1. Write out a description of the problem. If you can't write it down, you haven't thought it out. As inventor Charles Kettering said, "A problem well stated is half solved." In fact, you will often find that as you write the problem down, you will start generating solutions. By the time you're done defining the problem, you will have solved it.
2. List everything you know about the problem, breaking issues down into their simplest parts. Be objective, as if you were collecting the facts for somebody else. Ask yourself what, why, when, how, where, who -- and anything else that might be important. For example:
* What are the contributing causes of this problem?
* Why do things have to be done this way?
* When did this start happening?
* How can we change things to avoid this happening again?
* Where in the process should change take place?
* Who is responsible and able to implement change?
3. Now it's time to get help from your colleagues. Show them your description of the problem and the list of contributing issues that you developed. Then engage them in a group ideation and brainstorming session. Ask them to think of as many possible solutions as they can. Tell them to think with the brakes off, deferring judgment on the ideas. The wilder the ideas the better. The more ideas the better. When the session is over, combine and improve their proposed solutions.
4. Rate each of the solutions.
5. Develop your action plan. You can consider more than one solution for each component problem, but first focus on those that you rated "Effective" and "Easy."
And then for each proposed solution, list:
* a description of the way it's going to work
* who will be implementing it
* when it can get started, along with a target completion date
* milestones and guidelines for evaluating its success
No matter how big or complex any problem may be, it can be solved. The key is to logically break it down into manageable parts and deal with them one by one.
