PROBLEM

SOLVING
&
ANALYSIS

Solving the problem means helping colleagues, vendors, peers,

and customers to understand why you are the best person for
the job and giving them the confidence that you will resolve it.

Good problem-solving skills empower managers in their professional and personal lives.
Good problem-solving skills seldom come naturally; they are consciously learned and
nurtured. The repertoire of good problem- solving skills includes:
• developing creative and innovative solutions

• developing practical solutions

• showing independence and initiative in identifying problems and solving them

• applying a range of strategies to problem-solving.

• applying problem-solving strategies across a range of areas

What is a Problem?
1.A problem is an opportunity for improvement. “Every problem has a gift for you
in its hands,” says Richard Bach. Someone coined the word “probortunity” – an
acronym combining the words “problem” and “opportunity”. A probortunity is a reminder
to look at problems as possible opportunities. An optimist looks at challenging or
problematic events as potential opportunities for improvement. He is always seeking
answers to questions such as:
• Is there more than one probortunity?

• Is it my probortunity? Is it the organization’s probortunity?

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• Is it an actual probortunity or just an annoyance?

• Is this the real probortunity, or merely a symptom of a larger one?

2.A problem is the difference between the actual state and the desired state. A
problem could also be the result of the knowledge that there is a gap between the actual
and desired or ideal state of objectives. The clarity of the problem is determined by the
clarity of the knowledge of what precisely one wants and what one has. Greater clarity of
the problem helps in finding a better and more effective solution.

3.A problem results from the recognition of a present imperfect and the belief in
the possibility of a better future. The belief that one’s hopes can be achieved will give
one the will to aim toward a better future. Hopes challenge one’s potential, and the
challenge is another definition of a problem. When confronted with a problem, according
to Robert Harris (“Introduction to Problem Solving”), people are likely to adopt either of
the two approaches – spot it or mop it.

Approach to resolve: STOP OR

1.Stop It
MOP
A stop-it approach seeks to solve a problem so that the problem no longer exists. Its
three forms are prevention, elimination, and reduction.
•Prevent It. Preventing a problem from occurring or recurring is the most ideal
solution. The prevention approach is often a difficult one to apply because it requires
predictive foresight (“this might be a problem someday if we don’t act now”). For
example, by preventing a cold or an automobile accident, one can avoid the need to deal
any further with a problem or its effects further.
•Eliminate It. Eliminating a problem once and for all is also an ideal way of attacking a
problem. If a tank were leaking, an elimination solution would be to plug/seal or otherwise
repair the leak, the cause of the problem. To solve by Elimination should be considered in
nearly every problem situation.
•Reduce It. The magnitude of any problem can be lessened by reducing its size. Suppose
the tank is leaking and a repair (an elimination solution) is not possible until a day or two
later. The problem could be reduced by turning off the incoming water. Without line
pressure on the tank, the leak would slow down; that would be better than a full-force leak.

2.Mop It
A mop-it approach focuses on the effects of a problem. Instead of treating the leak itself, the
water on the floor is mopped up, and the effects of the problem are addressed.
•Treat It. Here, the damage caused by the problem is repaired or treated. The water on
the floor is mopped up, and the damaged floor is fixed. But, it should be noted that: (1) by
itself, a treat-it solution is not going to be nearly as effective as some form of a stop-it
solution, and (2) treat-it solutions are often needed in addition to an elimination or
reduction form of solution.
•Tolerant It. In this form of mop-it approach, the effects of the problem are put up with. In
the leaky water example, one might install a drain in the floor or waterproof the floor. The
effects are taken for granted, and measures are taken to endure them.
•Redirect It. Here, the problem is deflected. Sometimes the problem will simply be
redefined as not a problem. It is hard to think of a legitimate redirection for the leaking
water problem, Excellential™
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the humidity; the leak is a good thing.” It should be remembered
that a problem is a problem only when someone defines it as such.
Managers should know that problem-solving is less a matter of continuous improvement
than continuous adjustment. Every solution will have unintended consequences. Every
effective system gives rise to friction and failure. Good management and effective problem-
solving depend upon a willingness to adapt to the situation and recognize the ongoing and
partial character of all attempts to manage or solve.

Problem-Solving
Models:
There are several different ways of problem-solving – all with their advantages and
disadvantages. The process an individual adopts as a manager will be influenced by
organizational policies, the kind of information available about the problem, and his/ her
personality and communicative style. Broadly, there are three problem-solving models
available to a manager.

Rational Problem-Solving
The brain can think in two ways - emotionally (governed by instinctive feelings) and
rationally (governed by acquired knowledge and beliefs). Emotional thinking happens
in the limbic system - an interconnected system of brain nuclei associated with basic
needs and emotions, for example, hunger, pain, pleasure, satisfaction, sex, and
instinctive motivation. When something catches one’s attention, the brain, in a
lightning flash, looks through all the inherited and remembered patterns to see if
there is a match and responds with the closest pattern that it can find. Emotional
thinking is very clear-cut, black and white, all or nothing. For example, when a black
shape on the path looks like a snake, one feels frightened and runs away. Rational
thinking, on the other hand, is a function of the part of the brain called the neocortex -
the wrinkled outer layer of the front parts of the brain (the cerebral hemispheres), the
functions of which include the perception of sensations, learning, reasoning, and
memory. The power to think rationally gives an individual greater flexibility of response.
One has a lot more control over what one does. So that one realizes that the black
shape on the path, though it looks like a snake, could also be a stick, one examines it
more closely before deciding what to do. Rational problem solving rests on the following
principles (R. K. Wagner - “Learning to solve practical problems”):

• Problems are identified

by comparing actual
performance
with an expected
standard performance
• Problems are deviations in
actual performance from
the expected
standard
• A precise and complete
description of the
problem is needed to
identify a solution:
a)What is happening?
b)Where is it happening?
c)When is it happening?
d)To what extent is it
happening?
• The cause of the problem
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will Learning
be found
Intervention by
comparing problem and
non-problem situations.
The Rational Decision-Making Model requires the following steps, which, if followed, are
assumed to lead to
“value-maximizing choices.” The steps are as follows:
• define the problem,
• identify the decision criteria,
• weigh the criteria to determine the rank of importance,
• generate possible alternative solutions,
• Rate each alternative on each criterion, and compute the optimal decision.

The case against rational problem-solving is the flawed assumption that every problem is
defined clearly and precisely, which might not always be possible. Also, rating each of the
alternative problem solutions relatively in terms of a set of predetermined criteria can be a
tricky task.

Lateral or Creative Problem-Solving

During 1950 -1960, some significant research was done by Roger Sperry, which won him
the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1981. Sperry’s work demonstrated that the human
brain is divided into two major parts or hemispheres - the right brain and the left brain.
The left brain is associated with verbal, logical, and analytical thinking. It excels in
naming and categorizing things, symbolic abstraction, speech, reading, writing, and
arithmetic. The left brain is very linear: it places things in sequential order - first things
first and then second things second, etc. The left brain engages in a very systematic,
sequential, and exact approach to getting the job done. The left brain strives for
accuracy in the process of doing the job. The right brain, on the other hand, functions in
a non-verbal manner and excels in visual, spatial, perceptual, and intuitive information.
It is associated with the realm of creativity. The right brain processes information
differently from the left brain. The processing happens very quickly, and the style of
processing is non-linear and non-sequential. The right brain looks at the whole picture
and quickly seeks to determine the spatial relationships of all the parts as they relate to
the whole. This component of the brain is not concerned with things falling into
patterns because of prescribed rules. So, lateral or creative problem solving does not
follow a standard set of procedures. It is a subconscious process based on past distilled
experiences. It is based more on the gut feeling of the manager than on an objective
process of weighing alternatives. There is a set of conditions, and it is accepted that
under those conditions intuitive approach is generally preferred to a rational
approach. The intuitive method is preferred when:
• A high level of uncertainty exists,
• There is little precedence to draw on,
• Variables are not reliably predictable,
• facts are limited or facts are contradictory,
 Analytical data are of little use,
• There are several plausible solutions, and
• Time is limited, and a decision must be made

Creative problem-solving is flexible. So it can be used to examine real problems and

issues. According to ‘brainstorming’ creator Alex Osborn and Dr. Sidney Parnes, the
creative problem-solving process involves six steps, which together provide a structured
procedure for identifying challenges, generating ideas, and implementing innovative
solutions. The following are the six steps:

1. Excellential™
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the problem and brainstorms a list of objectives or goals that/they might have for
him/her creative effort. Through some process, arrive at a consensus on one or more
2. Fact Finding: The problem-solver brainstorms all the facts that might even remotely
be related to the objective. S/he has made sure that each perspective and
participant is represented on the listing. S/he has to take some time for the
participants to point out which facts they feel are most relevant to the
objective and its eventual solution.
3. Problem-Solving: One of the most powerful aspects of creativity is rephrasing the
problem definition to one that is both closer to the real problem and reveals
more obvious solutions. One technique for this is to brainstorm different
ways to state the problem. Most people recommend that the problem
statement be written as: “In what ways might we...” One has to pay particular
attention to changing the verbs and the nouns in the problem statement. Asking
“Why?” and “How?” will also result in some interesting problem statements.
Let the owner of the problem select the statement or statements that seem
to best capture the “real” problem.
4. Solution Finding: In this step, the ideas with the greatest potential are evaluated,
and the problem owner selects an idea or set of ideas to take action on. One
of the most effective methods for this step is to brainstorm the criteria that
determine the best idea, like cost, appearance, etc., then select the
most useful criteria. These criteria are then used in a decision matrix in which every
idea is evaluated on every criterion, and the judgments are combined to select the
idea worth putting into action.
5. Acceptance Finding: In this phase, the problem solvers consider the real-world
issues of the change from the old way to the proposed new way, as well as issues
that are likely to have a bearing upon the
acceptance and implementation of the envisaged change. The ideas developed in
this step are then integrated into the plan, increasing its likelihood of success.
Problem-Solving
Unlike many other problem-solving
methods, the process emphasizes the need to defer judgment on possible ideas and
Process
solutions until a final decision is made. In this way, the flow of ideas in the third
step is not interrupted, and possible solutions, however bizarre, are accepted.

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There is a variety of problem-solving processes. But each process consists of a series of
steps - identifying the problem, searching for possible solutions, selecting the most optimal
solution, and implementing a solution. It is useful to view problem-solving as a cycle
because, sometimes, a problem needs several attempts to solve it, or the problem
changes. The diagram below shows a seven-step problem-solving process.

1. Identifying the Problem:

The first step in the problem-solving process is sizing up the situation to identify the
problem. That sounds simple enough, but sometimes managers might be uncertain
about what the problem is; they might just feel general anxiety or be confused about
what is getting in the way of their objectives. If that is the case, they can ask
themselves or their friends, or a professional expert. Other useful techniques for
identifying the problem include-
• Comparison with others

• Monitor for weak signals

• Comparison of current performance with objectives or past performance

• Checklists

• Brainstorming Identify

• Listing complaints

• Roleplaying

2. Exploring the Problem:

Having identified the problem, managers should analyze it to see what the root
cause is. Often, people get caught up in the symptoms or effects of a problem or
issue and never get down to the real cause. They get mad at someone’s attitude,
anger, or actions, which are not the cause of the problem. The key here is to focus on
analyzing the problem for the real cause without being affected by emotional issues.
Seeing answers to questions such as the following will help explore the problem:

Identify the Problem – Ask Who?

• Who says that this is a problem?

• Who caused or is causing the problem?
• Whom does it or will it affect?
• Who has done something about the problem?

Identify the Problem – Ask What?

• What happened or will happen?

• What are the symptoms?
• What are the consequences for others?
• What circumstances surround the occurrence of the problem?
• What is not functioning as desired?
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 Identify the Problem – Ask When?
• Did it or will it happen?
• Why did it happen?
• When did it first occur?

Identify the Problem – Ask Where?

• Where is the problem occurring?
• Did it or will it have an impact?
• Where did it have an impact?

Identify the Problem – Ask Why?

• Why is this a problem?
• Did it or will it occur?
• Why did it occur?
• Why was nothing done to prevent the problem from
occurring?
• Why did no one recognize and do something about the
problem at
the earliest?
• Why is a response needed now?

Identify the Problem – Ask How?

• How should the process work?
• How are others dealing with this or similar problems?
•How do you know this is a problem? What supporting
information do you have?

Once the cause is found, plans can be made to fix it. Analyzing implies gathering
information. If there is not enough information, they should figure out how to
research and collect it.

3. Set Goals: Having explored and analyzed the problem, managers should be
able to write a goal statement that focuses on what is the successful end of
the process. Making and writing down a goal statement:
• helps them to clarify the direction to take in solving the problem; and
• gives them something definite to focus on

That is, what will occur as a result of the solution? This whole process is about
closing or fixing the gap between the problem and the goal. Writing down the
problem ensures that they are not sidetracked and can address the problem.

4. Look at alternatives: Now that the problem has been analyzed, the managers
can begin to develop possible solutions. This is a creative as well as practical
step where every possible solution is identified. They should identify the various
alternative solutions, Soft Skills for Public Managers 18, available to them
through such techniques as –

• Analysis of past solutions

• Reading
• Researching
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• Asking Questions
• Discussing
 • Viewing the problem with fresh eyes
• Brainstorming
• Sleeping on it. The idea is to collect as many alternative solutions as possible.

5. Implementation: Implementation is a crucial part of the problem-solving process.

To implement the solution chosen, managers must have an action plan and
communicate it to those directly and indirectly affected. Gemmy Allen
(“Problem-Solving & Decision-Making”) says that communication is most
effective when it precedes action and events. In this way, events conform to plans,
and events happen when and in the way they should happen. Managers should
answer the vital questions before they are asked, like –

• What should be communicated?

• What is the reason for the decision?
• Who will it affect and how?
• What are the benefits expected for the individual, the department, and the
organization?
• What adjustments will be required in terms of how work will be done?
• What, specifically, is each individual’s role in implementing the decision?
• What results are expected from each individual?
• When does the action called for by the decision go into effect?

Communicating answers to these questions can overcome any resistance that

otherwise might be encountered.

6. Evaluation: This is the final step in

the problem- solving process. Managers
should review the effectiveness of the
solution against desired outcomes. Did
the solution work? If not, why not? What
went right, and what went wrong? What
adjustments do they have to make to ensure
that the solution works better? This stage
requires careful analysis that improves
upon the best solution. The review of your
progress can help a manager identify any
problems. Steps may need to be revised or
new steps added. One may need to
consider a different solution if the current
one he/she has been working with is not
helping

Essentials of Effective
Problem Solving:
• A clear description of the problem

• A description of the limiting (or negative) factors involved in the problem

• A description of the constructive (or positive) factors involved in the problem

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• A clear delineation of the “ownership” of the problem - Whose problem is it:
mine, yours, the other
 •A clear description of the consequences if the problem were not solved - What is
the possible impact on my family, job, life in this community, etc., if this problem
isn’t solved? What is the worst possible thing that could happen if this problem isn’t
solved?
•A list of brainstormed solutions to the problem, with each alternative analyzed as
to its reality, its benefits, and the consequences for following each one. A system of
ranking each solution to finalize the decision-making process - A rating system for
analyzing each solution is developed, e.g., 100% chance of success, 75% chance of
success, 50% chance of success.
•A clear description of myself as a problem-solver - When it comes to this
problem, am I procrastinating? Am I avoiding the problem? Am I denying the
problem? Am I shutting down or blocking my creativity on this problem? Am I ignoring
it, hoping it will go away? Am I using magical and/or fantasy thinking in addressing
the problem?
•Determination to follow through on the solution decided upon jointly. This involves
full motivation to “take the risk” and pursue the solution to its fullest.

The Need for Thoughtful Problem Analysis

 Infrastructure projects are complex – delays, cost overruns, design errors,
stakeholder conflicts.
 Problem-solving isn't just technical; it requires
thinking about thinking.
 Two essential tools:
o Logical Thinking – step-by-step, data-
driven
o Lateral Thinking – creative, out-of-the-box
 Combining both helps tackle issues effectively on-
site and at the planning level.
 Example: A flyover construction delay due to
unexpected utility lines – logical thinking traces
the root cause, lateral thinking finds workaround
solutions.

Logical Thinking – Structured and

Seatuential
 Break down the problem into components:
o What is happening? (Symptom)
o Why is it happening? (Cause)
o What data supports this? (Evidence)

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 Tools used:
o 5 Whys Technique
o Fishbone Diagram
o Flowcharts
 Example: A project has budget overruns.
o Ask “Why?” repeatedly – uncover scope creep, faulty estimations, and
material price hikes.

Lateral Thinking – Seeing Beyond the Obvious

Challenge assumptions:
What if we don't need
the current method?
Use random entry,
provocation, and alternative
perspectives.
Look for patterns,
analogies from other
industries.
Encourage idea
generation without
judgment.
Example: Foundation
work delayed due to
waterlogging.
oLateral thinking: Use
floating foundation tech
(borrowed from marine
engineering) or pre-
fabricate slabs off-site.

Applying Both – A Hybrid Thinking Approach

 Step 1: Use Logical Thinking to identify facts, figures, timelines, and constraints.
 Step 2: Use Lateral Thinking to brainstorm unexpected ways to bypass the issue.
 Step 3: Evaluate solutions through the Feasibility + Innovation filter.
 Example: Delay due to material unavailability.
o Logical: Analyze supply chain → Delay in procurement → Need for faster
vendor
o Lateral: Can we redesign to use locally available materials temporarily?

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 Case Study – Real-Life AFCON Scenario
Problem: Delay in completing tunnel excavation in a metro rail project due to
a hard rock layer.
 Logical Thinking:
o Identify the exact nature of the rock
o Check equipment specs vs rock resistance
o Time study of operations
 Lateral Thinking:
o Use thermal fragmentation or laser cutting instead of traditional TBM
o Re-sequence tasks – work on station interiors while tunneling continues
o Partner with geology experts for innovative blasting methods
 Outcome: 30-day recovery of lost time and increased team morale.

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