Problem Solving

A business, in essence, solves problems. When you apply for a job, you are interviewing to solve a certain problem for management and as such, the importance placed on problem solving skills. It is also important to note that even in your personal life, you do problem solving.

Below, we will cover few different approaches to problem solving.

There are 6 steps to the problem solving process:

1. Identify the problem: ‘If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about the solution’- Albert Einstein.
   1. While it may sound simple, many times people spend a lot of time solving the wrong problems or misunderstanding the problem itself.
   2. It is very important to clearly identify the problem you or your team is trying to solve.
2. Do your research: once you have identified the problem, you will need to do research and fact-finding about the nature of the problem and causes of the problem itself.
   1. This process will require you to delve into finding similar problems in the past and what caused these problems.
3. Look for possible solutions: you should get creative and start brainstorming ways to solve the problem.
   1. Many times, you will find similar problems to the one you are facing and you may opt to adopt a similar solution.
   2. You should ideally think of a number of possible solutions, some of these solutions should be the ideal solution while some are alternative solutions (which may be put into action should the ideal solutions not work).
   3. It is at this stage that you should also have contingencies in place to contain future problems.
4. Decide on the best solution: when you have a list of solutions, narrow down to the one that best fits the problem and the situation.
   1. If you are working in a team, it is very important to ensure everybody is on the same page and have decided on a solution together.
5. Implement decision into action: It is important to execute your solution in a planned and deliberate way. Avoid rushing to action as this may not always bring the best solution.
6. Monitor results: You have to constantly monitor how your solution is working and modify it as needed.

Another problem solving method is the SODAS method:

S- Situation

O-Options

D- Disadvantages

A- Advantages

S- Select One Solution

How to solve problems using the SODAS method:

• Situation:
  • Ask questions such as:
    • What is the problem?
    • Who is involved?
    • How is it a problem?
  • These questions help in defining the situation and you can begin discussing the best ways to respond to the problem.
• Options:
  • This is when you brainstorm three or four options.
  • It is very important to understand that there are no ‘bad’ brainstorming options.
• Disadvantages:
  • You should be identifying 1 to 3 disadvantages for each option, this is useful in evaluating the downsides to the options of your solution.
• Advantages: list the possible advantages of your options.
• Select One Solution: Use the information above to choose a solution that you think caters best to your problem.
  • There is no perfect or one answer to your problems, so you would benefit from thinking your options through and choosing the best option available.