies (not
consistently
achieved

Step 1:Evaluate The Problem
The criteria you use to guide this evaluation include:
 Importance - How serious is the problem in light of cost, safety,
or quality, etc?
 Urgency - How soon should it be solved to avoid more serious
problems.
 Tendency - Is the problem getting worse, staying the same, or
getting better?
Problems Important Urgency Tendency
1.
2.
3.
4.

Step 2 : Break down the problem

Step 2 : Break down the problem
• Requires to study the process to detail
• Dedicate sufficient time for the breakdown
• Study the steps of the process, interact with people,
get data, documents, understand tools: Learn
• All problems can be divided into Smaller defined
problems: by region, location, department, product,
channel, customers etc.
• Specify the point of cause: the problem is present in
a specific part of the process

Step 2 : Break down the problem

Step 2 : Break down the problem
• Specify the point of cause by studying the
process
• Specify the point of cause is necessary for
effective Root cause Analysis

Step 3 : Target Setting
Target
Characteristics:
 Must be quantifiable
 Measurable
 Achievable
 Time Bound

Step 3 : Target Setting
Do what: Increase
To what: Percent of usable parts produced on presses
4, 5 and 6
How much: From 90% to 95%
By when: June 1, 2008
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1-May 8-May 15-May 22-May 29-May 1-Jun 5-Jun
Avg. percent of weekly
usable parts on presses
4,5,& 6
5%
std 95%
Std
Avg. percent of weekly
usable parts on presses
4,5,& 6

Step 4: Determine the Root Cause
Why Root Cause Analysis?
• To solve problems on structural basis
• To ensure problems do not return
• To ensure sustainable improvements are made.
• Identifying potential causes
• Challenging those potential causes
• Making reasonable assumptions about the most likely cause
of the problem
• Investigating to get the needed facts while continually asking
“Why?”

Step 4: Determine the Root Cause

Step 4: Determine the Root Cause
• Cause and Effect Diagram
• 5 Why’s

Cause and Effect Diagram
• it ask yourself, "What Happened?" and "Why?“
• "What happened?" tells you the Effect.
"Why?" tells you the Cause.

Cause and Effect Diagram
• Try to make your “Effect” measurable – can you
graph it?
• Sometimes, the ‘5M’s’ are replaced with ‘P’s’ for
Office processes:
Policies
People
Procedures
Plant (Facility)
Programs (Software)
Price
Promotion
Processes
Planet
• Do not waste time discussing the branches
Just Do it !!!!
• You can use what fits your needs

5 Why’s

5 Why’s

5 why’s
• Don’t need to do exactly 5 Why’s ?
 You may find yourself using 3 to 7 “Why’s” or more on a
problem
 “Strive for 5” Why’s (don’t quit too early!)
 Use as many as you NEED to get to ACTIONABLE Root
Cause
 Base “Why’s” on Facts and Observations, not Opinions
• Test your “Why” logic by using “Therefore” in
reverse.
Make the tools work for you, don’t be a slave to the tools

Step 5 : Develop Countermeasures

Step 5 : Develop Countermeasures
Evaluation of ideas
1. Cost-benefit Analysis: The method is usually
run in three steps:
 Definition of all elements causing costs of idea
implementation
 Definition of all elements causing benefits of idea
implementation
 Comparison sum of all costs with the sum of all
benefits

Step 5 : Develop Countermeasures
2. Evaluation matrix
 The main goal of evaluation matrix is to evaluate an
 idea in accordance to several factors or criteria.
Score = Rating x Weight

Step 5 : Develop Countermeasures
• Good problem solving and countermeasure
preparation will drive an organization to:
 Productive self-criticism
 More robust systems and processes
 A higher-level understanding
The countermeasure cycle is a team effort!
Effective Problem Solving with robust countermeasures lead
to better processes!

Step 6 : See Countermeasures through
• Share information with others by informing, reporting and
consulting
• Review the progress of the action plan and the results in
regular review meeting
• Ensure that your countermeasures do not create adverse
effect to other upstream or downstream processes.
• If there’s a gap between implementation and people engaging
with the new process, you must retrain.
Do Not Merely Communicate By Email

Step 7 : Confirm Results & Processes
 Evaluate if target was achieved or not
 Evaluate the process and ensure that it is
sustainable
 Confirm negative and positive effects
 Share evaluation with people involved

Step 8 : Standardize process
• Set successful processes as new standard
• Share the new standard.