Examine the problem! I repeat, examine the problem!

Problem solving can be split into two parts: the first being to examine and evaluate the problem; the second being to identify solutions.

Taking longer over the first part, examining a problem and evaluating its context and nature, will help you make accurate judgements and decisions about the best way to solve it. 

Obvious? Perhaps so, but the following actually happened:

Those running an employment programme in the USA were dismayed and disappointed when the jobs created for long-term unemployed people from ethnic minorities failed to deliver the expected improvement in employment levels. A little more examination of the root causes of the unemployment within the relevant ethnic minorities would have revealed a lack of skills rather than jobs as the key problem to be addressed. The jobs had been created within the building industry; if you cannot work with bricks or wood you are not likely to secure a job!

So, examine the problem!

For some tools to help you examine and define your problems go to:

http://www.mycoted.com/Category:Problem_Definition


For more about collaboration go to: Sleeping-with-the-Enemy-Achieving-Collaborative-Success-2nd-Edition